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Grilled Asparagus and Spring Onions
 
Tom Woteki, June 2003
One of the things that has resulted from the very unSpring we’ve been
having in DC is that the local asparagus crop has been extended later
than usual, or so my farmer friends tell me. So I’ve been reinventing
or inventing Asparagus dishes to take advantage of the harvest.
Arriving home late from work, I’m also always looking for simple
preparations.

Here is an utterly simple composition that combines Asparagus and a few
other wonderful ingredients including my Farmer’s Spring Onions, which
will serve up nice and sweet in this preparation. The preparation also
involves grilling, one of my favorite daylight savings time activities
-- and no pans to wash. You could serve this dish as a wonderful
appetizer or a light, late night meal along with some crusty bread. The
recipe scales easily to serve as many as you need.
To serve 1:
Obtain:
• 1 serving of Asparagus
• 2 Spring onions, or more depending on diameter and taste. Mine are cigar sized.
• 2 slices Parma prosciutto or best available prosciutto style ham
• EVOO
• Balsamic vinegar
• salt, cracked pepper to taste
Proceed:
• Trim the onions and asparagus. Depending on diameter, quarter or
halve the onions lengthwise to match the shape of the asparagus.
• Toss the asparagus and onions together in EVOO on an individual
serving plate. Salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the plate with its
excess oil.
• Grill the vegetables over high heat until slightly caramelized.
• In the meantime, arrange the prosciutto slices on the reserved plate.
• When done, immediately arrange the vegetables over the prosciutto.
• Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar to taste, serve immediately.
Tom