Asparagus with Two Citrus Preparations

I just love asparagus when cooked correctly. Overcook asparagus and you might as well have just used the canned stuff (YUCK).

Both the recipes below call for boiling the asparagus in salt water - the brine is important for flavor. As the recipes indicate, as soon as the asparagus is at a tender crisp stage, get them out of the water or they will overcook.

Citrus pairs very nicely with asparagus. Both preparations below are super simple to make. If you are in a crunch, the dressings and uncooked asparagus stalks can be prepared up to a day ahead for quick cook and assembly. Both recipes will yield between 4 to 6 servings depending on the size of the asparagus.


Citrus and Hazelnut Asparagus

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 lbs asparagus - stalks washed and trimmed
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp hazelnuts, finely chopped
2 tsp orange juice - fresh preferred
1 tsp lemon juice - fresh preferred
1/4 tsp orange zest - finely grated
course salt - sea or kosher preferred
coarsely ground black pepper

Process:

1) Preheat oven to 375°F

2) Place chopped hazelnuts in a small shallow baking pan

3) Bake hazelnuts until golden, 4 to 5 minutes in oven*

4) Remove hazelnuts from oven and place on plate to cool

5) In a small bowl, whisk orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, orange zest, salt and pepper

6) In a large pot or pan, bring salted water to a boil

7) Place asparagus in boiling salt water and cook until crisp tender (about 3-4 mins)

8) Drain asparagus well and transfer to serving platter or individually plate

9) Spoon dressing over asparagus. Remix if needed

10) Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts


* Be careful to watch. Toasting process may take a few minutes to start but once the process starts it will toast very fast


Lemon Dressed Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 lbs asparagus stalks, washed and trimmed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil*
2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
3/4 tsp coarse salt
cracked black pepper

Lemon Vinaigrette Preparation

1) Combine olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in container

2) Store, covered, in the refrigerator

3) When ready to use, serve at room temperature.

Process:

1) Blanch the asparagus in lightly-salted boiling water until crisp-tender (about 3 mins - don't over cook)

2) Immediately transfer cooked asparagus from heat to cold water or ice bath to stop cooking process and drain

3) Toss asparagus with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat

4) Plate asparagus in individual plates or serving platter


* Hazelnut or walnut oil can be used in place of olive oil