# Braised Asparagus
Source: [Seriouseats.com](http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/05/braised-asparagus-recipe.html)
Modified By: Michael D'Attilo
**Ingredients:**
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound asparagus, trimmed\* (and peeled, if desired)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
(*For smaller pans, which cannot fit asparagus comfortably in a single layer, use 1/2 cup stock instead*)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
**Instructions:**
Heat oil in a 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan over high heat until lightly smoking. Add asparagus in as close to a single layer as possible, season with salt and pepper, and cook without moving until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Shake pan and cook until browned again, 1 1/2 minutes longer. Add stock and butter to pan and immediately cover.
Continue to cook until asparagus is completely tender and stock and butter have emulsified and reduced to a shiny glaze, 7 to 10 minutes. If stock completely evaporates and butter starts to burn before asparagus is cooked through, top up with a few tablespoons of water. Serve immediately.
**Notes**
\*The easiest way to trim asparagus is by snapping it with your hands. Grip the middle of the asparagus stalk with one hand, and the very bottom with the other; bend it and allow it to snap at the point where the firm woody section meets the tender section of the spear.