Best baked asparagus recipe: 59 photos
FAQ
Thin asparagus is great for stir fries and sautéing. Fat asparagus is good for roasting or grilling, and best when you want to serve whole spears, even simply steamed. Medium spears work in almost any cooking method.
Put your griddle pan on a high heat. Place 500g of washed asparagus (woody ends snapped off) on the dry griddle pan. Turn and lightly char on both sides until just tender (roughly 2 to 3 minutes on each side), then toss in a large bowl with a knob of butter, a good squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Boil the asparagus stalks in hot, salty water for 3 minutes. Then, immediately place the stalks in an ice water bath. Not only does this maintain the beautiful green color of the asparagus, but it gives you a headstart on cooking the veggies in the oven.
Soak the asparagus in water for 5-10 minutes to draw out sand lodged in the tips. Swoosh them around a few times to unsettle grit.