Lemon Roasted Asparagus

source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman Magazine

2 lemons

1 t. sea salt

3 pounds asparagus, trimmed

olive oil or melted lard, for drizzling

1 c. fresh parsley, chopped

Grate the zest of the lemons.  Spread out the zest on a plate and let it air-dry slightly, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Mix the lemon zest with the salt in a small bowl and set aside.  Cut the lemons in half and set aside.

Divide the asparagus between two baking sheets; drizzle with olive oil (or melted lard) and toss to coat.  Roast until the asparagus is tender and starting to color, about 8-10 minutes.  Transfer asparagus to a platter.

Before serving, squeeze the lemons over the asparagus, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the lemon salt and parsley.

Yum!!!!

Cream of Asparagus Soup

source:  adapted from marthastewart.com

coarse sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces (reserve trimmings and 20 tips)
2 T. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 large shallot, sliced crosswise, plus 1/2 large shallot
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped, plus 1/2 clove garlic
1 medium Yukon gold potato (about 8 oz.), peeled and diced (about 1 c.)

Bring 6 c. water to boil in medium saucepan; season with 2 t. sea salt.
Add asparagus tips and blanch until bright green and just tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Transfer to an ice bath with a slotted spoon; reserve for topping.
Add asparagus trimmings, 1/2 shallot and 1/2 glove to same pot and return to boil; reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes.

In another saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add sliced shallot and chopped garlic and cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in potato and enough asparagus stock to cover vegetables (about 1 c.), and simmer until potato is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Strain remaining asparagus stock directly into saucepan with potatoes.  Add remaining asparagus and cook until tender and bright green, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Puree in blender until completely smooth; remove 1 c. and reserve.
Slowly stir in cream; season to tase with salt and pepper.
Thin with reserved liquid as needed.
Serve hot or chilled, topped with asparagus tips and a drizzle of oil.

Note:  I always make asparagus stock from the woody ends of my asparagus and keep it in the freezer to use anytime a recipe calls for vegetable stock.  This recipe will motivate you to get into that habit!

Asparagus and Roasted Chicken Pizza

Simple, but yummy!

Source:  adapted from thedailymeal.com

6-8 stalks asparagus, cut on the bias into 1" pieces

prepared pizza dough

8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Parmesan, to taste

Roasted shredded chicken, optional

Place pizza stone on lower rack of oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees (or as high as your oven will go).

Drizzle asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.

Prepare pizza crust on a sheet of parchment paper.  Brush dough with olive oil.  Top with mozzarella, chicken (optional), asparagus, and red onion.

Slide pizza and parchment paper into oven on top of pizza stone.  Bake until crust is golden and cheese is hot and bubbly, about 5-7 min.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan.  Wait a few minutes for pizza to cool, then cut into slices and serve.  

YUM!!

Asparagus-and-Lemon Risotto

I never get tired of risotto, especially when it uses fresh vegetables from the garden!

Source:  adapted from Martha Stewart Living magazine, January 2013

6 c. vegetable stock, preferably homemade*

1/4 c. olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 c. Arborio rice

1/2 c. dry white wine

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, stalks cut into 2" lengths

1 c. fresh peas

1 t. grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 c. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

Heat 2 T. oil over medium heat in another saucepan.  Cook onion, stirring frequently, until soft, 6-7 minutes.  Add wine; cook, stirring, just until evaporated.

Add 1/2 c. hot stock; cook, stirring, until almost absorbed.  Continue adding 1/2 c. stock in this manner until liquid is creamy and rice is al dente, about 20 min. total (you may not need to add all the stock).  Add asparagus and peas with the last addition of stock.

Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and juice, parsley, cheese, and remaining 2 T. oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately with additional cheese and lemon zest.

Serves 4

* Note - Asparagus stock works very nicely in place of the vegetable stock.

Rice Salad with Asparagus and Peas

Source:  marthastewart.com

1 clove garlic

3 anchovy fillets

Coarse sea salt

1 T. sherry vinegar

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 c. Arborio rice

 6 oz. asparagus (about 1 bunch), trimmed and sliced 1" thick on the bias

1 c. fresh shelled or frozen peas

1/2 c. finely chopped red onion

4 oz. radicchio, finely shredded (about 1-1/4 c.)

1/2 c. julienned fresh basil leaves

Finely mince garlic and anchovies together with 1 t. salt on a cutting board until a paste forms.  Transfer to a bowl; whisk in vinegar and oil.

