Spring in the Key of Asparagus

by Shauna Sever — March 17, 2008

Before summer's bounty hits the markets, it's nice to a get a little preview of what's to come in the form of fresh, green, crisp spring veggies that absolutely sing of the season. One of my favorite spring vegetables just becoming available is asparagus. Though you can find it year-round at a steep price, Spring is the best season for fresh asparagus, with April being the prime month.

But even when in season, asparagus can be pricey. Why? Well, edible asparagus stalks have to be harvested strictly by hand at just the right moment, before its fern leaves develop from the tender tips, and it takes 3 full years to bring asparagus from seed to your plate.

Asparagus is commonly green, but there are also white, violet, and wild varieties of asparagus. Steamed is always nice, but my favorite way to enjoy asparagus is to quickly roast it in a hot oven, bringing out its fresh, Spring-like flavor and making it almost addictive.

Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch fresh asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay asparagus out in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and drizzle with olive oil, being careful to coat the asparagus tips well. Sprinkle on a generous amount of salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 7-8 minutes or until crisp tender.