One of my all-time favorite appetizers and perfect for the Super Bowl
Ingredients:
- 20 -25 small asparagus spears
- 4 slices thin-cut bacon
- 1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Sea Salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a sheet pan with foil and place a wire rack on top.
Spray the rack with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and brown sugar. Set aside.
Wash asparagus and remove tough stems. Bunch together 5-6 asparagus spears and tightly wrap a piece of bacon around the bundle. Place on the wire rack seam-side down and repeat. Using a spoon or even your hands, brush the spears thoroughly with the oil/sugar.
Sprinkle with salt. Roast 20 – 25 minutes or until bacon is crisp – turn bundles every 5 minutes to crisp bacon on all sides.
NOTE: thin bacon works better than thick with this recipe if you want the bacon to be crisp but don’t want to burn asparagus. Serve plain or with balsamic dunking sauce.
Balsamic Dunking Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (doesn’t have to be expensive brand)
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp olive oil
Directions:
Combine vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; stir frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve with blanketed asparagus.
