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1
Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus; most spears will break an inch or two from the bottom.
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2
Peel the stalks up to the flower bud.
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3
Meanwhile, start a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill; if you're cooking indoors, heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it smokes.
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4
To grill the asparagus spears, toss them with about a tablespoon of oil, mixing with your hands until spears are coated.
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5
Season well with salt and pepper.
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6
Grill until tender and browned in spots, turning once or twice, in all 5 to 10 minutes.
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7
To pan grill the asparagus, do not oil or season them.
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8
Just toss them in the hot skillet, and cook, turning the spears individually as they brown, until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
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9
Remove as they finish, and season with salt and pepper.
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10
Mix together the lemon juice and shallots, then stir in enough olive oil to add a little body and take the edge off the sharpness of the lemon; the mixture should still be strong.
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11
Season it well with salt and plenty of black pepper, and stir in the parsley.
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12
Serve the asparagus hot or at room temperature with grilled fish.
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13
Spoon the sauce over everything.
