Easier Grilled Asparagus
Grilling and roasting are my two favorite ways to eat asparagus.
Either way is pretty easy, but what I love most about them is the concentration and depth of flavor that they give this delicate delicacy.
Roasting asparagus requires nothing more than coating the trimmed spears with oil and putting them on a sheet pan in a 425-degree oven for about 10 minutes, depending on how thick they are. I usually add salt, pepper and sometimes minced garlic, and lemon juice and lemon zest.
With domestic asparagus in season now, I made my first batch of roasted asparagus last week. With the temperatures warming up, I’m tempted to fire up the grill.
Grilling asparagus can be a pain, because the long skinny spears tend to fall through the gaps in the grates of the grill. That, to me, is a depressing sight.
In the past I have solved the problem by using a grill rack, which is basically a perforated metal tray that sits on the grill. It works fine, but it reduces the amount of charring and grilled flavor that I get when the food sits directly on the grill.
But the other day I saw a solution so obvious that I felt stupid for not having thought of it before. This method uses two skewers to create a “raft” of asparagus.
The photo of this that I saw, from the California Asparagus Commission, had five spears lined up and pretty much jammed together, with no space in between the spears. I prefer to have a little space between each spear for even cooking and better browning.
Still the general idea is a good one. Line up about five spears and push one skewer through all of them near the trimmed end. Then take a second skewer and push it through all of them near the tip end. Bundled together, the spears can’t possibly fall down in between the grill grates. The skewers also make it much easier to flip the spears when it’s time to brown the other side.
The asparagus have to be decently thick for this to work. Trying to do it with pencil-thin asparagus will be tedious and frustrating, believe me.
When grilling, keep in mind that the asparagus need a light coating of oil before they go on the grill. Otherwise, they are likely to stick and get torn up when it’s time to flip or remove them.
Instead of just plain oil, I often will coat asparagus — and many other grilled vegetables — with vinaigrette.
Here’s a recipe I adapted from the California Asparagus Commission to try:
Grilled Rack of California Asparagus
The original recipe recommends soaking the bamboo skewers in water to prevent them from burning. I don’t think that’s necessary for this recipe, because the cooking time is so short. Metal skewers also will work here. The original recipe also called for blanching the asparagus in boiling water first. I would recommend this if the grill were extremely hot and the asparagus extremely thick. Otherwise, it’s easier and just fine to skip the blanching and cook the spears entirely on the grill. If you happen to have blanched asparagus, reduce the cooking time below to 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
1 pound asparagus, medium to large
2 tablespoons shallots, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sweet mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, your choice, chopped
8 to 10 six-inch wooden bamboo skewers
Chopped fresh herbs and lemon zest for garnish
1. On a cutting board divide the bunch of asparagus into servings of about 6 spears. Line up the servings in a row. Run one skewer 2 inches from the top and a second skewer 2 inches from the bottom through all the spears to create a horizontal rack. Try to allow a little space between the spears. Repeat with remaining asparagus and skewers.
2. For the vinaigrette, combine the shallots, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and herbs in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Close the lid and shake well, about 10 seconds,
3. To grill the asparagus, liberally brush the asparagus on both sides with vinaigrette to coat well. Grill racks over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until tender. Top with chopped fresh herbs and lemon zest. Serve with extra vinaigrette.
Makes 3 to 5 servings
(Photo courtesy of California Asparagus Commission)
