This is from Jacques Pepin by way of the excellent smittenkitchen.com. I haven't actually tried it yet, but it looks awesome and absurdly quick. Might have to wait for asparagus to come back in season.

Ingredients

• 1 pound large, thick, firm asparagus, lower third of the stalks peeled with a vegetable peeler or snapped off
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 4 ounces Spanish chorizo (but Portuguese chouriço will work as well), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups 3/4-inch bread cubes (croutons), preferably from a baguette or country bread loaf
• 1/4 cup whole almonds
• 1 cup cooked beans (optional; I used 3/4 pound fresh cranberry beans, shucked then boiled for 20 minutes in lightly salted water)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Make this right as you are ready to eat. Cut each asparagus stalk into 3 or 4 pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet until very hot. Add all the ingredients except the beans, if using, and salt and pepper.
3. Cover and sauté over high heat for 5 to 6 minutes (thinner asparagus might be done sooner), tossing or stirring the mixture a few times, so it browns and cooks on all sides.
4. Add the beans, if using, and salt and pepper, toss again, and serve.