Ali's Kitchen: French Fries Substitute

Making burgers?  Have a husband* on a diet, yet you yourself refuse to have a burger without something at least approximating a french fry?  I have the solution for you.

Asparagus.

Yes, really.  This idea comes courtesy of Sondra Bernstein, chef/owner of the girl & the fig, the awesome, pared-down, scrumptious restaurant where my mom and I enjoyed Mother's Day dinner while in Sonoma.  I bought the girl & the fig cookbook, and ever since have been terribly impressed with myself for that sage decision.

Sondra suggests roasting asparagus, on a baking sheet, brushed with a little olive oil (I used Pam Olive Oil spray on the pan itself, then again in a light layer over the asparagus) for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.  In order to imitate that french fry je ne sais quoi, I sprinkled liberally with salt and garlic powder (because I have a fetish for knocking people out with my breath), but you can sprinkle on pretty much whatever spice you associate with french fries, including, I imagine, Cajun seasoning or Lawry's Seasoning Salt if you're going for that glorious overkill one finds when one bites into an ochre-tinged curly french fry.  I roasted for less than 15 minutes - probably closer to 10 - and instead of a truly tender asparagus, I was rewarded with a crisp, salty, garlicky, green french fry dopplegänger.

Extra points if, when you went to bag the asparagus, you grabbed purple asparagus without thinking, and then, when you went to pay for the asparagus, you realized it actually cost more per pound than your ground burger meat, or anything else in your basket for that matter, but were too** embarrassed to put it back and acted like you totally knew you were spending nine dollars per pound on asparagus when you put it in the produce bag.

* Or whomever

** I just proofed this post and had to correct "Cajun" from "cajon" and a mix-up of "to" and "too."  It may be time to put me down like a horse with a broken leg.  What is going on??