Asparagus is a very versatile vegetable that pairs well with a wide variety of main courses and meats. It cooks within a couple of minutes and can be as fast as doing a quick steam or sauteed with butter, salt, and pepper, or fancied up a bit with some sauteed mushrooms and a balsamic reduction.
As usual, start by gathering and prepping your ingredients. To trim the asparagus, I grab a hold of the bottom of the asparagus in one hand and the other hand I grab on the stem about 2 inches from my first hand. Then bend the asparagus and it will snap where the “woody” part stops and the stem becomes tender. Most of the rest of the bunch of asparagus will match up to the same length, so line up the one you snapped off with the rest and cut off the ends. Or you can snap each individually.
Slice your mushrooms, chop your garlic – if you don’t have a jar of minced garlic in your refrigerator, and make sure you have shredded Parmesan and bacon bits. I chop up a package of raw bacon and cook it, drain the grease, put it in a resealable bag in my freezer so it is ready any time I want bacon bits. I also buy large bags or tubs of shredded Parmesan cheese and keep it in my freezer for when I need it.
Heat a large stainless steel pan and add the oil and mushrooms. You can certainly use a non-stick pan, but the mushrooms won’t brown as well. Saute until the mushrooms are brown.
Then add garlic and balsamic vinegar and a few turns of your pepper grinder. Simmer until the vinegar is reduced in half – this will only take about 5 minutes.
Add the asparagus, cover with a lid and simmer for another 2 minutes, tops. If you wanted you could cut the asparagus into bite size pieces before adding it to the mushrooms and vinegar. When you add cut asparagus, stir it into the sauce for a minute or 2.
It is ready to eat. Top it with bacon bits, shredded Parmesan cheese, even some chives or toasted walnuts taste great too.
Enjoy!
Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction
Equipment
- Large stainless steel saute pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus trimmed
- 4 cups mushrooms sliced
- 2 tsp garlic fresh, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Black pepper
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp bacon bits
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, stainless steel sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and saute until brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and give it a stir, then add the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of black pepper. Simmer the vinegar until reduced in half, about 5 minutes.
- Add the asparagus, cover with a lid and simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Put it on a plate and top with the bacon bits and parmesan cheese. You can also add some fresh chopped parsley or chives.
- Enjoy!