24 spears fresh asparagus
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp. butter, melted
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cut off the white ends of the asparagus, about 3 inches from the bottom. Use a vegetable peeler to scrape the spears. Put the asparagus, salt and enough water to cover the asparagus in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the spears; they should be tender but still crisp. Drain quickly, sprinkle with pepper and brush with butter. Add lemon juice and serve. Serves 4.