This Brown Butter Asparagus is deceptively simple. It pairs nutty browned butter with toasted pecans, which add a perfect richness and texture to the asparagus. A final small trick — using soy sauce instead of salt gives the dish a savory, umami flavor, which is a lovely companion to the earthy veggie.
Brown Butter Asparagus with Pecans
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cleaned
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and blanche for 45 seconds (add 30 seconds if stalks are particularly thick). Using tongs, remove the asparagus and allow to drain dry on paper towels. Arrange the asparagus on a serving platter.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until the bubbles subside and brown bits start to form, about 2 minutes. Add the pecans and stir so that nothing burns. Once the pecans are fragrant and the butter is toasty brown, stir in the soy sauce and lemon juice, then remove from the heat. Pour the pecan butter sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
Makes 6 servings.