Pan-Steamed Asparagus

sparagus cooks in a snap and needs little more than butter and salt to make it shine. And while I like the nuttiness that roasting brings to asparagus, it’s also nice to pay homage to spring by preserving its bright green color and grassy flavor. Steaming is one way to accomplish this, but I’ve never found the method entirely satisfying; it tends to wash out the vegetable’s already delicate flavor