Grilled Parmesan Garlic Asparagus

With the arrival of Spring comes the fresh picked asparagus. We love asparagus. They make a lovely dish to accompany any holiday meal. They are fantastic in omelets as well as soups and stir-fry’s. Asparagus is a perennial, related to the lily with fern like leaves and flowers.  The spears are actually shoots grown from a mother plant called the crown. It takes up to 3 years for crowns to develop enough to begin producing shoots, but once they do they can produce for up to 20 years.  Asparagus are grown in purple, white and green varieties with 1/2 to 1-inch thickness. Look for firm unmarred stalks with tightly closed heads. Never freeze asparagus as they will become mushy and loose their flavor.

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, rough bottoms removed
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tbsp butter
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Wash and dry asparagus. Lay single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with a little oil. Roll asparagus in oil to lightly coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 350 for 10 minutes. Check to see if tender, can easily pierce with a fork. If done pull out of the oven. Cut butter into slivers and lay across spears. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Return to oven for 3 minutes more to melt cheese and butter.

Serves 4