Bless Her Heart

What is it: asparagus spears in lightly seasoned lemon butter with parmesan cheese

Asparagus: One bunch of asparagus can weigh anywhere from ¾lb to 1½lb, depending on the thickness. The only difference in using thick and thin asparagus is that the thick will probably take a couple of minutes longer to bake.

Look for …

• asparagus tips that are compact and closed…not falling off or wet… tight, firm
• bright green, firm, and smooth stalks…not wilted or floppy
• stalks that are neither too thick or too thin
• stalks that do not easily bend
• ends that are vibrant green with closed buds or crowns

In season: February through June…peak months in April and May

Canned Asparagus: Don’t think that you are saving time by buying canned asparagus, especially if asparagus is in season. It will take just as long to reheat canned asparagus as it will to roast fresh asparagus.

• 3 bunches asparagus
• 1 lemon –half juiced and half sliced into rings
• 4Tbsp butter
• 2Tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp salt
• ½tsp pepper
• (Optional: 2 minced garlic cloves, ½C toasted slivered almonds, ½C shredded Parmesan cheese)

Wash: Properly washing and drying asparagus creates better texture and flavor. To do this:

Rinse: Rinse the asparagus under cold water to remove any dirt or grit that may be on it. Use a soft brush to scrub any stubborn dirt. 

Dry: Pat the asparagus dry with a clean towel. Excess moisture will steam the asparagus. You want to roast the asparagus, not steam it.

Preheat: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Trimming: You will probably have to remove the tough, inedible ends from the asparagus before roasting it…unless the asparagus is super fresh or has pencil-thin stalks that are fairly tender throughout.

Many people do this by holding the asparagus at the bottom and then bending the stalks until they snap.

Honestly, I feel that this wastes too much of the precious edible parts of the asparagus.

Instead, line the asparagus spears on a cutting board. Make sure that the asparagus stalks align at the bottom end. Find the point where the stalks turn from white into green. Use a sharp knife to slice off the ends all at once.

Blanching: Blanching asparagus before baking is an optional step that will help make your asparagus more vibrant and crispy. Blanching could also make your asparagus cook a little quicker. Blanching is important in making salad or stir-fry, but it’s not necessary when you are roasting your asparagus.

To blanch the asparagus: boil the asparagus briefly in salted water. The salt will season the asparagus and boost its flavor. Let the asparagus cook for three minutes. Transfer the cooked asparagus to a bowl of ice to stop the cooking process.

Arrange: Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Avoid overlapping the spears.

Season: Stir together the olive oil, garlic, sea salt and pepper. Drizzle this over the asparagus. Arrange lemon slices over the top. Place pats of butter over the asparagus.

Roast: There are several ways to cook asparagus – grilling, roasting, sautéing, steaming.

If you are roasting vegetables such as asparagus, do not cover the vegetables with foil. This steams the vegetables and gives them a softer texture. Our goal here is to roast the vegetables so that the natural sugar in the vegetables caramelize and have that delicious crisp-tender texture.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Start checking the asparagus after the first 10 minutes. Take the asparagus out of the oven a minute or two before you think it’s ready. It will cook even more once it’s taken out of the oven.

As you cook your asparagus, it will become softer.

How to know if the asparagus has cooked enough, but not too much:

• Browning: The asparagus should be slightly browned.
• Color: The asparagus will turn muted green when cooked.
• Crunch: The asparagus should still have a slight crunch to it.
• Texture: The asparagus should be tender but not mushy.

Whenever you’re working in the kitchen, remember that it’s always better to undercook or underspice your foods and then get them to the point where you want them. You can always add more. You cannot always dilute or uncook in an effort to make your food less cooked or less spicy.

In other words, it’s better to undercook asparagus a little than to overcook it. Overcooked asparagus becomes mushy.

Broil: After taking the asparagus out of the oven, set the oven to the Broil setting. Sprinkle parmesan over the center of the asparagus. Broil for a couple of minutes, until the cheese is melted. Drizzle lemon juice over the roasted asparagus. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Combine the olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle this over the asparagus. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Check the asparagus after it has cooked for 7 minutes. If it’s not as tender as you like, continue cooking and check every 1-2 minutes.

To store: Let the asparagus cool. Then wrap it in a moist paper towel and stuff into a resealable bag. Refrigerate for up to five days. To reheat the asparagus, bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Five-Minute Cheddar Cheese Sauce: 2Tbsp butter, 2Tbsp flour, salt and pepper, 1C milk, 1½C freshly shredded cheddar cheese: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for four minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let the milk boil. If the milk starts to go beyond a very gentle simmer, turn the heat down. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese. Stir until smooth. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Tzatziki:  a deliciously creamy cucumber dip served with pita bread, in gyros, on grilled lamb…or with vegetables like broccoli

How to Make: Simply stir together the following:

• 32oz plain low-fat yogurt
• ½ English cucumber with peel, grated
• 2Tbsp lemon juice
• 2Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 3Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1Tbsp salt
• 1Tbsp pepper
• 2tsp grated lemon zest

Vinaigrette: Combine the following ingredients:

• 1C olive oil
• 6Tbsp vinegar of choice
• 2Tbs Dijon mustard
• 2Tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 4 garlic cloves
• ½tsp sea salt
• pepper, to taste

Taste and adjust as necessary. If the mixture is too acidic, thin it out with a bit more olive oil or add a little more maple syrup or honey. If the mixture is a little blah, add another pinch or two of salt. If it doesn’t have enough zing, add vinegar by the teaspoon.

Serve immediately or store covered in the fridge for up to ten days. If the vinaigrette solidifies in the fridge, let the vinaigrette rest at room temperature for about 10minutes.

Types of Vinegar

• Apple cider vinegar: a sweet-tangy dressing with a hint of apples
• Balsamic vinegar: a bold, slightly sweet dressing that is great for green salads that include fruit – apples, strawberries or peaches
• Red wine vinegar: a bold-flavored dressing that is great with other bold flavors, Green salads and bright veggies – tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, olives, feta and cabbage… You could also add a couple of teaspoons of dried oregano and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• White wine vinegar: a more mellow dressing that is great with more delicate flavors like cucumber, spring greens, sweet corn, green salads and zucchini Sherry vinegar is similar to red wine vinegar but slightly less intense.