Steamed Asparagus with Balsamic Butter and Pine Nuts
Don't you love simple? This is as simple as it gets. The name says it all.Years (and years!) ago, I dragged my three boys to the movies in the middle of a sunny, summer afternoon. We were almost the only ones in the theater. The movie? The Real Dirt on Farmer John: the story of a flamboyant midwest farmer and his CSA, Angelic Organics. One year after the movie was released, they published a cookbook: Farmer John's Cookbook. It's one of my go-to cookbooks. This recipe is from page 54.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Toast the pine nuts
- Place a heavy skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the pine nuts and toast, for about 4 minutes, stirring once. Remove the pine nuts from the pan and set aside to cool completely.
Steam the asparagus
- Place a steamer basket in a large pot over 2 inches of boiling water. Add the asparagus, cover, and let steam until they are tender-firm: about 4-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Remove the asparagus from the pot and arrange on a platter.
Make the balsamic butter
- Combine the melted butter and the balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and whisk until well-combined. Drizzle over the asparagus. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
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