Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (450 g) Fresh Asparagus Spears (Medium to thick preferred)
  • 2 inches (5 cm) Water
  • 1 pinch Coarse Salt
  • 1 Tbsp (15 g) Unsalted Butter (High quality recommended)
  • ½ medium Lemon, fresh (About 1 Tbsp / 15 ml juice)
  • ½ tsp (3 g) Flaky Sea Salt (e.g., Maldon)
  • ¼ tsp (1 g) Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Instructions:

  1. Trim the Asparagus: Wash the asparagus gently under cold water. To find the natural breaking point, gently bend one spear until it snaps where the woody end meets the tender stalk. Use this snapped piece as a guide, and trim the rest of the spears to the same length with a sharp knife. Discard the woody ends.
  2. Set Up the Steamer: Pour about 2 inches (5 cm) of water into your saucepan. Place the steamer basket inside, ensuring the water level sits below the bottom of the basket. Add a pinch of coarse salt to the water.
  3. Boil the Water: Cover the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
  4. Add the Asparagus: Once the water is boiling vigorously, arrange the prepared asparagus spears horizontally in a single layer inside the steamer basket.
  5. Steam: Cover the pot tightly again. Steam for 4 to 6 minutes. Start testing at the 4-minute mark: the spears should be bright green and fork-tender but still offer a slight resistance (al dente).
  6. Stop the Cooking: Immediately remove the steamer basket from the pot or carefully transfer the asparagus to a dry serving plate to stop the cooking process.
  7. Melt the Butter: In a small, separate dish, melt the unsalted butter until just foaming.
  8. Dress and Season: Pour the melted butter over the hot asparagus. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top.
  9. Serve: Toss gently to coat, and sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.