Ingredients
- 2 (12 ounce) packages asparagus, bottoms trimmed
- 1 lemon, halved
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, whisked with a tablespoon of water
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- Canola or vegetable oil, for shallow frying
- Pinch paprika
- Lemony Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 1 tablespoon, heaping, minced sun-dried tomatoes
Preparation
Step 1
Place a medium-large pot of water over high heat, and add a good amount of salt so that it tastes like sea water; squeeze in the lemon and stir to combine, and bring to the boil.
Once the water boils, add in the asparagus, and blanch them for about 30 seconds – 1 minutes; remove from water and plunge into an ice water bath to shock the asparagus and stop if from further cooking, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Prepare your breading area by getting your flour ready in one bowl or container, your whisked eggs in another, and the panko breadcrumbs combined with the parmesan in another.
Dip the asparagus spears into the flour to coat, then into the eggs, then into the panko-parmesan mixture to coat; set aside on a large platter, and repeat until all are coated.
Heat enough oil in a large skillet or pan to generously cover the bottom (enough for shallow frying), and once hot, begin adding batches of the coated asparagus spears and fry, turning them once, until golden-brown and crisp; drain on wire racks, and repeat with all coated asparagus; sprinkle with a bit of paprika to finish.
Lemony Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli:
Add all of the ingredients into a bowl, and whisk until smooth and well blended; serve immediately, or keep in a covered container in the fridge until ready to serve.