Absurdly Addictive Asparagus
Kaykay has you cut the pancetta into 3/8 inch cubes. We like precision.
Amanda's great technique for cleaning leeks: slice them first, and then wash them. Brilliant!
Careful not to burn your pignoli!
Amanda had to step out for a couple of hours, so Merrill and Kristen forged ahead on their own.
The recipe calls for both lemon and orange zest. Yummy.
We're still on the fence about snapping vs. cutting for removing the woody ends of asparagus. Some times you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.
Asparagus looks especially attractive when cut on the bias.
At the stove, the pancetta crisps for a few minutes and starts to release some of its fat.
A knob of butter, and then in goes the asparagus.
A shower of leeks follows.
You cook the veggies for a mere couple of minutes -- until the asparagus is just barely tender.
The duo of zests and the garlic go in at the very end, lightly perfuming the veggies.
A smattering of parsley, a handful of pinenuts, and this dish is done!
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A&M say: The title pretty much says it all. With her recipe, kaykay takes an already promising set of ingredients and artfully combines them in such a way that the resulting dish exceeds the sum of its parts. 2-inch lengths of asparagus, crisp-tender to the bite, take center stage in a savory tangle of leeks, pancetta, garlic, orange zest, parsley and pine nuts. The rendered fat from the pancetta, along with a knob of butter, is just enough to keep the vegetables from being dry without smothering the fresh flavors. The recipe is supposed to serve 4, but we could easily imagine polishing off an entire pan by ourselves. - A&M
kaykay says: I guess there's a reason Vosges Haut-chocolat Bacon and Chocolate bars are growing in popularity...it just seems that when you add bacon to almost anything, the salty smokiness heightens the other ingredients. Bacon may rule, but its Italian cousin, Pancetta, is also a contender for the crown. Take a garden fresh ingredient like asparagus and pair it with pancetta and you instantly get Snap, Crackle, Crisp all in one bite. There's something about the bite-size pieces of tender crisp asparagus, buttery leeks, crackly pancetta, and delicately crunchy pinenuts that make it somehow hard for me to stop eating this easy to prepare dish. I tried adding Parmigiano Reggiano at the end, but it overpowered the citrus. After testing the delectable sugar cookie finalist recipes with MonkeyMom tonight, I have to wonder if the number 52 will be even more symbolic when it represents the number of pounds we've gained by the end of the year. Apparently, Asparagus isn't the only thing I'm addicted to— Food52 is rapidly becoming a habit, too. (Sorry for the lack of a photo— the camera is out of commission this week...)
Serves 4
- 4 ounces pancetta, cut into 3/8 inch to 1/4 inch dice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed and sliced into 2 inch pieces on the bias
- 1 1/4 cup leek, thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 1-2 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- In a large non-stick pan, sauté pancetta, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until crisp and lightly golden.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan. Add asparagus pieces and leek and sauté until asparagus is tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic, lemon and orange zest, toasted pine nuts and parsley and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and salt and serve immediately.
- Your Best Asparagus Recipe Contest Winner!







8 days ago weale.martiza
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18 days ago Meglion
I didn't love this. Maybe it was a little too oily from the addition of butter to the pancetta fat, but it felt too unctuous. Also, some of the recipe's instructions are not extremely clear - does cutting the leeks crosswise mean into thin circles? And "saute until fragrant:" fragrant how? With the citrus scent? Garlic?
about 1 month ago koc
This was fantastic! Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
about 1 month ago ashasmom
This was delicious! I made it my first time for a small group with varying palates and it was a hit. This will definitely be added to the regular rotation.
about 1 month ago Nela
Just made this for a small dinner party for New Year's eve and it was an absolute hit! I paired it with pulled pork and rice and beans. It's my new "signature plate" thank you!
about 1 month ago Jessica Jdot Kim
Made this twice so far and delicious both times. Chopping the bacon and zesting the lemon takes the most time so prep takes a bit longer than they say but it is very easy. This is my go-to dish from now on!
3 months ago Jewels13
I made this last night. So delicious and it's a very EASY meal. The most time was chopping the ingredients. I served this over rice and it was amazing! I am excited to make this again.
3 months ago ABarry
Really delicious and comes together so quickly. I didn't have leeks so I used shallots instead and it was delicious. The second time I made it, I used leeks, but I think I actually prefer the shallots. Great recipe and a definite keeper.
3 months ago Markmac2010
I won out at thanksgiving with this. thank you so much for sharing your dish
3 months ago cabfood
This dish is indeed absurdly addictive! I've added it to my list of no-fail recipes for company.
I made the recipe exactly as directed (except perhaps added a bit more lemon zest). It had a lively, clean, fresh taste.
3 months ago pschissel
This may make our Thanksgiving even more memorable giving our cranberry sauce a run for the money. . . guess its time to post that! Looks and sounds terrific!
3 months ago mike4321
It was a wonderful idea to get the flavor of asparagus in the dish and I am sure this going to give outstanding results. I would try this recipe for sure and really hope it to turn out as good as it sounds. visit here
4 months ago BAA
This is great. The leeks are a nice touch.
4 months ago lemurleap
This is one of my all-time favorite vegetable dishes ever! The combination of some of my favorite ingredients and the layers of flavor make it so delicious and satisfying. I wanted to make it tonight but found that I had neither pine nuts nor leeks. I substituted chopped toasted pecans and thinly sliced shallot and it was still really, really good!
4 months ago shiftins
clever recipe and a clever title. Ive been looking for something on the fresh side.
5 months ago oceanthrsty
We have decided to just make this a main dish. As I'm prepping to make this dish I'll cook up some quinoa (1cup uncooked) and stir it in at the end... even add chicken if you want. This ends up being a full meal, you get all your veggies and protein. Very delicious!
6 months ago move2ri
Someone said so good it is to die for! Pancetta is 60%fat FYI .... Maybe if someone can suggest a healthy substitute greatly appreciated
6 months ago jasontn
In moderation fat is not bad for you and this recipe is chocked full of other healthful items so it seems a balanced dish. Though if you want to skip the fat all together I would look for something with texture and a little fat or salt...maybe capers or more pine nuts. Also you could take it in a new direction with a little dried fruit instead of the pancetta. :)
3 months ago Jcblue
Use prosciutto. Very little fat in comparison. It's deliscious.
6 months ago GrandmaGG
This was outstanding and will be a new "company" addition! I didn't have pancetta, so I substituted one slice of good bacon, diced. Also, one teaspoon of butter and a splash of olive oil. I also had one medium zucchini that needed to be used, so I diced it smallish and added it to the saute. It worked well with the flavors. Surprising how nice the orange zest worked. I would have never thought of it.
6 months ago PassTheKnife
Made this as a post-nap snack for my two little boys. They loved it!
8 months ago Brunella
This is a great recipe....and it is absurdly addictive! My husband says he could just eat this for dinner. There are rarely leftovers, but when there are I have used them to top a pizza and also to make a frittata. The only variation is I don't add the pine nuts and the orange zest but do add freshly grated parmigiano reggiano.