Asparagus with Red Pepper Sauce

I’ve been teaching myself to appreciate bell peppers. One step at a time. =) I never liked bell peppers, but I wouldn’t mind them in a dish. I will use them in a dish but I will eat everything but the pepper (capsicum). These days, I’m incorporating peppers into my dish whenever I can. And yes, I’ve been eating them. Mommy will be proud of me! =)

This was one of the dish I made for my Tapas party. I love the contrast colors from the green asparagus and the red (orang-y) bell pepper. I separated the asparagus from the sauce so that it will look less messy. My guests will also have the option to eat the asparagus with or without the sauce.

This recipe is adapted from HERE. I made some changes to it, mostly in terms of reducing the sauce proportions. I did not want to drown the asparagus in too much sauce. =) This is quite easy to make and the sauce can definitely be made in advance! That will give you one less thing to make on the day of your party! =)

ASRAPAGUS WITH RED PEPPER SAUCE RECIPE

Ingredients:

Part A (Roasted Asparagus)

• 1 Lb Asparagus, Ends Trimmed
• 1-1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Part B (Red Pepper Sauce)

• 1 Red Bell Pepper, Deseeded & Chopped
• 2-3 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp Chopped Basil /Parsley
• Salt & Pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a glass pan,drizzle asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast asparagus for about 15-20 minutes until asparagus are tender.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Sautee garlic and red bell pepper until peppers softened. Once peppers are soft, turn off heat and let it cool. Empty entire mixture from the pan into a blender. Add red wine vinegar and basil (or parsley). Puree until mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the red pepper sauce with the roasted asparagus.