We arrived in Provence this week, welcomed by market stands laden with fresh, bright green local asparagus, just in time to mark the official start of spring tomorrow. Braising asparagus, I have found, is the best way to bring out their mineral-rich, woodsy flavors, rewarding you – for their brief season – with rich, haunting pleasures. The pine and floral notes of rosemary backed up by the aromatic bay leaves are an excellent match for asparagus’s earthy character. In this version, I peel each stalk about 1/3 of the way, then slice each stalk into three even pieces. Peeling helps the thicker ends cook at the same time as the rest of the pieces.  At serving time, shower with plenty of minced fresh rosemary for an extra hit of flavor. They don’t need any additional embellishment, trust me!

Asparagus Braised with Fresh Rosemary and Bay Leaves

Equipment: A vegetable peeler; a large skillet with a lid; 4 warmed dinner plates.

Ingredients

16 plump spears (about 2 pounds; 1 kg) fresh asparagus
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Several sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish, minced
Several fresh bay leaves

Method

Rinse the asparagus and only slightly trim the ends. With the vegetable peeler, peel about 1/3 of the way up the stalk. Cut each asparagus into three equal portions. In a skillet large enough to hold the vegetable in a single layer, combine the asparagus, oil, salt, rosemary, and bay leaves. Sprinkle with about ½ cup (125 ml) water. Cover. Cook over high heat just until the oil and water mixture begin to sizzle. Reduce heat to medium and braise the asparagus, turning from time to time, just until the vegetable can be pierced with a knife, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook. (Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of the asparagus.) Garnish with minced rosemary and serve on warmed plates.

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
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