I’m not so much a fan of asparagus, even the grilled ones. If I happen to like grilled vegetables, I leaned towards grilling eggplants and tossing them with vinaigrette. But this recipe made me think twice. The tang of the added lemon zest and the thrilling saltiness of the prosciutto turned an otherwise bland recipe into something we can serve to our friends for dinner or lunch.

Asparagus Wrapped In Proscuitto With Lemon

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of large asparagus, washed, tough ends snapped off
• 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
• 1 lemon, zested and cut in half
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Procedure:

1. Wrap each asparagus spear in 1 slice of prosciutto, or 1/2 a slice if the slices are large. Thread spears onto the skewers, with 1 skewer going through the bottom of the asparagus and the other going through the top. Drizzle olive oil over the skewered asparagus, and season with black pepper to taste.
2. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals out evenly over the charcoal grate. Place lemons halves, cut side down, and the asparagus on the grill over high heat. Cook asparagus until tender and prosciutto crisps, about 3-5 minutes per side. Cook lemon halves until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Remove asparagus from the grill. Immediately squeeze the lemon halves over them, and sprinkle with lemon zest. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serve this with some quick-grilling steak or chicken (don’t use too much herbs as it might overpower the green spears) and some classic red wine for that touch of classic elegance only found with a buffed up gastronomic treat.