1 lb. fresh asparagus spears, ends trimmed and discarded ** see note below
1 red bell pepper, cut in half and then into about 1/2” strips
1 TB. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
***
Preheat oven to 400. I like to line a pan with foil and give a quick spritz of olive oil non-stick cooking spray (for easy clean up),
Put asparagus and red pepper strips on the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 15-25 minutes, until tender, but still al dente (time will vary on the thickness of the asparagus). Serve the asparagus in bundles, loosely wrapped with the red pepper strips.
Serves 4-6
NOTE: If you just trim about 1/4" off the bottom of the asparagus spears, you can use a vegetable peeler to peel off any white, woody parts left on the bottom * It should be green underneath.
TIP from Julia Child:
Your asparagus should be firm enough to not wilt when you hold it by one end (so, you can nibble on them like Julia did), but no longer "crunchy".