Asparagus for dinner again. I hate asparagus. Does this mean I’ll never grow up?
This is such a dead simple non-recipe, but it’s currently one of my favorite way to prepare vegetables, as elegant as Laura Palmer’s slinky black red room dress. The asparagus is broiled so it takes minutes to cook, and keeps it’s lovely green color with a hint of a char. The simple flavors of lemon and aleppo compliment each other perfectly, and the burrata is creamy just a little melty.
Maybe Laura would have liked it prepared this way, maybe not; but that’s ok, you can absolutely do other vegetables. Burrata is a little pricey, but I buy it in a package with two four ounce balls, and can make different veggies on different days – with the other ball I roasted half a butternut squash with the same seasonings, equally lovely.
Asparagus with Lemon, Aleppo and Burrata
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- olive oil, sea salt, aleppo pepper (or substitute paprika)
- 1 lemon
- 4 ounce ball burrata
Set oven to broil.
In a roasting pan, toss asparagus with olive oil, a generous sprinkle of sea salt, a good pinch aleppo pepper and the zest of one lemon. Broil for five minutes then roll with a spatula, then broil for two or three more minutes, until asparagus is soft but keeps a bite.
Slice the burrata and lay in a line on a plate, arranging the warm asparagus over it. Sprinkle with a little more aleppo pepper and a spritz of lemon juice.