Asparagus Spears Food

OVEN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread out asparagus spears in a large shallow roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shake roasting pan gently so asparagus is completely coated in oil.
• Roast in oven until spears are just tender. Cooking time will depend on thickness of asparagus, about 10 minutes for medium-thick asparagus. Pencil asparagus will take much less time; thick stalks will take more. Shake pan halfway through cooking time to keep spears from sticking. Just before serving, drizzle asparagus with olive oil and adjust seasoning.

ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH SESAME

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath: Fill a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and add some cold water. Place a colander squarely inside the ice bath. The colander will keep you from having to pick the asparagus out from amongst the ice cubes in the ice bath.
• Add salt until the boiling water tastes like seawater. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes - you want them to be crunchy. If the asparagus are thin, cook for only 1 minute. Remove the asparagus from the water with a strainer and transfer them to the colander inside the ice bath. Allow them to cool completely for a few minutes and then place them on a kitchen towel to drain any excess moisture.
• Toss the asparagus, sesame seeds, and the sauce together and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until ready to serve.

STUFFED CATFISH TOPPED WITH GARLIC BUTTER AND GRILLED ASPARAGUS SPEARS AND SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool briefly. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the capers, and then add the sauteed onion and garlic to the bowl. Stir the mixture together until thoroughly combined. If necessary, flatten the catfish fillets by placing them between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pounding with a mallet or by rolling out with a rolling pin. Generously spread the bread crumb mixture on top of each fillet. Roll the fillets up, securing with a toothpick if desired. Heat a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to the pan for sauteing, about 1/4-inch up the side of the skillet, and let heat for 1 minute. Carefully place the rolled catfish fillets into the skillet, and cook until evenly browned on all sides, turning the fillets with tongs as needed.
• Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat until the sauce is reduced by half. Drizzle the sauce over the Stuffed Catfish.
• Coat the asparagus spears with vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the asparagus for a couple minutes until tender, rotating them with tongs, if necessary.
• Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise. Heat a grill pan over medium heat and add just enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the sliced sweet potatoes to the hot pan in a single layer, and grill until they turn slightly crispy. Turn each slice with tongs and continue grilling until the second side is slightly crispy and the sweet potatoes are fully heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Break off the tough ends of the asparagus and, if they're thick, peel them. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 25 minutes, until tender but still crisp.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill.
• Place asparagus on a plate. Drizzle oil over the asparagus and turn spears until they are coated. Sprinkle with salt and turn again.
• Grill asparagus for 5 minutes over a hot grill. Each minute or so, roll each spear 1/4 turn. Asparagus should begin to brown in spots (indicating that the natural sugars are caramelizing) but should it not be allowed to char. Dripping oil may cause flare-ups. Keep a glass, or spray bottle of water handy to spritz on coals, if necessary.
• Remove from grill and serve immediately (eating spears with your fingers enhances the experience).

ASPARAGUS APPETIZER - SPEAR ECSTASY

Steps:

• To make Dipping Sauce: Mix well the sour cream, mayo, onion, lemon juice, capers, tarragon, onion powder, sugar and pepper together using a whisk.
• Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
• Steam asparagus until fork tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Mix Ice Bath together in large bowl. Plunge asparagus into ice water and let sit until cold.
• (I personally skipped the water bath and just let steamed asparagus drain in colander until cooled.) Transfer to paper towel to drain.
• Refrigerate.
• Serve chilled asparagus with dipping sauce.
• Note Do Ahead tips: The dipping sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and regrigerated. The asparagus can be prepared 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

PAN-FRIED GARLIC ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Prepare asparagus spears. First rinse thoroughly and cut off fibrous ends. To do this, pull one spear out of the bunch. Gently bend the spear until it snaps. Then cut the remaining spears at the same length as the first.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Cook garlic and shallots for five minutes or until tender but not translucent.
• Add asparagus and parmesan to skillet and toss in oil, garlic and shallots. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook for 8-10 minutes at medium / medium-high heat or until asparagus and parmesan begin to brown, and shallots are caramelized.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Trim the asparagus stalks so that the spears are 5 inches long. In a deep skillet bring 1 1/2 inches salted water to a boil and cook the asparagus until they are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. In a colander drain the asparagus and rinse under cold water. Drain the asparagus well on paper towels.
• In a bowl mash the Boursin with a fork until it is smooth. Cut 1 slice of prosciutto lengthwise into 1-inch strips and spread each strip with about 1/2 teaspoon Boursin. Spread about 1/4 teaspoon mustard over the Boursin and wrap each strip in a spiral around an asparagus spear, trimming any excess. Make more hors d'oeuvres with the remaining prosciutto, Boursin, mustard, and asparagus spears in the same manner.

ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place asparagus in skillet, adding just enough water to cover.
• Boil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until asparagus is crisp-tender.
• Drain well, return asparagus to skillet, and add remaining ingredients.
• Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms have heated through.

NIF'S EASY GRILLED ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Trim off the tough bottom of the spear by grasping each end and bending it gently until it snaps at its natural point of tenderness - usually two thirds of the way down the spear.
• Place asparagus on a plate and drizzle oil over spears. Sprinkle with salt and then mix spears with your hands to coat.
• Place aspargus on medium-hot grill, horizontally so they won't fall through the grates. Occasionally roll spears with the back of a spatula so they rotate and cook all around.
• As they caramelize, asparagus should begin to brown in spots but should not be allowed to blacken or char. They are done when slightly wilted.
• Remove from grill and sprinkle with parmesan. Serve immediately.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Snap any woody tips off the asparagus where they naturally break apart. Put on a roasting tray, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 12 mins until they are tender.

ASPARAGUS APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Trim crusts from bread, and flatten slightly with a rolling pin.
• In a bowl, stir blue and cream cheeses together with the egg until well blended and creamy. Spread a thin layer of cheese mixture over each slice of bread. Roll one asparagus spear inside each, and fasten with a toothpick.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan. Roll each asparagus wrap in butter to coat. Place on a baking sheet small enough to fit into the freezer, and freeze for one hour, or until butter hardens and wraps are somewhat firm. Remove pan from freezer, discard toothpicks, and cut each wrap in half crosswise. Store in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use.
• To serve, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Arrange frozen asparagus wraps on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Check occasionally, and turn if necessary, for even browning and to prevent burning. Enjoy!