what can I do with asparagus?

jw17695
jw17695 Posts: 438 Member
edited September 20 in Recipes
I absolutely hate asparagus! There is no way around that fact but my parents and siblings all love it. They eat it all the time. What are some ideas to prepare it so that I might like it. (I doubt it but at least I'm trying to put some effort into liking it.)
«1

Replies

  • watson17
    watson17 Posts: 3 Member
    I had it once at a restaurant and it was cooked in a tomato and basil sauce with other green veggies and brown rice. I'm not usually a big fan but it was really yummy!
  • jw17695
    jw17695 Posts: 438 Member
    Right now I'm eating shrimp and pasta and trying to dip it in that sauce. Other times I just close my eyes and try to pretend its a green bean. :( How sad is that?
  • You could try wrapping it in pancetta then cooking it on a griddle or frying pan, and melt a little butter over it. Or just griddling it with a bit of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. Maybe on a rectangle of puff pastry to make a very simple tarte. With soft boiled egg is good too, as a breakfast, the asparagus acting as the soldiers to dip in the egg yolk. Hope some of these ideas tempt you, I LOVE asparagus! You do need to break off the woody end if they are not trimmed already, just snap it towards the bottom of the stalk, where it feels bendy. xx
  • tattoodfreek
    tattoodfreek Posts: 520 Member
    I love asparagus but my daughter hates it. However, if she sprinkles parm cheese on it, then she likes it! I also think it's delish in an omelet with tomatoes, canadian bacon, and cheese. Had that this morning, as I had leftovers from dinner last night. :)
  • My reply would be: Throw it away! Far away! :bigsmile:
  • red01angel
    red01angel Posts: 806 Member
    It's delicious and really pretty on pizza!
  • freeflower3
    freeflower3 Posts: 39 Member
    Put a little water in a skillet.

    Boil the water.

    Put asparagus in, cover.

    Let steam for a few minutes.

    Cut the thick bottom third of the stalk off and pitch.

    Then eat the remaining asparagus with MUSTARD!

    Seriously, good.

    My kids call them "Larry Boys" (from Veggie Tales)

    I call them "REVERSE FRENCH FRIES", b/c they are green and yellow instead of white and red. (like potatoes and ketchup)

    Simple and GOOD!

    Oh, and never eat the asparagus out of the can. It is squishy, gross, unsalvageable.
  • perrim
    perrim Posts: 117
    We usually drizzle a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar (or balsamic syrup - basically a balsamic vinegar reduction), salt and pepper and roast them in the oven (about 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes) and we think it's delicious. I've also put some parmesan on it too, but I don't think it even needs it. Typically roasting any veggies makes them taste sweeter.
  • kjensen15
    kjensen15 Posts: 398 Member
    My favorite way is grilling it. A little EVOO, salt, pepper, and place it on the grill. Just until it startes to brown a little bit and has some good grill marks!
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    I grill it or roast it in the oven. Drizzle it with EVOO and a little salt and pepper put it in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 and it'll be quite tasty. Also, remember to chop off the woody ends.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    baked then drizzled with balsamic vinegar topped with crumbled feta cheese.
    or
    grilled directly on the bbq then topped with smidgen of butter
  • kas1021
    kas1021 Posts: 92
    if all else fails you can do what my mom did with everything healthy when i was little. chop it up into little pieces and hide it in other foods. LOL you can make fried rice with chicken and carrots and onion and then just slice the asparagus up into little pieces and throw it in there. you wont taste it as much if its in smaller pieces. or even add small pieces into a meat loaf (you can put anything in meat loaf lol)
    i love asparagus :) i'm having it with chicken tonight and its all im looking forward to today! haha i love it with a little salt and pepper and thats it.
  • pkgirrl
    pkgirrl Posts: 587
    Wrapped in proscuitta (not sure if this is the same as pancetta?) is really good too, grilled with a squeeze of lemon and a little olive oil =)

    Sometimes I just wrap it in fat free deli ham, though, also very tasty =)

    Another way It's good is in a grilled cheese sandwich, believe it or not, just slice the stalks lengthwise so theyre not too thick, it's especially amazing with some ham and a really old sharp cheddar! Yum! =)
  • lvfunandfit
    lvfunandfit Posts: 654 Member
    We usually drizzle a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar (or balsamic syrup - basically a balsamic vinegar reduction), salt and pepper and roast them in the oven (about 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes) and we think it's delicious. I've also put some parmesan on it too, but I don't think it even needs it. Typically roasting any veggies makes them taste sweeter.

    I do this too! So good!!

    I also spray with Olive Oil, sprinkle with Parmesan or Asiago cheese and garlic pepper and roast in oven

    Grill in foil with spices (garlic pepper or lemon pepper, or plain old salt and pepper and a touch of butter)
  • jw17695
    jw17695 Posts: 438 Member
    Crabbygirl, that's really funny. My dogs are staring at now. I'm half way tempted.

