Did you know that there are male and female asparagus? Of course, as luck would have it, the chubby spears are the female and the very thin spears are male. As it turns out, the chubby ones have always been my favorite. Girls have to stick together, right? Anyway, I believe asparagus to be the most elegant of all vegetables. Preparation is very simple and it is best grilled or oven roasted. Serve hot or at room temperature. Here I’ve roasted the elegant spears in the oven and topped them with a little fresh grated Romano cheese. Perfect and simple enough for any occasion. Enjoy!
Here we go….
Start by thoroughly rinsing as it can be a bit sandy.
Sometimes the thicker asparagus can be tough. Bend each piece of asparagus at the ends and it will break at the point that it’s tender.
With a vegetable peeler, peel the asparagus about three inches from the bottom.
Once all of the asparagus is peeled, we’re ready for the oven. Preheat to 400′.
Place the asparagus onto a baking sheet and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Season with a couple of pinches of kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper.
Toss the asparagus to evenly coat. Roast in the oven for 6 minutes.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh grated Romano cheese. Place back into the oven for an additional 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Oven Roasted Asparagus
1-2 bunches fresh asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pinches kosher salt
1 pinch black pepper
1-2 tablespoons fresh grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1) Preheat the oven to 400′.
2) Rinse asparagus well and snap off the tough ends. Peel the ends 3″ from the bottom. Place on a cookie sheet with sides. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with fresh grated cheese. Bake an additional 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
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