Pancetta-Wrapped Asparagus with Citronette

By mirelsonp

Contributed by Mario Batali to Food and Wine

In Mario Batali's riff on the traditional antipasto of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, he wraps spears in pancetta (which, unlike prosciutto, becomes nicely crispy when cooked) and grills them. Adding a bit of tanginess is the citronette, a marvelously bright-tasting mustardy-orange dressing.
From Cocktail Party Planning Tactics, Mario Batali’s Italian Grilling

Ingredients

• 2 pounds medium asparagus
• 1/2 pound very thinly sliced pancetta
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 30mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Tightly wrap each asparagus spear in a slice of pancetta and refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
2. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a small bowl, stir the orange zest and juice with the mustard and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill the asparagus over moderate heat, turning often, until they are just tender and the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the asparagus to a platter and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with the thyme and serve.

Make Ahead The uncooked pancetta-wrapped asparagus can be covered and refrigerated overnight.

From Cocktail Party Planning Tactics, Mario Batali’s Italian Grilling