By Spring cleaning and spring cooking — these always happen together in my kitchen, the clearing out and the restocking, the last of the winter soups making way for the first of the spring things. I found three jars of last summer's tomato preserves in the back of the pantry, which is a gift — discovering summer in March, opening a jar and having July on your plate in the middle of winter's last week. I ate them on toast with sharp cheddar and was briefly, completely happy.
Caleb is seven months old. He is moving toward crawling with the same methodical determination his father had as a baby — not rushed, just certain, testing each position until he finds the one that works. CJ told me this on Saturday and I said, exactly like you. He said, how do you remember that? I said, I remember everything about when you were small. He said, that is somehow both sweet and slightly frightening. I said, yes. That's parenting. He was quiet for a moment and then said, I understand that now. I said, I know.
The sixth anniversary is almost a month away. I have been making something. I am not sure yet what it is — a document, a letter, an account of who Marcus was that I can give to Caleb when he is old enough to receive it. Not a eulogy. Something more alive than that. Something that captures the way he laughed, the way he mispronounced certain words his whole life, the way he sat in the garage on Sunday evenings with a small radio. The way he would cry quietly at things that were beautiful — a sunset, a good hymn, his newborn children. The things you can't get from a photograph. I have started it. I am going to finish it before April ninth.
After eating those tomato preserves on toast — that small, perfect joy of summer discovered in the back of a winter pantry — I wanted the rest of the meal to match that feeling: honest, unfussy, and quietly seasonal. Asparagus is the first real green thing that feels like spring has made a promise it intends to keep, and roasting it is the least you have to do to make it extraordinary. It felt right to eat something so alive and simple while I was sitting with all that I’ve been carrying — the writing I’ve started, the anniversary coming, Caleb moving toward crawling with his father’s same unhurried certainty.
Oven-Roasted Asparagus
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Prepare the asparagus. Wash and dry the asparagus spears thoroughly. Snap or trim off the woody bottom ends — about 1 to 2 inches — and discard them.
- Season. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter the minced garlic over the top. Season with salt and pepper, then toss gently to coat evenly, keeping the spears in a single layer.
- Roast. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until the spears are tender and the tips are lightly browned and slightly crisp. Thinner spears will need closer to 10 to 12 minutes; thicker spears may need the full 15.
- Finish and serve. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with lemon zest. Top with Parmesan if using. Transfer to a serving plate and serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 90 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 220mg