Click here for our Asparagus and Prosciutto Bites with Reduced Balsamic recipe. To enjoy your asparagus al dente (lightly steamed, which is what we recommend), Wine Pairing. Asparagus was also corrupted in some places to "sparrow grass"; indeed, John Walker stated in 1791 that "Sparrow … Drain well. While the water is simmering, peel the tough outer skin from each asparagus, then trim ½ inch off the stem of each spear. Consider tossing the finished asparagus in melted butter or drizzling it with hollandaise sauce. When peeling the asparagus, hold the spear flat against your work surface and peel from top to bottom, starting roughly 1-1/2 inches (3.75 cm) from the tip. Heat olive oil and garlic in skillet at medium-high until garlic begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Continue with the next step while the oven preheats. Recipe by Allrecipes. When asparagus is tender, but firm, remove from heat and serve immediately. The exact amount of cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the spears. Now saute the asparagus lightly and let it cook for 3 minutes (you want Al-dante texture - a bite to it). What goes well with steamed asparagus? Enjoy a dry white wine with asparagus dishes. 1 lb Asparagus spears, fresh. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6d\/Cook-White-Asparagus-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-White-Asparagus-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6d\/Cook-White-Asparagus-Step-1.jpg\/aid6700239-v4-728px-Cook-White-Asparagus-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"410","licensing":"