Roasted Spring Asparagus Recipe

Although you can grill, steam or broil asparagus, you'll love it roasted!  This tasty and simple dish goes well with chicken, lamb or fish.

And asparagus, a member of the lily family, is a great source of folate, iron and potassium. It also is high in vitamins A and C.

Ingredients

1 pound thin asparagus spears
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ to 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons truffle oil (optional)

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF (218ºC).
2. Clean and trim asparagus. Peel the ends if the spears are thick.
3. Drizzle a roasting pan with the olive oil and lay the asparagus evenly in the pan. Turn to coat with the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast the asparagus for approximately 20 minutes, or until the stalks are tender yet crisp. Remove from the pan and transfer to a serving dish.
5. Drizzle with the truffle oil, if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cooking Tips

• Truffle oil is olive oil that has been infused with the flavor of black truffles. It imparts a rich, earthy flavor to cooked foods.
• Whether you bring home stalks from the farmers' market or from your local grocery, make sure the spears are firm and fresh-looking and the tips are tightly closed. Asparagus should be eaten within a few days for the best flavor. The best way to store asparagus in the refrigerator is to cut off an inch from the stalk and stand the spears upright in an inch or two of water, covered with a plastic bag.
• In addition to the common green color, asparagus also comes in purple and white varieties. The purple asparagus turns green when cooked. The prized white variety is cultivated by covering the stalks with mounds of earth to prevent the development of chlorophyll, which creates the green hue.

Nutrition Information

Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, is a contributor to "Cooking Healthy Across America."