Crispy Baked Asparagus with Lime Aioli Dip

When visiting  farmers market you will not only get the freshly picked vegetables of the season but you can also learn a recipe or two from the vendors! Here's one of them ..... 

Ontario's sweet asparagus are still in season {and the price is really good!}. Instead of my usual grilled or steamed asparagus with lemon-herb butter recipe, I tried this delicious {I have to warn you it can be addictive!} baked, crispy asparagus recipe I learned from a farmer/vendor.

She did not give me the exact measurement of the ingredients so I just made my own. For this batch, I used:

A bushel of fresh asparagus {hard ends removed}
3 tablespoons corn starch
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon ground black or white pepper

Here's how I did it:

In a large Ziploc bag, toss the asparagus in corn starch

Whisk the eggs in a large baking dish {enough space to  dip the asparagus lengthwise}

In large plate, mix the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and ground pepper.

Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking oil or coat baking sheet with olive oil

Dip the asparagus in the egg then into the breadcrumbs/cheese mixture. Make sure it is well coated 

Place coated asparagus on the cooking sheet side by side

Baked at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, remove from oven and flip the asparagus over then continue baking for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.

While baking the asparagus,  I thought I can add another layer of flavour by making a Lime Aioli dip. Easily done by mixing 3/4 cup mayonnaise, zest of 1 medium lime, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 clove of finely chopped garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

This appetizer is best served right after taking the asparagus from the oven. It is crispy, tasty and when dipped with aioli, the freshness and tanginess of the lime will balance the saltiness of the Parmesan cheese. 

Simply delicious!

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