I ususally add a chopped shallot, or a chopped slice or two of red onion, if I can't find any shallots. It caramelises in the oven, and adds a nice flavor.
This is a little (actually, a lot) less healthy, but quite tasty.
On some foil put about 1/4 of an inch of butter. (oil would work too)
Then put half-a-bundle of asparagus on there.
Drop in a chunk or 2 of garlic.
Sprinkle on some Johnny's Seasoning Salt
tightly wrap the foil up, so no juices escape
toss on the BBQ at medium heat.
It usually takes about 15 minutes for mine to be done the way I like. You get some nice soft (and cooked) chunks of garlic too.
I usually pan fry them. I'll have to give this a try.
I like to cut the asparagus up, put it in a covered baking dish, and add the zest and juice of one lemon to the other ingredients you mention, and cook it for the same amount of time. Yummy! For an extra special dish, i also sometimes add a can of marinated artichoke hearts.
This approach on the grill is equally delicious (top grill for a little less heat - unless you like it a little charred, like I do). ---Kay
Great idea to roast asparagus! We usually steam it....
I just learned that there is a use for the bottom discarded part of the asparagus (other than putting it into the garden compost heap). Patricia Wells, in "The Paris Cookbook", suggests making asparagus velouté out of the bottom halves of asparagus stalks, leeks, olive oil, chicken stock and seasalt. She serves the velouté in espresso cups as an appetizer.
The following is not exactly the same as Wells' recipe but the method is similar.
http://www.hub-uk.com/foodpages15/recip0726.htm
-Elizabeth
I follow the same recipe with the following twist.
I place the asparagus, 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of water, 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of virgin olive oil and salt to taste in a Reynolds "Hot Bag" and place it on the grill. Seal the "Hot Bag" and remove after 5 or 6 minutes -- careful not to leave on the grill too long.
ANTHONY J. PATTI, Esq.
Instead of rolling the asparagus through the oil with your hands, try tossing the stalks in a ziploc bag with just a little oil. It takes very little to coat a lot of asparagus.
DaveC here...
1. 500 degrees for 8 minutes works fine.
2. I always use kosher salt - I like a coarser salt on these.
3. When they're done, sprinkle on some freshly grated parmesan cheese, or, while the asparagi are cooking, fry up a tablespoon or two of capers (drain them first & pat them dry if they are coming from a jar) for about one minute in a bit of olive oil. Delicious!
If you've never before tried roasting asparagus, you will be amazed... it is incredibly easy and has become the only way I cook them now. (With the sole exception that I sometimes blanche them in boiling salt water for 2 minutes and toss them in an ice bath -- this preparation is mainly for salads.)
Another seasoning variety for roasted asparagus is to use toasted sesame oil instead of olive oil. Grate a light amount of fresh ginger over the spears, and then drizzle the whole assembly with some low-sodium soy sauce. This is still a "busy schedule" kind of dish, but one which causes people to sit up and take notice of the unique character of the dish.
I love this recipe and have been making my asparagus this way for a while...i suggest shaving off some real parmesano reggiano on them before you bake at high heat. Crispy cheezey goodness.
Another variation is to add a mixture of soy sauce and ginger.
It's my favorite!
good tips! I'm another fan of the "ziploc trick"
re: ziploc bag
I feel that rolling the asparagus in olive oil by hand is just as effective as the ziploc bag - but after I simply wash my hands. Washing a ziploc bag is troublesome and just throwing a large one away after oiling asparagus seems like a waste.
Finely sliced garlic (use a hand-held garlic slicer for very fine slices) tossed in with and roasted with the aspargus is wonderful. The garlic browns and is slightly crunchy which adds to the flavor.
My housemate Paula and I (Wei) enjoy a leisurely blanching of our asparagus in Kingston's finest H2O. The toxic waste upstream from Toronto gives it a certain je ne sais quoi. The phospherous dichlorofluoride gives it that distinct Ontarian flavour.
With a spread of butter and a dash of NaCl, it is a creamy heaven.
Wei & Paula
Instead of rolling food around in the oil with your hands, and getting them messy, I keep my oils in spray bottles.
I've got corn, olive and cheep vegie oil ready to go depending on what I'm making. Not only does it keep me clean in cases like this, I've completely done away with that horid lipid known only as "pam".
I love this website!
Anyway, I will normally, roll the asparagus with bacon and roast it. hehe! yummy!
Men: This kind of recipe would really impress a woman. Its just so subtly sexy. I suggest either a few sliced almonds on top OR crumbled boiled egg yolk (not both) - both are traditional and very elegant. Serve it to me and I'll make out with you!
I sometimes toss a little sesame seed on the top. I am definately going to try the onion/garlic additions.
I have aquick trick using the Ziplock. I just toss in how much asparagus I want to cook in a ziplock bag add some salt, pepper and a pat of butter. Just seal the bag almost shut and toss it in the microwave for 3 min. or so. The asparagus is done crisp tender and ther is no mess to clean up, just toss the bag.
