What’s in Season: Asparagus with Almonds

You don't have to love fruits and vegetables to take advantage of the local farmer's market. Do it to support local business and our farmers; do it if reducing your carbon footprint is a concern to you; or do it to try a new recipe using produce you can certain of its freshness and quality. This month's fresh ingredient is asparagus, a vegetable I've talked about in a previous post. It works as a side dish to almost any main course, and best of all, it's easy to make.

Ingredients

450 g asparagus, washed with the hard fibrous parts of the stems broken off
30 g chopped almonds
14 g butter
salt
pepper
cayenne pepper (optional)

1.  Melt the butter over medium heat in a pan large enough to hold all the asparagus.  Once the butter has melted, cook the almonds in the butter until the butter and almonds have browned (if you want to spice things up a notch, this is where you would add the cayenne).
2.  Add the asparagus to the pan. Season them with salt and pepper, then move the asparagus around with a large silicone spatula or a wooden spoon, scooping the butter and almonds up on top to coat them. The asparagus can then be cooked in the pan as long as you keep the asparagus spears moving, about 6 to 8 minutes. The asparagus should be crisp but without a raw taste.
   
   Alternative method: Steam the asparagus for two minutes, then sauté them in the almond/butter mixture.