This wonderful recipe can be prepared either as a side dish or a salad. It is adapted from Cooking Light, with a few alterations.
Feel free to buy medium-thick or thin asparagus; it does not make a difference. When preparing asparagus, you should lightly peel them to get the woody exterior off. Although many people do not agree with me, I feel very strongly about this. Do your research. In order for asparagus to have a clean, delicate flavor, they should be shaved slightly. Peeling asparagus doesn’t just make it look prettier, it makes a greater portion of the stalk more tender and edible.
When I visit my sister-in-law, Shelley for the holidays, she always makes an asparagus dish… for forty people! I peel every single one without complaining. She initially thought I was crazy, but after she did her research, she agreed. This year, I bought her a new, amazing peeler, just so I can use it!
I hope you will consider this the next time you are preparing it. No complaining!
This recipe is thoroughly enjoyable. It will serve 4-6 people who will be very fond of this new way to appreciate asparagus.
Ingredients for Roasted Asparagus
2 lbs. medium-thick asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into thirds
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
10 oz. small ripe cherry tomatoes, cut in half and divided
1/2 cup walnut halves, coarsely chopped, and divided
1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
Preheat oven to 400.
Toss asparagus with 1 tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, lemon zest and juice.
Place in oven to roast for 12-15 minutes. You want to take it out when it is crisp, so set your timer!
Remove from the oven and place in a medium size bowl.
Toss asparagus with half of the tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the walnuts.
Place remaining tomatoes in a saucepan with the chicken broth, anchovies, and 1 tbsp. of olive oil.
Bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 12-15 minutes or until tomatoes are soft.
Remove pan from heat and let it cool slightly.
Transfer tomato mixture to a food processor add 1/2 tsp. of salt, pepper and 1/4 cup of the walnuts. Process until smooth.
Pour over the asparagus mixture, and toss to coat.
Let stand at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving.
Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
It’s that simple!