I agree a very sexy dish to prepare....a light sprinkle of seasoned breadcrumbs then freshly grated cheese, is wonderful!!
I like a little carmelization on my asparagus so I roast at 450 degrees instead of the recommended 350. They're also great grilled providing you keep them aligned perpendicular to the grates. :)
I just tried roasting asparagus with a little soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Excellent!
Tip for grilling -- make "rafts" (think what you would do if stranded on a desert island) out of the asparagus by putting toothpicks through a couple. Two toothpicks for each raft will keep all the spears stable. A raft won't fall through the grill, and you can turn a whole bunch in one fell swoop!
I grill the asparagus with the Reynolds Wrap non-stick grilling sheets. It saves me the trouble of making sure that the asparagus does not slip through. At the same time I add red bell pepper slices and onion slices.
I've found the results from grilling to be much better than from oven-roasting. Well, except for the time that I got caught up in that basketball game.
in mexico we grill beside asparagus some yellow, red, green and orange pimientos (the ones that aren't spicy but sweet) to add some color. olive oil salt and pepper
Made this one tonite, together with the apples, and it was wonderful. Had some polenta and fennel with it, and a nice salad. Many thanks!
I make mine the same way, but always use kosher salt and drizzle a little lime juice.
Washington State is known for its asparagus and we have been experimenting. We use the plastic bag method with koshher salt and roast 4" stalks for 16 min. and 1/2" stalks for 20 min. This is about when the color turns
The recipe as stated in the article but add 3 tbsp of sugar as well.
You're actually not supposed to do that thing where you break it and it just breaks at its weakest point. Its "eakest point" will just end up beign wherever your fingers decide it to be. It's better to just cut off 1.5-2in from the bottom for all of them.
I made this for my mother-in-law and she liked it! and ya know how hard it is to please your MIL! thanks so much! :)
I love roasted asparagus - I use the Pam Olive Oil spray and it works GREAT!
Never knew you could do so much with asparagus.
I like to add a bit of balsalmic vinegar with the parmasian cheese, if I'm feeling really crazy, I'll wrap it in italian ham (can't spell prociutto) around it, then add the balsalmic vinegar.
I usually add it to a ziploc... squeeze 1/2 lemon, and some olive to coat. A few cracks of black pepper, and I let it sit for a 1/2 hour or so. Then to the barby.... some kosher salt sprinkled on...
Mmm Mmmmmm Mmmmmmmmm :P
Fresh grated Parmasan Regiano just before plating... yum
Kawa
edit: Added chesse line
I've been roasting aspargus and cauliflower using this technique for years. Just roasting with salt, pepper, and olive oil works great, steaming and boiling leaches out all flavor.
One tip-- after roasting is done, try drizzling a little dark sesame or truffle oil on top. Just a little bit goes a long way.
Our current favourite is to roast it with some of the Maldon salt, and a thinly sliced lemon. The lemon adds a nice flavour without being overpowering, and the Maldon gives it that nice crunchy salt bite without being overpowering like the Kosher.
I love this recipe...and this site!!!!! What a great idea!
If you want to try out more recipes.....from a non engineering side... www.gourmettrading.net We also have a science project for white asparagus as welL!!!!
I love asparagus. Too bad I didn't as a kid because it grew wild across the street in the vacant lot :)
As I do not have a "proper" oven on my CAL-34 sailboat, can I make a packet for the aspargus in aluminum foil and put on the BBQ?
If so, any tips?
Thanks,
Sheila
Anchored at the Caribbean island of St. Maarten / St. Martin
Personal Sailing blog
Yacht Charter blog
You can put the asparagus directly onto the grill. Rotate/roll once and cook until the color has changed into a deeper green color.
[color=violet:a6ae778a37][b:a6ae778a37]Mmmmm, yeah! I've been making this on the grill for years! Easiest way to do this recipe, like others have said, is in a gallon zipper bag. My favorite addition is fresh lime juice. Squeeze the juice of one or two limes into the bag after the salt, olive oil and pepper, zip it shut and shake, shake, shake. Excellent when grilled until crisp! Almost candied. This is a must for all our summer BBQ's.
Another goodie is to shmear goat cheese or cream cheese onto pepper quarters, or mini pepper halves, and grill until cheese has a touch of gold on edges.
Broiling both will achieve same deliciousness.[/b:a6ae778a37][/color:a6ae778a37] :P
I just discovered this website while searching for a roasted asperigus recipe. Just the title, "Cooking for Engineers" gave me the biggest laugh of the day. The nicely organized recipe cards are a hoot. I am a 45 year old female engineer who does just fine with cookbooks, but I'm bookmarking this site!
Thanks to Michael and Chef Emeril I found the perfect (and easy) enhancement.
