Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Roasted Purple Asparagus

I stopped downstairs in produce on my way home tonight looking for a vegetable for dinner. The beautiful purple asparagus caught my eye. The stalks are large, 10 stalks weighed 1.06 pounds. Because of the size, I decided to slow-roast them at 350° degrees for about 25 minutes - rather than in a hotter oven for less time as I would thinner asparagus. The result was delicious. The spears were very tender and had a mild asparagus flavor. The vibrant purple color fades slightly with roasting.

Roasted Purple Asparagus
1 1/2 pounds large purple asparagus, about 16 stalks
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Rinse asparagus well and pat dry. Break off woody ends of stalks. Transfer asparagus to prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat lightly and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange asparagus in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Serves 4.


Coat asparagus lightly with olive oil; season with salt and pepper
 


A nice punch of color on the plate