Asparagus Bake

For Swapbot Baking Week #4 I made Asparagus with Couscous and Blue Cheese.  I was inspired by a recipe for Slow Cooked Asparagus in the New York Times.  It's an interesting recipe, wrapping the aspargus in parchment paper, baking in a 200 degree oven and making the couscous separately.  I'm tired and didn't feel like fussing, so I made up my own version using parsley, scallions and asparagus from the farmer's market.

Asparagus with Couscous and Blue Cheese

1 C couscous
4 scallions, sliced
1 bunch asparagus, in 1" pieces
1 t salt
pepper
1/2 C water
juice of 1 lemon
2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
olive oil

Combine couscous through pepper in an 8" square pan. Pour water and lemon juice over all.  Top with blue cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.  Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes.

What I Learned
This was pretty tasty, although the blue cheese was a bit overpowering and the couscous needed a bit more flavor.  I would make it with feta, parmesan or romano and use chicken broth instead of water next time.  A few sundried tomatoes would be nice.  Visually, the dish could be improved by laying whole asparagus on top of the couscous instead of slicing into pieces.

The Dish Bitch: Low
1 8" square pan
knife
cutting board
wooden spoon