Easy Sautéed Asparagus
This easy sautéed asparagus recipe from a Massachusetts asparagus-growing family is made even more delicious with a sprinkling of grated cheese.
This easy sauteed asparagus recipe is a family favorite from Dan Smiarowski, who with his wife, Penny, co-owns D.A. Smiarowski Farms in Sunderland, Massachusetts. In operation since 1923, today it’s one of the state’s largest producers of asparagus. Here, Dan shares his mother’s delicious recipe for sautéed asparagus (“preferably from D.A. Smiarowski Farms,” he jokes), and says that if you have leftovers — a big if — you can reheat the asparagus to put into an omelet or use it as a side dish with poached or sunny-side-up eggs.
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh asparagus
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 stick butter
1 cup water
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan/Romano cheese
Instructions
Cut the asparagus spears into one-inch pieces. Put the water and asparagus in a frying pan over medium heat, and cover. Be careful not to let the water evaporate and burn the asparagus; add more water if necessary. Cook until the asparagus is tender (al dente) but not too soft. Drain the water from the pan and add the olive oil. Sauté the asparagus for a few minutes on medium heat, stirring to coat the asparagus in the oil. Add the butter, salt, and pepper. Cook on low heat until the butter is melted. To finish, add the Parmesan/Romano cheese on top. Enjoy.
