Hot Apps: Prosciutto And Asparagus Rolls
For those with food commitment issues, there is Graze. It's a colorful collection of vibrant "not quite a meal, more than a snack" dishes from renowned recipe developer and food stylist Suzanne Lenzer. Whether you're looking for a late night nosh or light lunch-ish-type-meal, there's plenty of options in here for you. Get a dose of extra-tasty protein and green vegetables with these prosciutto and asparagus rolls.
Grazing is all about tasting lots of things but not committing to a single one. It's the opposite of meal monogamy, the antithesis of boredom at the table. When you graze, you skip from dish to dish, bending the rules of convention like a culinary contortionist. Instead of saying, "Tonight I'll have a salad," you flirt first with that dish of briny Cerignola olives to your left, mingle shamelessly with that come-hither-looking bowl of artichokes on your right, and make an absolute spectacle of yourself with the wild mushroom crostini across the way. You scan the table looking for your next conquest, and then you set your sights on barely blanched asparagus spears and baby arugula, dressed with olive oil and lemon and rolled up in velum-thin layers of prosciutto. An Italian-inspired twist on negimaki, these are one of my most reliable kitchen tricks—equal parts easy, impressive, and irresistible.
- sea salt
- 1 pound pencil-thin asparagus
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 handfuls baby or wild arugula
- 16 thin slices prosciutto (about 1/2 pound)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the asparagus to the pot and cook until bright green and just tender, about 3 minutes depending on thickness. Drain the asparagus and run immediately under cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, and about half the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add the arugula and asparagus spears to the bowl and toss gently to coat, being careful not to snap the asparagus. Taste and add a bit more lemon juice if necessary.
- On a large cutting board or work surface, arrange 4 slices of prosciutto vertically and slightly overlapping to form a 6" × 8" rectangle. Lay one-quarter of the dressed arugula and asparagus horizontally across the prosciutto on the end closest to you. Tightly roll up the prosciutto as you would a jelly roll, being sure to keep the vegetables evenly distributed.
- Cut the rolls on the bias into eight pieces and repeat with the remaining ingredients.