Baked Asparagus Fries with Roasted Garlic Aioli

Bake Asparagus Fries with Roasted Garlic Aioli - Photo by JayDi Photography

Vegetable sides... I'm always looking for new ways to serve up my veggies.  Jay and I both love asparagus and over the years I've tried them several ways. When I saw an alternative to actual French fries, that was baked and looked this good, I couldn't pass up the chance to try them.  They are very easy to make. The longest item to bake is actually the garlic, but I'm a huge fan of roasted garlic, and I've discovered that it keeps well in the refrigerator. So you can roast off a few heads at a time, or even throw one in next to the roasting tray with dinner tonight so you'll have them ready and on hand to squeeze into your mashed potatoes, or to make a dipping sauce just like this simple aioli for your asparagus fries. Plus, this may actually be a neat way to get your kids to try asparagus since they are "fries". (not yet kid tested! but let me know!)

 Baked Asparagus Fries with Roasted Garlic Aioli

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 50 min

Ingredients:

For the aioli:
1 head garlic
Olive oil
3/4 cup homemade or store-bought mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the asparagus:
1 pound asparagus, cleaned and bottom ends trimmed
3 large egg whites
1 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs, lightly crushed
2 Tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray

Directions:

Make the aioli:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Slice the top one-third off the head of garlic. Place the bottom portion on a piece of foil, drizzle it with olive oil, and season it with salt and pepper. Place the top portion back on the head of garlic and crumple the foil to create a sealed packet. Roast the garlic for 30 minutes or until it has softened.
Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and squeeze the cloves into a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice, mashing with a fork until combined. Season the aioli with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Make the asparagus:
Reduce the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the egg whites with the mayonnaise. (The mayo helps the eggs adhere to the asparagus.)
In a separate shallow baking dish, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Dip each asparagus spear in the egg mixture until it's thoroughly coated then dredge it in the breadcrumbs, pressing to secure them to the asparagus. Transfer the asparagus to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the breading process with the remaining asparagus, spacing them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the asparagus with cooking spray and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Remove the asparagus fries from the oven and serve them immediately with the prepared roasted garlic aioli.