Sous Vide Butter-Poached Asparagus with Fresh Mint

In spring, my fancy turns to asparagus — thick, gorgeous green stems that take so well to grilling or roasting to bring out their natural grassy sweetness. Timing can be tricky, though. Cook them a minute too long and they are ruined by limpness. Cook them a minute under and they are dreadfully woody. Sous vide to the rescue. Preparing asparagus with a precision cooker ensures perfectly tender spears through and through. This recipe couldn’t be simpler. It’s designed that way to let the flavor of the asparagus shine through. It’s just asparagus poached gently with butter and salt, then garnished with a chiffonade of fresh mint leaves. But like so much in life, less is often more. The inherent sweetness of the asparagus is amplified all on its own. The butter adds a subtle luxuriousness without being overwhelmingly rich. And the mint gives a cool kiss of gentle freshness. Asparagus season is all too brief, so enjoy while you can get this true taste of spring.

Author

Carolyn Jung

Carolyn Jung is a James Beard Award-winning Bay Area food journalist, whose work has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Coastal Living, Via magazine, Food Arts, Edible Silicon Valley, Wine Spectator and other publications. She is the former staff food writer for the San Jose Mercury News. Her debut cookbook "San Francisco Chef's Table'' published in December 2013. She is also the creator of the acclaimed blog, FoodGal.com.

Prep Time: 00:10

Recipe Time: 00:12

Temperature : 185F / 85C

Ingredients

• 1 bunch thick asparagus, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3-4 pieces
• Sea salt
• Fresh mint leaves, sliced in chiffonade or julienned

Directions

1. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 185ºF (85ºC).
2. Place asparagus in a single layer in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Add the butter and a pinch of salt. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the dry setting.
3. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off and asparagus are tender, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the asparagus spears from the bag and arrange on a serving plate. Spoon some of the butter from the bag over the spears. Garnish with sea salt and mint leaves. Serve.