Grilled Asparagus With Asian Marinade

Is it strange that I'm crazy about marinating? I just love the feeling I get from knowing that the steak or veggies I'll be eating for dinner later is sitting in the fridge soaking up flavor. It's as if I'm working on a delicious present for myself and my family all day long without actually having to do anything.

I decided to try marinating some asparagus in a simple Asian-style sesame-soy-garlic sauce before grilling them last night. And I'm really glad that I did! They were so delicious that the only thing that stopped me from eating more was the fact that they were all gone...

They're also very simple and quick to make which is a huge plus in my book these days since baby Will has recently started walking on his own so we do a lot of chasing after him.

Without further ado, here is the recipe. I think know you're gonna love them.

Grilled Asparagus With Asian Marinade

Serves 4

Ingredients

* 1 lb organic asparagus

* 2 Tbsps sesame oil

* 3 Tbsps soy sauce

* 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

* 1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 2 Tbsps sesame seeds

Directions

1. Wash the asparagus and snap off the woody bases (just bend them about 2/3 of the way down the stalk, they'll snap right where they're supposed to.)

2. In a large, shallow bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and mix well. Add the asparagus and turn to coat. (You can also make the marinade in a small bowl and then add it and the asparagus to a ziplock bag if you prefer but I always feel guilty about throwing out the bag afterwards -- it's pretty hard to wash ziplocks.)

3. Refrigerate for 1-3 hours, turning to make sure all the asparagus get equal access to the marinade. If you don't have time to marinate the asparagus, just toss them all to coat and get on with the grilling -- they'll still be plenty tasty.

4. Preheat the grill, then place asparagus on and cook until nicely browned on both sides, about 2 to 4 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

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• Asparagus With Goat Cheese & Candied Pecans
• Grilled Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil
• Grilled Summer Squash
• Oven Roasted Asparagus With Garlic