Asparagus roasted with blood oranges is a side dish that’s as easy and healthy and it is gorgeous. I love the pretty combination of the fresh green with the blood oranges in this easy asparagus recipe, but you could use grapefruit, regular oranges, or lemons too.
Asparagus roasted with blood oranges reflects a fleeting moment in time…the blood oranges are on their way out just as the asparagus are coming into season and the two cross paths for one brief moment. Healthy, simple, glorious.
Most of us already know that oven roasting is a great easy way to cook asparagus. But when you add a layer of citrus you get a little extra pizazz. I drizzled on olive oil and showered it all with salt, pepper, and rosemary. And for the ultimate finishing touch, add some BLOOD ORANGE VINEGAR to bring it all alive.
This recipe uses the same principle as my LEMON HERB FISH, where I cook the fish on top of paper thin slices of lemon. I did a similar treatment with my VODKA AND CLEMENTINE GLAZED SALMON, and MEYER LEMON ROAST CHICKEN. This is such a healthy way to cook because it gives lots of flavor without lots of salt and fats. Who needs hollandaise sauce when you’ve got blood oranges?
Asparagus comes in all kinds of sizes, and although it’s commonly assumed that the skinnier the stalk, the better, I don’t agree. My husband and I have a running argument over this. He likes the little spindly stalks, but I think the fatter ones have better texture and flavor.
As long as they are fresh, the flavor is much more pronounced in asparagus with a little ‘heft’ to it, and if they are perfectly cooked, the texture is almost creamy. This recipe is best for medium to thick stalks, because the thinner kind will cook so quickly there won’t be time for anything to caramelize.
Note: Recipe from Alaska from Scratch.
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus
- 1 blood orange
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- olive oil
- fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Set oven to 425F
- Trim the ends off the asparagus.
- Thinly slice the orange. Arrange t the slices on a baking sheet.
- Lay the asparagus over the oranges and then drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter some fresh rosemary over the asparagus.
- Roast until the asparagus is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the girth of your asparagus. If you are brave, you can do this whole thing under the broiler, but you need to watch it like a hawk. I like the slight charring that the broiler gives to the asparagus and oranges.
- Replace any charred rosemary sprigs with fresh ones before serving.
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17 Comments
Kitchen Belleicious
March 25, 2014 at 6:42 amummm. I would take this any day with any dish over anything else! It looks divine and so fresh and the flavors of spring
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen
March 24, 2014 at 5:50 pmThe asparagus with the blood oranges is absolutely gorgeous. The flavors must be incredible together. This is my kind of goodness.
Sam
Sue
March 24, 2014 at 6:13 pmThanks Sam!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
March 24, 2014 at 3:18 pmWow, your minimal Monday certainly delivers maximum flavor. I’ve never had blood oranges with asparagus but I will next time!
Velva
March 24, 2014 at 1:39 pmThis looks divine…Fresh, simple and delicious.
Hapy spring to you!
Velva
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine
March 24, 2014 at 10:23 amWhat a fun, beautiful recipe Sue. I love catching seasonal ingredients like this. The colors are just gorgeous together. Have a really fun trip!
Stephanie
March 24, 2014 at 9:57 amOooo…I have blood orange olive oil and fig balsamic I use for salad dressings but I’ll just bet they would be tasty on asparagus too. Visually gorgeous, super tasty I’m sure and healthy! Thanks.
Sue
March 24, 2014 at 10:12 amI bought blood orange olive oil, too and I love it, but you HAVE to try making the blood orange vinegar, it will blow you away.
sallybr
March 24, 2014 at 9:25 amAbsolutely wonderful! I rarely make hollandaise sauce, maybe once every couple of years, so this preparation for roasted asparagus sounds much better to me!
I must find blood oranges, for some reason this year I haven’t been actively searching for them – they are so beautiful!
Sue
March 24, 2014 at 10:02 amThey’ll be gone soon, but Meyer lemons would be perfect with this, too.
Valerie
March 24, 2014 at 8:52 amBeautiful! It’s as if spring herself transformed into something lush and edible. :)
I’ll give you a slice of cake in exchange for a healthy serving of asparagus!
Sue
March 24, 2014 at 9:09 amdeal :)
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
March 24, 2014 at 7:59 amI buy asparagus any way I can get it, especially when it’s on sale this time of year. If given a choice, I pick the smaller stalks – thinking more is better for the same price ha ha. Have a WONDERFUL time visiting your father. Yes Florida would be very nice about now. Palm trees and little drinks with umbrellas – I’m ready – share away!
Sue
March 24, 2014 at 8:15 amI’m always amazed that they can sell asparagus cheap at any time of the year, when you consider that each little stalk is a separate plant — but I’m glad they somehow manage to do it!