Try this Asparagus recipe at your next family gathering. It is sure to turn even the most ardent veggie haters. Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus a splash3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Salt
Directions
- Prepare the asparagus.
- Snap off the bases of spears and discard.
- Bring a small amount of salted water to boil in a saucepan, add a splash of lemon. Add asparagus and cook until tender.
- Remove asparagus and shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking and to keep its bright green color.
- Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in saucepan.
- Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes over moderate heat, until lightly browned.
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons orange juice, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Whisk to make sure it's fully emulsified.
- Add salt, to taste. Add asparagus to sauce, and toss until coated.
- Serve hot and garnish with extra sesame seeds, if desired.
Only young asparagus shoots are commonly eaten: once the buds start to open ("ferning out"), the shoots quickly turn woody. Water makes up 93% of Asparagus's composition. Asparagus is low in calories and is very low in sodium. It is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fibre, protein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells The amino acid asparagine gets its name from asparagus, as the asparagus plant is relatively rich in this compound.
Asparagus