Butter-Braised Asparagus Recipe (2024)

Another thing to do, is to take the discarded parts. Zap them in the microwave and puree it. Add butter and some spice and serve along side as a buttery sauce.

Julia Child recommended peeling one's medium and large asparagus spears. One important change you can make it to NOT break off the spears. I line them up and cut about 1/2 inch off the shortest spear and size all the others to that size. After peeling, the part that is .normally discarded is often the best part of the spear. The peeling is quite easy if you buy one of the recommended asparagus peelers from Amazon.com. I love fresh asparagus in the springtime.

I like this braising method of preparation. My trick for peeling the stalks is to flatten them down with one hand on a cutting board and shave the peels with the other hand into a plastic bag in the sink. Roll the stalk to peel all sides. Also, I find butter, salt and pepper is enough seasoning, although fresh sage on them in addition is quite good.

Why remove the tough ends? Don't they contain water soluble nutrients? Why not cook them whole and then, depending on whether it's for a presentation or just the family, trim before serving?

I used to be a peeler, à la Julia. However, I learned to braise them using Patricia Wells' method. Cut or break at weakest point; wash but do not dry; melt 2-3 TB butter for 1½ lbs asparagus in a sauté pan over medium heat; add asparagus & shake pan until they fall into a single row; raise heat to sizzle; season with sea salt & pepper; rotate with a spatula & shake pan so they cook evenly; reduce heat; cook an additional 8-10 min. until you can pierce thick ends with a knife.

I break off the tough ends and put them in a plastic bag with the stalk peelings. Then I freeze them and throw them into the pot (with carrot peelings too) when I make broth with a chicken carcass.

"Cook until the asparagus is firm-tender, about 3 minutes. Take care not to overcook them; they should still be bright green."Reflecting on that instruction, what I would do is carefully lift the asparagus out of the skillet and place them in ice water for a minute...to stop the cooking and keep them bright green and just "al dente," as I prefer my veggies. Then reheat them just before serving, using the heated sasuce over them...mmm!

This was so quick and easy, I made it two nights in a row, once as a complement to scrambled eggs and again with a millet souffle. With asparagus arriving in big bunches at the farmers market, I'll be making this often. With ramps also in season, I swapped out snipped chives for the most delicately flavored members of the allium family. Pair with gruner veltliner.

Made this with green beans instead of the asparagus and adjusted the cooking time slightly to match the new greens — turned out great!

It is easy to overcook asparagus missing the firmness to bite that is necessary for a true and tasteful asparagus experience. A very good way to avoid this or at least give yourself a "window" on correct firmness is to bring a pan/pot of water to boil then place prepared asparagus in the water, cover and remove from heat. in a pot, depending on quantity, the asparagus will be ready in about 7-8 minutes but you will have about a 5 minute "window" to drain and enjoy perfectly prepared asparagus.

Bring water to a boil, add the asparagus and bring it to a second boil. Then shut off the heat. Let sit till done, about 10 minutes, if that. It'll still be a bright green but you can lift the asparagus by one end and and it'll bend itself into an nice arc. Then remove it from the pan. Its hard to overcook that way. Kinda like french-press coffee. It cools off before its overdone. After that you can go to step 3.

Don't discard ends! Any of the procedures mentioned, or freeze and accumulated for a brilliant vegetable stock to use in risotto with -- of course -- asparagus tips.

Perfect recipe (and great way to use the herbs I grow on my back porch!). Served this with Sautéed Lamb Chops With Ramps, Anchovy, Capers and Olives (another David Tanis recipe) and Roasted New Potatoes. Special Saturday evening dinner for two!

Totally agree Ed. to the peeling and seasoning. To me asparagus is the cadilac of vegetables and the less done to them the better. But a squirt of lemon is good too, tho not necessary

This is a simple and elegant dish that I will cook again; however, next time I will use a bit less butter as I really just want a hint of the buttery flavor and not so much fatty coating on my asparagus.

Oh my! Delicious! I did not have any of the fresh herbs and just used dry tarragon. I placed these on the kitchen counter while setting the table and half of it was gone by the time we sat down to dinner. Tender and absolutely delicious. We had a nice loaf of bread and used it to enjoy the left over sauce.

This is our favorite way to cook asparagus. You're left with spears that have texture and tons of flavor

Made it twice. First time I did not have a lot of herbs. Second time I added new onion tops (instead of chives), parsley and dill. It is better with the many herbs.

Although he doesn't add the lemon juice or herbs, this is essentially the same as Jacques Pépin's asparagus ragout. I cut the asparagus into fork-sized bites and only add the tips after the stems have simmered for a minute or two.

A real revelation: we make asparagus all the time and Tanis’ recipe elevates it to new heights. Very taste, brightens and smooths the veg at the same time. Be careful with too much lemon; the balance is important. Will definitely make it again.

This was excellent. Used pencil asparagus and just reduced cooking time. A keeper.

Came out well this way but needed to cook longer - even thin ones weren’t done in 3 mins. A way to use less butter. Didn’t do any of the sauce ideas, only salt and pepper.

Perfect! When cooking asparagus in skillet you can start the larger ones first and have them all ready at the same time!

Only had parsley and decided to add garlic and a bit of dry white wine. The lemon zest and lemon were a great foil to the butter and wine. Delicious and quick.

I throw the shavings and tough/woody ends into the bag of veggie scraps I keep in the freezer for homemade vegetable stock/broth. Anything goes! It's all good. :)

I liked it. It reminded me of the old school vegetable cooking of my French grandmother. That said, I prefer asparagus barely cooked, bright green and with a bit of bite.

My doggie loves the ends so they go to him, despite all the good advice here on saving them for this or that.

These spears were excellent! Followed Figaro's suggestion to use Patricia Wells' method. Great flavor, perfect texture. And then I can use the cooked snapped ends in a mushroom saute, or in a frittata, or in a salad.

Made with what was on hand: ghee instead of butter, then green onions, basil, and a bit of mint in lieu of the other herbs. SO delicious!! Best simple prep for asparagus I've had in ages.

This is great even if you don’t have all the herbs. I chopped mine up for a pasta salad with ricotta.