Roasted Tomato and Asparagus with Bacon
Asparagus and tomatoes are both delicious vegetables, but in my part of the world they arrive at different times in the season. Local asparagus is best in spring and tomatoes really shine in late summer. That’s not to say that you can’t use them off season but I prefer each when they are at their height of perfection. However, I find that smaller tomatoes, the ones grown in greenhouses, be it of the cherry or grape variety, have the best flavour year round. Especially when you roast them and concentrate all their natural sweetness. Which is exactly what we are doing in this recipe.
Roasted cherry tomatoes get jammy and make a stellar base for some tender-crisp blanched asparagus. Top both with some crispy bacon bits and Dijon-Mayonnaise and you have an impressive side dish that is both easy and impressive. All the components can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge separately. Which makes it super easy to transport to any potluck, picnic or backyard barbecue.
PrintRoasted Tomato and Asparagus with Bacon
- Yield: 6 as a side dish
Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 375°F
680g (1 ½ lbs) grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon ground coriander
680g (1 ½ lbs) asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
5 slices bacon, cut into ¼” strips
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Instructions
1. Toss the grape tomatoes with the olive oil and ground coriander and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes have deflated and started to burst. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely. Transfer to a container and cover, store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
2. In the meantime place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the asparagus and bring back to a simmer. Cook the asparagus for 3 minutes until tender-crisp. Transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the asparagus. Transfer to a container and store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
3. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the bacon strips along with a tablespoon of water. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally until the bacon is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel. Store in a container in the fridge until ready to serve.
4. Stir together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and granulated sugar. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
5. To assemble. Pour the tomatoes out onto a large platter and distribute them evenly over the bottom. Top with the asparagus and then scatter the bacon over the top. Dollop theDijon-Mayonnaise over the top.
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