Old Bay Asparagus Recipes

PERFECT ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus (if you sharply bend the asparagus near the base, it will snap in the right place). Discard the ends.
• Place the asparagus on the sheet and drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the asparagus. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the asparagus, and toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil. Arrange the spears in a single layer on the pan.
• Bake just until the base of the asparagus is easily pierced through by a fork. Very thin asparagus, like the kind shown here, will take as little as 9 to 12 minutes, whereas thicker asparagus will need 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter and season however you'd like. You could keep it simple with a squeeze of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of Parmesan, or add a pat of butter or drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
• Roasted asparagus is best served when it's fresh out of the oven, but it will keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour or up to 4 days in the refrigerator (gently reheat before serving).

OLD BAY ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the asparagus onto a baking sheet.
• Toss the asparagus with the olive oil and all of the other seasonings.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the asparagus are tender.

PICKLED ASPARAGUS II

Steps:

• Trim the bottoms off of the asparagus, and pack loosely into a 1 quart jar.
• Combine the water, white wine vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, jalapeno, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, salt and whole peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil hard for 1 minute.
• Pour the hot liquid over the asparagus in the jar, filling to cover the tips of the asparagus. Cover, and cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours to blend flavors before serving.

SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS FETTUCCINE

Steps:

• Separate the asparagus tips from the rest of the cut pieces, and set the tips aside. Heat 3/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Cook and stir the garlic in the hot oil until it begins to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cut pieces of asparagus (not the tips), and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir the asparagus until tender but still bright green, about 10 minutes, then add the asparagus tips. Cook and stir for 5 more minutes.
• While the asparagus is cooking, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the fettuccine, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink, return to the pot, and drizzle 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the pasta.
• Remove the asparagus from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving oil in skillet, and set the asparagus aside. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, and place in the hot skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the shrimp with the seafood seasoning, and cook and stir the shrimp until they are pink and no longer translucent. Return the asparagus to the skillet, and cook the shrimp and asparagus until thoroughly heated, 2 to 3 more minutes.
• Stir the shrimp and asparagus into the cooked fettuccine, and toss with shredded Parmesan cheese. The olive oil serves as the sauce, so add more as needed to generously coat the pasta, shrimp and asparagus.