Today I went to my city’s farmer’s market.  Since it’s all local produce, they sell what’s ready to harvest in the Midwest, which right now happens to be asparagus, strawberries, lots of different kinds of greens, shallots and green onions, and mushrooms.  They were also selling lots of flowers - probably greenhouse grown.

I bought asparagus, fresh shallots with the green part still attached, spinach, basil, and strawberries.  The strawberries were puny compared to the huge California strawberries I usually buy at the grocery store, but they were ripe and sweet.

For dinner tonight I made my all time favorite vegetable side dish - roasted asparagus with balsamic browned butter.  This stuff is like mana.  It is so good I ate approximately two of the three small bunches of asparagus I bought today all by myself and could have eaten the third bunch as well, but I thought I’d be generous and let Ross have a taste.  Seriously, even if you think you don’t like asparagus, try this recipe, and you will like it. 

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

Recipe from Ann Stone

40 asparagus spears (about 2 lbs)

Cooking spray

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 Tbs butter

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp balsamic vinegar (no substitutes)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on baking sheet.  Spray with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 12 minutes.

While the asparagus is baking, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; shaking the pan occasionally, cook for three minutes or until the butter solids have appeared and the butter is browned but not burnt.  Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce and vinegar.  Drizzle over asparagus, tossing well to coat.