I hope all of you are recovering from your turkey comas and excess family time. Its weird how a 4 day vacation that revolves around eating can make you feel like you need a vacation after your vacation (or at least a gym membership). I had a wonderful weekend of eating, skiing and relaxing (and cooking) with Jake and friends. This recipe is one of my favorites from Food52 – which is literally one of the best cooking websites I’ve ever been to. You really can’t go wrong with pancetta, leeks and asparagus… So enjoy this Absurdly Addictive Asparagus recipe that is super simple and a guaranteed crowed pleaser (for your next holiday gathering) or a quick fix on any night! Enjoy!

Absurdly Addictive Asparagus (Click for Printer friendly version)

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
• 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

First, chop pancetta, asparagus, and leeks and set aside. In a large non-stick pan, saute pancetta, stirring frequently until golden brown and slightly crispy.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan. Add asparagus pieces and leeks and saute until asparagus becomes tender, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, lemon and orange zest, toasted pine nuts and parsley and saute another 1-2 minutes until fragrant and asparagus has reached desired tenderness. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. This dish can be served along side just about anything! The citrus flavors of this dish work perfectly with a simple linguine with shrimp and lemon oil recipe that I love!

A French baguette to push it all onto your fork does the trick!