Weather: -2 degrees, which I hear is warmer than a great many readers in the Lower 48 this week
What I’m listening to: All I Want, Kodaline
If you live in Alaska, chances are that your car is dirty most of the time. It’s one of those realities of Alaska life that nobody ever talks about because we’re just so accustomed to it. If it’s not snow and slush and ice then it’s mud and dust and dirt. Let’s just call it rugged. There are times of the year that it doesn’t even make sense to get your car washed because it will just get dirty again the moment you get back onto the road. I’m sure that this is one of the many reasons that there are very few sports cars and luxury cars on the roads here. Instead, this is the land of trucks, SUVS, Jeeps, and Subarus. 4 wheel drive all the way, baby. Snow tires in the winter, too.
That’s just how we roll.
Yesterday, we went through the car wash. The weather had cleared up, the roads were especially clean for February in Alaska, and our Subaru was in dire need of some tender loving care. But, it was a few degrees below zero outside at the time. As soon as we pulled out of the wash bay, all the water on the car froze into a thin sheet of ice. By the time we got to our next stop, the doors were frozen shut. With some cajoling, we were able to get the doors open – with a loud crick, crack, crunch sound – but there was no opening the hatchback. It was just not going to happen. When I was done with my shopping at the supermarket, I loaded the bags into the back seat instead because I couldn’t open the hatch. It wasn’t until we got the car home and into the warm garage to let it thaw a bit before it would open again. We can add frozen doors to the list of reasons why Alaskans always have dirty vehicles.
This is the inevitable part of this post when I try to make a smooth segue from discussing Alaska’s dirty car situation to talking about this fancy little asparagus appetizer. There’s just no smooth segue for this, folks, I gotta say. Dirty cars… asparagus. No can do. They have absolutely nothing to do with one another. Just being real.
But this two-ingredient method of preparing asparagus is fantastically simple and amazingly tasty. Fresh asparagus spears, Prosciutto, and a hot pan. That’s all you need. Pick these salty, crispy babies up and eat them with your fingers. Bet you can’t eat just one. I ate about 101. Ok, probably not quite that many.
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
A fancy and delicious appetizer of tender-crisp asparagus wrapped in salty prosciutto that comes together in only ten minutes and requires only two ingredients.
Yields: 1 pound asparagus
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, woody ends snapped off
- 12 slices prosciutto, cut in half length-wise
Beginning at the top of each asparagus spear (just under the tip), wrap with prosciutto on a downward spiral.
Place a skillet over medium-high heat and swirl the pan with a little extra-virgin olive oil.
Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, place the wrapped asparagus spears in the hot pan and cook until prosciutto is crisp and browned and asparagus is tender-crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove asparagus to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain while you cook the remaining spears. Serve promptly while hot.