ASPARAGUS MILANESE-STYLE

Preparation Method :

• For fresh asparagus, wash, scrape and trim it, cut off any woody ends.
• Array into spears of equal thickness and tie in a bundle with the tips level.
• Use soft string and tie in two places, just below the tips and towards the bottom.
• Trim the cut ends so that the stalks are of similar length and the bundle will stand firmly in the cooking pan.
• To cook the asparagus, stand the bundle upright in simmering salted water to reach two-thirds up the stalks.
• If you do not have a saucepan that is deep enough,go with a domed 'lid' of foil, making it high enough to stand above the tips. Crimp it well at the pan edge to hold in the steam.
• Set the jar in a covered pan of simmering water, or cover the jar itself with foil.
• Cook the asparagus until tender, allowing from 15 minutes for green asparagus and up to 35 minutes for large blanched spears.
• If you are using frozen asparagus, cook it from frozen in a small quantity of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes.
• The asparagus is cooked when the thick part of the stalk feels tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
• Drain thoroughly and lay on a clean, folded tea towel.
• Arrange the cooked spears on a buttered flameproof dish and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Melt the butter to the noisette stage, when it is just beginning to turn brown and smell nutty. Pour the butter over the asparagus.
• Slip the asparagus under a hot grill for atleast a minute, until the Parmesan cheese begins to melt, and serve immediately.