Cooking asparagus properly gave me a headache for the longest time. I’d try steaming it and up with a puddle of soggy green mush. I’d try pan-frying it, only to end up overcooking the tips waiting for the ends to get tender. But I have to say, I think I finally got it right!
This isn’t a recipe so much as a method. The bacon and lemon here keep the asparagus very tender and add lots of juicy flavor. I don’t add extra salt and pepper because the bacon has both, and you don’t want to overwhelm the flavor of a lovely vegetable like asparagus. A nice thing about this side dish is that it looks like it took you a lot more work than it actually will, making it perfect for a “company” dinner. And it’s an excuse to use bacon. Really, what more do you need?
For this exercise in veggie awesomeness, you will need:
1 smallish bundle asparagus
bacon
lemon slices
That’s it! This works best if you buy fairly slender asparagus stalks, since they’ll be more tender and more even in size from tip to stem end. If your asparagus is significantly thicker at the stem end than the tip, peel the ends a little to make the size more even.
First, turn on your broiler. Next, break the asparagus at its natural “snap point”: just hold the stalk with one hand and break with the other. It’ll break off just where it needs to.
Next, form bundles of about 3-4 stalks. Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon tightly around each bundle.
You can use a toothpick to secure it if you feel it’s necessary, but I didn’t. (If you do, though, soak the toothpicks in water first. You are putting these in a screaming hot oven and you don’t want to burn the house down.)
Place the wrapped bundles on a cookie sheet and top with lemon slices. Broil for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning at least once, until bacon is crisp and asparagus shows signs of caramelization. You will see some dark spots with this method: don’t worry - that’s some serious flavor there. Just keep an eye on your oven since broiling can turn into burning very, very quickly.
Serve as a side dish or as an appetizer: these bundles stay together so well that you can pick them up and eat them with your fingers. (It’s shown here with my Lemon Bacon Chicken with White Wine Cream Sauce.)
