Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ pounds potatoes (red or Yukon Gold) 
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon butter, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped finely, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Wash and scrub the potatoes really well. Pat them dry, making sure that they are as dry as possible. Cut into bite-size pieces. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, ½ teaspoon of the sea salt and ⅛ teaspoon of the white pepper. Toss to evenly coat the potatoes with the seasoning. Transfer the potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer. Add 2 teaspoons of the unsalted butter, cut into small pieces. Add little dots of the butter all round the potatoes. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
3. Trim off the bottom few inches of the asparagus. The ends tend to be woody and tough so it’s best to remove them. You’ll know the right place to cut by bending one spear and seeing where it naturally breaks. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Place the asparagus in a bowl and mix with the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of butter, ½ teaspoon of sea salt and ⅛ teaspoon of white pepper.
4. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Turn the potatoes to cook on the other side. Add the asparagus to the pan. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly browned, crispy and easily pierced with a fork. 
5. Remove the potatoes and asparagus from the oven and season with additional sea salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot. Watch them disappear!

Interested in another variation with fewer ingredients?  Try this one out:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 – 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds red potatoes
• 2 bunches asparagus
• Optional: 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp onion powder
• Balsamic vinegar glaze

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Clean and remove the eyes on the potatoes, keeping the skins on. Remove any bad spots. Chop into bite size pieces.
3. Remove the bottom 2-3 inches off the ends of the asparagus.
4. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don’t crowd the potatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Rub the seasoning into the potatoes and bake for 40 minutes or until fork tender but a little crispy on the outside.
6. Boil a few inches of water in a pot. Once boiling, add the asparagus and a pinch of salt for 3 to 5 minutes, or just until tender but still bright green. (Don’t overcook!) Remove the asparagus and rinse with cold water. Drizzle the cooked asparagus with some olive oil, and add a little sea salt and pepper to taste.
7. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the asparagus and potatoes. Gently toss until evenly coated. Enjoy!

TIP:  With either version you could also julienne (slice up) a medium onion and toss that over the top of the asparagus and potatoes.