For some odd reason, the grocery had asparagus on sale this week – in the fall instead of the spring. And it was glorious asparagus – thin and crisp. Who could resist. So I made some very garlicky asparagus in my stir fry pan. It’s a simple preparation. The combination of the tart tomatoes and the earthy green taste of the asparagus just explodes in your mouth.
Garlicky Asparagus and Tomatoes
3/4 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup of grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
zest and juice of one medium lemon
sea salt (optional)
Zest and juice the lemon and set aside. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that is good for sautéing. Add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until it is fragrant. Be careful not to burn it. Burnt garlic tastes terrible. Add the asparagus and tomatoes and sauté for about 5 minutes. You want it crisp – but a lot of the timing depends on how thick your asparagus is. Toss occasionally as you are sautéing. Once it is cooked to your liking, add the zest and lemon juice, and a few grinds of seas salt if you’d like, and toss with the asparagus. Serve warm. 4 servings at about 1 gram of fat/serving
Hint: Selecting and trimming asparagus. Choose thin stalks of asparagus rather than thick ones. Thick asparagus is woody, and you loose a lot when you trim it. Also, try to choose a bunch of asparagus that has stalks that are about even in width, so they cook at the same time. To trim asparagus, grasp a single stalk firmly in both hands and snap it in two pieces. It will separate into a woody bottom and a nice, tender upper part. If you have bought slender asparagus, you won’t lose too much of the stalk, nor will you have to peel it.
The Perpetual Feast 
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