Asparagus and I have never been best friends.

I'm a massive proponent of raw vegetables in various applications — and in most instances, moreso than cooked vegetables. The bite of raw carrot or a gossamer slice of fennel offers a freshness that roasted beets or steamed sweet potatoes simply can't match.

So when it comes to asparagus, it's most certainly not my favorite when cooked — especially those woodsy, thick stems, which often remain flaccid even after roasting, yet still fibrous and overtly chewy. But it wasn't until I found myself with a surplus of asparagus and tried an Anne Burrell recipe that I realized that raw asparagus could actually shine.

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Now, to be clear, we're talking pencil-thin, snappy asparagus:........

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