green asparagus in basket


This recipe was originally featured in the "Some Like It Hot" article by June McMaster in the summer issue of 1987. 

McMaster worked for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, in this article she shared tips about harvesting, preparing, and enjoying fresh vegetables from the garden. One note she shared was asparagus is usually consumed with a fork, but in Europe, fresh and cooked asparagus is often picked up with the fingers and dipped into a sauce. And the tender raw tips of asparagus make a delightful addition to a tray of finger vegetables surrounding a delicious dip.
 

Ingredients

1/4 c. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 lbs. fresh asparagus (cut in 2-inch pieces, separate and reserve tips)
2 Tbsp. water
Fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of Lemon Pepper
 

Directions

Melt butter in a frying pan. Saute onion until transparent. Add asparagus and stir fry for two minutes, reserving tips until later. Add water, cover, and steam for one minute. Add asparagus tips and a handful of mushrooms, sesame seeds, salt, and lemon pepper. Stir until all are well blended. Steam for another minute until mushrooms are heated through and all asparagus is bright green in color and still crisp. Do not overcook.