Celebrate the impending arrival of spring with this special asparagus recipe

March, you are a welcome visitor. You bring the promise of warmer, sunny days and the beginnings of spring. Artichokes and asparagus are versatile spring vegetables that can replace or add to the potatoes, turnips, parsnips and beets we’ve been enjoying this winter.

Soon, we’ll be able to dust off our grills and start enjoying quicker dinners — a welcome respite from slow-roasted dinners of winter. This week’s recipe is a perfect side for any grilled meat. Asparagus with Maple Pecans, Shallot and Orange Zest is delicious, simple to make and packs a lot of zesty orange flavor. And it’s topped with maple pecans.

I wrote this recipe for my cookbook, “Social — Holidays & Happy Hours.” This time of year you can find Cara Cara oranges, which are delightfully sweet. But if you happen to make the recipe another time of year, any orange will do. I paired this recipe with a salmon dish, but honestly it would be fantastic with chicken, steak or any seafood. Asparagus makes a lovely side dish, and this recipe is elegant with its many layers of flavor: sautéed shallot, orange, a dash of cayenne and the sweet maple pecans. It’s hard to stay out of the maple pecans while making the rest of the side dish. Sometimes the answer to that is doubling the recipe for the maple pecans so you can have some for snacking.

I hope your taste buds are ready for a seasonal change. I know mine sure were. This week’s recipe is the perfect way to start transitioning into spring.

Asparagus with Maple Pecans, Shallot and Orange Zest

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Kosher salt

2 medium-sized shallots, finely chopped

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/3 cup freshly squeezed Cara Cara orange juice (or regular orange)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon gluten-free flour (or regular flour)

2 pounds asparagus spears, stems broken off

In a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, toast pecans while stirring until you can smell the toastiness, about 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in 1 tablespoon butter, maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Return pan to heat and stir constantly, cook until nuts have absorbed the butter and syrup. Place nuts onto a plate for later use. Try to resist snacking on the maple nuts, or make extra.

Clean the skillet. Over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and add shallot, orange zest, orange juice, cayenne pepper and cook until shallots are soft. Add flour to thicken, stirring to incorporate. Add asparagus spears and cover the pan to let them steam for 3-5 minutes, or until al dente. Let sauce continue to cook until thickened, a few more minutes. Serve with maple pecans on top.

“Social — Holidays & Happy Hours”

This story was originally published March 2, 2021 at 1:36 PM.