Asparagus is one of those foods, you either love it or you hate it. I happen to love it and find that it goes well with most dishes, plus it's easy to prepare. I have shown my grilled asparagus wrapped in prosciutto on a previous post, I was asked "how I make it" so I wanted to share how I prepare and cook it. This is a fancied version of asparagus. We love asparagus, we also love prosciutto, so putting them together seemed a no brain-er to me.
Prosciutto is an Italian style cured ham, it is usually sliced paper thin. It has a mild taste and is slightly salty. My first experience with prosciutto was while dining at an Italian restaurant where it was served as an appetizer on a antipasto platter, along with other meats such as salami, also various cheeses and olives. It was a nice beginning to the meal! I have been making different versions of the antipasto platter since then using a variety of ingredients, but I always include prosciutto when I prepare one. Prosciutto can be found at most deli counters these days and also in package form too, the thin slices are usually separated by layers of paper. It costs more than most sliced meats, but I believe it is worth every penny!
Prosciutto is an Italian style cured ham, it is usually sliced paper thin. It has a mild taste and is slightly salty. My first experience with prosciutto was while dining at an Italian restaurant where it was served as an appetizer on a antipasto platter, along with other meats such as salami, also various cheeses and olives. It was a nice beginning to the meal! I have been making different versions of the antipasto platter since then using a variety of ingredients, but I always include prosciutto when I prepare one. Prosciutto can be found at most deli counters these days and also in package form too, the thin slices are usually separated by layers of paper. It costs more than most sliced meats, but I believe it is worth every penny!
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Ingredients:
fresh asparagus - 16 stalks=3-4 stalks per wrapped bundle, one to two bundles per person to serve 2 or 4
prosciutto - slices
1/2 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove crushed, or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
black pepper
Tools Need:
toothpicks to secure bundles
large pot of boiling water
large bowl of ice water
hot grill
Directions:
Prepare asparagus by cutting hard stalk ends and making them even in length. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes until it turns bright green in color. Immediately remove from boiling water and place in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain asparagus. Gather 3 or 4 pieces of asparagus, wrap them carefully with one slice of prosciutto, secure with a toothpick. Continue making bundles of wrapped asparagus, then set aside until all bundles are completed. Add garlic to olive oil Coat each bundle with garlic-olive oil using a basting brush. Sprinkle with black pepper-(I don't add any salt since the prosciutto already has a salty taste). Cook on hot grill for about 10 minutes until prosciutto is crisp, flip once to brown both sides. Serve.
A simple side dish that adds great color and flavor to almost any meal!
If you like asparagus, give this a try!
Enjoy!...
