Green asparagus with lemon (in the pan and in the oven)

You may already know that I love exploring simple recipes that fill the table with delicious accompaniments without having to spend much more time in the kitchen. So today I bring you the recipe for making lemon asparagus , a dish that is both a first course if you want to enjoy it alone, as an appetizer (I'll tell you how) or it is undoubtedly the perfect vegetable to accompany a meat or fish dish.

Green asparagus are one of the most beneficial for your health (in fact, they have a truly exceptional nutritional content), and their flavour is very unique and special. Eaten alone, simply sautéed, they are already really delicious, but today I'll show you how to enjoy them with a touch of lemon, which is a slightly different way and suits them wonderfully.

I'd love for you to try these asparagus, and I'll make it easy for you: I'll tell you how to make them both in the oven and in a frying pan , so you'll have no excuse. Take advantage of everyday life to sauté them or make some space in the oven when you're baking other recipes, and enjoy them because they're worth it. You won't regret it!

I leave you with the recipe and below with some considerations that I hope will be of interest to you.

Ingredients

• Green asparagus (quantity according to individual needs)
• Mild olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Intense olive oil
• Flake salt
• A lemon (more if you make more than two bunches of asparagus)

Preparation

How to make baked lemon asparagus

1. Wash and cut off the tough tips of the asparagus.
2. Place them on a baking tray (for these cases, the Naturals Nordic Ware tray is very practical, it reaches a high temperature and is designed for intensive use).
3. Add a splash of oil and salt and pepper.
4. Squeeze half a lemon over the asparagus. Stir well with a spatula to ensure they are well seasoned.
5. Cut the second half of the lemon and arrange the pieces on the tray, on top of the asparagus.
6. Bake at 200ºC for 15-20 minutes, or until they look roasted. You can open and stir from time to time to ensure they roast evenly.
7. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with salt flakes and place a few slices of roasted lemon on each plate (they are delicious!).

How to make lemon asparagus in a pan or on the grill

1. Wash and cut off the tough tips of the asparagus.
2. Put the pan on low/medium heat to warm it up and give it time to distribute the heat, and when it is hot put it on high heat.
3. While the pan is heating, brush the asparagus with mild oil (or drizzle a little oil into the pan).
4. Add the asparagus to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
5. Add a splash of lemon juice, squeezing half of the lemon over the asparagus. After squeezing, set the lemon aside (you can also cut the other half into slices and arrange them over the asparagus, they will cook while they are fragrant).
6. Let them roast in the pan, stirring them with a spatula or by shaking the pan. They should be well roasted, don't be afraid of them turning black (they will be more tender and also delicious with the roasted flavor).
7. When done, serve on a plate or platter, sprinkle with salt flakes and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve.

Notes on making them in a pan:

• Some people prefer to cook them in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes before roasting them in the pan, so that they are more tender and they do not have to be roasted for so long. This is an option to consider if you prefer them greener and more tender.
• It is important to use an iron pan or grill to properly roast asparagus: iron gets much hotter than non-stick, apart from being a totally natural utensil. I definitely recommend cooking them in a De Buyer iron pan , a skillet or a Le Creuset iron grill . There is a difference in this case when cooking with other pans.

Things to keep in mind

• There is no difference between enjoying asparagus hot and freshly made or eating them cold or reheated. This is a recipe to make and enjoy (if you reheat them, they will lose that crunchiness of freshly roasted food).
• Asparagus with lemon is a great first course, and without a doubt an ideal accompaniment to meats and, especially, fish (we are so used to fish with lemon, that they are undoubtedly an ideal pairing).

Ideas to accompany the dish

You can serve the lemon asparagus just as I have told you, but I will leave you with some ideas that work very well if you want to modify the recipe or give it a different touch:

1. If you like sauces or bread, you can serve them with romesco sauce or mayonnaise.
2. When you add the asparagus to the pan or baking tray to cook them, you can also add chopped garlic or a few cloves of garlic. You will flavor them with a flavour that goes perfectly with it.
3. Once they look almost done, you can sprinkle cheese on top of the asparagus to melt it, or even turn on the grill and gratinate them. Asparagus and cheese go together perfectly, and the presentation on the plate changes radically with the cheese on top.

To serve as an appetizer

If you are going to serve them as an appetizer, you can roast them cut into short pieces (about 3-5 cm), and when they are roasted serve them pierced with toothpicks as is. But you will look fabulous if you serve them:

1. sprinkling parmesan cheese on top,
2. skewered together with a small piece of cured cheese,
3. wrapped in Iberian ham are absolutely delicious,
4. or pierced with a piece of bacon or crispy ham, grilled or cooked in just a few seconds in the microwave.