Sumac is a purple-red spice with a mild lemony flavour available from Middle Eastern grocery stores and gourmet food shops. If you can't obtain any, you could use ½ teaspoon sweet paprika in this recipe instead.
350g (2 bunches) asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsp virgin olive oil
40g butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp sumac, optional
4 roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp snipped chives
50g (½ cup) freshly grated parmesan cheese
Heat the grill to very hot. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil, add the asparagus spears and blanch for 1 minute. Drain well, refresh under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Put the oil in a large, shallow ovenproof dish, add the asparagus spears and roll them around in the oil. Place the dish under the grill and cook the asparagus for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender, turning once.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and sumac and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Remove from the heat, stir in the tomato and chives and season to taste. Spoon the mixture over the asparagus, scatter with the parmesan and grill for another 3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
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