Flash in the Pan

I saw some asparagus on sale at $1.99 a pound and decided to have some fun:

Ingredients

• 1 lb. asparagus
• 1 TBS. sesame oil
• 1 TBS. peanut oil (or neutral-tasting oil)
• 1 TBS. rice vinegar
• juice of 1/2 orange
• julienned zest from 1/2 orange

Directions

1. If asparagus spears are thicker than 1/4 inch, peel tough skin. Trim bottoms; discard bottoms. Put spears into 10-inch pan with 1/4 inch water and place on high heat. Steam asparagus until turns deep green and is still firm.
2. While asparagus is cooking, take all remaining ingredients other than zest and whisk together.
3. When asparagus is done, remove from pan and put into non-reactive deep dish. Cover with the mixed ingredients. Garnish with zest. Serve at once or at room temperature.

To get more of a vinaigrette effect, chill the asparagus for two to six hours before you serve it. You can go lighter on the oil if you prefer, or even eliminate the non-sesame oil altogether.

Labels: recipes, vegetables