Asparagus Sautéed with Leeks, Pancetta, Lemon and Garlic. This is the dish that every veggie wishes it could be; and while it could translate to others, it’s here for ASPARAGUS.
One of my favorite recipe resources is Food52 – a great website with a loaded arsenal of genius recipes. This is one of them. I stumbled upon it mid winter and couldn’t wait to share it for Easter. So, after many relatively quiet winter weeks of posting only a handful of delicious (but decadent) cookies and treats, here you go – some spring green veggie gorgeous healthiness just in time for the holiday weekend!
This comes together in literally minutes, and the most laborious task is washing the dirt out of the leeks and zesting the citrus – and by the way, just lemon will work fine if you don’t have oranges on hand… Don’t make this too far in advance – it will get mushy, and nobody wants that. You can prep everything and sauté the mess just before serving.
I can say from experience that this works with just about anything – steak, fish, chicken, or top it with some soft boiled eggs and a side of prosciutto and bread and you have LUNCH! For Easter, this is a no brainer.
Absurdly Addictive Asparagus
Ingredients
- 4 oz diced pancetta or prosciutto
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and sliced 2 inch pieces on the bias
- 1 1/4 cups leek, thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 2-3 Tbsp chopped flat parsley leaves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large non-stick pan, sauté pancetta, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until crisp and lightly golden.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan. Add asparagus pieces and leek and sauté until asparagus is tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic, lemon and orange zest, toasted pine nuts and parsley and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and salt and serve immediately.
Notes
