This past Shabbat I was not in the mood for a lot of food – too hot and humid, and no desire to spend much time in the kitchen. The dishes I made (only two) took me all of less than 15 minutes to prep and about 25-30 minutes total in the oven. Since my kitchen is far from my bedroom/office, this was the best way for me to avoid enduring the unnecessary heat.

I realize that if you have a big family, this will not be enough for you, but you can always add a quick fish dish or two and be ready for Shabbat in no time.

So, first – roasted asparagus:

Prepare the marinade:

For one bunch of asparagus prepare the marinade. Take:

A pinch of kosher salt

A bit of freshly ground black pepper

About 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, chili pepper, za’atar and turmeric

About 1 tsp of green zhug.  (This can be easily made, but I don’t use much, so I buy mine in the Sephardi stores nearby and store it in the refrigerator)

One small onion and a couple of garlic cloves sliced thinly. Mix all the above with a tbsp of balsamic vinegar and some good quality olive oil. Of course, I just brought all my spices from the shuk, so they are nice and fresh – if you store yours in the fridge, they will last much longer. I also added just a couple cherry tomatoes.

I mixed everything thoroughly, and added washed and trimmed asparagus. At this point you can cover it and let it sit until you have time to roast it.

I have roasted my asparagus for about 20 minutes at 450F. It is delicious both hot and cold. Planning to take leftovers to work for lunch tomorrow.

Enjoy!