Asparagus with Lemon Butter

Ingredients

• one bunch (about 1/2 pound) fresh asparagus
• salt
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Rinse asparagus. Trim asparagus by picking up each stem, holding it in the middle and at the bottom end. Bend until it snaps.

In a large skillet, bring about 1/2 inch of salted water to a rapid boil. Add asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Drain the asparagus by pouring into a strainer. Add butter to the skillet to melt. Stir in the zest and juice. Return the drained asparagus to the skillet and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes:

If you don't have the patience for bending each stem, here's a shortcut for trimming asparagus. Or just cut a couple of inches off the bottom.

How long you cook asparagus really depends on how thick it is. Use a fork to test for doneness. Underdone is better than overdone. Overdone is slimy.

Variation: After the asparagus is drained, stop the cooking by submerging it immediately in a bowl of ice water. This will help the asparagus to retain the bright green color. Serve the asparagus cold with a vinaigrette instead of lemon butter.

Asparagus with Lemon Butter