Water is placed in the bottom of the steaming pot and brought to a boil. The asparagus stalks are arranged in the wire basket (spears upward) and lowered into the boiling water. When the spears become just tender, the basket is removed and the water is drained away. An asparagus steamer can also be used to steam a variety of other foods such as potatoes, broccoli, corn, carrots, artichokes, and shellfish.