RECIPE: Ginger Honey Ham Wrapped Asparagus

What is sweet, salty and healthy for you? Yep, my Ginger Honey Ham Wrapped Asparagus! Asparagus are hardy vegetables that are usually in season in the early spring/summer around April through July. They come about 6-8 inches in length and have tender tips and strong, chewy stalks. You usually cut the bottoms off and eat from the tip down. Asparagus can last a good while in your fridge and can be baked, grilled, roasted, cut into pieces or left whole.

Ingredients:

1-2 dozen fresh asparagus stalks
1/2 to 1 lb of thin-sliced Black Forest Ham (*I like Boar's Head or Hilshire Deli Select.)
dribble of Honey
grated fresh ginger root
olive oil (extra-virgin)

Seasonings:

parsley (to taste)
chives (to taste; I LOVE these)
ground black pepper (to taste)
chicken bullion (tiny bit to taste)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Wash asparagus stalks by scrubbing them with a brush. (*This recipe pictured uses 12 asparagus.)

3) In the aluminum foil pan, spread out some aluminum foil. Coat it generously with olive oil.

4) Spread the asparagus stalks onto the pan.

5) Wrap each asparagus stalk with a slice of Black Forest Ham. (*Notice how my ham does not cover the entire asparagus stalk. This makes the overall dish less salty.)

6) Lightly drizzle the honey over the asparagus stalks.

7) Grate some of the ginger root over the asparagus stalks. (*Be sure to peel the skin from the ginger root first.)


Place into the oven uncovered for 30 minutes; Stick the bottom of the stalks with a pitchfork. The pitchfork should move evenly through the stalks without much effort. If not, cook for another 5 minutes. If the asparagus stalks have shriveled up, take them out immediately.

*Serve them on a pretty platter with my Roasted Baby Red Potatoes and you are DONE!