Asparagus Anyone?

Asparagus is a vegetable that is not commonly found in the Indian cuisine. A few years ago, when I started adding new vegetables into my kitchen, I picked up a bunch of asparagus from our Farmer’s Market. These weekend markets are a great place to hob-nob with farmers and buy produce that have been picked from the farm that very day.

Now, I am absolutely in love with asparagus, especially young asparagus with tender stems. They are skinny and you can practically eat everything without having to cut off the stems and there is no need to peel away the hard skin, as everything is so tender.

One of the easiest recipes to make over the stove top is sautéed asparagus. There is no need to use your oven to roast and this absolutely delicious recipe takes only 10 minutes. Just sauté the asparagus in olive oil, add lots of garlic, and season with salt, pepper, turmeric, and red chili flakes, and finally add a squirt or two of lemon juice!! Could any recipe get easier than that?

Sautéed asparagus is a great side dish that goes perfectly well with anything. Just try once and you will be hooked.

Growing, Buying, Storing Asparagus

Did you know with proper care and in a suitable climate, an asparagus crown can last 15 to 25 years??! Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a highly desirable, early-spring vegetable, best suited to the cooler areas of North and West Texas. You can grow it in Dallas and Houston. It produces poorly in areas with mild winters and extremely long, hot summers.

Since it is such a long term vegetable, I will need to dedicate a permanent spot in my backyard, when I decide to grow it. Though a perennial, it takes 3 whole years to yield!! Gosh! Talk about being a patient gardener. What’s the saying that goes….patience favors those that wait…..maybe I’ll let my local farmer do the patient waiting. Here’s a video that will help you decide if you want to grow asparagus.

Obviously, asparagus tastes better when homegrown or purchased in local Farmer’s Markets than when shipped into your supermarket from places afar. After harvest, asparagus loses quality very rapidly––the sugar content declines and the amount of fibrous material increases. When buying, use spears with compact heads; those with loose heads are fibrous and do not keep well.

Asparagus can be stored up to 3 weeks in plastic bags in the refrigerator. For longer storage, blanch the asparagus spears 3 to 5 minutes, package, and freeze them. I have found the best way to store asparagus is to keep them standing in a bowl of shallow water in the refrigerator.

We have a wonderful Creamy (sans Cream) Broccoli-Asparagus Soup for you to try for the upcoming Fall season.

Quick Recipes

If you love made-in-a-jiffy recipes, try a few of our favorites

• Baked Okra
• Chilled Cucumber Dill Soup
• Broccoli Corn Stir Fry
• Cauliflower Rice
• Easy Sautéed Green Beans
• Blistered Shishito Peppers
• Mango Rasayana
• Easy Colored Peppers Mushroom Stir Fry
• Spiced Purple Sweet Potato Cauliflower Bake
• The BEST Open Faced Veggie Sandwich
• Crispy Air-Fried Masala Okra

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5 from 1 vote

Sautéed Asparagus

Serve these deliciously crispy and tangy sautéed asparagus as a side with any meal. You and your guests will fall in love with it.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine International

Keyword Asparagus, Garlic, Pepper, Saute, Vegetables,, Vegetarian

Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 2 People

Calories 50kcal

Equipment

• Kitchen Knife
• Bamboo Cutting Board
• Le Crueset Crepe Pan

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Garlic - Fresh, Cut into thin slices
• 1/2 Pound Asparagus - Fresh
• 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil - Extra Virgin
• 1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or To Taste
• 1/8 Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes - Or To Taste
• 1/8 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/8 Teaspoon Black Pepper - Fresh Ground
• 1/4 Teaspoon Lemon Juice - Or Lime Juice

Instructions

• Mince garlic into thin slices and set aside for about 10 minutes. Rinse the asparagus, peel the stalks and then remove the tough white ends at the base. Chop asparagus into 4-5 inch pieces.
  
• Heat olive oil on medium flame in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant - about 1 minute. Add cut asparagus, salt, pepper, turmeric, red chili pepper flakes.
  
• Cook, stirring, until the asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat, add lemon juice to skillet and stir a few times. Serve immediately.
  

Notes

*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sautéed Asparagus

Amount per Serving

Calories

50

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

2

g

3

%

Cholesterol

 

0

mg

0

%

Sodium

 

122

mg

5

%

Potassium

 

254

mg

7

%

Carbohydrates

 

6

g

2

%

Fiber

 

3

g

13

%

Sugar

 

2

g

2

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

 

250

IU

5

%

Vitamin C

 

10.7

mg

13

%

Calcium

 

40

mg

4

%

Iron

 

2.5

mg

14

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.