Thanks to Gary and Pat A., listeners to our Sonrise Morning Show for asking about a recipe for asparagus that I talked about with “red sauce”. I think what they are referring to is the recipe with asparagus and roasted peppers (red, yellow, orange, whatever….). So here it is and I hope this is what Gary and Pat want! I’m also including the other recipes that Annie Mitchell and I talked about.

Steamed asparagus with mint and roasted peppers

1 pound asparagus, trimmed & steamed until just crisp tender and then blanched

1 roasted bell pepper, cut into thin strips – red, orange, yellow, whatever you like

Marinade:Go to taste on this.

3-4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey or more to taste

Salt and pepper to taste 

3 sprigs mint, chopped or to taste**

1/2 cup olive oil

Lay asparagus with pepper strips on top. Whisk everything else together. Drizzle on top  – delicious right away or marinated several hours. 

Blanching: Just means draining asparagus after steaming and immediately putting it into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and keep the color. You can usually blanch veggies a day ahead and store in covered container in the frig.

**Herb sprig:3” is good. You can always add more.

Sesame Asparagus8 servings

2 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, cut diagonally into bite-sized pieces (I      steamed it in my steamer, then cut it) 1/4 cup butter2 tablespoons lemon juice2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted2 teaspoons Oriental sesame oilsalt and pepper to taste
Cook asparagus until just tender.  Drain and rinse well with cold water, pat dry.  (This may be done several hours ahead, storing in refrigerator.)  
Melt butter and stir in lemon juice, sesame seeds, sesame oil and pepper.  Add asparagus and toss until well coated. 
Serve hot.

Asparagus and Arugula Salad with Cannellini Beans

Ingredients

5 T. extra-virgin olive oil

½ medium red onion, sliced thin

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut on bias into 1-inch lengths

Salt and pepper

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

2 T. plus 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

6 ounces (6 cups) baby arugula

Instructions

Heat 2 T. oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add onion and cook until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add asparagus, ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is browned and crisp-tender. Transfer to bowl, stir in beans, and let cook slightly.

Whisk vinegar, ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper together in small bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in remaining 3 T. oil. Gently toss arugula with 2 T. dressing until coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide arugula among plates. Toss asparagus mixture with remaining dressing, arrange over arugula. Serves 4 to 6.

Simple roasted asparagus with lemon pepper and herbsFamily favorite!IngredientsAsparagus, tough ends trimmed (keep for soup)
Olive oilLemon pepper Herbs of choiceCheese of choice (opt)InstructionsPreheat oven to 425. 
Lay asparagus on sprayed baking sheet in single layer.Brush with oil.Sprinkle with lemon pepper Bake until crisp tender and bright green. Time depends upon thickness but check after 7 minutes or so.Sprinkle with herbs and cheese and serve.