sesame asparagus

since asparagus happens to be one of my very favorite vegetables, i try to serve this side dish in a variety of ways.

this recipe comes from martha's everyday food magazine from a number of years ago, but happens to be one of the best ways to present asparagus to family and friends.

preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  trim asparagus ends, and cut asparagus into 2 inch lengths.  place asparagus into a ceramic baking dish as shown, and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil.  season with coarse salt.

roast the asparagus about 10 minutes, turning the tips halfway through the baking time.  add sesame seeds and continue to roast until the asparagus looks lightly browned in spots and tender for eating.  this cooking time may be 5 minutes more.

sesame asparagus is delicious and can be served with any entree, including pasta dishes.  a beautiful presentation for your guests, since knives will not be needed with these bite-sized portions.