How to Grill Asparagus
Asparagus is a nutritious vegetable that is popular in some regions of the world like northern Africa, Europe, western Asia and of course the United States. This vegetable is rich in dietary fiber, which is important to prevent as well as treat constipation. In addition to this, asparagus contains potassium, zinc, phosphorus, niacin as well as riboflavin and thiamine. The vegetable is also helpful to pregnant women because it has folate, which is essential to help protect babies from neural tube defects. One of the most famous ways of cooking the vegetable is by grilling. Discussed below are guidelines that you can follow to learn how to grill asparagus perfectly.
Indoor Grilling If you prefer indoor grilling, then the first thing that you should know is to get an electric grill. For instance, you cannot find an electric grill then you should have a grilling pan. Place the grilling pan on the stove and preheat over low fire. Remove the ends of the vegetable and wash. Cut the vegetable into two or three. You can snap it or you can use a knife to slice the asparagus. If you are using a grilling pan, you should spray olive oil or vegetable oil on the pan before you put the vegetable. Change the heat setting of the stove to medium high and put the vegetable on the pan. On the other hand, if you are using an electric grill, you can put the asparagus in skewers. Brush the asparagus with vegetable oil before placing on the grill. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the vegetable to enhance the taste. Grill the vegetable for three minutes to five minutes.
Outdoor Grilling If you like to try the outdoor grilling method, it is best if you wrap the vegetable with aluminum foil. To do this, place a tablespoon of butter on an aluminum foil. Wash the asparagus thoroughly. Drizzle salt and pepper on the vegetable. Cut the vegetable into several portions. Arrange the vegetable on the foil. Wrap the vegetable with the foil and place on a preheated grill. Cook for 10 minutes to 15 minutes.
Additional Information and Other Important Details If you want to improve the taste of the vegetable, you can add herbs and other spices in the foil before wrapping it. Examples of herbs that can enhance the taste of the vegetable are garlic, onion, thyme as well as oregano. If you are trying the indoor grilling method, you can tell that the vegetable is done if the color of the asparagus becomes dark green. To make the vegetable more flavorful and enticing, you can serve it along with pine nuts.
When preparing a grilled asparagus dish, make sure that you use fresh ingredients. To avoid the vegetable from burning, turn it occasionally. Additionally, instead of brushing the vegetable with olive oil, you can substitute it with butter to improve the natural flavor of the dish. Do not sprinkle too much salt on the vegetable because it causes asparagus to become dry. Finally, to enjoy the natural taste of the vegetable, you should serve it immediately after grilling.
