Grilled Asparagus with Romesco Sauce
Courtesy of California Asparagus Commission 6 Servings • 15 Min. Prep Time • 30 Min. Cook Time| Ingredients |
|---|
| 1 1/2 lb. jumbo fresh California asparagus, trimmed |
| olive oil, as needed |
| freshly ground pepper, as needed |
| 3/4 c. drained, roughly chopped |
| roasted red bell pepper (from a jar) |
| 2 Tbsp. roughly chopped sundried |
| tomato (packed in oil, drained) |
| 2 1 in. slices baguette (about 1 |
| oz.), lightly toasted, torn into |
| pieces |
| 2 Tbsp. blanched, slivered almonds, toasted |
| 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped |
| 1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar |
| 1/2 Tbsp. chopped parsley, preferably Italian flat leaf |
| 1/8 tsp. salt |
| 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper or to taste |
| Tbsps. of cool water, as needed |
Directions:
1. Blanch asparagus in a frying pan large enough to hold asparagus in one layer Bring approximately 3 in. of water to a boil. Stir in 1 Tbsp.salt. Add asparagus. Cook
at a med. boil until slightly underdone, about 3 min. depending on thickness. Drain on paper towel; cool.
2. To grill, brush asparagus with olive oil. On an outdoor or a stove-top grill over medium-high
heat, grill asparagus, turning frequently, until lightly browned and fork tender, about 5 min. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, purée roasted red bell pepper and next 8 ingredients.
With machine running, drizzle in 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. (If necessary, thin with 1Tbsp. water at a time until a thick, sauce-like consistency is achieved.) Reserve. (Recipe can be made ahead to this point. Refrigerate cooled asparagus and sauce, tightly sealed, if serving more than 2 hr. later. Return to room temperature before continuing.)
3. To serve, arrange asparagus on a serving platter or individual plates; serve with reserved Romesco sauce.
Nutrition:
Calories: 90; Calories From Fat: 50; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Total Carbs: 9g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 3g; Sodium: 210mg;
