Return to Recipe List Asparagus with Spanish cured ham Espárragos trigueros con jamón

Photography by Pablo de Loy

Tip:
If you can only find thick stalks of asparagus, don’t worry. All you need to do is blanch them for a few minutes in boiling water before wrapping them with the ham to ensure they cook evenly in the skillet.

“Simple ingredients treated with respect,” is my recipe for a perfect dish. Be sure to use the freshest asparagus you can find and this easy tapa will surely impress your friends and family.

Yield: 4 servings

Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
20 thin stalks asparagus
4 slices jamón Serrano (Spanish cured ham)

Brush a large skillet or flat griddle with a little olive oil and heat over medium heat.

Divide the asparagus into 4 bundles of 5 stalks. Wrap each bundle with a slice of ham.

Place the bundles in the skillet. Cook the asparagus on each side until they caramelize slighty and the ham becomes crispy, 5-8 minutes. Note: Be careful not to let the bundles over cook. You want the asparagus to stay crisp and for the ham not to burn.