Spring has certainly arrived here in the South and it has brought buckets of pollen with it. Everything I own is covered with a fine layer of yellow dust. Sneezes, snotty noses, and watery eyes are the standard fare for everyone in our family. We have all developed a close, personal relationship with our allergy meds.
Other than the stuffy noses, all of our plants and flowers are beautiful. Everything is so green and fresh including the produce coming out of the garden. The one thing I wish I had in my garden is asparagus. Asparagus is such a commitment for a garden. One spot has to be dedicated for at least 2 years before you see any delicious edible spears sticking up from the ground. It’s hard to be that committed in a rental house with only 2 bedrooms. So, I am forced to buy my favorite Spring veggie.
I like my asparagus simple. I generally just toss them in a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast them in the oven until just tender. This gremolata makes the asparagus slightly more fancy.
Ingredients
- 1 lb . asparagus woody ends removed
- 2 T . olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 4 slices white bread
- 4 T butter
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano or parsley
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 T lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss asparagus, olive oil, and salt and pepper together in a baking dish. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until crisp tender.
- Meanwhile, pulse the bread slices in a food processor until you've made breadcrumbs.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the crumbs and stir until they are golden and crisp. Spread on a plate to cool.
- Pulse, lemon zest, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper in food processor until they are the same consistency as the bread crumbs. Mix together with cooled crumbs.
- Plate asparagus and top with gremolata.
[…] sold them at the winery for a while and they were always a big hit. That’s where this Lemon Asparagus Cheese Spread came from. It’s one of Maria’s ideas. I never got the exact recipe from […]