Bacon is everyone’s friend (except for pigs and vegetarians). Who knew that bacon and asparagus were so close? These two ingredients are like Simon and Garfunkel, very good on their own, but magical when they are together. Asparagus and bacon are both passions of mine and I thought that I had prepared them every way possible until I stumbled upon this little gem of a recipe. Nearly everything tastes better on the grill (and I love grilling because the cleanup is simple) and this exciting recipe is no exception. So without further ado, here is the recipe for this delightful grilled asparagus:
Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
– 2 lbs. asparagus
– 8 oz. bacon
– 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
– 1 scallion, sliced thinly
– 2 teaspoons lemon juice
– ½ teaspoon hot sauce
– ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, finely ground
– Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking Directions:
- Wash asparagus, pat dry, and remove the woody ends. Tip: where you can easily snap the asparagus stalk is an indicator of where the woody ends should be broken and then they can be thrown away (or composted).
- Slice bacon strips in half lengthwise, so you have two pieces for each bacon slice.
- Preheat the charcoal grill or electric grill.
- Wrap the asparagus with prepared bacon slices.
- In a small bowl combine the 2 tablespoons olive oil, hot sauce, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Brush the bacon with the prepared mix.
- When the grill reaches 400 degrees Fahrenheit place the asparagus on a grill. Then grill the wrapped asparagus for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook until bacon is crispy. You can brush with the olive oil mix while grilling for extra flavor.
- Slice the scallions and place them in a bowl. Drizzle them with lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste and toss to combine.
- Serve asparagus on a large plate. Scatter the seasoned scallions around the asparagus and enjoy.
Loren Mayshark is the award-winning author of Death: An Exploration and Academic Betrayal. For more, you can visit his website lorenmayshark.com and you can keep up with him on Twitter at @LorenMayshark. Sign up for his newsletter and receive regular updates and a free gift.
