Cooking with Butter...Steamed Asparagus With Brown Butter and Hazelnuts

 Here’s a great recipe for asparagus from "Everyday Food".   This a perfectly delicious way to use brown butter!
If you can't find or afford hazelnuts, substitute toasted almonds, as I did.  We have "found" asparagus growing in a ditch near our home while out walking when we lived farther in the country, and older homes often have asparagus already established.  If you don't have your own, sometimes neighbors will let you pick theirs that they don't like or want.  Asparagus, like rhubarb, once established, will grow for years with a little care - good for any garden.  It might be "gourmet" to some, but to Grandma, it was a Spring standby.

 Steamed Asparagus With Brown Butter and Hazelnuts 

  2            Bunches  Asparagus -- 2 pounds trimmed

     1/4     Cup  Butter

                Coarse Salt -- to taste

                Pepper -- to taste

     1/3     Cup  Hazelnuts -- toasted, loose skins rubbed off

Set a steamer basket in a saucepan with 2 inches simmering water.  Add asparagus, cover and steam until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.  Transfer to a warm platter..

Discard water; heat butter, cut in pieces, over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown and most of the foam has subsided, 5-6 minutes.  Don't let it burn.

Pour over asparagus, toss to combine, season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with hazelnuts and serve immediately.

4 Servings