Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) and tear off a large sheet of aluminum foil to use as your roasting surface.
- Arrange the 1.0 pound (16.0 oz / 454g) of fresh asparagus directly on the aluminum foil, drizzle with the 1.0 tbsp. (0.5 oz / 15g) of extra virgin olive oil, and toss the spears until they are completely and evenly coated.
- Spread the oiled asparagus out into a single, flat layer to ensure even cooking, then fold the edges of the aluminum foil upward and inward to create a secure, makeshift roasting tray.
- Roast the asparagus in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then carefully pull the tray out, toss the spears with tongs, and continue roasting for another 5 minutes (or until the spears are tender-crisp and beautifully browned).
- Remove the tray from the oven and immediately sprinkle the hot Roasted Asparagus with the 0.5 tsp. (0.04 oz / 1.0g) grated nutmeg, 0.5 tsp. (0.1 oz / 3.0g) kosher salt, 0.5 tsp. (0.04 oz / 1.0g) black pepper, and the fresh zest from the 1. 0 medium lemon before serving.
- Dry Thoroughly: After washing your asparagus, pat it completely dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Any residual water will cause the vegetable to steam rather than roast, which prevents that beautiful, caramelized char.
Select Uniform Spears: When shopping, try to find a bundle where the stalks are roughly the same thickness. This ensures your Roasted Asparagus cooks evenly, preventing thin spears from burning while thick ones remain undercooked.
Snap, Don't Cut: To easily remove the woody ends, gently bend a spear near the base until it snaps. It will naturally break right where the tender part begins. You can use this first spear as a guide to slice the rest of the bunch.
Give Them Space: When arranging your spears on the foil tray, make sure they are in a single layer and not overlapping. Overcrowding the pan traps moisture, which leads to soggy Roasted Asparagus rather than crispy, browned perfection.