Grilled Asparagus with Spring Onion-Radish "Butter"

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 butter (vegan buttery spread, in this case) and a garnish of sea salt. Oh my goodness, this dish is amazing! Recipe and photo contributed by Betsy DiJulio; adapted from The Blooming Platter.

Serves: 4 to 6

Spring Onion-Radish "Butter:"

• ¼ cup vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)—if too firm to mash,
  allow to warm slightly at room temperature
• ¼ cup thinly sliced spring onion
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced and then diced radish (about 3)

Grilled asparagus:

• 1 pound of asparagus, rinsed, drained and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon 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.

Betsy DiJulio is a longtime vegan and food journalist. An exhibiting artist and board-certified art instructor, she enjoys food styling and photography. Betsy blogs about her vegan delights at TheBloomingPlatter.com. 

• Find more recipes for grilling in VegKitchen’s The Vegan Barbecue.
• Find more ways to make Special Occasions and Entertaining easier and healthier.