SERVES 4-6 When the local asparagus season starts in Seattle, the Pike Place Farmers Market goes crazy. Asparagus is everywhere and we eat ourselves into an asparagus frenzy. This quick dish is very tasty. Remember, dont overcook the asparagus. It should be bright green and a bit crunchy. Cut the spears into 1-inch-long pieces and set aside. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Throw in the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water immediately. This can be done up to an hour before dinner if you wish. Keep the blanched asparagus in cold water. Heat a large frying pan and add the remaining olive oil and garlic. Add the drained asparagus and cook only until it is hot. Remove from the pan to a serving dish. Add the butter and sliced almonds to the pan. Stir about until the almonds are toasty brown. Add the lemon juice and immediately pour the sauce over the asparagus. Serve right away. HINT: ON CLEANING ASPARAGUS. Some people go to the work of peeling the ends of the asparagus shoots. I do not bother. Hold the spear in both hands and break it off at the most tender point of the bottom of the stem. Just bend it and it will break where it should. The top part is for dinner and the bottom part is to be saved for asparagus soup. From . Downloaded from Glens MM Recipe Archive, G Internet.