I had a little staycation in Los Angeles last week where I caught up with family and friend – including a girls’ night out, some culture at the Getty Center, and perfecting my recipe for a Strawberry Moscow Mule.
One of my favorite creations that came out of the weekend was this charred asparagus recipe. One of the great culinary truths (according to me) is that like bacon, burrata makes anything better — so it’s kind of hard to go wrong anytime burrata is involved.
If I do say so, this Charred Asparagus Mint Pistachio Gremolata Recipe is a particularly delicious appetizer. You can serve it deconstructed on a platter or on top of crostini, but the combination of charred asparagus, creamy burrata, fresh mint gremolata, and lemon olive oil screams spring!
Go stock up on all your cooking essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
Charred Asparagus Mint Pistachio Gremolata Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus spears woody ends trimmed and discarded
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons roasted, salted shelled pistachios or pine nuts
- 12 (1/4 inch) slices ciabatta bread toasted
- 2 teaspoons loosely packed lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove grated or pressed
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves roughly torn or cut with sharp scissors
- 8 ounces fresh burrata cheese
- Sea salt for garnish
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast The Pistachios: Bring a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, brush the asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Meanwhile, toast the pistachios in a 350°F oven or in a small frying pan over medium heat until dark brown but not burned, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Toast The Crostini: Brush the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil then grill the bread in the grill pan or toast it until golden brown, about 5 minutes total.
- Grill The Asparagus: Add the asparagus to the grill and briefly cook, turning rarely, until charred on the outside and just knife tender (exact timing depends on the thickness of your asparagus) but about 3 minutes for thin asparagus. Set the asparagus aside to cool briefly and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Make The Gremolata: Meanwhile, combine chop the pistachios (not necessary if using pine nuts) then combine stir together with the lemon zest, and garlic. Gently stir in the mint, drizzle with a bit of oil and set aside.
- Serve: Place charred asparagus on a plate with burrata, scatter gremolata over the top, drizzle with olive oil and a dash of salt and serve.
