Here are ten tasty ways to enjoy the heck out of asparagus while it's fresh and at its most delicious. The season is a brief but glorious affair so make some of these while you still can!
As is usually the case with my round-ups, the first seven are from this blog and I've rounded out the selection with three more recipes that made me drool. Enjoy!
1. Parmesan-garlic grilled asparagus. A very easy but rather decadent way of preparing asparagus. Toss the spears in olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese then toss them onto the grill. So good!
 |
| Prepping parmesan garlic grilled asparagus by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating. |
2. Lemon aioli with asparagus, roasted beets and oven fries. This dish takes a bit more prep time than most of the recipes included here but it is soooo worth it. A vegetarian spring feast awaits you, complete with perfectly cooked oven fries (thanks to directions from Cooks Illustrated), sweet roasted beets, fresh asparagus and a homemade lemon aioli.
 |
| Asparagus, roasted beets & oven fries with homemade lemon aioli by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating. |
3. Grilled asparagus in a sesame-soy-ginger-garlic marinade. Let the asparagus spears soak up the flavor of this sweet, spicy Asian-style marinade all day, then throw them onto the grill for a quick cook.
 |
| Grilled asparagus in ginger, sesame, soy, garlic marinade by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating. |
4. Asparagus with goat cheese and candied pecans. This recipe came from our next-door neighbors in Berkeley (we miss you, Freemans!) and the combination of the fresh flavor of the asparagus with the creamy goat cheese, crunchy and sweet candied nuts and just a leetle bit of bacon never fails to impress.
 |
| Asparagus with goat cheese and candied pecans by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating. |
5. Bacon asparagus pizza with caramelized onions and fresh basil. My most recent discovery, this pizza can be made with leftover asparagus should you ever fail to devour them all in the first sitting. Asparagus joins sweet, caramelized onions, crispy bacon, fresh basil and a mix of fresh mozzarella and goat cheese to make a surefire success.
 |
| Bacon asparagus pizza by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating. |
6. Quick roasted asparagus with garlic. One of my go-to ways to prepare asparagus - this is quick, easy and, most importantly, very very good! You can also grill this if the weather is good.
 |
| Roasted asparagus with garlic by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating. |
7. Pickled asparagus spears. Since we're at the tail end of the asparagus season, these pickled spears are a perfect way to preserve the unique flavor of spring for many months to come. The vinegar, sugar and spices amp up the natural umami of the asparagus, making for a uniquely tasty treat with a surprising flavor. Hat tip to Marisa at Food In Jars for the inspiration.
 |
| Pickled asparagus spears by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating. |
8. Shaved asparagus, fennel, and piave cheese salad with meyer lemon caper vinaigrette. An addictive salad made with raw, shaved asparagus, capers, fresh fennel, light, floral meyer lemon, salty cheese and more from Phyllis at Dash and Bella. You'll want to bust out your
mandoline
to make the shavings - it makes everything soooo much easier (read more about
why I love this tool here). And if you don't already know it, you will LOVE this blog. Phyllis' photos are incredible and her writing is honest and funny. I'm just sorry I didn't know about her when I lived in Berkeley and could've actually hung out with her :(
 |
| Shaved asparagus, fennel and cheese salad by Phyllis Grant via Dash & Bella |
9. Cream of asparagus soup with spring onions. You can't go wrong with asparagus and cream but you
really can't go wrong if you roast the asparagus with spring onions and garlic first as Elizabeth and Brian at Brooklyn Supper have done here. The result is a rich, sweet, savory soup with a velvety texture. MWAH!
 |
| Cream of Asparagus Soup by Elizabeth Stark via Brooklyn Supper |
10. Miso ginger asparagus. I love the mix of complex flavors in this delightful recipe from Jaden at Steamy Kitchen. Roasting the spears before drizzling with the sauce helps develop the sweet, nutty flavor of the asparagus.
 |
| Miso ginger asparagus by Jaden Hair via Steamy Kitchen. |
You might also like:For even more recipes, photos, giveaways, and food-related inspiration "Like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on
Twitter or
Pinterest.
EmoticonEmoticon