Fettuccine with Asparagus Ribbons

I've only had this recipe saved for... oh... three or four years?  It seems like every spring when it's asparagus season we're not in the mood for pasta any more.  But with the cool spring weather (and rain!) this week, this seemed like the perfect dinner.




INGREDIENTS

·                     Coarse salt

·                     1 Pound asparagus, trimmed

·                     1 Pound fettuccine

·                     1 Tablespoon olive oil

·                     3 Tablespoons finely chopped shallots, (about 2 shallots) 

           2 TBS Minced Garlic

·                     3/4 Cup heavy cream

·                     2 Teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

·                     2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

·                     Freshly ground pepper 

           Shredded Parmesan cheese, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.     Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Blanch asparagus until just tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer with tongs to ice-water bath to stop the cooking (keep the water at a boil). Drain.

2.    Add pasta to pot; cook until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water; drain.

3.    Meanwhile, shave asparagus stalks (not including tips) into long ribbons with a vegetable peeler; transfer ribbons and tips to a medium bowl as you work.

4.    Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add cream, 1/4 cup reserved cooking water, and asparagus.

5.    Bring to a boil; add pasta. Cook, tossing, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add more cooking water if pasta seems dry. Stir in zest and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.

 

VERDICT

Martha Stewart doesn't think much of garlic.  But adding a few TBS of garlic (my addition) to the oil is a great flavor boost.  Ditto the parmesan cheese.

The recipe is a little fussy, but made easily in 30 minutes with relatively few ingredients.  Next time I'll probably use regular milk with a little cornstarch (buying heavy cream just for one recipe is silly to me) but otherwise we'll definitely make this again!  It's a great springtime recipe- a light pasta dish perfect for using up fresh asparagus!

Grilled Asparagus with Rosemary & Goat Cheese

I like asparagus, as long as it's the skinny, tender spears. My husband only likes the big fat chunky ones.  Wegman's only had the thin ones this week- I win!

I usually just steam them but I thought we'd try something new.  Plus, it's a grilling recipe.  Win-Win!

INGREDIENTS

2 TBS olive oil
juice from 1/2 a lemon
splash of balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp minced fresh rosemary
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 lbs. asparagus, ends snapped off
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the grill.  In a small bowl mix together everything but the cheese.  On a baking sheet spread the asparagus out and toss with 1 TBS of dressing.

Grill the asparagus until grill marks appear- about 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to platter, drizzle with remaining dressing and top with cheese.

VERDICT

I've discovered that no matter what the rest of the ingredients are, if there is goat cheese I will love it.  And the rest of this recipe is pretty hit or miss.  Too much lemon?  I am not a huge fan... except for the goat cheese.  You'd probably get the same effect with just balsamic vinegar, pepper, and goat cheese.  But that's just me.