Food Talk And Fabulous Finds - Asparagus

How do you cook asparagus? I have some in the fridge and I know you can boil or microwave it, anyone have any bright ideas that are a little out of the norm??

My favourite vegetable . . . :yes: . . . I usually just boil mine, but you can drizzle it with a little olive oil and roast it too.

ROAST IT. SOOOOO GOOD!

Take your spears, trim them, and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet (spray the sheet with cooking spray first). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 425 or so for 10-15 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus is. Oh, it's SO good...crisp tender and such better texture than steamed or boiled.

Yum. I was looking on recipezaar.com (my fav food website) and there are all sorts of variation for roasted asparagus. I think I will go without the olive oil and just spray with pam, add some spices and do it that way. Sounds good.

I agree! I always roast mine. I put a little olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese or sometimes garlic salt before I roast it. Even DH will eat it this way even though he insists it makes his pee smell bad. Like it ever smelled good in the first place.

FriendlysRage, that's funny. I guess only a man would complain about something making his pee smell bad. I don't usually make it a point to smell my own pee. Or anyone else's for that matter.

Roasted is really good. I sometimes put the asparagus in a pan and add a little water to steam for a little bit and then add a little olive oil and fresh garlic and brown them. So yummy!

I concur with the roasting advice -- absolutely delicious. And by the way, you won't have to strain to catch a whiff of your urine if you're part of the population affected by asparagus in that manner! (Did you know only a certain percentage of the population ends up with stinky urine after eating asparagus? Great chit chat for cocktail parties.) If you're affected, it will be totally obvious. :)

Also a certain percentage of the population can't smell the odor...so even if you don't notice it, you might be affected anyway...you just won't know it.

It definitely isn't something you have to try to smell. It's a well known phenomenon that affects more than 50% of the population, and you'd notice.

i second the roasting that mandalinn mentioned..that's how i do mine in the cooler months...or do the same and put it on the grill for a few mintues each side. LOVE Grilled asparagus...its the best...but if weather doesn't permit than the over works great too.

I steamed mine yesterday and threw it in an omelette :)

I love asparagus. I eat it raw a lot or roasted like many said. One of my favorite dishes is black bean chicken with asparagus. You basically take cubed chicken breasts and stir fry it in some black bean sauce and asparagus and cook until tender. Sometimes I have to add some water to make it less thick. The asparagus is a nice light contrast to the black bean sauce. It's a really low fat, super tasty and flavorful Asian dish.

I love to blanch asparagus! it is crunch cool and yummy

just bring water to a boil, dump the aspargus in for a minute or two then dump the aspargus in an bowl of cold water and lots of ice. Driand the water and ice dry off the asparagus and yummy

i like to then put a little salt and sesames seeds on it

Also a certain percentage of the population can't smell the odor...so even if you don't notice it, you might be affected anyway...you just won't know it.

It definitely isn't something you have to try to smell. It's a well known phenomenon that affects more than 50% of the population, and you'd notice.

I had no idea about this! I don't eat asparagus, even a tiny bit, if I'll have to use a public bathroom within the next 36 hours. :p I remember almost getting a wrap with asparagus in it at the airport, but then thinking, what if I have to use the bathroom on the plane? I can't do that to those poor people!!! But I guess not everyone would even notice! hahaha.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE roasted asparagus. I just lay it on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with garlic and onion powder and a bit of salt. I bake it at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness. SOOOO good.

Lately, I've been roasting it, cutting each spear into thirds, and then putting it into a salad of European greens, baby spinach, sliced red onions, cut up oranges, cooked portabello mushrooms. You can throw in some slivered almonds if you like. I make a simple, easy fat free, low cal dressing of honey mustard, lemon juice, crushed garlic and a little pepper. Delicious!!!

I like to spray mine with a little cooking spray and line it in the forman grill. Granted I am the ONLY one in the house that will touch it, but I LOVE it. I just wait for it to go on sale then I buy a couple bunches of it....YUMMY!

I bought a steamer and now I can cook my veggies properly. A steamer has made it idiot proof for me.

Roasted or grilled. Mmmm.

It definitely isn't something you have to try to smell. It's a well known phenomenon that affects more than 50% of the population, and you'd notice.Yup. I don't make it a habit to smell my own pee, either. :) But I can tell after I've eaten it ... no effort needed. I will say that it isn't as strong if I make sure to drink lots of water the day I eat it ... it helps dilute things. :)

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I love asparagus with mushrooms in risotto. Cook with chicken or vegetable broth and just a bit of parmesan cheese at the end for extra creaminess.

I'm going to try roasting some this week. Picked up some lovely asparagus at the farmers market yesterday.

It's also really good if you grill it. Mmmm... the burney bits on the end are so good.

I like to marinade it for like 30 min or so in balsamic vinegar and a little bit of olive oil and roast or grill it. oh so delish.

Oh, I love the stuff!

I usually cook mine in a non-stick frying pan with loads of minced garlic until just tender. I'm going to have to try roasting it next time, as that sounds super yummy!

Yesterday was the first time I tried Asparagus; I brought it at Au Bon Pain. It was Asparagus, Gorgonzola and cranberry chutney wrapped in turkey. It was sooo good and it made me feel full.

Asparagus is probably my all time favorite veggie (just don't ask me when it's winter and all those squashes are available :) ). I steam it, roast it, grill it, eat it raw, whatever. You can also add it to a stir fry. So versatile, and so good. :)

When I was young, we had an asparagus bed. Snapped off right from the ground is ABSOLUTELY the best way to eat asparagus.
Am trying to talk dh into putting in a bed.
Sue

Roasted with fresh chopped garlic, montreal steak spice, and a bit of coarse salt.......very yummy!!

I saw a great recipe for asparagus from Barefoot Contessa. If you eat parmesean (sp?) cheese, then it is great. You get your fresh asparagus and sprinkle e.v.o.o and throw some fresh grated cheese on them...I haven't tried it yet.

I like it grilled, roasted or steamed.
A restaurant here...Glory Days Grill, serves lightly deep fried asparagus with a teriyaki flavored sauce. It is delicious, but I don't want the breading or the oils from frying, so at home I just put a tiny bit of Trader Joe's teriyaki sauce on it...I think it is called island soyaki??? Anyway, it gives the flavor without frying.
I also like a bit of lemon juice drizzled on asparagus or a bit of shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

I love asparagus any way.. but my usual way is to throw it in a microwave steamer bag with some slices of lemon. Thelemon flavour cooks right through it and its delicious!