Recipe of the Day:
Simply the Best Roasted Asparagus
Posted by Adam
Tuesday May 4, 2010Though it gets a bad rap in some circles, we love asparagus here at HCP Dishes. In fact, there was an incident at a certain dinner party last year when our publicist ate all of his allotted side-dish portion and then all the portions intended for his dinner guests, before anyone even sat down to eat. People arrived at the table only to see an empty plate that once contained a few pounds of roasted asparagus. The publicist claimed to feel no remorse for this vegetable infraction. He seemed quite pleased with himself, actually.
Asparagus, which like the onion is a member of the lily family, is one of the first spring vegetables we see here in Massachusetts. As Peggy Trowbridge Filippone notes over at About.com, the price has come down enough to make it no longer an expensive delicacy. The stalk can be enjoyed in many ways—chopped up raw and added to salads; parboiled and tossed with olive oil, Parmesan and lemon zest; sautéed in a little butter. Our favorite method is also the simplest: roasted in the oven.
In her book The Roasted Vegetable, author Andrea Chesman includes a handy roasting chart for every vegetable she writes about. Asparagus typically needs 450°F for about fifteen minutes, depending on thickness. About her recipe for simple roasted asparagus, Andrea writes, “Save this unadorned treatment for fresh, in-season asparagus that needs no flavor enhancement.” We couldn’t agree more. These are so delicious, you may be tempted to eat them all yourself… but please, remember to share.
Simply the Best Roasted Asparagus
1 pound asparagus (12 to 16 medium-thick spears), bottoms trimmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or half sheet pan.
2. Arrange the asparagus in a single, uncrowded layer in the pan. Drizzle the oil over the asparagus and roll to coat evenly.
3. Roast for about 15 minutes, until the asparagus is lightly browned, shaking the pan occasionally for even cooking.
4. Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter and sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve immediately.
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