Asparagus with Orange-Date Vinaigrette

If I had known so many of the people at Seder were asparagus fans, I wouldn't have gone to this much trouble.  Instead of 10 minutes to make a dressing, I would have spent 5 minutes on a basic salt-pepper-olive oil roast.  Whatever.  I didn't buy anything extra for the dressing.  Really, I was looking for something to do with the extra oranges on the tree.

I would use this dressing on any salad, especially one with a tangy green like arugula or something sturdy like spinach.  It's sweet, as you would expect from oranges and dates.  You could add more vinegar to balance it if desired.

The photos are of the double recipe I made.  My oranges are also very juicy for how small they are.

1 lb asparagus
*Zest and juice of 1 small orange
*1 Tb date syrup
*2 Tb white wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4-6 pitted dates, sliced or chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 375º.  Wash asparagus and trim or snap off tough bottom ends.  Arrange in an 8x8 casserole dish.

2.  In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, date syrup, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust seasonings and acidity levels.

3.  Pour dressing over asparagus.  Top with date slices.  Cover for the first 15 minutes if you want them lightly steamed, then remove the foil to finish.  If going for a solely roasted texture, leave uncovered and cook about 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness of the stalks.  Toss again in the dressing a little before serving.

Difficulty rating  π