Tag: spring

Asparagus and Egg Salad

Asparagus is here!  A sure sign of spring, even if there is still snow on the ground.  I was so excited that I went ahead and bought 2 bunches.

I had seen this recipe on Serious Eats, but I had to make things a little simpler.  This is really just like traditional egg salad, with over a cup of steamed asparagus mixed in.  There’s enough vegetable to provide some flavor and crunch (well, it would have been more crunchy if I didn’t overcook the asparagus like I always do!)  The dressing of mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar gives the salad some tang.

This makes a great spring lunch, and you’ll forget all about that white stuff that still litters the ground.

 

 

Asparagus and Egg Salad

5 medium eggs, boiled for 10 minutes, peeled and chopped
1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1″ pieces, and steamed
1/3 c. light mayonnaise
2 T mustard
2 T red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Place egg and asparagus in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, and red wine vinegar.  Mix dressing into eggs and asparagus.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve in pita, or on top of a green salad.

Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

Oh my, I fell off the blogging wagon again, thanks for being patient.  But I am getting pretty tired of eating cereal for dinner so I better find my cooking motivation!

I made this asparagus wrapped in prosciutto for my cooking club, and it turned out pretty well.  First, I blanched the asparagus spears in boiling water for about 3 minutes, and then rinsed them in cold water.  I’d recommend reducing the cooking time to keep the asparagus a little more crunchy.

Once the asparagus was cool, I spread a thin layer of herbed cheese (like alouette) on a slice of prosciutto, and used it to wrap 3 spears.  I saw some recipes online that called for wrapping each spear individually, but that seemed time intensive.  I think this ended up being the right amount.  It was a great make-ahead appetizer, and I’ll keep this one in my annual rotation for asparagus season!

 

Asparagus with Almonds and Yogurt Dressing

I need more vegetables in my life, plain and simple.  I miss the days last spring when I could leisurely stroll through a farmer’s market.  Right now, I feel like I am racing to the local produce market between other errands, and it’s left me a bit uninspired.  But I was determined not to miss asparagus season entirely, so I made sure to pick up a bunch this week.  Smitten Kitchen has never steered me wrong when it comes to asparagus (if you need proof, look here and don’t blame me when you eat a whole pizza.)

I decided to try her latest recipe, Asparagus with Almonds and Yogurt Dressing.  Ignore the fact that I used sliced almonds instead of whole, and my yogurt dressing ended up pinkish from the paprika.  Also ignore the fact that I used a patterned plate for this busy dish, making it hard on the eyes.  But don’t ignore the fact that there’s a glass of wine on the table, because it went very well with this delicious salad.  I liked the combination of flavors here, and I only wish that there was more asparagus.  Better buy two bunches next week!

 

Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes

I just couldn’t wait any longer, I had to buy some asparagus.  Of course, the bunch I bought was from Mexico because I don’t think it’s available locally quite yet.  I was inspired by this recipe from Giada which uses the asparagus in a simple pasta dish.  The original recipe also uses fresh tomatoes, but we’re months away from seeing anything like that around here, so I opened up a can.

I also bought a new product this week at Trader Joe’s: freshly shaved Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago.  Every good pasta dish needs at least a little cheese, and I really like this stuff.  The cheese is shaved in large pieces with a nice sharp flavor.  This is a great alternative to shredding the cheese yourself, because I am far too lazy for that.

In the end, this dish doesn’t have a ton of flavor, but it’s still a satisfying meal.  I think it will be much better when asparagus and/or tomatoes are truly in season, and a little bit of fresh basil might be good too.  I’ll try to be patient.

 

 

 

Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes

1 T olive oil
1 t minced garlic (or Garlic Gold toasted garlic bits)
1 bunch asparagus, stems removed and cut into 1″ pieces
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes in juice
6 oz. whole wheat rotini, cooked and drained, reserving 1/2 c water
1/4 c. freshly shaved Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago cheese, plus more for serving

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.  Add garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it.  Add asparagus pieces and stir fry for 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and juice, and cover frying pan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5-10 minutes until asparagus is tender.  Add pasta to pan, and stir well.  Add cheese and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water if dish is too dry.

-Adapated from Giada at the Food Network