By Nanette Geller

When I’m able to score fat spears of asparagus from Milner Farm, I want to showcase them front and center. Here’s my take on a recipe from the New York Times. Slow roasting leaves them silky and meltingly tender but not mushy.

I use a covered casserole instead of parchment. I add sliced leek (Pit Farm) or green onion (Milner Farm) and if I don’t have shiitake or tarragon I just leave them out.

Peeling the spears takes just a few minutes, and I don’t have to trim much from the end to be left with a completely tender spear. I put them in the casserole with  sliced leeks, cut-up prosciutto (Costco), olive oil (Costco’s extra virgin), Big Island nutmeg (Wailea Ag Group), kosher salt, and lots of freshly-ground Tellicherry black pepper (Penzeys). Last time I had a small bulb of fennel (Pit Farm), so I added it, sliced crosswise.

After one hour at 200 degrees, dinner is ready to be served with whole wheat couscous.

Leftovers can be cut up as a pasta sauce, or served at room temperature (shown here with duck eggs from Blue Lotus).

Find Milner Farm and Pit Farm at both KCC and Blaisdell farmer’s markets. Blue Lotus is at KCC. Wailea Ag group is at KCC twice a month with hearts of palm and other Big Island goodies.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 1/05/2011 02:53:00 PM