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Asparagus

Submitted by ypm on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 09:37

YOUR PRODUCE MAN’S

ASPARAGUS RECIPES TOO


ASPARAGUS LASAGNA

Ingredients

2 lb Asparagus (trimmed)

1½ TBS Extra-virgin olive oil

3 sheets 7 x 6¼ instant (no-boil) lasagna

4 TBS Unsalted butter

3 TBS All-purpose flour

3/4 cup Vegetable broth

1/4 cup Water

4 ounces Mild goat cheese

1 tsp Fresh grated lemon zest

1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup Heavy cream

Instructions

  • Cut the tips off each asparagus spear and reserve them. In a large shallow baking pan toss the asparagus stalks with the oil, coating them well, and roast them in a large shallow roasting pan in a preheated 500 degree F. oven, shaking the pan every few minutes, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender. Sprinkle the asparagus with salt to taste and let it cool. Cut the roasted asparagus into 1/2-inch lengths and reserve it.

  • In a large bowl of cold water let the sheets of lasagna soak for 15 minutes, or until they are softened. In a saucepan melt the butter, add the flour, and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the broth and the water in a stream, whisking, simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, and whisk in the goat cheese, the zest, and salt to taste, whisking until the sauce is smooth.

  • Drain the pasta well, arrange 1 sheet of it in a buttered 8-inch-square baking dish, and spread with one fourth of the sauce. Top the sauce with one fourth of the reserved roasted asparagus and sprinkle the asparagus with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Continue to layer the pasta, the sauce, the asparagus, and the Parmesan in the same manner, ending with a sheet of pasta. In a bowl beat the cream with a pinch of salt until it holds soft peaks. Arrange the reserved asparagus tips decoratively over the pasta, spoon the cream over the pasta and the asparagus tips, spreading it with the back of the spoon, and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top. Bake the lasagne in the middle of a preheated 400 degree F. oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden and bubbling, and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.


ASPARAGUS STRATA (by Evelyn Miliate)

Ingredients

1 loaf 1# sourdough bread (thinly sliced, crust removed)

1 lb Asparagus (blanched, slivered)

3/4 lb Fontina cheese (grated)

1/2 cup Sun-dried Tomato in oil (drain, chop)

3 TBS Dried chives

1 cup Pine nuts (toasted)

12 ea Eggs

3 cups Milk

2 cloves Garlic (minced)

to taste Salt and black pepper

Instructions

  • Grease the bottom of a large casserole dish. Place a single layer of bread slices in the pan, using 1/2 of the bread. Cover with 1/2 of the asparagus, cheese, tomatoes, chives and pine nuts. Repeat layers, starting with bread.

  • In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over layers.

  • Cover and refrigerate overnight.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  • Remove cover and bake for 1 hour until puffy and brown or internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven and serve immediately.






ASPARAGUS SPRING FANTASIA

Ingredients

1 pkg Fettuccini Noodles

¾ lb Asparagus (cut into ½” slices)

3 ea Procuitto slices

1 ea Portabella Mushroom (diced)

1 ea Yellow Onion (diced)

½ ea Garlic cloves (minced)

½ cup Peas (thawed)

2 TBS Parsley (minced)

1 TBS Oregano (minced)

½ cup White Wine (sweet)

3 TBS Olive Oil

¼ tsp Salt


For the Cream Sauce:

2 TBS Olive Oil

2 TBS White Flour

1 cup Chicken Broth

1 cup Heavy Cream


Instructions

Pasta Topping

  • In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in onions and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent.

  • Add ham, mushrooms, parsley, oregano and salt. When mushrooms soften and begin to brown, add the Asparagus. Continue to sauté for a few minutes until the Asparagus is bright green and well heated.

  • Add the wine and continue to sauté until the liquid is nearly evaporated.

  • Set this mixture aside while you prepare the Fettuccini noodles (according the package instructions) and cream sauce (see below).

Cream Sauce

  • In a small saucepan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Whisk in the flour and keep whisking until the flour just begins to brown. Quickly add the warmed chicken broth, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps.

  • Once the broth mixture has reached a thickness similar to chocolate syrup, quickly whisk in the cream. Keep up the whisking until the cream sauce thickens into a light gravy.

Assembly

  • Fold the cream sauce into the pasta topping and heat through. Ladle the pasta topping over hot noodles and garnish with fresh parsley sprigs and lemon slices.


WAYS TO COOK ASPARAGUS

Microwave: Place one pound of Asparagus together with the tips to center. Add about ¼ cup of water and cover. Microwave at 100% for 6-9 minutes (for spears) or 5-7 minutes (for pieces) Stir, or rearrange after half the time has elapsed.

Stir-Fry: Stir-fry Asparagus pieces in a small amount of hot oil or butter. Stir constantly.

Steaming: Tie bundles together. Place in a steamer with enough water to cover the lower half of spears. Cover, then cook until tender crisp.

Boil: Cook quickly in water with or without salt, until tender crisp. Add garlic or onion to the water for flavor.


DO NOT OVERCOOK: If you overcook the Asparagus, it will get watery and mushy, and your kids will hate Asparagus the rest of their lives. Asparagus continues cooking, even after you take the heat off. Once you remove Asparagus from the heat, plunge the spears into a bath of ice water. That will quickly stop the cooking process, and your kids may just have a chance to enjoy one of earth’s delicacies.