Photo: Rhea Kennedy
Asparagus is in season, which means it's fresh and readily available at farmers markets all over the D.C. area. It also means these emerald and amethyst spears from the lily family are at the height of flavor.
Do you smell a recipe coming? If you do, your nose is right on. It is a truly gourmet and delicious one, too. But if you're imagining a pureed and chilled soup, an elaborate salad, or a long-baking quiche, think again.
Such tender spears, lovingly raised, don’t require much jazzing up to create a dazzling show. So this recipe is very simple, requiring just one pan and about 30 seconds of preparation. The result is an easy yet classy dish--roasted asparagus. Part of the charm, though, is that leftover roasted spears can always dress up later on.
| Roasted Asparagus |
|
One bunch asparagus spears Olive oil A few pinches sea salt Freshly ground black pepper, herbs, and fresh lemon, optional Break off the woody ends of the asparagus spears. To do this, just snap off the part at the bottom that's wider and lighter colored. The stalk should naturally break at the point where that undesirable part meets the succulent yummy part. (If the asparagus is uniformly green all the way to the bottom, this whole snapping process may have been done for you). Now plop the asparagus into a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, and toss lightly to coat. Spread the spears into a single layer and sprinkle with the sea salt (and freshly ground black pepper, dried basil or oregano, if using). Put pan under broiler, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes, and then check. Asparagus is done when it turns bright green and is tender when pierced with a fork. (Incidentally, this is true for both green and red asparagus—the red color dissipates with cooking). Finish with a squeeze of lemon, if desired. Here is where the versatility comes in. At this point, the asparagus is to serve as a side dish, slice up and add to a stir-fry at the very end, wrap whole in an omelet, or slice in half lengthwise and use for a sandwich or sushi rolls. You may wan to roast/broil up your whole bunch of asparagus at once, and then store it in the fridge, ready to use in any of the above ways. Enjoy! |
Comments
Yum, yum and double yum! Expect a column on the chemistry of asparagus.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!