Asparagus brings certain elegance to the table like no other vegetable. Its long stems and flower-looking tips almost resemble an edible bouquet of greens. It is a wonderful side dish that compliments meat, fish, poultry or pork. It can be sautéed, grilled, boiled, steamed or roasted and pairs well with a variety of seasonings and sauces. There are green and white varieties of asparagus and the long stems can be found thin or thick, depending on geographic region and farming. Asparagus is a good source of dietary fiber, plant protein, folic acid, iron, manganese, and B vitamins (especially thiamine and riboflavin).

About this recipe
This is probably the fastest recipe I make. The asparagus is fast-boiled and then seasoned with three ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, soy sauce, and freshly ground black pepper. There is no need to add salt since the soy sauce provides the right amount of saltiness to the sauce. I use low-sodium soy sauce for this recipe; I find the original soy sauce to be too salty. If you wish to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, feel free to reduce even further the amount of soy sauce added to the sauce.

3-Minute Asparagus
Serves 3-4 people
Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 2-3 minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 oz (345g) of asparagus (of your preference: green or white; thick or thin)
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce (if using original soy sauce, add only ¼ tsp)  
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Boil water in a large sauce pan. In the meantime, wash the asparagus and cut the ends of the stems. Alternatively, you can choose to steam the asparagus if you prefer.
   1. Note: The ends of the asparagus stems tend to be very fibrous and tough to eat. Depending on the thickness of the asparagus, you may not need to cut the ends off.
2. Carefully place asparagus stems in boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender.
   1. Note: Most people tend to overcook asparagus. Test a stem to make sure it is cooked through but not too soft so it becomes limp and loses its bright green color. Overcooking also depletes the asparagus of its nutrients and flavor.
3. Remove asparagus from water and set aside.
4. Mix the extra virgin olive oil, soy sauce and black pepper and set aside. You can either season the asparagus with the sauce before serving or serve the sauce on the side of the dish so people can serve themselves. A little bit of the sauce goes a long way, so be sure to use it sparingly.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do. You will see that in 3 minutes you can have an amazing addition to your table that will impress any guest. Enjoy!