To prepare the asparagus, bend the base and snap the woody bottom from the stem. To guarantee the most tender results, you can also peel the bottom two-thirds of the stems using a peeler.
1
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil
2
Carefully lower the asparagus into the boiling water
3
Leave to cook for 2–4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stems
4
Using tongs, remove the asparagus and plunge it into iced water for at least 5 minutes. This will stop the cooking processes and preserve the colour.
5
Drain the asparagus on kitchen paper
Serving suggestions
Blanched asparagus can be used in an abundance of summer recipes. Why not try James Mackenzie’s Asparagus with crispy duck egg, chorizo and lovage or Steven Smith’s Chicken with black garlic, mushroom and asparagus.
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