I really do enjoy asparagus, even though I was in college before a friend introduced me to them. My go-to preparation is grilling them on my indoor grill because it’s the fastest prep method and requires no oil or anything to make them yummy. Roasting asparagus is great but definitely takes time to heat up the oven and get the veggies roasted to a sweet deliciousness.
One day I was having a friend over and planned to use up a bunch of asparagus I had in the refrigerator. I happened to have a large tub of grape tomatoes on hand and thought I’d give this recipe a whirl. It created quite a pretty dish to serve and took no time at all!
Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/asparagus-with-balsamic-tomato-50400000111098/
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
- 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ cups halved grape tomatoes
- ½ tsp minced fresh garlic
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 min (until crisp-tender). Drain. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 5 min. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 min. Stir in salt. Arrange asparagus on a platter; top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with pepper. Makes 2-4 servings, depending on how much you like asparagus! Add this veggie side to any snack or meal.
For those less experienced with asparagus, you always want to “trim” them. In essence you’re removing the “woody” part at the end of each stalk – about the bottom third. Asparagus will naturally snap in the right place so I generally hold a handful over my trash can, snap off the ends of several at once into the trash, and continue. You can also snap off one end to get an idea of the approximate place, and then line up your asparagus spears and use a knife to cut them all at that length, which will yield more uniformly sized spears.
A dish pretty enough for company but easy and fast enough for the family or even just yourself! Feast in a snap, feast after making a snap, and as always…FEAST ON!!!
~Coach Lauren
