Spice it Up: Asparagus
If you ask 10 kids if they like asparagus, chances are 10 of them will say no. If you pose the same question to adults, there will still be a pretty high percentage that says they don’t. It is one of the most universally hated vegetables.
The thing is, you may just think you don’t like asparagus. Of course, it is possible that you genuinely do just hate them, but more often than not you just have never had GOOD asparagus. It is often overlooked, or not prepared properly before cooking, which will cause the taste to be extremely lacking.
Asparagus is packed with nutrients. They provide 100 percent of your daily vitamin K as well as being loaded with vitamins A, C, E, B6, as well as iron, copper, calcium, and fiber. This small stick can provide you great benefits, so it might be worth exploring these tips to help prepare cook and season asparagus to delicacy. You will regret thinking you hated it for so long.
Shopping for Asparagus
Only buy fresh. Avoid canned asparagus and fresh tastes infinitely better. Here on the East coast May to June is the best time.
Check the Tips. Make sure your spears are bright green and have tightly closed tips. While you’re at it, check out the root end to make sure it’s not dried out and brown.
Pick the Size. Asparagus can range in size from pencil thing to jumbo, and anywhere in between. So how do you know what to buy? It really doesn’t matter, but thin spears work best for a quick sauté, while fatter stalks work better with longer cook times, such as roasting.
Keep it Fresh. Treat asparagus like cut flowers and place it in a cup or bowl of water in the fridge, cut-side down. It’ll stay fresh for up to a week this way, if not longer.
Preparing Asparagus
Wash and Peel. Asparagus comes from the ground, so you need to give it a good rinse. If you see any white, woody scales on the outside of your stalk, get out a vegetable peeler and simply peel them away until you reach the soft center.
Snapping vs. Cutting. It’s imperative that you break off the woody part of each stalk. YOu can do this by either; bending each spear until it breaks easily at its natural snapping point, or you can use a knife to remove the woody parts where they begin.
Seasoning is Key. Seasoning will elevate whatever you are making to the next level and picking the right one will change the entire flavor of the dish. Garlic Lemon Pepper seasoning has just the right zing to add delicious and memorable flavor to asparagus.
Popular Cooking Methods
Roasting will give your asparagus a nice caramelized flavor. Drizzle olive oil and season with Totally Mixed Up, our seasoned salt. Roast until crisp-tender for at least 15 mins up until 30.
Simmer in a saucepan with about an inch of generously salted water, simmer the asparagus for 2-4 minutes (depending on the size of your stalks) until bright green and crisp-tender. Remove from the pot with tongs and blot dry with a paper towel.
Grilling produces a similar effect to roasting. Brush the asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with Smoky Sweet New Orleans or Totally Mixed Up. On a heated grill, lay the spears so that they are perpendicular to the wires on the rack. Grill for roughly 7-10 minutes.
Sautéing is only recommended for thinner stalks. Heat olive oule in a pan, and cook your seasoned asparagus — Smoky Sweet New Orleans, Totally Mixed Up, and Garlic Lemon Pepper are all fantastic choices for this dish — for 5-7 minutes to get the crisp and tender result you will love.
As with any side dish, the seasonings you use can completely control the flavor and change your opinion of an entire food group. Julia Belle’s Seasonings knows just how crucial it is to have seasonings that provide great flavor with just the right amount of heat. Hand-blended and 100 percent natural, Julia Belle’s seasonings will turn the slightly smelly, dissatisfying asparagus you are used to into a family favorite side dish. Visit the online shop to explore all the great flavor options.