The Pleasures of Grilled Asparagus
Last night I realized that I had never grilled asparagus. Why not? I wondered. This was an obvious oversight, and so, instead of pan-frying the asparagus I had bought for dinner, I headed outside to the grill.
The grill was already hot, since my husband was grilling chicken thighs (soaked in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary — so easy and yummy!). We turned the grill up extra-hot while I tossed the asparagus in some olive oil.
Then we laid the asparagus on the hot grill, letting the small flames lick their tops and sides, moving the spears constantly with the tongs. After a bare two minutes we lifted them off the grill and I showered them with kosher salt, fresh black pepper, and thin shavings of aged Parmesan cheese.
The result? Smoky, slightly charred asparagus, hot through and through yet still crispy. The oil and salt slicked the spears down, and we ate them quickly with our fingers, picking up any cheese that hadn’t melted on and popping it in our mouths.
It was so delicious — a perfect first moment of summer. Grilled asparagus are now firmly on the menu, as long as I can get them.
Have you ever grilled asparagus? How do you do it? Any favorite preparations?
Related: Grill Tonight: Pancetta-Wrapped Asparagus
(Images: Faith Durand)