Fresh spring Asparagus |
Before we get in to the recipe for roasted asparagus, I wanted to throw in an odd question. How many of you have felt threatened by hummingbirds in your garden? I hang out in the garden a lot during the weekend, either line-drying my laundry, or puttering around with my plants. If I am anywhere close to the patch of the bright pink alstroemeria flowers, this little hummingbird with a red neck flies close to my face flutters around as if to threaten me for intruding into its territory. I read somewhere that hummingbirds are the Aztec God of War and are actually very fierce creatures. V simply does not believe me when I say I am being threatened by a hummingbird in our garden! Thoughts, anyone?
Back to spring and asparagus, basil is yet another spring necessity I cannot live without! We always have basil growing in the garden during spring and summer and sometimes it even survives the winter. The basil smelled so lovely when I was out in the garden today that I decided to make a basil-infused olive oil to roast the asparagus with.
Roasted Asparagus with Basil-infused Olive Oil |
Recipe for Roasted Asparagus with Basil-infused Olive Oil
[Printable Recipe]
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
- 1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb asparagus stalks, trimmed
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Wash and dry the basil leaves on a kitchen towel
- Blend the olive oil with the basil leaves thoroughly
- Gently heat the blended oil in a pan for 5 minutes
- Remove from heat and let it cool
- Strain the oil through a fine mesh stainless steel tea strainer in to a bottle and store
- Pre-heat oven to 350F
- Toss the asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the basil-infused olive oil, and nice big pinch of salt and black pepper
- Place on a cookie sheet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes (maybe 5 minutes longer if the asparagus is not as tender)
- Remove from oven and use as a side, or toss it with pasta or a salad
Roasted Asparagus with Basil-infused Olive Oil |