Baked Asparagus Recipe 465

PERFECT ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus (if you sharply bend the asparagus near the base, it will snap in the right place). Discard the ends.
• Place the asparagus on the sheet and drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the asparagus. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the asparagus, and toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil. Arrange the spears in a single layer on the pan.
• Bake just until the base of the asparagus is easily pierced through by a fork. Very thin asparagus, like the kind shown here, will take as little as 9 to 12 minutes, whereas thicker asparagus will need 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter and season however you'd like. You could keep it simple with a squeeze of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of Parmesan, or add a pat of butter or drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
• Roasted asparagus is best served when it's fresh out of the oven, but it will keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour or up to 4 days in the refrigerator (gently reheat before serving).

BAKED ASPARAGUS ITALIAN STYLE (ASPARAGI AL FORNO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• Clean the asparagus and trim off the woody ends if necessary.
• Place asparagus in a steamer (or in a pan of lightly salted water) and steam/cook for 8 minutes.
• Be sure not to over cook and make asparagus limpy.
• Place asparagus in a buttered, oven tolerant dish or pan.
• Season with pinch of salt and black pepper.
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano.
• Bake in preheated oven for about 6-7 minutes until golden brown.
• Enjoy-- mmmmmmm.

BAKED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place asparagus in a large plastic bag. Drizzle half the olive oil over the asparagus, seal the bag and shake until asparagus is coated evenly with the olive oil. If necessary, add only enough of the remaining olive oil to coat the asparagus. Place the asparagus in a single layer on a cookie sheet, season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender or crunchy depending upon your preference, about 12 to 20 minutes.
• Tips: (Shortcut chef) Toss asparagus with oil, salt and pepper as directed below and store in refrigerator until you're ready to bake it off. Get into the habit of spending 5 to 15 minutes prepping tonight or tomorrow's dinner during the day and you will be eating in more than out. The weight will come off quicker with home cooked healthful meals and you know it.
• Tip: From mom's lips to your ears: You forgot to tell them to snap off the woody bottoms. Tell em to hold asparagus, one at a time, in their hands near the cut end and snap it like kindling. Mother Nature saw to it that the asparagus breaks in just the right spot, save the ends for stock.
• Morph: Serve one other simple veggie side and a piece of oven baked fish such as salmon and dinner is all done. Cook off extra asparagus and throw it into a frittata, polenta, or pasta later in the week.
• If the Queen's coming for dinner, toss cooked asparagus with fresh lemon, plate and garnish with thin curls of Parmesan.
• Tip: Asparagus starts losing its sweetness the minute it's cut, therefore, as always, look for the freshest stalks possible. Skins should be smooth and bright colored with tightly formed heads.

THE BEST ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack.
• Put the asparagus, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Toss to coat evenly. Spread the asparagus in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned and tender, but still bright green.
• Meanwhile, spread the Parmesan evenly in the bottom of a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook undisturbed until the cheese melts, sticks together and turns golden brown, about 2 minutes, then flip with a rubber spatula and cook until golden on the second side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the frico to a wire rack-lined baking sheet to cool completely, about 2 minutes. Break the frico into small crumbles and put in a small bowl. Add the lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and toss to combine.
• Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter and squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top. Top with the crumbled frico mixture.

EASY BAKED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375-400°F.
• Remove fibrous end pieces of the asparagus.
• Lay asparagus across shallow baking dish and add oil, salt, lemon juice, and pepper. Roll and toss to coat well. Arrange the oiled asparagus in the pan so they do not overlap.
• Bake in oven 20 minutes.