Sautéed garlic asparagus

I saute asparagus all the time, but to make this recipie into a 5* I use olive oil that will not burn so easily, a tbsp. of balsamic vinegar and a tbsp. of minced garlic and don't cover it as it'll get soggy. I use a teflon frying pan and stir fry/toss it for 3 - 4 minutes. When it's ready, I sprinkle with fresh grated parmasen cheese, salt and pepper.  -  05 Apr 2007  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)

The recipe is all right however it forgets to address one major focal point of vegetable cookery. Now of course this is an option and not required however I would first blanch the asparagus because sauteed asparagus has an unattractive brown tint to it. To blanch; bring a pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Prep a large mixing bowl(size varies on quantity) fill with ice and cold water. Place asparagus in boiling water for about a minute then remove and put in ice. Let it sit for a few minutes and then remove, pat dry - then saute. Good Luck & more importantly have fun.  -  11 Feb 2008  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)

With a few minor tweaks this recipe is a total winner. There's no need for 3 tablespoons of butter. 1 and a half was just fine... just enough to coat the asparagus. Also, the cooking time was a bit long. If you like asparagus a bit more firm and crisp, I would reduce the cooking time to about 7 minutes. 10 made it a little too mushy. But I will and have made this many times over  -  22 Nov 2006  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)