Roast Asparagus with Serrano Ham

Bundles of oven roasted crunchy green asparagus, wrapped in slightly salty Seranno ham. I am fond of vegetable dishes which can be prepared in advance and do not require very much attention until they are ready to serve. This recipe serves 4, but is very obvious to scale up or down, or perhaps when asparagus is in season and plentiful, then serve to a crowd.

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Wash and trim the asparagus.
2. Assemble bundles using 4 spears of asparagus. Wrap each bundle in a slice of serrano ham, drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 20 minutes. (Depending on the thickness of the asparagus spears - test for tenderness with the point of a sharp knife after about 15 mins for really slim spears). Place on a serving plate and drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice which will make a dressing.
3. Asparagus: There is quite a lot of discussion about how to prepare this vegetable. Some say it will snap of its own accord in the correct place, others shave the woody ends. Personally, I trim 1-2 cm from the bottom of the stalk which is just perfect for this recipe. For neatness, tuck the loose ends of the ham underneath each bundle.