Hi,
What utensil do people use to serve or cook asparagus? Special tongs? A fork? Fingers? There don't seem to be many made any more.
I either roast it in a shallow baking dish, steam it, or put it in a pan with boiling water. I remove it from any of these with tongs. I eat it with my fingers.
I cook it like Tim does and use regular tongs to get it onto a plate. I eat it hot with a knife and fork or cold with my fingers.
Not for everyday use, but this piece that was my MIL's and is now mine is perfect. In addition to the spring loaded tongs that make it easy to serve the asparagus, the rack that is inserted onto the platter allows the air to circulate underneath the asparagus so it doesn't get soggy, and the small pitcher is for serving with melted butter. (When my husband's sibs were going through and dividing up her many nice things, no one else even knew what this piece was for.)
For everyday, I just use kitchen tongs to remove the asparagus from the pan directly onto individual plates.
Oh, and for cooking, we just steam asparagus laying flat in a covered skillet with a collapsible vegetable steamer.
I serve with any old tongs, even Miss Manners allows that asparagus unless overly sauced may be eaten using just fingers (provided one has removed her gloves first - I don't know the practice of women's kid gloves at the table, different topic)
What do you use while cooking? Same tongs?
why not? I can't see an issue of cross contamination if it's just steaming asparagus (which really doesn't need turning anyway), if it's sharing a grill with chicken or something I would be highly cautious until it's all cooked and I wouldn't use the raw chicken tongs even on the chicken.
yes proper asparagus tongs probably do require a trip or highly intensive web search, they have existed but except for the finger rings are really no more useful than any other type.
No, I'm asking if you use "any old tongs" for cooking, too. I'm looking for links to specific models.
ahh gotcha - I like spring-loaded ones but have found a certain elderly family member doesn't 'get' the idea there's a release (despite repeated pointers), and tries to use them closed (and pointing out the futility of that effort just seems shaming), so for serving I often just put out the dumb simple hinged ones you can find at any supermarket.
for cooking (and especially grilling) I go for a 18" spring-loaded jaw all the way. any store with a half-decent houseware section has them, there's a tab at the hinge and you get to feel like a real cooking cowboy jamming it against your hip and opening up those jaws. (it's the small thrills in life)
don't recall the brand but I would say if the 'teeth' are lined in silicon, be sure to check the temperature level tolerance and as long as you have that there's no need to invest in much more. even tools like these made by the best brands rust and break.
Chopsticks, tongs, spatula. It depends on how it's prepared and cooked. Small chunks for risotto or stir fry call for a spatula or chopsticks. I use tong for whole spears on the grill.
Which tongs?
For asparagus, I use OXO tongs for indoor grilling or a quick saute. I have several pairs of these:
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-9-In...
I eat asparagus with knife and fork, since the butter or sauce tends to be messy.
Edit: the tongs (above) are my go-to for all foods requiring tongs - not just asparagus.
I cook it in a non-stick or cast iron pan with a spot of butter and garlic or with mojo de aho. I don't use much, basically just enough to coat and keep it from sticking. I use regular restaurant tongs to flip and serve it. Fork or finger for eating.
Standard baking sheet covered with foil, lay out asparagus, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and broil for a few minutes. Serve with the only pair of tongs I'll ever use, the Rosle locking tongs: https://www.amazon.com/R%C3%B6sle-129...
For $22, they are the best I've found - one handed locking makes my life SO much easier in the kitchen. I have both the bare steel and silicone versions.
I'm peeved that I located old German Rosle everything, except tongs. I hope these hit the u.s. market soon: http://m.cookplanet.com/item/3139373636
Can't beat non-chinese manufacturing. I just wish they werent that awful red.
The Rosle are nice. I also like these.
http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO...
What I don't like are the cheapos that only grip at the tip. Those are close to worthless. Both of the above grip pretty much along the entire jaw.
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