Spring Time Asparagus with Lemon and Friends

Spring has sprung and to food related places everywhere that means Asparagus is back. Yes there are plenty of delightful ingredients that have sprung as well but lets not be the types to bring that up right now. Lemons are still on the workbench, and they do wonderful things to asparagus. Most notably brightening their already fresh flavor. Steamed Asparagus with a just squeeze of lemon on it has been known to make grown men weak at the knees. Granted these men typically are either very old, have knee problems or both.

Moving on to the dish in question. Asparagus is roasted with garlic, spring onions, lemon juice and olive oil to create a muted but bright flavor. It is easy to make and looks far more impressive that it is. On to the pictures.

Raw Asparagus, washed, trimmed and ready for the dance

The shy dance partners lined up against the wall hoping for Asparagus to pick them

A fight has broken out among the hopefuls and they have become barely recognizable

Happy day. Asparagus has chosen all of them to play twister

The aftermath of them getting baked together

General Notes:
Prep Time: 20 to 30 minutes depending on your knife skills
Servings: 4 as a side

Ingredients:
1 pound Asparagus, trimmed and peeled (peeled if they are hugely fat)
Juice of 1 lemon and as much zest as you like
3 or 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped as not to burn up in oven
2 spring onions or 1 leek, roughly chopped as not to burn up in oven
Olive Oil as needed
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Equipment:
Knife
Cutting Board
Hands or very dexterous feet
Roasting pan or cookie sheet
Oven preheated to 350 degrees
small mixing bowl, or cereal bowl

Written Instructions:

• Rinse and trim your Asparagus. The Asparagus can be trimmed a couple ways, the woody ends can be broken off at their bending point individually or one can be broken and the rest cut at that point. Okay the breaking point is found by holding the asparagus in your hands or feet near the thick end and bending it out until it breaks.
• Combine the other ingredients in a small bowl. The mixture should be pretty loose
• Toss the Asparagus with the mixture on the roasting pan and put into the oven
• Roast the Asparagus for 10 to 15 minutes or until the Asparagus and mixture have browned slightly and the Asparagus gives slightly to pressure.
• Remove from oven and make it happen in your tum tum.