Delightful Asparagus

With a pound of asparagus and no desire to roast it again--even though I love roasted asparagus, I was lucky enough to see this recipe in the New York Times.

The veggies release their juices into the olive oil and make a really delicious sauce. I used my portobellos rather than shiitakes in this recipe. I would up the mushroom component in the future because I really love mushrooms. Also, I may cut back on the tarragon in the future as the littlest member of the family found the anise quality a tad off-putting.

Baked Asparagus With Mushrooms, Prosciutto and Couscous

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
¼ pound portobello mushrooms, stems removed, sliced ¼-inch thick
2 ounces cubed prosciutto
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons; additional for drizzling
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
Grated nutmeg
3 tarragon sprigs
¾ cup whole-wheat couscous.


1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (it should be twice as long as pan). Lay asparagus in a pile in center. Scatter mushrooms and prosciutto on top. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and season with ¼ teaspoon salt, the pepper and nutmeg. Toss vegetables to coat evenly. Lay tarragon over top.

2. Fold parchment to completely enclose vegetables, and staple top and sides shut (or tie up with string). Transfer pan to oven and bake for one hour. Asparagus should be just cooked through. If too crisp, return to oven until done to taste.

3. In a small pot over medium-high heat, bring ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons olive oil and remaining salt to a simmer. Stir in couscous and remove pot from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

4. Spoon couscous onto serving plates and drizzle with oil. Divide prosciutto and vegetables, and their juices, among the plates and serve.