Pan-fried green asparagus with herbs
Serves 4 as a side · 10 minutes · Classic frying pan
Green asparagus fried whole in a hot carbon steel pan until charred in spots but still crisp. Ready in ten minutes and good with almost anything.
Pan-fried green asparagus is a quick side: the spears are fried whole over a high heat for a few minutes and tossed in butter at the end. It is best when the pan is properly hot and the asparagus lies in a single layer, so it browns rather than steams.
Ingredients
Serves 4 as a side
- 500 g green asparagus
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 25 g butter
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped dill
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- 600 g freshly boiled new potatoes
Method
- Snap or cut off the woody ends of the asparagus. If the stems are thick, peel the bottom third.
- Heat the pan with the oil over a medium-high to high heat until the oil shimmers.
- Add the asparagus in a single layer and fry for 4–5 minutes, rolling the spears now and then, until charred in spots but still with some bite. Fry in two batches if they don't all fit.
- Lower the heat, add the butter and toss the asparagus in the foaming butter for 30 seconds.
- Scatter over flaky salt, pepper, lemon zest, parsley and dill. Serve straight away with freshly boiled new potatoes.
Why it works
Carbon steel handles the high heat needed to colour the asparagus before it softens. The pan holds its heat when the cold spears go in, so they sizzle instead of stewing.
FAQ
Do you need to peel green asparagus?
Usually not. Snap off the woody end and only peel the lower part if the stems are thick.
How do you know when asparagus is done?
It should be bright green with charred spots and give slight resistance to the tip of a knife. If it turns limp, it has been cooked too long.
Can I fry white asparagus the same way?
Yes, but white asparagus must be peeled completely and needs a lower heat and longer time, about 8–10 minutes.
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