Blasted Asparagus

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 450° or whatever is max for your oven.
2. 2
   Cut the tough tails off of the asparagus and place the tips in an oven pan that will hold all the tips in one layer.
3. 3
   Pour in enough olive oil to come up 1/4th of the way on the tips.
4. 4
   If using the shrimp, spread them on top of the asparagus.
5. 5
   Put the pan in the 450° oven for 10 minutes; remove and turn the asparagus.
6. 6
   Check the shrimp; they might well be just as you like them at this stage.
7. 7
   Sprinkle the tips with a little tarragon and the juice of 1 lemon; put the pan back in the oven for 4 minutes.
8. 8
   Remove the pan from oven; remove asparagus from pan to a plate for serving and reserve the oil.
9. 9
   Put the shrimp over the asparagus and serve.
10. 10
    Use the oil for dipping the sourdough breadsticks.