Grilled Marinated Asparagus Topped with Gremolata
Did you know that asparagus is actually a member of the lily family? Weird to think that those beautiful (if a little smelly) plants are in the same family as this slightly odd-looking vegetable. And I definitely would like to try to eat a lily! But you can eat asparagus in a number of different ways and here we are going with grilled marinated asparagus topped with Italian Gremolata.
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Why asparagus is good for you
Asparagus is available all year round but right now is prime season for fresh asparagus. It usually grows from February until June, so the fresh natural cycle crops are available from now onwards. If you are into eating seasonally, then this is the perfect time to grab fresh asparagus.
Nutrients
Aside from the seasonal eating benefits, asparagus are full of goodness that makes them worth getting into your diet. Half a cup contains 57% of the recommended amount of Vitamin K for starters as well as over a third of the recommended amount of Folate. It also contains fibre, Vitamins A and C, potassium and phosphorus, all nutrients the body needs.
Antioxidants
As well as the nutrients, asparagus is also good for being a source of antioxidants. Those are the things that help battle free radicals and all the damage from oxidative stress, inflammation and even some diseases.
Dietary fibre
Finally, asparagus has dietary fibre in it, around 7% of the daily amount we need. Fibre is something a lot of us miss out on so all possible sources of it are a good thing. This helps the digestive system to work properly.
Cooking asparagus
There are a few different ways to cook asparagus depending on what you are making with it. the simplest way is to blanch and refresh which is how a lot of vegetables are prepared in restaurants – it basically involves putting them in boiling water for a couple of minutes then giving them an ice bath. You can then reheat and cook as needed.
The way we are looking at today is to grill or griddle them. You can do it in a few ways, but one clever tip is to add the asparagus spears onto a pre-soaked wooden skewer. This makes them easy to turn and also stops them falling through the bars of the grill.
What is gremolata?
Lastly, you might be asking what gremolata is (I did!) The answer is an Italian dressing that uses lemon zest, garlic and parsley and is often used on top of meat, seafood or poultry. It is simple to make and has lots of different uses as well as adding extra flavour to the dish.
More recipe inspiration
If you are looking for another tasty vegetable side dish, why not try Zucchini Fries with Marinara Sauce? Or you could make your own Tomato Salsa to add to almost any dish.
What you need to make grilled marinated asparagus
- 1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
- 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 T. balsamic vinegar
- 1½ t. Mediterranean-spiced sea salt*
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 whole lemons, cut in half
- Shaved Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)
Gremolata:
- ¼ c. fresh parsley leaves, washed, dried thoroughly, and finely chopped
- 1 t. organic lemon zest
- 2 t. preserved lemon rind, rinsed and finely chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, grated
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Kitchen equipment
How to make the recipe
STEP 1: Put the asparagus in a shallow bowl and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Seasonal with Mediterranean spiced sea salt and black pepper (or similar spiced sea salt), toss and leave for 15-20 minutes to marinade.
STEP 2: Make the gremolata by adding all the ingredients to a bowl with salt and pepper then put to one side.
STEP 3: Spray your grill with cooking spray or brush with vegetable or olive oil if you prefer – this stops the asparagus from sticking. Add the spears and the lemon halves on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until they are tender.
STEP 4: Remove from the heat and add to a serving dish. Top with the gremolata and lemons as well as a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese if you are a fan like me!
Storing the recipe
After cooking: You can pop leftovers in the fridge but asparagus isn’t the best at being stored. Use it up as quickly as possible as the longer it is in there, the softer it will go. Wrap it in a freezer bag while in there.
Freezing the recipe: The best way to freeze asparagus is to boil it in water for a few seconds then popping it into ice water. Spread it on a baking tray and pop in the freezer until frozen then put in a freezer bag. Defrost thoroughly before cooking.
Recipe tips
For easier turning (and to prevent asparagus from falling through the grill grates), thread two pre-soaked wooden skewers through several spears lined up side by side to hold them together.
Grilled Marinated Asparagus Topped with Gremolata
A simple, summery recipe to cook on the grill
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh asparagus (trimmed)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1½ tsp Mediterranean spiced sea salt (or plain sea salt if you prefer)
- 2 lemons
- Black pepper
- Parmesan (shaved)
Gremolata
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp lemon rind
- 1 large garlic clove (grated)
- Sea salt & black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Put the asparagus in a shallow bowl and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Seasonal with Mediterranean spiced sea salt and black pepper (or similar spiced sea salt), toss and leave for 15-20 minutes to marinade.
- Make the gremolata by adding all the ingredients to a bowl with salt and pepper then put to one side.
- Spray your grill with cooking spray or brush with vegetable or olive oil if you prefer – this stops the asparagus from sticking. Add the spears and the lemon halves on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until they are tender.
- Remove from the heat and add to a serving dish. Top with the gremolata and lemons as well as a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese if you are a fan like me!
