I grew up in the heart of the Midwest. I remember driving through the country to my Uncles farm and stopping in the ditch to pick huge bags of asparagus, which we would then have for dinner that night along with corn on the cob and usually, burgers. Asparagus and the heartland of America go hand in hand. What is funny is that we tend to make it in the most simplistic form; boiled or steamed with butter, salt and pepper. It's excellent and it's probably my favorite way to make it, however I am of course always interested in 'new' versions as well.
This recipe grabbed my interest because it used a number of my favorite herbs and foods for flavor; you have lemon, rosemary and garlic. Great on chicken, awesome on baby potatoes, it looks like a winner for asparagus as well!
Asparagus
1 pound asparagus
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 (2-inch) lemon rind strips
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (1-inch) rosemary sprig
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Snap off tough ends of asparagus.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, rind, garlic, and rosemary; sauté 3 minutes or until asparagus is lightly browned. Add 1/2 cup water to pan; cook 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender and liquid almost evaporates. Discard rind and rosemary. Sprinkle asparagus with salt and pepper; toss well.
