Blanching a food means cooking it briefly in boiling water and then immediately transferring it to a bath of water and ice. It is an excellent cooking technique for asparagus because it helps them preserve flavor, color and texture. After blanching them you can serve them immediately, keep them in the refrigerator and eat them within 2-3 days or freeze them to make them last up to a year. It takes very little to prepare a nutritious and tasty side dish with asparagus.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Cooking the Asparagus
Step 1. First wash them with cold water to remove any dirt residue
Before blanching the asparagus you need to make sure they are perfectly clean. Rinse them under cold running sink water for 10-30 seconds.
Step 2. Trim the asparagus stems
Line them up neatly on the cutting board to easily remove the end of the stems. Take a large sharp knife and cut off about a quarter of the stems. Remove the thickest and lightest part of the asparagus, leaving the greenest and thinnest part intact. If you've lined up the asparagus correctly, you should be able to trim all the stems with one cut.
Generally the final part of the stems is very leathery, fibrous and not very tasty, so it must be eliminated because in addition to not being good it is also difficult to chew
Step 3. Pour the water into a large pot and bring it to a boil over high heat
Fill the pot halfway with tap water and put it on the stove. Wait until the water has reached a full boil before starting to cook the asparagus.
The water will start boiling after about 5 minutes
Step 4. Add a little salt to the water if you want to enhance the taste of the asparagus
Salt the water immediately after putting the pot on the stove. Use roughly two tablespoons (30 g) of coarse salt for every one and a half liters of water.
Using salt is optional, but keep in mind that asparagus will retain more nutrients, as well as have more flavor
Step 5. Dip the asparagus in the water when it reaches a boil
When the water boils, put the cleaned and trimmed asparagus in the pot. Carefully drop them into the pot and then push them under the surface of the water with a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon.
Be very careful not to burn yourself with splashes of boiling water or steam
Step 6. Let the asparagus cook for 2-4 minutes
They will be completely cooked after about 3 minutes. Observe how they change color as they cook.
Asparagus is cooked when the stems are a nice bright green color
Part 2 of 3: Chilling the Asparagus
Step 1. While the asparagus is cooking, prepare an ice water bath
After dipping them in the boiling water, take a large bowl and fill it with ice cubes. Immediately afterwards, submerge the cubes with cold tap water. Place the tureen next to the stove to be able to comfortably transfer the asparagus.
Step 2. Quickly transfer the asparagus to the ice water
After about 3 minutes of cooking, check that the asparagus has taken on a nice bright green color. If they are ready, take them out of the boiling water with tongs and immediately dip them into the ice cold water. Leave them to soak for the time necessary to allow them to cool completely (about 1-3 minutes).
- Be careful not to cook them for too long or they will acquire a dark, uninviting color and a mushy texture.
- Cold water interrupts the cooking process and softens the asparagus.
Step 3. Transfer the asparagus to a clean kitchen towel
When they have cooled, drain them from the ice water and place them on a clean tea towel or paper towel lined plate. Pat them dry gently.
Part 3 of 3: Serving and Storing Asparagus
Step 1. Eaten alone they are a tasty and healthy side dish or snack
After drying the asparagus, just hold a fork and eat them. Season them with salt and pepper if you want to enhance their good natural flavor.
You can serve asparagus as an appetizer along with other seasonal vegetables. For example, they go well with carrots, broccoli or cauliflower. Don't forget to add an accompanying sauce
Step 2. Slice the asparagus if you want to add it to the salad
Cut them into bite-sized pieces using a sharp knife. You can pair them with lettuce or baby spinach and add some dried cranberry and goat cheese to serve up a healthy and delicious gourmet salad.
Asparagus goes well with almost any type of salad and raw vegetables
Step 3. Make a vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar
Create a rich and tasty dressing to spread over asparagus, in individual dishes or in serving dishes. Use 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons (30 g) of finely chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra virgin olive oil, a minced clove of garlic and a couple of ground black pepper. Stir carefully and then pour the vinaigrette over the asparagus.
- You can serve asparagus as an appetizer or side dish.
- The indicated doses allow you to prepare a vinaigrette for 4 people.
- If you want to serve the asparagus hot, put them in the pan for 2-3 minutes with the sauce.
Step 4. Enrich the taste of the asparagus with extra virgin olive oil and parmesan
Put them in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons (30 g) of grated Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon (5 g) of lemon zest. Season them also with salt and pepper to taste. Stir and then serve the asparagus on a serving platter or individual plates.
If you prefer to eat them hot, you can avoid soaking them in ice water and mixing them with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl while they are still hot
Step 5. Store leftover asparagus in the refrigerator and eat it within 2-3 days
Ideally, place them in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking. They must be wrapped in cling film and then placed inside an airtight container. Make sure the container is tightly closed and store the asparagus in the refrigerator.
If you don't have a chance to eat them within 3 days, transfer them to the freezer
Step 6. Freeze them immediately after cooking if you want to use them in the future
Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper and arrange the asparagus so they don't touch each other. Place the plate in the freezer for a couple of hours or until the asparagus is completely frozen. Then transfer them to a food bag to make them take up less space in the freezer. Let as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it. The asparagus will keep good even for 8-12 months.
- Remember to leave some space between one asparagus and another when placing them on the baking sheet, otherwise you will struggle to separate them without breaking them once they are frozen.
- If you wish, you can use an airtight container instead of the bag.
- It is best to note the packaging date on a label or directly on the bag using a permanent marker.
- The end of the stems may get tough, but just remove it with the knife after letting the asparagus thaw.
