Vegan Grilled Asparagus with Spring Onion-Radish Butter

Yield: 4 servings (you’ll have a bit of extra butter)

A gift of garden fresh asparagus from my husband’s colleague, Freddie Stant, inspired this dish.  Be prepared for a new late spring favorite!

I knew I wanted to grill the asparagus and I knew I wanted something special on top, but that special something eluded me until I thought of the simplest and most elegant appetizer:  radishes spread with fresh creamy butter and a garnish of sea salt.  Perfect!

I simply mashed the vegan butter with the back of a fork and folded in finely diced radish and thinly sliced spring onion.  Because the butter I use is already salted, I went easy on the sea salt.  Then I dolloped the butter-vegetable mixture on the warm asparagus, allowing it to just barely start to melt.

Oh my goodness, this dish is amazing!

Vegan Spring Onion-Radish Butter:

1/4 cup vegan butter (I like Earth Balance), if too firm to mash, allow to warm slightly at room temperature

1/4 cup thinly sliced spring onion

1/3 cup thinly sliced and then diced radish (about 3)

Grilled Asparagus:

1 pound of asparagus, rinsed, drained and trimmed

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Sea salt (consider hand-grated pink Himalayan salt for the garnish)

Optional veggie garnish: 1 plump radish

In a medium-size bowl, mash butter with the back of a fork and gently fold in onion and radish until well combined.  Set aside.  Spray a seasoned grill pan with non-stick spray–or brush with olive oil–and preheat over medium-high.  In a large bowl or shallow pan, toss asparagus with olive oil and season lightly with sea salt.  Grill asparagus in one layer for approximately 8 minutes on each side or until lightly charred and crisp-tender.  Grill in two batches, if necessary, keeping first batch warm in the oven until second batch is finished cooking.  Place asparagus on a serving platter, top with butter mixture, sprinkle lightly with sea salt (hand-grated pink Himalayan salt would be fabulous!), top with optional whole radish, and serve immediately.  Store any leftover butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Note: this brand new recipe isn’t in my just-published cookbook, but there are 150+ similarly fresh, beautiful, and seasonal dishes you and yours will love.

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2 comments

  1. YUM! I made Radish ‘Butter’ (used Earth Balance sticks and Easter Egg radishes from our garden) for the first time this Spring and it was delicious. I’ll have to try your recipe with the addition of spring onions.

  2. I love the name “Easter Egg Radishes”! Please let me know what you think of the addition of spring onions and asparagus. I wish I had saved some for tonight’s dinner!

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