Before I forget...

I've been meaning to add this recipe for a while now. I got inspired by a lemony green bean dish that I had at a restaurant a couple weeks back. I decided to use asparagus and add some panko and garlic to give it a little pizazz and it turned out great.

Roasted Asparagus

What you need:
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 C. panko
course sea salt to taste
1 1/2lb of asparagus
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
juice from 1/2 a lemon (take the seeds out before squeezing. no one likes lemon seeds)

What you do:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add half of the minced garlic and cook, stirring often until fragrant. Add the panko and toast, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove and add a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a foil covered roasting pan, lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil. Roll the spears back and forth until covered. Sprinkle with remaining minced garlic, salt and pepper. Roll the asparagus once more to coat evenly.

Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 10-12 minutes, depending on how thick your spears are. The tips should be browned and the spears tender when pierced with a fork. Transfer the asparagus to a serving tray and toss with the lemon juice. Add the panko, toss again and serve.