How to Grill or Roast Asparagus
Asperge Grillé - Even More Intense Flavor than Steaming?
The classic method for cooking asparagus is steaming. Always reliable. Here is an alternative that many think intensifies the aspargus flavor even more.
Springtime is asparagus time. If you've got the itch to fire up the "barby," this is a great way to scratch that itch. On the other hand, if there's still six inches of snow on your BBQ, this is also excellent in the oven.
Buying Asparagus
Select asparagus that is bright green and crisp. Avoid asparagus whose precious tips have been damaged, or the stalks are discolored or rubbery. Suit your own taste whether you like pencil-thin or thicker spears. You may need fewer than the recipe calls for if you use the thick stalks. The key for grilling is that they be a consistent thickness so they cook at the same rate.
Where the store is selling them by the pound, feel free to (carefully) pull them out of the bundles to buy only what you want.
Prepping Asparagus
Rinse the asparagus spears. Snap off the woody end of the stalk. Grasp the stalk in two hands and bend. Asparagus is smart. It “knows” where to break. Discard the tough ends or save them for soup or another purpose. Some recipes call for peeling the stalks with a vegetable peeler. This should only necessary if your asparagus has a tougher skin.
Grilled (or Roast) Asparagus Recipe
(serves 4)
You will need: (for grilling) gas or charcoal BBQ grill -or- (for baking) a baking pan large enough to hold all the asparagus in a single layer
- 24 asparagus spears
- 2-3 Tbsp good olive
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (a generous sprinkling)
- Preheat the grill to medium-hot (or the oven to 500 degrees F).
- Lay the aspargus in a flat-bottomed rectangular pan or casserole. (This can be the baking pan if you are employing the oven method.)
- Sprinkle on the olive oil and roll the spears around in it until well coated.
- Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper, Roll the spears around again so the spices are fairly evenly distributed.
For the grill:
- Lay the spears on the hot grill in a single layer, cross-wise to the grate.
- Grill, rolling once or twice, until they begin to color, 8-12 minutes for thin spears. This can vary a lot depending on the heat of your grill and the thickness of the spears.
- With tongs, remove the cooked spears immediately to a serving platter.
For the oven:
- Distribute the spears in a single layer in the baking pan.
- Roast until the spears begin to color, 8-12 minutes for thin spears.
- With tongs, remove the cooked spears immediately to a serving platter.
These are wonderful served on their own with a garnish of lemon wedges, if you like. On the other hand, if you are feeling irresistably saucy, melted butter, mayonnaise, or hollandaise are all good candidates.
Asparagus lovers will also want to try Steamed Asparagus & Vinaigrette.
Explore the simpler tastes of the regional cuisines beyond Paris :
