Pan-roasted asparagus

Now that asparagus has become a year-round vegetable, coming from New Jersey and then Quebec in spring, and Mexico and Peru the rest of the year, you may need some variations on your asparagus cooking. This recipe comes from In a Pinch (Whitecap, $29.95), a good-looking cookbook by Caren McSherry, who runs the Vancouver kitchen shop Gourmet Warehouse and a cooking school. She said she believes that roasting or frying are best for bringing out the flavour of the asparagus. Some cooks peel their asparagus; Caren confesses she never bothers to peel the spears. RECIPE Pan-roasted asparagus Serves 4. This dish goes well with roasted chops or fish filets or with cold meat. 500 g fresh asparagus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Grey or coarse salt Freshly ground pepper (McSherry likes to blend equal amounts of peppercorns of different colours (black, white, green and pink) plus allspice. Fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 400 F. Snap off tough stumps of asparagus spears. Place asparagus in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast asparagus for about 10 minutes, depending on thickness, shaking the pan halfway through; do not overcook. Remove from pan to a warmed serving platter, drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with cheese.