Boiled Asparagus

Bright green asparagus boiled briefly in well-salted water until just tender, then finished with a fresh persillade of chopped parsley and garlic and a squeeze of lemon.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb asparagus, woody ends snapped off
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
• Squeeze of lemon (optional)

Boiling & Steaming

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Cooking with Water and Vapor→

Method

Boil the asparagus

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it heavily. Add the asparagus and boil, uncovered, until just tender and still bright green, 2–4 minutes depending on thickness. Drain well, let it steam-dry for a moment, and wipe the pot dry.

Make the persillade and toss

Melt the butter in the pot over low heat. Off the heat, stir in the garlic and parsley and let it warm through for a few seconds. Return the asparagus, toss to coat, and finish with a squeeze of lemon if you like. Season with salt.