Roasted Asparagus with Kumquats is the perfect spring dish to show off the best of both the Kumquats and the asparagus.
A tale of Roasted Asparagus with Kumquats
My son used to love to eat kumquats, he would just pop them in his mouth like candy. So when I spied a half-full container while preparing dinner last night, I wondered, how would Roasted Asparagus with Kumquats taste?
Surprisingly good is the answer.
Roasting the kumquats brought out their natural sweetness and the citrus with the asparagus was a wonderful match.
I think some toasted pine nuts would be a wonderful addition.
Did you know that the fatter the asparagus, the more tender it is? The small skinny ones are actually more fibrous. So when choosing them, especially for this dish, go for the fat ones. If you don't like the large scales on them, go ahead and peel them with a vegetable peeler. And of course, remember to remove the fibrous bottom of the stalk. This can easily be done by grabbing the stalk, about midway, and the very bottom and gently bending until it snaps. It will snap at the natural point where tender meets the fibrous bottom. If you like a neat spear, go ahead and trim with a knife once you have found the "breaking point".
LindySez: They say that asparagus is one of those vegetables that you just can't pair wine with. But I disagree. The roasting method used here; along with the using thyme, makes asparagus friendly to many wines. The addition of the kumquat made this dish especially nice with an un-oaked (or naked) chardonnay or sauv blanc.
Roasted Asparagus With Kumquats
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus trimmed and peeled, if desired (larger asparagus are much more tender then the pencil thin ones)
- 10 - 15 kumquats sliced thin, any seeds removed
- 1 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil here a orange infused oil is a nice touch
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 450º F.
Step 2
Toss the asparagus and kumquats with the olive oil and place on a rimmed cookie sheet. Sprinkle with minced thyme and season well with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 5 - 7 minutes, or until the asparagus are crisp tender and the kumquats are softened. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.