Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus is a spring time vegetable. We love its tender succulent tips. You can boil them, steam them or bake them. My preferred way to cook asparagus is baking these beautiful long stems. It cooks very quickly and does not need much cleaning or preparation so its an ideal candidate for a quick meal or a busy night.
Here is how I like to cook it:

Ingredients

Asparagus                                     1 lbs
Garlic                                            2 cloves finely grated
Butter                                            1 tbsp
Olive oil                                         2-3 tbsp
Sea salt                                          1/2 tsp
Freshly ground black pepper          1/2 tsp
Crushed red chilli flakes                  1/2 tsp
Thyme                                           1 tsp chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven at 400 degrees.
2. Wash asparagus thoroughly and snap the bottom ends around 1 inch.
3. Make your compound butter by mixing the grated garlic, butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, crushed red chilli and thyme.
4. Arrange asparagus on the baking sheet in single layer and brush the butter mixture on top. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top.
5. Bake in the oven for around 20-25 mins. It should be crisp not mushy when ready.
6. Serve as a side with steak, baked chicken or fish.