Roasted Asparagus with Spicy Thousand Island Dressing

When I was a child, salad often consisted of iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and Thousand Island Dressing. Remember Thousand Island Dressing? Gloopy, gloppy, and ever so sweet, this was the salad dressing of the seventies.  Salad, hamburgers, fish sticks; TI was served with everything.

Then ranch dressing became all the rage, and I forgot all about the reddish, pinkish, pickle-flecked sauce. Fast forward almost 40 years and I am sitting in a restaurant ordering a salad, and it comes (by mistake) with...you guessed it...Thousand Island. I was in a hurry so told the waitress to leave it. Out of curiosity, I tasted it. It was...not horrible, but not something I would order again. But I kept imagining the sauce not as sweet, not as bland, not as thick. I experimented and decided a spicy version could be the answer.  It was.

This dressing is, of course, good on green salads. And on burgers and roast beef or chicken sandwiches. Rubens, of course, are classic. Try on grilled cheese and bacon, or fish tacos. But, I think my favorite is drizzled over roasted vegetables. Spooned over roasted asparagus is especially delicious. Make a batch; you will quickly go through the entire recipe. Happy Spring!

Roasted Asparagus with Spicy Thousand Island Dressing
1 lb asparagus
extra virgin olive oil
best quality balsamic vinegar
sea salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and peel if stringy. (You probably will only need to peel very thick stalks. Thin stalks are usually fine as is. Place the asparagus in a single layer on prepared sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Using your hands, roll the asparagus in oil until coated on all sides and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Generously season with salt and pepper. 

Roast in the oven for 15-30 minutes or until the asparagus, begin to brown and caramelize. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the asparagus stalks. Remove from oven and arrange on a serving platter. Spoon Spicy Thousand Island Dressing over asparagus and serve with additional dressing on the side.

Spicy Thousand Island Dressing
(makes 2 cups)

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup greek plain yogurt
1/2 cup spicy chili sauce (I use one made for buffalo chicken wings)
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper

Add all ingredients to a small bowl. Stir to combine.Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Chill for 1 hour.

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

It is Asparagus Week at Food Network's Sensational Sides roundup. Do you have an asparagus recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Creative Culinary: Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Garlic and Parsley
Homemade Delish: Asparagus Crostini
Devour: 25 Ways to Use Asparagus
Feed Me Phoebe: Spring Quinoa Mujadara with Asparagus
In Jennie's Kitchen: Asparagus & Arugula Panzanella
Healthy Eats: 5 Fresher Ways to Prepare Asparagus
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Asparagus, Onion & Pesto Pizza
Red or Green: Roasted Asparagus with Spicy Thousand Island Dressing
The Mom 100: Millet Greens Salad
Taste with the Eyes: Modern Asparagus Spring Rolls - Red Chili, Black Sesame, Almond
FN Dish: 6 Ways to Bundle Up Asparagus This Spring

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

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