Aren’t these artful bacon-wrapped asparagus bundles the kind of thing you’d expect to see going around on a tray at a wedding? They’re so elegant — you’re the only one who needs to know how simple they are to put together. Just wrap fresh green asparagus spears in bacon, roast the bundles in the oven until they’re crispy, then drizzle on a delicious honey balsamic glaze.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
Easy elegant appetizer to make your next dinner party extra fancy: crispy roasted asparagus spears bundled in bacon and drizzled with honey balsamic glaze.
Roasting is the absolute most rewarding method for cooking asparagus; all the spring veggie needs is a little olive oil, salt, and pepper to bring out all of its savory, roasty flavors. But when you wrap asparagus in bacon and glaze it with a sweet-tangy sauce? Then it becomes truly gourmet.
Just bake ’em for 20 minutes in the oven until the tops are caramelized, the bacon is crisp, and the stalks are tender with just the right amount of snap. In the meantime, you’ll whip up the easiest 2-ingredient honey balsamic glaze, which perfectly complements the bacon-wrapped asparagus’ smoky flavors.
Having this party bite in your recipe repertoire will make your entertaining that much fancier. It’s not often that such a simple dish gets so many oohs and aahs.
Serves 5 – 7 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Total Time: 25 – 30 Minutes
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds asparagus, trimmed to 4 – 5 inches
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- 4 slices bacon, cut in half lengthwise
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
Place the trimmed asparagus on the prepared pan. Drizzle them with olive oil and generously season them with salt and pepper. Roll the asparagus back and forth on the pan to coat them evenly.
Separate the asparagus spears into groups of 5 or 6. Arrange the spears so that their tips are all facing the same direction. Wrap the center of each bundle with one strip of bacon. (The bacon should overlap itself.)
Place the bundled asparagus on the sheet pan with the tail of the bacon on the bottom. (This will keep the bundle nice and tight while the asparagus is cooking and prevent the bacon from curling up while roasting.)
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the bacon has browned and the asparagus is tender. Broil for the last few minutes of cooking until the asparagus bundles are crispy.
While the asparagus is cooking, prepare the glaze: in a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and honey. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened. Allow the glaze to cool slightly (the reduction will thicken as it cools), then drizzle it over the cooked asparagus bundles and serve.
Source : tiphero.com
