The one way to cut any asparagus
Asparaguses are marching in.
No matter what size asparagus the market is selling, I’m buying. It’s asparagus’s season and there’s no holding back. And when you can cut any asparagus the same way and sprinkle them into any recipe, why would you?
For any asparagus — pencil-thin, thick as thumbs, and anywhere in between — thinly slice them (say 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick) on the diagonal. Because:
Spears of any chunkiness become roughly the same size, so they’ll cook evenly.
Slicing on a diagonal exposes more of their insides to flavorings, whether dressing, sauce, or just salt.
The pieces are so small, they’re pleasantly crunchy eaten raw. And they’ll cook quickly, just a minute or two until crisp-tender and bright-green.
I just learned from
that you can even thinly slice the fibrous bottoms that you might otherwise snap off and throw away. Haven’t tried it yet but excited to because this means more asparagus for me.
You can then toss these little slivers of asparagus into dishes towards the end of cooking, like you would baby spinach. A little scattering of asparagus here, some more over there.
Want to see? Here are some recipes that use asparagus in this easy, breezy way.
Skillet fish with white beans & asparagus
Springy Noodle Stir-Fry
Spring Chicken Soup
Lamb & Feta Pasta
Lemony Orzo with Asparagus & Breadcrumbs
Turmeric-Black Pepper Chicken
10-Minute Lamb & Asparagus Stir-Fry
