When I was a kid, I was a picky eater. It wasn’t until I got tired of green beans and broccoli that I tried asparagus.

That day came while I was at a campground near Mendocino, California, and I was hungry. Asparagus and albacore tuna were all we had to eat and I liked it. 

This is an especially elegant asparagus presentation, even better if you’re serving upscale Mexican food.

Asparagus and Salsa

1 pound asparagus

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 large tomatillos, husked,

cleaned and diced

1 tomato, diced

1⁄4 cup Parmesan cheese

Lemon wedges

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Boil water in a teapot.

Trim off the tough end of the asparagus diagonally and rinse spears. Place in a large skillet and cover with boiling water. Set skillet aside.

Mix oil, tomatillos and tomato in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove asparagus from hot water and dip in ice water to stop cooking. Place on serving dish. Drizzle tomatillo salsa over the asparagus in a wide band. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with lemon wedges.