This is the only way I make asparagus anymore. Why mess with perfection? I broil them, but with the oven door closed. So don’t tell me they’re really roasted and not broiled. It works for me, so I’m not going to mess with it.
Put the oven rack about 6″ from the top, which is the second level on my oven, and set it to broil, about 450 degrees.
1-1/2 pounds asparagus (about two bundles)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 Tablespoons Good Seasons original dry Italian dressing mix (comes in the little envelopes)
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Prep your asparagus in whatever manner you choose. I hold a spear in the middle with one hand, hold the fat end in the other, and bend the stalk until it snaps. Then I discard the fat end. Other people like to line their spears up like little soldiers and trim off the bottom so they’re all the same length. Whatever works for you. I don’t peel my asparagus, other people like to. If you’re going to peel yours, start at just below the tip, and slide the potato peeler down toward the fat end so you don’t mangle the tip.
I wash and dry the asparagus and put them on a jelly roll pan, or anything with a lip so the little suckers can’t just roll off.
Drizzle the olive oil over the asparagus, sprinkle on the salad dressing mix, then toss and roll them around until they’re evenly coated. Spread them out in a single layer and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top. You can use more cheese if you want; it’s not rocket science.
Then I stick them in the oven and cook until the tips are getting a little charred, about 20 minutes. I don’t worry about getting the timing right when I’m fixing a big dinner. When they’re done I just put them on a serving platter. When it’s time for dinner to hit the table, I cover them with plastic wrap and pop them in the microwave for a minute or two to get them nice and hot again. I actually think they come out a little more tender what with the sitting around and heating back up again, so don’t stress trying to get them out of the oven at just the right time to serve them.
