Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy large skillet over low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter, parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest to the shallot mixture and heat over medium to melt the butter.
Add the almonds and cook until the butter browns, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add the steamed asparagus and spoon the sauce over the asparagus until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.