Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
- 1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb asparagus stalks, trimmed
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Method:
To make basil-infused olive oil
- Wash and dry the basil leaves on a kitchen towel
- Blend the olive oil with the basil leaves thoroughly
- Gently heat the blended oil in a pan for 5 minutes
- Remove from heat and let it cool
- Strain the oil through a fine mesh stainless steel tea strainer in to a bottle and store
To make roasted asparagus
- Pre-heat oven to 350F
- Toss the asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the basil-infused olive oil, and nice big pinch of salt and black pepper
- Place on a cookie sheet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes (maybe 5 minutes longer if the asparagus is not as tender)
- Remove from oven and use as a side, or toss it with pasta or a salad