A Whole New Way to Eat Asparagus!

My mom pulled off another successful Diwali / Thanksgiving dinner party with the help of her awesome and foodie expert daughter (me). We started a day early and finished just in time to serve our guests and enjoy the party as well. We made some our favorites (including the ever popular Asparagus Twists) and fusion dishes which turned out pretty well. I just wish I had more time to decorate the plate with these twists rather than stacking them the way I did. Alas, there's always next year...

These twists are a great way to enjoy asparagus. They are crispy, crunchy and if you add some seasoning, it helps add a bit more flavor. I borrowed the recipe from this Appetizers book I had and been trying to spice it up every year with the addition of new ingredients. 

This recipe must be a best kept secret because every year, more and more people are ask me about it. You have to try the recipe; if made correctly, you won't be disappointed! 

Ingredients:

- 16 Fresh Asparagus spears, chop off ends and blanch

- One pkt of Frozen Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (each pkg has 2 sheets)

- 1 egg, beaten 

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a work surface. When it is thawed, brush it lightly with the egg and cut into 1.5cm (or 5/8") strips. Secure to one end of a blanched fresh asparagus spear. 

Wrap around and down the asparagus. Brush the end of the pastry with the egg and secure to the other end of the asparagus. Place the twisted spears on a lightly greased baking tray and bake them for 10-15 minutes or until puffed and golden. 

***Quick Tip: I made my own seasoning with the following ingredients to sprinkle on top of the pastry covered spears: shredded Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, chili powder and salt. However, I couldn't really taste the seasoning when I tried one of them. 

My recommendation is: 

- Lightly coat the blanched asparagus spears with some olive oil. Then roll or sprinkle the seasoning on the spears before they are twisted with the puff pastry sheet strips.  

- Other seasonings you can try are Madras Rasam powder, Vangibhath powder, or Sambhar powder.