Quick And Easy Summer Meals...Fettuccine With Mushrooms And Asparagus

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I have fallen in love with asparagus this Spring.  Don't get me wrong. I have always adored them; but this year it's like falling in love all over again.  You know that feeling...the little smirk on your face, the twinkle in your eyes.  It must be a metabolic thing, just like the time I fell in love with tomatoes when I was pregnant with my first child. All I wanted were those big juicy tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil and basil; and big glasses of tomato juice in mid morning with saltine crackers.

Even though I haven't posted an asparagus recipe this year (there are tons of them from the past) we have been having them at least twice a week.  We love them cold with olive oil and vinegar, sometimes with chopped eggs on top, and with Hollandaise Sauce once in awhile.  I think I am finally coming to the end of this love affair and I am now looking forward to the summer bounty.

Morels are in season now but I haven't found them at the local markets.  If you find them where you live, you must buy some; but don't fall in love with them, they are quite pricey and will break your heart (as well as your pocketbook).   Only entertain the idea for a fling or a one night stand.

Baby Bellas, on the other hand, are easy to find and  less pricey.  They are available at my local Costco but they come in a big box, So you have them with steak one night and use the rest for something like this.  They keep well in the produce compartment of the fridge.

*The main thing about this recipe is that it is cooked in the classic Italian fashion by adding the al dente pasta to the pan with the sauce and letting it finish cooking there. Instead of swelling with more salted water in the final minutes, it will absorb as mush flavor as possible from the essence of the sauteed mushrooms and the rest of the sauce.

You will enjoy this pasta.  It is substantial and filling enough to serve on its own with a glass of chilled French rose.  If you must serve dessert, make it a light one!
   

Fettuccine With Mushrooms And Asparagus

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red onion cut into small dice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth and thinly sliced (or Baby Bellas)
1/2 cup homemade vegetable (or chicken) stock or store-bought, low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1/2-1 pound thin or pencil asparagus, thinly sliced on the bias, tip end left about 1 1/2 inches long
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 pound dried fettuccine or pappardelle
2 tablespoons shredded basil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Procedure:

1. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons salt.

2. While waiting for the water to boil, heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper flakes and sauté quickly to keep the ingredients from scorching. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms darken slightly in color and are softened but still holding their shape, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and asparagus and cook, stirring gently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, immediately reduce the heat to keep it from scorching, and cook for several minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a sauté pan over low heat, shaking the pan, just until they are warm and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil (10 minutes if you are using pappardelle).

5. Add the basil, butter, pine nuts, and cheese to the pan with the mushrooms and toss well.

6. Reserve a cup or so of the pasta's cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the mushrooms, asparagus, and sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more pepper flakes if necessary.

7. Present the pasta in a bowl and serve family style from the center of the table, or divide among individual plates.

A little Parmigiano on top is not a bad idea!



Adapted from Nightly Specials: 125 Recipes for Spontaneous, Creative Cooking at Home
All photos Lindaraxa

Beef and Asparagus Stir Fry

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This post should really be titled "cleaning the refrigerator",  for that is exactly what I did.  With food prices the way they are today, you can't afford to throw anything out so take a look and plan your meals around what needs to be used up, particularly after a holiday  The flip side of this coin is you will surprise yourself at the results.

A stir fry takes no time to prepare and is perfect for a midweek repast.  There are all kinds of substitutions you can make for the asparagus, like broccoli or snap peas.  Just use what you have or what's in season. If you want it hotter, just add more red pepper flakes.     


Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. skirt steak, cut into thin strips
• 3 Tb cornstarch. 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 Tbs. dry sherry
• 1 tsp. chili oil
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 lb. slender asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• Steamed rice for serving

Directions:

Cook the beef and vegetables

In a bowl mix the beef strips with the cornstarch.  Add salt and pepper.  Let it rest for 10 minutes.

In another small bowl, stir together the hoisin sauce, sherry, and chili oil. Set aside.

In a wok or large fry pan over high heat, warm the peanut oil. Working in batches, if needed to avoid crowding, add the beef and cook, turning once or twice, until lightly seared, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

Add the onion and asparagus to the pan and cook until tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for 15 seconds.

Finish the dish

Return the meat and any juices from the plate to the pan, add the hoisin mixture and stir well. Simmer briefly until heated through.

Divide the rice among shallow bowls, top with beef and asparagus, and serve immediately.

Asparagus And Fontina Sformatto

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The word sformato comes from the Italian verb sformare, meaning “to unmold.” A sformato is a soft, usually savory, custard that is baked in a mold (or individual molds as here), turned out onto a serving plate and served warm. Besciamella (bechamel sauce) often serves as the base to which vegetables, meat or cheese are added. This cheese and asparagus version can serve as a side dish or the main dish of a luncheon. Buttering the ramekins and lining the bottom with parchment paper assures that the custards will unmold easily. 

Serves 6 

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter for ramekins, plus 2 Tbs.
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 bunch thick asparagus spears, about 1 lb. total, tough ends removed
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter six 3/4-cup ramekins and line the bottom of each with parchment paper cut to fit. Butter the paper. Line a shallow baking pan with a kitchen towel.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk just until small bubbles appear along the edges of the pan, then remove from the heat.

In another saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the 2 Tbs. butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the butter to make a roux. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until it bubbles gently, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir constantly until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until it melts. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming and set aside to cool slightly.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, bring about 2 inches of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer the asparagus to a large strainer. Run cold water over the stalks and drain. Lay the asparagus on a paper towel-lined plate. Cut off the bottom two-thirds of the stalks, leaving 3-inch-long tips. Set the tips aside. In a food processor, process the stalks until pureed.

Whisk the beaten eggs into the cheese sauce until blended, then whisk in the asparagus puree. Divide the custard among the prepared ramekins.

Place the ramekins in the towel-lined baking pan and pour hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is set, about 30 minutes. Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and turn off the oven. Lift the ramekins out of the water, transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.

Place the asparagus tips in a pie dish, drizzle with the melted butter and put them in the still-warm oven for about 5 minutes.

To unmold the custards, run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of the ramekins. Place a serving plate on top of each ramekin and invert together. Gently lift off the ramekin and peel off the parchment. Arrange some of the warm asparagus tips around each sformato and serve warm.


Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking, by Cathy Burgett, Elinor Klivans & Lou Seibert Pappas (Oxmoor House, 2008).