Roasted Asparagus with Sesame Vinaigrette
This recipe comes from The Seattle Times and A Spoonful of Ginger: Irresistible Health-Giving Recipes from Asian Kitchens by Nina Simonds. It’s a wonderful complement to this week’s pad thai recipe and serves 4.

Ingredients
1 pound asparagus
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt

Sesame vingaigrette:
½ Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon sugar or honey

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Snap the ends from the asparagus and rinse well to remove any dirt and grit. Pat dry with paper towels. Spread in shallow baking pan.
2. Combine the sesame and olive oils. Drizzle over the asparagus and sprinkle lightly with salt. Shake pan lightly to coat asparagus. Roast 10-12 minutes, or until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. Shake pan once during cooking time.
3. In a small jar, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Chose jar and shake well to combine.
4. Serve the aspararus warm, at room temperature, or cold with the sesame vinaigrette drizzled over the top.