Asparagus with Hazelnut Butter

Four ingredients and this asparagus dish earns its place at any dinner table. Finely ground hazelnuts toasted in warm butter, finished with a splash of apple cider vinegar, poured over hot steamed spears.

The directions here offer a useful tip that most recipes skip: snap the asparagus where it naturally wants to break rather than cutting it at a fixed measurement. That breaking point is where the stalk transitions from fibrous to tender. Let the vegetable tell you where to stop.

Timing the two components together is the key to this recipe. The hazelnut butter takes only a couple of minutes in the skillet. Get your steamer going first, then start the butter when the asparagus has about 3 minutes left. Both should finish at the same time so the butter goes onto hot asparagus, not asparagus that has been sitting.

The vinegar cuts the richness of the butter without competing with the hazelnuts. Don’t skip it.

Pro Tips

• Finely grind the hazelnuts so they distribute evenly in the butter. Large pieces sink to the bottom.
• Use a light hand with heat. The butter should melt and become fragrant, not brown deeply. Burnt hazelnut butter is bitter.
• Pour the sauce just before serving. It separates if it sits.
• Young thin asparagus needs 5 to 7 minutes of steaming; thick mature stalks need up to 10. Don’t rush it.

Variations

• Almond butter: Ground almonds work equally well if hazelnuts are hard to find, with a milder flavor.
• Lemon swap: Substitute fresh lemon juice for the apple cider vinegar for a brighter, cleaner finish.