Healthy Holiday Series: Asparagus with Dried Cherries & Maytag Blue Cheese

I am anything but traditional when it comes to vegetables on Thanksgiving. I am not a green bean casserole or candied carrot gal, but I have to make those items for my family because it is tradition. For those at my table with a healthier more adventurous palate, I usually have a few new recipes each year. While this recipe is not completely 100% healthy, not food is, instead it is about balance.

Ingredients

2 Bunches of thin asparagus
1 cup dried cherries
½ cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, basil, rosemary, whatever you like)
2 tbsp white wine or chicken stock
¾ cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese (used to finish the dish)


Instructions:

1) Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.

2) Trim ends off of the asparagus and drop into the boiling water

3) Let boil for 5-7 minutes. Until bright green.

4) Prepare an ice bath of cold water and ice cubes in a bowl or container to place the cooked asparagus in once they are cooked. You will shock the asparagus so they do not keep cooking or turn army green.

5) In a small sauce pan on medium heat add the cider vinegar and cherries. Reduce them down so most of the liquid is absorbed.

6) In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil on low to medium heat, then add the garlic. Sweat down the garlic and add the white wine to deglaze the garlic and prevent it from burning.

7) Add the chilled asparagus , cherry mixture and toss, herbs, salt and pepper. You can add additional white wine or stock if the mixture gets too dry. You want to coat the asparagus with the garlic and cherries.

8) Place the warm asparagus on a serving platter or bowl and sprinkle the blue cheese on top.