Ingredients
- For lemon dipping sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- For asparagus
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup lager such as Harp (pour beer slowly into measuring cup; do not measure foam)
- About 4 cups vegetable oil
- 1 lb medium Ayco Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
Preparation
- Make dipping sauce:
- Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, zest, and pepper in a small bowl. Chill, covered, until ready to use.
- Make batter and fry asparagus:
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.
- Whisk together flour, salt, zest, and pepper in a bowl until combined, then add beer, whisking until smooth.
- Heat 3 inches oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until it registers 375°F on thermometer. If you dont have a thermometer just place a few drops of batter into the oil first to test temperature.
- Submerge asparagus spears in batter to coat. Working in batches of 10, drag 1 at a time gently against rim to remove excess batter, then transfer to oil and fry, stirring gently to keep asparagus from sticking together, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer as fried with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 375°F between batches. Serve with lemon dipping sauce.
How to Select and Store Asparagus
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Knowing the purpose of your asparagus is important before purchase. Thinner asparagus is typically sweeter and more tender, whereas thicker can be more meaty and have a more potent asparagus flavor. Depending on the dish, you may want a specific size.
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Look at the tips and ensure that they aren’t wilted and separating. The tips should be tightly closed and have a dark green color and even some purple.
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Look at the bottom on the stalk to ensure they are all similar size and don’t appear cracked or “woody”.
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For storage of asparagus you can increase the life of your product using a container and some water. Just trim about an inch off of the bottom of the stalks, then place into a container standing up with about an inch of water at the bottom. Cover the top with a lid or plastic to protect from air.