Summer Snack Series: Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (& Spicy Ketchup!)
- 10:09:00 PM
- By Unknown
- 1 Comments
A little while ago, I took a pretty neat condiment making course at the BCAE. Richard and Katie, a soon-to-be husband-and-wife chef duo behind catering company The Skinny Beet, showed us how to make a few classic condiments with some unexpected twists. Some highlights were a smoky barbecue sauce and a spicy-yet-sweet mango habanero hot sauce. This spicy ketchup, however, was my by far my most favorite.
I was fortunate enough to snatch a few jars to bring home when class ended, and since I've been putting ketchup on anything and everything I can. We've played around with bacon wrapped asparagus a few times in this house-- on the grill, in the oven, and here on the stove top. The secret, it seems, is not touching the damn things while they cook. These turned out pretty great. The perfect vehicle for my new favorite condiment.
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
What it's Made of:
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
- 1 lb thick bacon, one slice per asparagus stalk
- Add lemon juice to a decent sized pot of water. Bring to a boil and quickly submerge each asparagus stalk for 1 minute, dunking in ice water immediately after
- Drain asparagus on paper towels, then carefully wrap with bacon
- Arrange on a cast-iron skillet, and place over medium-high heat
- Cover and cook for about five minutes, carefully turn to cook the other side of bacon
- Drain on paper towels. Serve with spicy ketchup!
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 5 Fresno chiles, seeded and minced
- 1 ancho chile, seeded and minced
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups water
- Heat a 2 qt saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic and a palmful of salt and cook until the onion is translucent--about two mins.
- Add the chiles and red pepper flakes and cook for another two minutes
- Add brown sugar, cumin seeds, cinnamon, tomato paste and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, let go for about ten minutes
- Stir in the water and continue to simmer for about two hours, stirring occasionally
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for about fifteen minutes
- Remove the cinnamon stick, transfer to a blender and puree (or do it right in the pot with a wand. I've said it once and I'll say it again--this thing is life-changing!)
- Pour into airtight containers and store in the fridge. Should last up to two weeks, but you'll probably consume it all well before then ;-)
1 comments
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