Pan-Roasted Asparagus
The secret is not to crowd the pan. If the stalks are piled on top of one another, they will steam in their own moisture instead of browning.
Snap the woody ends off by hand.
Hold the stalk at both ends and bend; it will naturally break where the tough, fibrous base meets the tender shoot. Discard the bottoms.
- large cast iron or stainless steel skillet
- tongs
- paper towels
What goes in.
- 1 lbasparagus, ends trimmed
- 2 tbspneutral oil, such as grapeseed or avocado
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
- 1 tbspunsalted butter
- 1 tspfresh lemon juice
High heat, no movement
Once the asparagus hits the pan, leave it alone for two minutes. Moving them too early prevents the browning reaction from taking hold.
The method.
Heat the skillet
Place your skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and wait until it shimmers and just begins to smoke slightly.
Arrange the stalks
Lay the asparagus in the pan in a single layer. If your pan is too small, do this in two batches.
Sear
Let them cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is charred and mahogany in color.
Toss and finish
Flip the stalks with tongs. Add the butter to the pan. Toss for another 1 to 2 minutes until the butter foams and turns golden brown. Remove from heat immediately.
Season
Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with kosher salt, and finish with a quick squeeze of lemon juice.
Other turns to take.
Garlicky
Add two smashed cloves of garlic during the final 30 seconds of cooking, keeping them moving so they do not burn.
Parmesan crusted
Grate hard, aged cheese over the hot asparagus immediately after pulling them from the pan.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Pat the asparagus dry with paper towels before cooking; excess water causes splattering and prevents a good sear.
If your asparagus stalks are pencil-thin, they will only need about 60 seconds per side.
Use a heavy skillet; thin metal pans lose heat too quickly when the cold vegetables are added.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know when they are done?
The stalks should be vibrant green with charred spots and offer very little resistance when pierced with a fork.
Can I use olive oil instead?
Use extra virgin olive oil only if you keep the heat to medium; high heat will cause it to taste acrid.
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