Tool Tip: Asparagus Steamer
One of my favorite kitchen gadgets, a tall narrow pot to steam asparagus.
By today's standards, my kitchen is small. Whenever I peer longingly into beautiful new kitchens and wish mine were bigger, more open, more something, I think of my 70-something west-door neighbor who cooked and fed husband and six kids in the same space -- and once again feel content with my kitchen, just the way it is.
Few kitchen tools are allowed a permanent home in my kitchen, especially tools that are single-purpose. But my commitment to an asparagus steamer started early in this vegetable recipe odyssey. On Day Three's Lemon Asparagus, I sang the praises of an asparagus steamer. By Day Seven's Asparagus Tapenade, I'd finagled a decent alternative using a 9x13 pan. By Day Seventeen's Ginger Asparagus, I'd rigged one up -- very inexpensively -- using a tall narrow pot from Target and an everyday expandable vegetable steamer.
Now, upon the first asparagus sightings, I move this makeshift asparagus steamer from the back of a cupboard to the front, where it'll be easy to reach. Why? An asparagus steamer makes it soooo easy to steam perfect asparagus every time -- because the asparagus spears stand upright while steaming, the denser ends are closer to the heat source, the tender tips are further away.
PS If it's easier to buy an asparagus steamer
, go for it! After all, asparagus season is short!Eat more vegetables! A Veggie Venture is the home of Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg and is the award-winning source of free vegetable recipes, quick, easy, and yes, delicious. Start with the Alphabet of Vegetables or dive into all the Weight Watchers vegetable recipes or all the low carb vegetable recipes. © Copyright 2008
Now I am just completely antsy for asparagus season to begin here in Rhode Island. We are still a month or more away. There is a huge asparagus farm less than an hour from my house, and worth the drive to get the asparagus picked fresh that morning, sorted by size, washed and bundled -- for $1 per pound!
ReplyDeleteI tend to stay away from single-use appliances as well, but as someone who could eat fresh asparagus every day in season... hmm....
ReplyDeleteI found my All-clad asparagus steamer years ago at Williams Sonoma (yes) I paid the top dollar of $19 for the little sweet heart. It also makes a perfectly perfect way to store the asparagus. Put a little water in the bottom for moisture but the rack holds the bottoms out of the water put the lid on if their not too tall or use a shower cap to cover it they top the pot.
ReplyDeleteI'd say yours works just the same as mine. But I did feel rather smug the day I found mine on special.
Ever since I read this description, I've wanted an asparagus steamer, but couldn't seem to justify to myself purchasing something with only one use. Then I found the Kuhn Rikon "4th burner pot" on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00381ANTG/ref=oss_product), and thanks to the review by a "savvy shopper," (http://www.amazon.com/review/RWZNLGPBUDKSQ?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00381ANTG&cdPage=&nodeID=284507&ref_=cm_cr_dp_cmt&newContentNum=1&cdMSG=addedToThread&newContentID=Mx1LW46JNBZOD5B#CustomerDiscussions) I realized all the ways the pot could be used. It is pricey, but it's a quality pot -- and thinking of it as a "4th burner pot" rather than an "asparagus steamer" can lead you to thinking of your own uses for this tool. As "Savvy Shopper" does, I keep it on my stove top so it's always handy. I love this pot!
ReplyDeleteGreen Grannie ~ A+++ to 'two' savvy shoppers! That looks like a really useful pot.
ReplyDeleteUse kitchen string to tie asparagus spears into bundles of about 10. This makes it easier to work with all of the spears and does not allow them to fall from their upright position during cooking.
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