Roasted Asparagus with Prosciutto

Roasted Asparagus with Prosciutto By Charlie Burke www.theheartofnewengland.com

In New Hampshire, we are in the middle of the asparagus season, and our three beds are keeping us and friends well supplied. We trade fat spears of just cut asparagus for our neighbors’ eggs and are reminded how much better each are than the well traveled supermarket offerings.

Although tiny squash, carrots and beans are particularly tender and full of flavor, thin asparagus are from either immature or poorly producing plants. The most tender and flavorful spears are, in fact, the thickest which grow rapidly and have less chewy fiber. Before tiny vegetables were featured in restaurants and food magazines, asparagus growers often consigned the thin stalks to the compost; now, some specially package these small spears to sell at a premium price! So, when visiting your local farm stand or Farmers’ Market, choose large asparagus with tight buds and then taste the difference in fresh, local produce.

My favorite way to prepare new asparagus is to simply sauté them in a very hot pan with a sprinkle of lemon juice and either olive oil or butter. The lemon juice accents the flavor and caramelizes as the asparagus lightly browns.

Cook them only until they as crisp tender; even the best asparagus loses it flavor when soft and over cooked. With friends coming to dinner, I decided to add prosciutto to the mix, while still using olive oil and lemon juice. Because I was going to sauté the fish course, which was salmon picatta ( http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/food/fish/salmon-picatta.html) , the asparagus would be pan roasted in a 500 degree oven. The spears were peeled, so almost the entire length was tender, with only the fibrous inch or so being discarded. Four or five spears were wrapped in a single thin slice of proscciutto, sprinkled with lemon juice and olive oil and placed in a shallow sauté pan with a little dry white wine to add moisture.

The salty Italian ham is a perfect accent to the asparagus, and cooked asparagus wrapped in prosciutto are served warm or at room temperature is a popular spring antipasto in Italy.

Four servings:

4-5 asparagus spears per person 1 thin slice prosciutto per serving Fresh lemon juice, approximately ¼ cup 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or butter ½ cup dry white wine Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Peel and trim fibrous root end from asparagus and wrap 4-5 spears in a single slice of prosciutto. Place bundles, seam side down in shallow sauté or frying pan which has been oiled or spread with butter. Sprinkle bundles with the lemon juice and dot with butter or sprinkle with olive oil.

Place pan over medium to high heat and bring wine to a boil. Place the pan into the preheated oven, and roast until asparagus is just tender – a knife tip or fork meets moderate resistance, but stalks are not hard. Remove the pan from the oven and season lightly with salt (the ham adds salt to the sauce) and a generous grind of black pepper. The asparagus can be served hot, war or at room temperature. Divide pan juices over each portion. A few drops of lemon juice and a drizzle of fine olive oil are optional.

This simple preparation yields a formal presentation while complementing, rather than obscuring, the great spring taste of fresh local asparagus. Easily done ahead, it is appropriate as an appetizer (using single spears), a first course or salad substitute, and as a main course vegetable.