April 23, 2018

Braised Asparagus with Feta and Tomatoes

Name: Braised Asparagus with Feta and Tomatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: Serves 4-6
Ingredients: 1 cup chicken stock; 16 ounces asparagus, washed with woodsy ends removed; 1/2 cup feta cheese; 4-8 ounces cherry tomatoes, chopped in 1/2 or whole

Jump to recipe: Braised Asparagus with Feta and Tomatoes

I love asparagus, but the mere thought of steamed asparagus makes me want to gag. Steaming asparagus is a slow torturous death to this noble vegetable. It makes me sad, especially when there are other ways to bring it to the table in it’s full glory. Braising asparagus and oven roasting it are two of the easiest and most fantastic ways to celebrate this mighty fine stalk.

Braised asparagus - Raw green and white asparagus — White asparagus is created by never letting the stalks see the sun. They’re a novelty and usually more expensive than their green brethren. Personally, I always get the green guys because I think they taste waaaaaaaaay better!

If you care to roast your asparagus… simply wash them and snap or cut up the woodsy ends. Preheat your oven to 450F. Spread them on a baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil over them. Give them a quick toss, sprinkle with Italian seasoning and salt. Pop them on the top rack of the oven for 10 minutes and plate them up.

Tossing a handful of cherry tomatoes over them before the go into the oven works well too and/or shaking some parmesan over them as they come out from the heat too is also good.

Braising them is quick and easy too. Braising is simply roasting something in the oven with liquid. Soooo… if you have some chicken stock handy this is a different way to fix your asparagus. This recipe for braised asparagus with tomatoes and feta cheese finds its way to our table about once a week.

But if you braise or roast cherry tomatoes whole… BEWARE!!! They are incredibly HOT right out of the oven and they’ll and blister your mouth in a mighty explosion if you bite into them without letting them cool a bit first. At least cut into them and let the scalding liquid escape because they are so tasty once they cool off a tad. Yes, I’m speaking from experience. Ouch. A good rule of thumb is to cook them until they burst!