Now that it looks like spring may make an appearance this year after all, it’s time to tuck into the season’s best vegetable, asparagus. This recipe from Lynn Crawford’s Farm to Chef: Cooking Through the Seasons is simple, but it is colourful, tasty and lets the flavour of the asparagus shine through. Chef’s note: If you don’t want to grill the spring spears, roast them in a 425 F (218 C) oven for 10-15 minutes.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Everything in this recipe is additive-free.

Toss asparagus with oil, salt and pepper

Mix topping ingredients together

Grill or roast asparagus until tender and starting to brown

Grilled asparagus with cherry tomato topping

Ingredients:

Asparagus

1 ½ lbs (675 g) asparagus, trimmed

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Topping

1 ½ cups (375 ml) tri-coloured cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

3 large basil leaves, torn

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Preparation:

Toss asparagus with oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and grill until fork-tender and nicely charred.

Toss together tomatoes, oil, basil and red pepper flakes until well mixed.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow flavours to meld.

Top asparagus with cherry tomato mixture and serve. Serves 6.

From Farm to Chef: Cooking Through the Seasons