Absurdly Addictive Asparagus

By Deli1

I guess there's a reason Vosges Haut-chocolat Bacon and Chocolate bars are growing in popularity...it just seems that when you add bacon to almost anything, the salty smokiness heightens the other ingredients. Bacon may rule, but its Italian cousin, Pancetta, is also a contender for the crown. Take a garden fresh ingredient like asparagus and pair it with pancetta and you instantly get Snap, Crackle, Crisp all in one bite. There's something about the bite-size pieces of tender crisp asparagus, buttery leeks, crackly pancetta, and delicately crunchy pinenuts that make it somehow hard for me to stop eating this easy to prepare dish. I tried adding Parmigiano Reggiano at the end, but it overpowered the citrus.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces pancetta, cut into 3/8 inch to 1/4 inch dice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed and sliced into 2 inch pieces on the bias
• 1 1/4 cup leek, thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 1-2 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from food52.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large non-stick pan, sauté pancetta, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until crisp and lightly golden.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan. Add asparagus pieces and leek and sauté until asparagus is tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.

Add garlic, lemon and orange zest, toasted pine nuts and parsley and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and salt and serve immediately.