Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Olives and Parmesan is a stunning springtime dish inspired by French Master Chef Alain Ducasse. It shines in its simplicity — just a handful of choice ingredients: asparagus, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, olives, and Parmesan. Serve it over organic brown rice noodles for a fabulous gluten-free meal, or skip the noodles entirely for an elegant low-carb side dish. As Chef Ducasse reminds us, you cannot cook well without good ingredients — so choose the freshest asparagus, the highest quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Ingredients

For the Asparagus

• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, fibrous ends trimmed
• About 2 tbsp good quality olive oil, for roasting
• Salt, to taste

For the Balsamic & Olive Glaze

• About 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• A generous handful of pitted Kalamata olives (or Taggiasche / Niçoise olives), halved lengthwise

To Serve

• Brown rice noodles, cooked (optional — omit for a low-carb side dish)
• Olive oil and salt and pepper, to toss with the noodles
• Shaved or sharded Parmesan (authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano), to finish
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Prepare the asparagus: Trim off the fibrous part of each stem. Cut the tips into 3-inch lengths. Cut the remaining stalks in half lengthwise, so that all pieces will cook evenly.
• Pan-roast the asparagus: Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a stainless-steel (not non-stick) sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, season with salt, and cook, turning occasionally, until the asparagus is tender and starting to brown in spots. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Prepare the noodles (optional): Toss cooked brown rice noodles with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the noodles in a serving bowl as your base. Skip this step if serving as a low-carb side dish.
• Make the balsamic & olive glaze: To the same sauté pan, add about 5 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and the pitted olives, halved lengthwise. Deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom with a spatula. Let the vinegar reduce slightly into a glossy glaze.
• Compose the dish: Arrange the pan-roasted asparagus over the noodles (or directly on the plate for the low-carb version). Pour the balsamic reduction and olives generously over the asparagus. Finish with shards of Parmesan and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Recipe - Lori Lynn,