After rolling the (2 pounds) asparagus in the oil and dusting with salt and freah ground pepper I minced 2 garlic cloves on top and rolled some more. I mixed it in as best I could and roasted at 425 deg F for 15 minutes. I turned the oven off and left it in for 2 more minutes.
On top of the stove I squeezed 1/2 small lemon over the asparagus and mixed it together with the roasted garlic. I intended to leave the last half for my wife who works late. Not a chance this tme!
I grabbed the asparagus (with clean hands) and ate it starting at the tips. I discovered that eating it this way I could easily detect when to stop at any tough ends. I had only cut off 1 inch earlier not knowing where the toughness begins. This resolved the problem of tough asparagus ends. Should I have used a fork? No way!
I'll probably never steam asparagus again. Engineers rule!
This method is also good for uncut okra pods. I leave out the pepper, and eat them as a finger food.
It takes another 5 minutes of prep time, but try peeling the stalks before the oil and salt treatment. What you lose in mass you'll get back twofold in tenderness. Really makes them melt in your mouth.
[b:2da3dcd1eb]My oven doesn't reach 500dF according to my thermocouple; but acording to its lights it does. Common?
Now for who cares conversation...
I do not feel that it makes a big difference if I read 487dF. Nor do I really care if I read dC, dF. dK or dR in posts. I think the sensible thing is to use your countrie's, states's or what ever's is prevailant system.
I don't really care if we use hexidecima lor octal for assembly programming. Or KIPS or KPSI. Also I prefer linear sliderules, I only have 1 Post Versilog Bamboo, 2 Plasic and 5 circular.
I am fine with us using what ever SL or cpu or calc u want.
My COCO and Timex(Sinclair) still works. I know a little about electrinics, software, Iowa farming, being University Proffessor, and determining what is in the ground and how to identify it.
But I want to know about how to cook!
[/b:2da3dcd1eb]
For a slight protein boost, you can also put some cheese on top before baking/roasting.
I think mozerella would be the best although I'm usually quite the lazy poke and go with the kraft cheddar slices I find in the fridge. Add in only after about 5 mins if you prefer your cheese a little more 'wet' than crispy.
I've done this in the regular toaster oven too if you don't have a regular oven. Toasting time will need to be a little longer though.
The aluminium foil is a great idea too! Esp when trying to clean out crusted cheese!
- Geri
Hey, I love roasted and grilled asparagus, but the way I learned to cook it from my mom was to give it an egg bath then coat it with corn meal and fry it in a pan of shallow oil. It's delicious with a crispy nutty flavor. the only thing I do differently now is mix 50 % corn meal and 50% flour, then spice it with garlic powder, salt, pepper and oregano. Delicious!
This is so good! And olive oil is good for your skin, so use your hands to oil the stalks.
I've been wanting to try this for a long time. I've always butter-steamed and served with mayo, which was great, but oh my.
I finally did this tonight, expecting a lot of family resistance of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" variety. I got it until they tasted it, now this is all they want. I cooked one bunch, with 4 kept back to take for family dinner tomorrow. We'll be taking 3 because I had to cook another bunch.
This is just asparagus to the highest power.
BTW, I save the bottoms in a freezer bag. When I get enough, I buy another fresh bunch for the tops and cook all the bottoms in stock, blend it, strain it, mix in the tops and chopped stalks, add cream, butter, whatever...it's a wing-it recipe for cream of asparagus soup. I've even done it with soy milk and flour for vegan friends.
To grill asparagus, take some wooden skewers and make small fences of asparagus. Usually, I put about 4-5 stalks together. Easy to grill, turn and won't fall through the grates.
I'll never make asparagus any other way!
We usually add not just the juice of a half lemon (more or less) but also a good deal of the zest from that lemon. We also prefer to roast them until they are somewhat crisp at the pointy end. One of us believes that zesting the lemon 'deep' gives a bitter flavor, so stick to just the first yellow layer.
Hi Michael, I recently started a website where I post step-by-step instructions for making Slovak food, www . slovakcooking . com. When I showed it to some folks at work (NASA Goddard), they mentioned that I should visit CookingForEngineers. We engineers really do think alike! Great site, by the way.
I loved all the suggestions for fixing Asparagus. I generally steam cook it with a little salt, then sprinkle some lemons juice on it.
Another twist on this is to fix eggplant, zucchini, and peppers the same way. I like to add garlic powder to it. Very good!!! ;)
Pour about 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil per pound of asparagus onto a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil (for easy clean up - saving time after cooking and dining is important too).
Using your hands, roll the asparagus through the oil and rub them against each other until the oil coats them all. Spread the asparagus out in the sheet pan to form a single layer. Apply freshly ground black pepper and salt to the oiled asparagus.
Place the asparagus laden sheet pan into the oven and allow it to roast for 10 to 15 minutes.