Forevermama's Asparagus Parmigiano

A tried and true recipe that's good because of it's simplicity. It's one of my favorite asparagus recipes. Found this recipe in a magazine (can't remember which) that featured recipe's of a founder of Dean and Delucca's grocers. I LOVE ASPARAGUS!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 lbs asparagus, medium to fat spears
• 4 -5  tablespoons butter
• 4 -5  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 -2  teaspoon fresh lemon juice, to taste
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cut about 1/2 - 1” off of the stem bottoms to remove the woody piece.
2. Wash asparagus, and with a vegetable peeler, peel the bottom half of the stems (refer to tidbit below).
3. Place in 1 1/2 quarts of salted boiling water. Boil gently until tender but not soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove asparagus, and set aside 4 to 5 tablespoons of asparagus water.
5. Heat butter, oil, and water in saute pan. Add asparagus and lemon juice; toss.
6. Remove from heat, place on platter. Add salt and pepper to taste, incorporating for even seasoning distribution. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top and serve immediately. Pass additional grated cheese, if desired.
7. Tidbit: It is advisable to peel the bottom part of asparagus spears. This will remove the skin that sometimes can be tough.