    Its always takes me a long to work the grill. Could I use one of the G.Forman ones instead?
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    bump <3 i love asparagus!
  • kellycrow
    kellycrow Posts: 140
    I LOVE asparagus but my favorite way to eat it is similar to what some other folks mentioned.

    buy the thinnest asparagus you can find!
    wash & trim the woody stems
    put in a gallon zip lock bag
    add olive oil, salt & pepper
    add portabella mushroom slices
    close bag and mix so everything is covered
    remove from bag onto a cookie sheet with short sides (a jelly roll)

    bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

    SO YUMMY!!!!
  • jw17695
    jw17695 Posts: 438 Member
    Wrapped in proscuitta (not sure if this is the same as pancetta?) is really good too, grilled with a squeeze of lemon and a little olive oil =)

    Sometimes I just wrap it in fat free deli ham, though, also very tasty =)

    Another way It's good is in a grilled cheese sandwich, believe it or not, just slice the stalks lengthwise so theyre not too thick, it's especially amazing with some ham and a really old sharp cheddar! Yum! =)

    The grilled cheese sandwhich idea sounds fantastic. I will definitely try that!
  • amanda89
    amanda89 Posts: 19
    Ham and asparagus casserole

    1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Asparagus Soup
    1/2 cup milk
    1/4 teaspoon onion powder
    1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1 1/2 cups cooked cut asparagus
    1 1/2 cups cubed cooked ham
    2 1/4 cups corkscrew-shaped pasta (rotini), cooked and drained
    1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese OR Swiss cheese (about 4 ounces)
  • tgaul
    tgaul Posts: 123
    I like to grill it or baked it in the oven. I just place the asparagus in a baking dish sprinkle with olive oil (or any oil of your choice) sea salt and pepper and bake until tender. You can add a shredded cheese to it as well. When I grill it sometimes I will use fat free Italian dressing with other veggies such as red, yellow, orange peppers, red onion, mushrooms ect. place them in a baggy with the dressing for about an hour then grill. It is very yummy :smile:
    Hope this helps. I just had wild rice and asparagus for lunch.
  • JustAmy
    JustAmy Posts: 291

    Its always takes me a long to work the grill. Could I use one of the G.Forman ones instead?

    YES! just use some spray butter (crisco no fat) and a little garlic powder ~ it only takes 3 minutes if you like it al dente, I LOVE it this way! If you still don't like it, feel free to send it all to me, I can "dispose" of it for you:laugh:
  • cattiemac
    cattiemac Posts: 251 Member
    I like to saute mine with some garlic. Or mix it with a little olive oil and some spices and roast it in the oven or grill it.
  • ErinSarah12
    ErinSarah12 Posts: 16 Member
    I love roasting asparagus in the oven with a bit of lemon and olive oil. Or, I put it in low carb shepherd's pie!
    http://www.recipezaar.com/healthy-shepherds-pie-414445

    Yum!
  • kd_0115
    kd_0115 Posts: 10
    Everyone in my family loves this one:

    Ingredients:
    1 lb asparagus (washed and trimmed)
    1/4 cup ranch dressing (I use fat free)
    1/4 cup parmesan cheese
    1/2 cup Ritz cracker (crushed)

    Directions
    Steam asparagus for 2 minutes in microwave.
    Mix with ranch dressing and place in a casserole dish. Top with parmesan and Ritz crackers.
    Bake at 350° for about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Sunsh1ne
    Sunsh1ne Posts: 879 Member
    Mmm, I love asparagus. When I was a kid, we grew it in the back yard! My family's favorite way to make it is to steam it in the microwave, covered, with a tablespoon or two of butter and a good glug of balsamic vinegar on top. Or you can do what I do to get my mom to eat brussels sprouts (you read that right) and pan-roast them with a little bacon or pancetta, a squeeze of lemon juice and some parmesan cheese, or just sauteed with Chinese black bean garlic sauce.
  • jw17695
    jw17695 Posts: 438 Member
    I thought oils and butter were bad. Are sprays any better? Is it still healthy if I use some of those?
  • arfrazee
    arfrazee Posts: 518
    My brother ususally marinates asparagus in either soy sauce or low fat italian dressing...then he sautes it in olive oil.
  • shannonsmallmon
    shannonsmallmon Posts: 5 Member
    take fresh garlic and sautee it then add asparagus and sautee that for about 10 minutes with a little bit of garlic salt is my favorite way... Tonight I am taking chicken breast slicing it down the middle almost all the way putting a slice a cheese in there and 3 asparagus spears and the closing the chicken with toothpicks then season to your liking then bake in the over its very yummy
  • thanks for all the great ideas It grows wild here in eastern Utah and it will be showing up here sometime in April We can never get enough My kids love hitting the ditches looking for it they have been doing it all their life and they are now in their 20's now we are teaching the two grandkids how to spot it. Nothing like fresh wild asparagus Now I have more ideas how to fix it :flowerforyou:
  • kalmf
    kalmf Posts: 351 Member
    Yum! I'm having asparagus cravings.

    The main rule is to not cook the asparagus too long. If you need to get the thicker stuff, snap off the ends and then use a vegetable peeler to shave most of the stalk, it tenderizes them and gives you a greater yield. Many old-school American recipes have you cook them until they are disgustingly slimy. If they are cooked al dente, they have a crisp texture and are delicious. I can't handle over cooked asparagus (like it usually is in quiche and cassaroles) I love it grilled or steamed and I love the portabello recipe. 'Course even after trying all of the above - you might still hate them!
This discussion has been closed.