Three components are at play here—and I emphasize the word play. Asparagus is always on my dinner menu during its season. Mushrooms are a well-established partner for the tall, thin asparagus spears. Their woodsy flavors become more pronounced and enmeshed as they’re simmered together, like two dancers forgetting their physical differences and getting lost in the music as they glide across the roasting pan. Finally, the chile-lemon salt provides the special twist that brings out the utmost of these flavors, along with adding its own lemon-spicy bite. That came about one day when I was playing with salts, trying to come up with new flavors. This recipe is me having fun in the kitchen. I infuse salts with flavors I love and see where I end up. In this case, I love lemon and I love chile, and I knew this worked as soon as I put them together. It was even better with the asparagus and mushrooms. It’s wonderful served alongside chicken or pork or even as a topping over egg noodles or pappardelle.