How and how much to cook asparagus?

Good asparagus has firm and firm stems with unblown ends. If the plant is too old or has begun to bloom, then after cooking, its taste will not live up to expectations. Cooking such asparagus is extremely difficult. Even after prolonged heat treatment, the stems will retain a tough and fibrous structure.

There are several ways to cook asparagus.:

• in a regular saucepan;
• in a simulated double boiler (saucepan with a special sieve or metal colander);
• in a double boiler;
• in the multivark.

The microwave is not very suitable for cooking asparagus. This is because the ends of the asparagus cook faster than the stems. In a saucepan, slow cooker, or double boiler, you can control the position of the asparagus. In a microwave and pressure cooker, this technique is difficult to implement.

The process of cooking asparagus and the main nuances:

• before cooking, the asparagus must be peeled and rinsed thoroughly (the easiest way to do this is with a potato knife);
• white asparagus can be peeled only at the top, and green asparagus, on the contrary, from the middle to the base of the stem;
• the base of the asparagus is always cut (remove about 1 cm of the stem);
• you can cook asparagus whole, if the stems are small, or cut them into pieces;
• asparagus will cook better if its stems are cut in the same way (otherwise, some parts may cook faster, and large “pieces” will not cook);
• put asparagus in boiling water (first, salt the liquid and add a small amount of lemon juice);
• if the asparagus is cooked in a saucepan using a sieve or colander, then the stems should be placed vertically so that the tips are barely covered with water (these parts of asparagus reach readiness even under the influence of steam);
• if the asparagus is cooked in a regular saucepan, pressure cooker or microwave, it is better to cook the sprouted parts separately from the stems;
• the readiness of the asparagus can be easily checked with a regular toothpick (the stems should become soft and easily pierced with the sharp end of the toothpick);
• do not leave boiled asparagus in hot water after cooking (the water must be drained immediately, otherwise the stems will become overcooked and too soft);
• the taste characteristics of white and green asparagus differ little (the only significant difference is the duration of cooking);
• when cooking asparagus in a double boiler, the stems must first be grated or sprinkled with salt (the salt should be evenly distributed over the stems);
• Before serving, it is recommended to add a little butter to the asparagus (the ingredient will help preserve the structure of the stems and slightly change the taste characteristics, making them more intense).

There are two ways to boil asparagus in a regular saucepan. The first option is to put the stems in boiling water. The second method is to first pour cold water over the asparagus so that the stems are in an upright position, and the liquid only covers them halfway. The first stage of cooking must be carried out over high heat, and after 3-4 minutes it must be made weak.

When cooking asparagus, you can use not only salts and spices as additional ingredients. Components such as lemon wedges, honey or sugar change the taste of the stems. However, experimenting with sweet additions will not be to the taste of all asparagus lovers.

How much to cook asparagus

Cooking time for asparagus depends on the age of the plant and its color. The green variety cooks in a maximum of 8 minutes, but usually becomes soft after 3-4 minutes in boiling water. White asparagus takes longer to cook. The maximum cooking time can be about 15 minutes.

If you steam the asparagus, the stems will reach readiness in 5 minutes. In order for the stems to cook evenly, it is recommended to tie them with a thread.

If the asparagus is cooked for a puree soup, then it should be cooked as long as possible, but no longer than 20 minutes. After cooking, the soft stems are rubbed through a sieve or chopped with a blender.