Vegetarian Asparagus and Cherry Tacos

Found this unusual sounding taco recipe on the Apartment Therapy site last week. Since asparagus is in season now (from California) I was anxious to give it a spin. Fresh cherries however are not in season and instead I used a mix of dried tart cherries and dried cranberries. In the summer I'll pick up some Rainier cherries from Washington state and try them in this recipe again. Frozen cherries would work however. If desired, serve the tacos with your favorite salsa or slices of fresh chilies. Feta is a good substitute for cotija. Vegan friendly.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 tacos

Ingredients

• 1  lb asparagus spear, woody ends trimmed
•  olive oil
•  coarse salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 lb fresh cherries, halved and pitted or 1⁄4 cup dried tart cherries or 1⁄4 cup dried cranberries
• 6  corn tortillas (or flour, if you prefer)

• For garnish

•  Cotija cheese or  queso fresco
•  fresh cilantro
•  red onion, diced small
•  Baby Spinach (arugula, butter lettuce, etc.) or   mixed greens (arugula, butter lettuce, etc.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F Note: we pan grilled the asparagus for about 5-6 minutes (or if weather permits you can use an outdoor grill.).
2. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet. Drizzle just enough olive oil to lightly and evenly coat, and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven.
3. After about 10 minutes, turn the asparagus spears and add the cherries to the pan. Important: only add the cherries if you are using *fresh* ones not dried.
4. Continue to roast until asparagus is just tender and browned, about 15 minutes total .
5. To serve, place some mixed greens in a corn tortilla, add a few asparagus spears and cherry halves in the center and garnish with cotija, cilantro, etc.
6. Yield is estimated depending on the size of the asparagus stalks.