Blistered Asparagus with Cilantro Balsamic Drizzle

I love roasted vegetables, and I’m perfectly happy with my simple roasted, well-salted veg, but when it comes to Yom Tov I really try to think of ways to dress it up, and this answers that need well. Psst. Use the dressing on everyyythinggggg!!

PAREVE
SERVES 6–8

• 2 bunches fresh asparagus, trimmed and clipped (see note)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

DRESSING

• ¹⁄₃ cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp tahini paste
• 1 tsp salt
• juice of ¹⁄₂ lemon
• pinch pepper

1. Steam asparagus in 1–2 inches (2¹⁄₂–5 cm) of water seasoned with 1 tsp salt until just cooked, about five minutes. Transfer steamed asparagus to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process and ensure bright green asparagus. Heat a frying pan over high heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Add the asparagus and blister. This can take around 10 minutes. You don't want to stir it every minute, because you want it to make contact with the bottom of the pan with enough time for it to blister before it overcooks. Remove from heat.
2. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over the asparagus just before serving. 3. If desired, serve with an oven-dried radish (see tip). Note: To clean green asparagus from insects, the tips as well as the triangular side leaves should be cut off and discarded. The shortcut way to remove these side leaves is to peel the entire asparagus (make sure to get thick ones!).

Tip: To make oven-dried radish, place thinly sliced radish on a baking sheet and bake at 170°F (75°C) for 30 minutes.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 692)