Asparagus Wrapped in Serrano Ham

Savory tapas, grilled or baked, served with a lemon garlic aioli

We visited Andalucía, in southern Spain, in May and lived in a small town called Alhama de Granada. Alhama is definitely not on the tourist trail, but those who have discovered it know that it is one of the best places in Spain to do a tapas crawl. The origin of tapas in Spain is obscure. Some believe that customers at taverns used to ask for slices of ham or bread to cover their glasses of sherry thereby keeping their drinks free from flies, hence the name “tapas” or “lids”. Over time tapas began to come standard with each drink and in more varied forms.

Although these days most bars in Spain only serve tapas to order, the bars in Alhama de Granada still do it the traditional way: when you order a drink at one of the local taverns, it is served with a complimentary small plate of whatever is being prepared at the moment. Some smaller establishments serve a simple slice of ham or nuts or a piece of cheese, while others have kitchens that crank out one gourmet treat after another, from fried squid or croquetes, to shrimp sautéed in garlic butter or slow cooked pork. We went out for tapas often, but one night we made our own tapas feast at our home in Alhama. We invited our neighbors over from across the cobblestone alleyway and shared each course as it came out of the kitchen. One of the dishes we prepared that evening was asparagus with mountain (Serrano) ham, and it has since become my favorite Spanish tapa.

Ingredients:

· 20 asparagus spears

· 10 slices of Serrano ham (prosciutto, Parma ham, or other dry-cured raw hams will substitute nicely)

· ¼ c. olive oil

· aioli for dipping*

Directions:

1. Preheat a grill on medium-low heat or an oven to 400°F

2. Snap the woody ends off of the asparagus spears

3. Cut the slices of ham in half

4. Wrap each asparagus spear in a ½ slice of ham, leaving the tip unwrapped

5. Place the wrapped asparagus in a shallow bowl and drizzle with olive oil, turning each to coat

6. To grill: place the spears on the grill and cover, rotating every few minutes – the total cooking time will be about 8-10 min

To roast: place the asparagus in a roasting pan and spread them out (in a single layer) – roast for about 10 minutes

Regardless of the cooking method, the asparagus is done when it begins to get tender but is still mostly firm.

7. Serve the asparagus hot with aioli (for dipping)

* I love cooking from basic ingredients, but I do not make my own mayonnaise. Neither do I make aioli from scratch. I make a cheater aioli by mixing my favorite mayonnaise with 1 T fresh lemon juice, 2 cloves of garlic, and a pinch of salt (adjust this ratio to suit your taste, of course). I mix it by hand until it is smooth. Voila! (No one will ever know.)