Chili's Grilled Asparagus

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The standard advice is to bend each spear until it snaps, on the theory that it breaks exactly where the woody part ends.

It does, roughly — but only for that spear. Where it breaks depends on how you hold it and how much force you use, and doing it to a whole bunch typically throws away considerably more than necessary. On thick spears the loss can be a third of the bunch.

Snap one spear. Look at where it broke. Line the rest up and cut them there with a knife. Same result, much less waste, and it takes ten seconds instead of two minutes.

Thick spears are better here

Thin asparagus is often sold as more tender and it is the wrong choice for grilling. It overcooks in about ninety seconds and falls between the bars.

Thick spears have enough mass to take a proper char on the outside while staying crisp inside. They also survive being turned.

Dry, then oil, then salt

Same sequence as any browning job. Wet asparagus steams. Oil goes on to conduct heat and to carry the seasoning. Salt goes on last, because salt applied early draws water to the surface — the exact thing you just dried off.

Salt on the plate is even better if you are being careful.

High heat, short time

Six to eight minutes total on a hot griddle or grill pan, turning every two minutes.

Asparagus that has gone limp and khaki has been cooked for twice as long as it needed. It should still have a snap in the middle, and the colour should be brighter green than it was raw — that happens in the first minute as the cells collapse and release trapped gas.

Once it starts turning dull, it is past.

Lemon after, never before

Acid degrades chlorophyll and turns green vegetables grey-khaki within minutes. Lemon juice on asparagus before or during cooking will visibly dull it.

Squeeze it on as it comes off the heat.

What you need

• 500 g thick asparagus
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 30 g parmesan, grated
• juice of half a lemon

Method

1. Snap one spear to find the line, then cut the rest of the bunch to match.
2. Pat dry.
3. Toss with the oil and garlic, then the pepper. Hold the salt back.
4. Griddle or grill pan on high.
5. 6–8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until charred in places and bright green.
6. Off the heat: salt, lemon juice and parmesan.

Keep the garlic on the spears, not on the pan

Minced garlic that falls onto a hot griddle burns in seconds and tastes bitter. Toss it thoroughly through the oil so it is stuck to the asparagus, where the vegetable's moisture protects it.

If a lot is falling off, mince it finer.

Do not peel it

Peeling asparagus is a French restaurant habit for very thick, late-season spears. For anything you will find in a supermarket it removes the part that takes the char.