THERE WERE SOME BEAUTIFUL LOOKING STRAWBERRIES, ASPARAGUS AND RHUBARB AT THE GREENMARKETS THE LAST FEW WEEKS. I HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN UP ONE RECIPE WITH FREGOLA BUT HERE ARE TWO OTHERS.
SO I AGAIN DECIDED JUST TO BUY THEM ALL AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TO PREPARE LATER ON.
I MANAGED TO AMASS QUITE A LARGE QUANTITY OF STRAWBERRIES-SO THE SWEETEST ONES WE JUST ATE ALONE LIKE CANDY-I ADDED SOME TO OUR EVER EVOLVING FRUIT SALAD (MADE WITH WHATEVER IS FRESH AND IN SEASON) THE REST WENT INTO TWO JARS OF STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PRESERVES.
WITH THE ASPARAGUS I FOUND TWO NEW RECIPES 'ASPARAGUS AND DILL FRITTATA' AND A REALLY DELICIOUS 'LEMONY ASPARAGUS PASTA" I GOT BOTH RECIPES FROM http://www.food52.com/, A TERRIFIC BLOG.
I MADE QUITE A FEW CHANGES SO I HAVE WRITTEN OUT THE RECIPES AS I PREPARED THEM.
ASPARAGUS AND DILL FRITTATA
Serves 2
4 large eggs
1/2 cup either half and half I used soy milk
1/2 shallot (chopped)
5 mushrooms chopped I used baby bella (sliced)
six or seven cherry tomatoes sliced
5 sticks Asparagus sliced
1-2 tablespoons dill roughly chopped
1/2 cup gouda I used a aged gouda
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
butter for the pan
Whisk together the eggs and milk(or half and half)in a bowl.
Add all other ingredients to the bowl
Heat a medium non-stick fry pan and add the butter making it sure it cover the whole bottom of the pan
Add the egg mixture cover and DO NOT TOUCH.
Let the frittata cook over low heat for 20 minutes
Check every once in awhile on the progress-Once the egg has puffed up to about 1/2 inch it should be done.Slide onto a plate and eat!
LEMONY ASPARAGUS PASTA
SERVES 2
SEA SALT
1 POUND ASPARAGUS
3 TAB OLIVE OIL
1 GARLIC CLOVE PEELED AND SMASHED
GRATED ZEST OF ONE LEMON "MEYER" SEE NOTE
1/2 POUND OF SPAGHETTI (I USED WHOLE WHEAT)
2 TAB UNSALTED BUTTER
JUICE OF ONE LEMON "MEYER"
FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
FRESHLY GRATED PARMESAN FOR SERVING
4 TAB FRESH RICOTTA
BRING A SALTED POT OF WATER TO BOIL
CUT THE ASPARAGUS AT THE TIP AND STEM THEN CUT THE STEM INTO 1/2 INCH PIECES
WARM THE OLIVE OIL IN A SAUTE PAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT. ADD GARLIC AND COOK FOR 1 MINUTE, ADD THE ASPARAGUS AND SEASON WITH SALT, COOK STIRRING UNTIL CRISP TENDER ABOUT 6-8 MINUTES. STIR IN LEMON ZEST AND REMOVE FROM THE BURNER.
WHEN THE WATER BOILS ADD THE SPAGHETTI AND COOK UNTIL AL DENTE. DRAIN THE SPAGHETTI BUT FIRST RESERVE 1/3 CUP OF THE PASTA WATER. ADD SPAGHETTI BACK INTO THE POT ALONE WITH THE ASPARAGUS AND THE BUTTER USE TONGS TO TOSS-ADD SOME OF THE LEMON JUICE AND TOSS AGAIN. TASTE AND ADJUST THE SEASONING ADDING MORE LEMON JUICE AND SALT-IF THE SPAGHETTI IS A BIT DRY ADD SOME OF THE RESERVED PASTA WATER.
DIVIDE INTO TWO PLATES ADD THE GRATED PARMESAN AND TWO TAB OF THE FRESH RICOTTA.
NOTE: I could not find a Meyer Lemon so I went online and Mr Google helped me find a substitute which is
3 parts lemon juice to one part orange juice. I of course used fresh squeezed we just bought a very attractive bright orange Bodum juicer.
TRY BOTH OR ONE THEY WERE BOTH GREAT MEALS WITH A SIDE OF FRESH BREAD OR A GREEN SALAD.
PS: My niece has a new food blog please check it out sophiesayskissmyglass.wordpress.com.
