Pan Roasted Asparagus

Are you still needing last minute idea's for Thanksgiving? 

If so I bring you perfect pan roasted asparagus, such an easy way to fix one of my favorite veggies.

When I first met Colt he was totally anti-asparagus. 

It took me almost a year to even convince him to take a small bite, he associated the bright green deliciousness with the stuff out of the can that's slimy and stringy or fresh that's been cooked well past the point of tender. 

I'll never forget the following few years I had to make asparagus quickly cooked and smothered with a little hollandaise sauce, it was usually the first thing gone on his plate.

Eventually I made a quick pan roasted asparagus and he was totally sold.

If your idea of asparagus is an over cooked, slimy, stringy mess I'm here to tell you today, it doesn't need to be that way.

It can be crisp and fresh tasting in a little buttery lemon sauce and easy to make.

I prefer thinner asparagus when available from the grocery store. It cooks really quick and is tender.

Use both hands and grasp the bottom white part of the asparagus and the middle of the stalk, quickly break stalk in two and discard the white woody bottom. It's very tough. Some people cut the bottoms off to save time but I find breaking the stalks in two is the best way to avoid getting a little mouthful of the tough woody bottom.

Add 1 tablespoons Olive Oil to a pan over medium-high heat.

Add butter and zest of one lemon. Stir until butter melts and zest becomes fragrant.

(If you like garlic you can add a clove of minced garlic during this step.)

 Add asparagus and turn heat to high. Cook until asparagus turns bright green about 1 minute. Use tongs to rotate asparagus in pan and cook until all asparagus is bright green 2-3 minutes total. Be careful not over cook asparagus as it will become stringy.

Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat.

Serve immediatly.

 

Pan Roasted Asparagus With Lemon Zest

Recipe by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

How to cook easy, quick and delicious Pan Roasted Asparagus with butter and lemon zest. Recipe with step by step instructions.

Prep time: PT8M
Cook time: PT5M
Total time: PT13M
Yield: 4 Servings

Calories per serving: 112
Fat per serving: 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound Asparagus
• 1 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Lemon, Zested And Juiced
• 1 clove Garlic , Minced (optional)
• 1 pinch Sea Salt Or To Taste
• 1 pinch Pepper Or To Tase

Cooking Directions

1. Wash asparagus. Use both hands and grasp the bottom white part of the asparagus and the middle of the stalk, quickly break stalk in two and discard the white woody bottom.
2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat add butter and lemon zest. Stir until butter is melted and lemon zest is fragrant. If using garlic add now.
3. Add asparagus to pan and turn heat to high. Cook for about 1 minute until asparagus turns bright green. Use tongs to turn asparagus in pan. Cook until all asparagus is bright green about 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and drizzle with lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
5. Serve immediately.