Pistachio Gratin Of Asparagus

1 1/2 lbs slender asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Crumb topping:
3 Tbs fine dried bread crumbs
3 Tbs ground pistachios
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt

1) Coat shallow 2-qt gratin dish or baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) In large skillet, bring half inch of water to a boil over high heat. Add asparagus, cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until just barely tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and place in prepared dish. Add lemon juice, 2 tsp oil, salt and pepper and toss well. Arrange evenly.
3) Preheat broiler. Make crumb topping: In small bowl, mix together bread crumbs, pistachios, 1 Tbs oil, ginger and salt. Sprinkle evenly over asparagus.
4) Broil until crumbs are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn topping. Serve at once.

Review: I doubled this recipe, since it didn't sound like much food (more like a side dish). I also made the crumb topping in a frying pan, since I felt too lazy for the broiler. It bubbled up really oddly, but came out just fine. I loved the flavor combination in this dish, but it's not a stand-alone dish. I definitely recommend serving it with something more substantial. For us, popcorn helped fluff out the content. :)