Oven Roasted Asparagus

From the Vancouver Province:

Oven Roasted Asparagus
Serves 4

This is an easy and elegant way to serve fresh peak of the season BC asparagus. The asparagus gets a slightly nutty flavor when you roast it.

Finish it off with a drizzle of Vancouver Island's Venturi-Schulze Balsamic Vinegar for a delicious side dish.

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut off the woody bottom part of the asparagus spears and discard.

For even more tender asparagus, with a vegetable peeler, peel off the skin on the bottom 2-3 inches of the spears

Place asparagus baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle with salt.

With your hands, roll the asparagus around until they are evenly coated with oil and salt.

Roast for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your stalks and how tender you like them.

They should be tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.

The tips of the spears will get very brown but keep an eye on them, you don't want them to burn

Remove the asparagus from the oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar to finish.