Roast Asparagus with Sweet Pepper and Chorizo

I think asparagus is one of my favourite vegetables of all, and buy it as often as I can when it comes into season. We have wonderful local asparagus at Church Farm and Hawarden Estate.

Asparagus works well when it is cooked for a very small amount of time, so that it retains its crunch and vibrancy. I start to panic when I buy it, but don't get the chance to cook it so it sits in the fridge for a few days.

In this recipe, I've roasted it with wonderful sweet pointed peppers, complemented with the smokiness of chorizo sausage. The oil is released from the chorizo into the baking tray, and can be mopped up with potatoes, bread or pasta. The dish is incredibly easy to make, and would work well just on its own, or as a side with some grilled meat.

 

Ingredients

• 250g asparagus
• 1 sweet pointed red pepper
• Approx. 10 thin slices of chorizo, sliced on the diagonal
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Some really good quality extra virgin olive oil

Serve 2 as a side, or 1 greedy asparagus lover

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees fan
• Wash the asparagus and trim the woody bases
• Cut around the stalk of the sweet pepper, then pull out the stalk and seeds. Slice into thin rounds, on the diagonal
• Lay the asparagus in a baking tray. Scatter over the slices of pepper, then tuck the chorizo slices in between.
• Season with salt and pepper and pour over 2-3 generous glugs of best quality extra virgin olive oil

Tuck the chorizo slices between the pepper and the asparagus

• Put the baking dish into the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes, until the chorizo is beginning to crisp up and the peppers have charred and softened
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately

Roast asparagus with sweet pepper and chorizo