Recipe: Asparagus Quills In Browned Butter
The harbinger of spring combined with browned butter. What could be better?
This is a simple spring recipe that will no doubt find its way into countless dishes in your kitchen very soon. By cutting the asparagus into elongated “quills,” you increase the surface area that the asparagus gets in contact with the pan, the butter and the seasonings. The natural sugars in the vegetable caramelize as do the butter solids. The result is a heightened experience of the grassy asparagus flavor with all the back notes of nuttiness from the browned butter — just delicious! These quills are great with a simple buttered pasta (shape of your choice) with lots of grated aged cheese — Manchego is a fun swap for Parmigiano-Reggiano — and freshly ground black pepper. Also as a topping for a salad, a filling for an omelet — you get the idea!
Asparagus Quills in Browned Butter
1 pound local asparagus, medium thickness
3 T. pastured butter
Sea salt
Freshly crushed coriander seed — to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Choose a heavy bottomed skillet. I like black steel pans because they conduct heat very well and evenly and aren’t quite as heavy to handle as cast iron.
Rinse the asparagus and snap off the bottom inch or so of “woody” ends. Lay each asparagus stalk on the cutting board and starting at the bottom, cut ½ inch thick quills by holding the knife at a 45-degree angle to the asparagus. Repeat until you are about an inch and a half shy of the top and leave that as it is.
When all of your quills are cut, heat the butter in the skillet until the butter begins to get foamy. Add the asparagus and stir often over medium-high heat until the asparagus browns as well as the butter. Season lightly with salt and crushed coriander seed. Once the asparagus is tender, quickly remove all the contents of the pan onto a plate to stop the cooking. Spread the asparagus out to a single layer so it can cool down fast as well. Season with black pepper if desired.
Now just add these delicious asparagus quills with their browned butter sauce to any simple dish to start celebrating spring in all of its edible glory!
