Give Asparagus A Flavor Boost By Using These Cooking Methods

If you're looking to implement more veggies into your diet, asparagus — which has 14 types you should get to know — is a good place to start. The vegetable is full of vitamins and antioxidants; it can help improve digestive health and support your immune system, among other benefits. When cooked correctly, asparagus can be absolutely delicious, making it that much easier to get in all of those nutritional benefits. To find out the absolute best ways to cook asparagus — the methods that will give the veggie a flavor boost — Daily Meal spoke with Hugo Bolaños, the executive chef at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village in California.

The first method you need to try? Sautéing your asparagus. Bolaños says, "Sautéing gives asparagus a flavor boost because you are releasing what's inside and breaking it down. And frankly, if you want a vegetable to transform your dish and not simply be yet another ingredient on the plate, sauté it." With sautéing, the hot pan allows vegetables to brown, which deepens the flavor and aroma — for asparagus, its earthiness and subtle sweetness are accentuated. The browning will add a roasted, charred flavor. 

To make the sautéed asparagus even more delicious, all you have to do is add some citrus — Bolaños says, "Asparagus and lemon are a perfect match." The citrusy brightness of the lemon balances out the earthiness of the asparagus. "After seasoning and sautéing the asparagus, finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a touch of Maldon flake salt. It brings brightness, balance, and an elevated flavor," he adds.

If you want to try something slightly different than sautéing, Hugo Bolaños has another suggestion. "My favorite way to elevate the flavor of asparagus is with a classic French blanching technique that I mastered when working at the three-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse restaurant in Paris." For anyone unfamiliar, blanching refers to cooking a food by briefly submerging it in boiling water, then dropping it into ice water to stop any residual cooking.

For blanching asparagus, Bolaños says, "Add [a whole] lemon peel and a generous pinch of sea salt to the boiling water." He continues, "Drop in the asparagus and blanch for one minute. This quick cook preserves its vibrant green color and crisp-tender texture." The second part of the process, dropping the asparagus into ice water, will "lock in that stunning color."

Bolaños says, "This method not only enhances the natural sweetness of the asparagus by preserving its chlorophyll, but it also makes it look as fresh and appetizing as it tastes. You don't want your asparagus to be brown and drab. Remember – people eat with their eyes!"

When it comes time to serve blanched asparagus, Bolaños suggests chilling it and adding it to a salad, such as our spring green salad with asparagus, or giving it some time on the grill "for a smoky twist." Whatever you do with the blanched asparagus, Bolaños knows it will wow your guests. He says, "You'll look like a culinary wunderkind."