Sigh.
Spring is really truly here.
. . . tender sprigs of fresh asparagus
All are popping up at many DC area farmers markets.
It's enough to make me a very satisfied woman.
But as a special icing on the cake (or rather, greens on the top), you will also be able to find micro greens at the Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market this weekend.
Micro greens are tiny and intensely flavorful greens: the smallest sprouts of a variety of salad greens, herbs, and vegetables. The beautiful leaves are typically found in high end restaurants, and can be difficult for home cooks to obtain.
Bigg Riggs Farm is selling a variety of gorgeous and tasty micro greens, including arugula, fennel, beet, and radish. The greens arrive at market alive. They burst out of their trays in colors of green, purple, and red. When purchasing them, you simply pick which one (or ones) you'd like. Your choice is clipped freshly for you and put into a small container.
It doesn't get any fresher than that.
They sell for $4 an ounce, which is a bit pricey, but a full container doesn't weigh very much, and a small amount of microgreens packs a big punch.
After a weekend shopping at the Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market and the West End Alexandria Farmers market, I had all the ingredients for a tasty treat: a lovely dish made from a simple preparation of roasted asparagus and a roasted red pepper puree-- all topped off with a microgreen salad.
For the record, this method of preparing asparagus is stand-alone. Roasting the asparagus draws out a certain level of sweetness. Furthermore, actually roasting it with the lemon wedges imparts the perfect amount of lemon flavor to the tender sprigs. If you just want a simple side, you can follow the roasting instructions here. Or, really make your asparagus dish extra special with the pepper puree and microgreen salad.
Roasted Asparagus with Red Pepper Puree and Microgreen Salad
Serves 2 as a first course, 4 as a side
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
For the roasted asparagus
1 large bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (about 2-3 TB)
salt and pepper, to taste
For the red pepper puree
1/2 Cup Roasted Red Peppers (freshly roasted or jarred will both work well)
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
For the micro green salad
1/2 Cup of assorted micro greens
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
Preparation:
Roasting the asparagus
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In the meantime, trim the asparagus spears and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, a little bit of fresh lemon juice (from the lemon wedges) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place the lemon wedges on the baking sheet with the asparagus spears.
Roast the asparagus for 8-10 minutes, until it is bright green and beginning to brown just a little bit. Toss the asparagus 1-2 times during roasting.
Making the red pepper puree
While the asparagus is roasting, combine the red peppers, garlic, thyme leaves, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade (I used a mini prep). Puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.
Putting it all together
Spoon 2-3 TB red pepper puree in the center of each plate. Divide the asparagus evenly on each plate, placing it on top of the pepper puree. Place a small amount of the microgreens on the top of the asparagus, then drizzle with a touch of olive oil, a small amount of lemon juice, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Enjoy immediately.
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One year ago at The Garden Apartment:
