Baked White Asparagus with Parma Ham and Herb Butter

Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice from half a lemon. In a small bowl, mix the soft butter with the chopped herbs (parsley, chives, thyme, and optionally wild garlic), the pressed garlic clove, lemon juice, and half of the lemon zest. Season with salt to taste and let it firm up in the refrigerator.

Peel the white asparagus with a vegetable peeler and trim off the woody ends. Par-cook the asparagus in boiling salted water for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. Immediately plunge the asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking process.

Wrap a few asparagus spears with a slice of Parma ham each and place them in a baking dish. Season with white pepper, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and the remaining lemon zest. Dot the herb butter in flakes over the top and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the ham is crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve with baguette or boiled potatoes.