asparagus with shallots and almonds

As most teenagers, or those who are fresh out of teenagehoodish-ness, err, perhaps twenty-one, I think I know best, especially when it comes to my kitchen. “What are they thinking telling me to whisk, when this obviously should be folded in to the batter!” “Seriously?! They are using pureed avocado instead of butter in these oatmeal cookies?! Bah!” “What do they mean add 3 1/2 pounds of chicken, three cups of onions and 14 1/2 ounces of diced tomatoes in a skillet? What kind of magic skillet are they using?!” These are all things Josh can hear me mumbling, or yes sometimes exasperatingly screaming to him from the kitchen. Instincts, or as I like to say, my smart wits, I should have kept with me while failing over here – yes it is a very sore subject, I don’t know why I keep talking about it.

But with fresh asparagus stalks staring me down in the produce section it was hard for me to ignore those kitchenly instincts as I grabbed a bundle and threw them in the basket. Now for the part where I tell you how I went against everything in me that told me not to buy the asparagus — I hate asparagus. It is stringy, it has a very sharp, pungent, grassy taste, as well as a distinct smell, and there have been many cases of being forced asparagus (I do not eat this stuff voluntarily)  that have been mushy and limp.

However, it made it past the register into my refrigerator and has been stalking me ever since. I cannot open the fridge without immediately seeing bright stalks of asparagus wondering if I only got them so they could mold in my refrigerator. Tired of being judged by a vegetable I decided I would make a quick supper for Josh and I.

I  blanched the asparagus for the least amount of time I could get away with, preventing any bad memories of being force fed mushy asparagus, and tried to tempt myself to actually eat them by throwing in some caramelized shallots. I sprinkled (or doused to make sure a pungent flavor didn’t hit my palette) with lemon juice and topped it off with some roasted almonds. I still can’t say that I love asparagus. But the combination that it tasted a lot like a lemon and was very crisp made me hate it slightly less.

Asparagus with Shallots and Almonds

Serves 4

Note: I picked up a tip from Anne Burrell: to trim the woody ends, bend in half, and the fresh will snap off from the woody.

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
2shallot, sliced into rings
1/4 cup roasted sliced almonds
1/2 lemon, for juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Bring a large, wide pan of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water as it heats up. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Once the water in the pan is boiling, add asparagus and boil for 1 minutes – 3 minutes — time will vary depending on the thickness of the stalks and if you like your asparagus crisp or soft. Immediately transfer the asparagus to the bowl of ice water and let them cool down for several minutes. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until golden brown and caramelized.

Remove the asparagus from the water and pat dry. Place asparagus on a plate or platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil, about 1 tablespoon, and the juice of half a lemon. Top with shallots and roasted almonds. Serve immediately.