CRISPY PHYLLO SESAME ASPARAGUS {Printable
version}
Asparagus is a member of the Lily family and the spears grow from a crown that is planted about a foot deep in sandy soil. It’s harvested in the spring and it’s amazing to see – the spears literally grow straight out of the earth. The first time I saw this was at the beautiful kitchen gardens at Jefferson’s Monticello. When shopping for asparagus look for firm, fresh, spears with closed, compact tips and uniform diameter, so that all spears will cook in the same amount of time.
24 asparagus spears
12 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, preferably black
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a shallow skillet of salted water to the boil. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender, 2 –3 minutes. Drain and plunge into an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Remove the asparagus when cool and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Pat dry and set aside.
Heat the oven to 450° with the rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat (non-stick silicon baking sheet) or parchment paper; set aside.
Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a clean dry surface. Keep the remaining sheets covered with a clean, slightly damp towel. Brush phyllo lightly with melted butter and top with a second sheet of phyllo. Brush again with butter. Cut into 4 rectangular pieces, each about 5 x 7-inches.
Arrange a spear of asparagus on the short end of the phyllo rectangle, letting the tip lay exposed beyond the top edge by a half inch or so. Roll up and secure the edge of the dough with additional butter, if necessary. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients, transferring to the prepared baking sheet. The straws may be made up to 1 to 2 hours ahead at this point, covered with plastic wrap and kept refrigerated.
Cover the tips of the asparagus with a piece of aluminum foil to protect them from the heat. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Virginia Willis Culinary Productions