Oven-baked asparagus – ideal for guests

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 kg asparagus, white
• 4 tsp butter
• 2 tsp sugar (preferably brown cane sugar, but regular sugar will also work)
• Salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

You probably won’t eat asparagus any other way after that. Now with alternatives to aluminum foil!

The asparagus cooks in its own juices and thus takes on a wonderfully full flavor. Compared to boiled asparagus, the boiled asparagus is almost bland. Since I tried this, no one in our house wants to prepare the asparagus any other way. It’s best not to use spears that are too thick; I prefer spears around 1-1.5 cm thick. They are nice and tender and there’s little waste. First, peel the asparagus thoroughly and trim the ends. Preheat the oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat) or 180°C (fan). Place two sheets of aluminum foil on top of each other (alternatives to aluminum foil are at the end of the recipe) and add half a teaspoon of butter to each. Place 8-10 asparagus spears on top (depending on the thickness of the asparagus; the packages shouldn’t be too large, otherwise they won’t cook as well; it’s better to make several – they’re easier to keep warm if necessary). Sprinkle each bundle with half a teaspoon of sugar and a generous pinch of salt, then seal the first sheet of foil over it and the sides as well – don’t wrap it in a tight package, but fold it over at the top like a bag. Then seal the second sheet in the same way. Place it on the oven rack and wait 40-50 minutes. You can test whether the asparagus is cooked by bending a bundle slightly; the easier this is, the softer the asparagus will be. For really large portions: take a deep oven roasting pan, lightly brush it with butter, spread the asparagus on it, spread 2 teaspoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and a good pinch of salt per kilogram on it, cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil (it must be completely airtight), and place it in the oven preheated to 200°C (180°C fan-assisted oven) for about 50 minutes (start with 40 minutes; the asparagus needs more or less time depending on its thickness). We serve it with nut butter (brown butter, has nothing to do with nuts!) and new potatoes. Since the comments repeatedly asked for alternatives to aluminum foil, and other options were also mentioned, here are some suggestions (added on June 6, 2018): Alternatives to aluminum foil: – Shallow casserole dish with a lid – if it’s too high, the asparagus will dry out – Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil instead of wrapping the asparagus completely in it, so it doesn’t come into contact with the foil – Seal the casserole dish with baking paper and uncoated floral wire or kitchen string – Cook in a roasting bag or roasting bag – Cook in parchment paper spatulas – Cook in a soaked Roman pot – takes about 10 minutes longer, as this goes into a cold oven – Ovenproof pan with a lid