Blanched asparagus is boiled briefly, then cooled in an ice bath to maintain its crunchiness. The tough ends must be removed before cooking, and good quality asparagus should be used. Blanched asparagus can be served plain or with various sauces and toppings.
When fresh asparagus is boiled briefly in water, then promptly cooled, it has been blanched. A quick way to barely cook asparagus, blanching allows the vegetable to tender while maintaining the crunchy texture. Blanched asparagus is used for side dishes or main courses.
Although asparagus stalks are usually blanched whole, they can be cut up before or after the cooking process. The use of fresh asparagus, in good condition, is always advisable. Good quality asparagus will have straight stems and tight colas that are tinged slightly purple. This vegetable is usually green, but white and purple asparagus are also available.
Before the asparagus is cooked, the tough ends must be removed. The hardness of the ends varies with the thickness of the stems, so for thicker stems, bending over the last half of each stem until it breaks is the easiest way to ensure the entire hard end has been removed. For thinner stems, trimming the ends with a knife should be sufficient.
To blanch asparagus, a pot is filled with water and boiled. Usually, salt is added to the water, but it can be omitted. As the water heats up, an ice bath is prepared. A bowl, large enough to hold the asparagus, is filled with cold water and usually placed in a larger bowl filled with ice. Ice ensures that the water stays extremely cold while being used.
Once the water is boiling, the asparagus can be placed in the pot. The cooking time varies according to the thickness of the stems and the preferences of the cook. The vegetables are allowed to boil for between 30 seconds and five minutes before being removed and placed in the ice bath. The ice bath immediately interrupts the cooking process. Properly blanched asparagus should be a bright green color.
The asparagus can cool in the bath before the stems are drained. Blanched asparagus shouldn’t be confused with boiled asparagus, which more thoroughly cooks the stems and doesn’t use a water bath. Both boiled and blanched asparagus can reduce the flavor of the vegetable, giving it a slightly watery taste.
Blanched asparagus can be served plain or with hollandaise sauce. Another option is to toss the stems with lemon and olive oil. Additionally, almonds and shallots can be added to the dish to boost the flavor. Blanched asparagus can be placed in dishes such as a saute directly before the dish is finished.
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