Fresh California asparagus with fermented black bean sauce

Ingredients

12 large, fresh asparagus spears
8 ounces wheat soba noodles or a pasta of your choice
1 tablespoon fermented black beans
½ teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame oil
½ cup chicken stock or water
Brown sugar, to taste

Directions

Peel and blanch asparagus spears in boiling slated water till crisp tender and shock in ice water to stop the cooking process and set the color.

Cook noodles, either the soba noodles or the angel hair pasta till al dente and set aside.

Add sesame oil to a small skillet and sauté the garlic and ginger for a about 30 seconds, add the black beans, soy sauce or chicken stock to make a sauce, adjust the flavor to your preference by adding a small amount of brown sugar.

Reheat and make a nest of the pasta in the center of the plate, top with three spears of asparagus.

Drizzle the sauce over the asparagus and pasta. Garnish with cilantro, sesame seeds or some fried rice noodles.

Serves 4