Roasted Asparagus Recipe with Creamy Tahini-Peanut Dipping Sauce

Don't you think there's something special about asparagus when it finally comes into season in the spring? Before I started blogging I wasn't nearly so much of an asparagus fan as I am now. A lot of my asparagus apathy was because I'd mostly eaten asparagus cooked in water, a method which can simmer out a lot of the flavor. When I fully entered the ranks of the food-obsessed and started reading lots of blogs I learned about roasted asparagus, grilled asparagus, and sauteed asparagus. Since then I've been on a yearly spring quest to find as many new asparagus recipes as I can. This roasted asparagus with tahini-Peanut dipping sauce is one of my first asparagus experiments of 2008, and it was a fantastic success. The sauce was slightly adapted from Chicken and Quickly Roasted Asparagus with Tahini Sauce, but the added peanut butter produced a thicker sauce and I subbed agave nectar for sugar or splenda. This is a recipe I can't wait to make for guests.

Asparagus is a perennial, nearly leafless member of the lily family, and it's one of the world's healthiest foods, containing large amounts of vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Asparagus also contains inulin, a non-digestible carbohydrate that's beneficial to the friendly bacteria in your digestive system. Besides the many health benefits, asparagus is low in calories and fat and mildly diuretic, so it's great for any type of diet. Growing asparagus in a home garden does require patience, since establishing an asparagus bed takes several years, but once it's started, a bed can produce asparagus for as long as 20-30 years. Of course with all this asparagus information you've guessed that this is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #124, hosted this week by Kel of Green Olive Tree. (When I see the list of cities where she's lived, I'm very envious!) Here are the rules for Weekend Herb Blogging and where to send your entry if you'd like to share about an herb, plant, veggie, or flower this week. Now keep reading for this recipe and more asparagus love from other blogs.

Roasted Asparagus with Creamy Tahini-Peanut Dipping Sauce
(Makes 3-4 servings, although I could eat a pound of this myself. Sauce recipe adapted slightly from Chicken and Quickly Roasted Asparagus with Tahini Sauce which was adapted from Epicurious.com.)

1 lb. asparagus, thick spears preferred for roasting
1 T olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (I didn't use much salt)

Sauce:
(Recipe makes enough sauce for several pounds of asparagus, but have fun thinking of other things it would taste great with.)
1/4 cup well-stirred Tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 cup warm water
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. agave nectar, preferably amber (can also use sugar or Splenda)
1/2 tsp. ground garlic puree from a jar (or use fresh garlic and grind in mortar and pestle)
2 tsp. soy sauce (I used Tamari)
2 T peanut butter (I use natural low-sugar peanut butter for South Beach Diet)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly spray a roasting pan with olive oil or non-stick spray. Be sure asparagus is washed, then cut off the lower woody ends (usually only a few inches, snap one to see.) Cut asparagus into diagonal-sliced pieces about 2 inches long.

Put asparagus in plastic bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet and roast, turning once or twice, until asparagus is starting to slightly shrivel and brown and is still a little crisp in the center, about 15 minutes.

While asparagus roasts, combine tahini, warm water, lemon juice, agave nectar, garlic, soy sauce, and peanut butter in food processor, blender, or bowl attachment of an immersion blender. (If you use an immersion blender or blender, hold the lid down very tightly! I learned this the hard way.) Blend until ingredients are well combined.

Serve asparagus hot with sauce on the side for each person to dip asparagus into. Sauce can also be spooned over asparagus, but I loved dipping it, especially since this is a rich sauce.

Variations: I think this sauce would taste fantastic on roasted broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans too.

South Beach Suggestions:

Made with agave nectar and natural peanut butter, this is a great dish for phase two or three of the South Beach Diet. (Use Splenda for a phase one version.) The sauce is relatively high in fat, but sesame seeds and peanuts contain "good fat."

More Reasons Why Kalyn Loves Asparagus:
Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan
Sauteed Asparagus with Melted Gorgonzola and Pine Nuts
Asparagus with Basil Pesto
Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms with Spike Seasoning
Grilled Asparagus with Double Lemon and Parmesan
Roasted Asparagus with Soy-Sesame Flavors

Asparagus Love from Other Blogs:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly, check ingredients.)
Perfect Asparagus from Simply Recipes
Grilled Asparagus ala Sutherland from Stephen Cooks
Asparagus Aspirations (huge collection of asparagus recipes from many bloggers) from Seriously Good
Slow Butter Braised Asparagus from Steamy Kitchen
Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad from A Veggie Venture
Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Goat Cheese Vinaigrette from Mighty Foods
Asparagus with Pinenuts, Lime, and Browned Butter from Nami Nami
Buttered Asparagus from I'm Mad and I Eat
Asparagus with Walnut Dressing from My Own Sweet Thyme
Asparagus with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts from Lucullian Delights

Want even more asparagus recipes?
I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.

Things you might want to know:
You can get Kalyn's recipes by e-mail.
There's a great way to print recipes on Kalyn's Kitchen.
It's easy to find out who's hosting Weekend Herb Blogging this week.
There are actual rules for Weekend Herb Blogging.
Here is another place where I write more about food.

Tags:
Food Recipes Cooking South Beach Diet Recipes
Low Carb Recipes Low Glycemic Index Recipes
Diabetes Friendly Recipes Weekend Herb Blogging