Roasted Asparagus

This is a really simple side dish, that takes advantage of fresh, seasonal vegetables. I made this recipe tonight with asparagus, as a side for spaghetti and meatballs, but I'll follow the basic method and recipe with a number of veggies.



The Ingredients:

1 bundle asparagus
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic
1 -2 tsp balsamic vinegar (This is also great with lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, sherry vinegar, or another acid. If you're using lemon, lime or orange juice, add a bit of the zest, too!)
Salt and Pepper to taste



The Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim asparagus spears, removing tough ends.
2. Cover sheet tray with aluminum foil. Place asparagus spears on sheet tray. Drizzle liberally with olive oil. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and grate 1 clove of garlic over spears. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Toss all ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Roast at 400°F for 10 – 15 minutes, until ends start to darken, and spears are tender.
4. These are great served warm, or chilled. Save leftovers and dress with simple vinaigrette for a great salad.
This is so simple to prepare - just toss the veggies with the oil, vinegar and seasoning, and cook until done. Since it's roasting in the oven, it's hands free once you assemble, and it doesn't use up a burner on the stove. The clean up is simple, too, since you've lined the sheet tray with foil, so nothing sticks to the sheet tray. And this method and recipe is great with tons of seasonal veggies - I'll make this with broccoli, broccolini, green beans, broccoli raab, cauliflower, carrots, fennel, zucchini, and probably others I can't think of right now! You could also do this with a mix of veggies. And it's a side dish that's great warm or cold. I'm saving the leftovers for a salad - just toss with some red onion and cherry tomatoes.