Cook rice in a pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 13 min.  Add asparagus and peas; cook until crisp-tender, about 2 min.  Drain and transfer to bowl with vinaigrette.

Add onion and radicchio, toss to combine, and season with salt.  Let stand 30 min.  Add basil, toss to combine, and let stand 30 min more before serving.

Serves 6.

Spring Vegetable Pizza

Oooh, the artichoke, asparagus, tomatoes, and Gruyere makes a good combo!  I broke down and bought fresh tomatoes since I needed some for a pasta salad I'm making tomorrow for a potluck, but next time I think I'll try sun dried tomatoes in place of the fresh to stick with my in-season commitment.  The ingredients are a little pricey, but sometimes it's worth the splurge....

Source:  adapted from Everyday Food magazine, April 2011

1 jar (12 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, drained well, quartered if whole (reserve marinade)

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2" pieces and halved lengthwise if thick

1 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

olive oil

1 lb. pizza dough, thawed if frozen and divided in half

Coarse salt and ground pepper

7 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated (3 c.)

Place baking stone in oven and preheat to 500 degrees.  

In medium bowl, combine artichoke hearts, asparagus, and tomatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss.

Prepare two pizza crusts.  Brush with marinade.  Top with vegetables, leaving a 1" border.  Brush border with marinade and season pizza with salt and pepper.  Bake pizzas one at a time, approximately 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake an additional 3-5 minutes, or until crust is deep golden and cheese is melted.

Asparagus Stock

I had been tossing the woody ends into my compost until I came across this recipe.  Why didn't I think of that?  It's the same revelation as corn cob stock - brilliant!  I'm going to use it in place of some of the chicken stock in the Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto I'm making for today's lunch.

Source:  marthastewart.com

Simply simmer the woody ends and peelings from 1 lb. asparagus in 6 c. water.  Simmer for 15 minutes, then strain.  Stock can be used in vegetable soup or as a substitute for water when poaching or steaming food.

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Fabulous with fresh asparagus!  The original recipe called for grape or cherry tomatoes, but there's no way to make this recipe when both tomatoes and asparagus are in season, so I stuck to my "in-season" guns and substituted sun-dried tomatoes for fresh.  I'm glad I did!

Source:  adapted from abigmouthful.com

12 oz. orzo

1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1" pieces

1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, cut into small pieces

1 lemon, zested and juiced

4 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. fresh parsley, minced

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

grated Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)

Lightly steam asparagus; place in bowl of ice water to stop cooking.

Cook orzo according to package instructions.  Drain and place in large bowl.  Add asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes.

Whisk olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in small bowl.  Stir into orzo and vegetables.  Stir in parsley and cheese.

Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

I could have eaten the whole bowl this evening, but I made sure I saved enough for lunch tomorrow; I plan to add some left over roasted chicken breast to change it up.

Yum!!

Update, 6/30/12 - Since my asparagus season is over, I substituted some frozen sugar peas in place of the asparagus - absolutely yummy!!



Quinoa with Asparagus and Preserved Lemon Dressing

This recipe is way more effort than I normally undertake, but it seemed fitting for the final recipe of the 2011 asparagus season - #18!  Plus, I was intrigued by the preserved lemon dressing - had never heard of such a thing, so wanted to give it a try.  I'm not sure why I couldn't get the dressing to emulsify (maybe because I used the blender instead of the food processor as instructed??), but the flavor was delicious none the less.

Source:  adapted from marthastewart.com

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2" pieces

2 T. olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 c. toasted pine nuts

1/4 c. thinly sliced fresh basil

Preserved Lemon Dressing (see below)

Steam asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2-4 minutes.

Heat olive oil in saucepan.  Add onion and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.  Add quinoa, water and salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until all water has evaporated, approximately 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

Transfer quinoa to a serving platter.  Add asparagus and toss to combine.  Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with pine nuts and basil.  Garnish with chopped preserved lemons.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield:  6 servings

Preserved Lemon Dressing

1 lemon from Preserved Lemons (see below)

7-8 T. olive oil

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Rinse lemon in water, drain and cut in half.  Removed seeds and flesh from half of the lemon and chop rind into little pieces; set aside.

Remove seeds from remaining lemon half and add to the bowl of a food processor along with olive oil, cumin, coriander, and pepper; process until pureed.  If dressing seems too thick, add water to reach desired consistency.  Stir in preserved rind.

Preserved Lemons

8 lemons plus more as needed

juice of 4 lemons plus more as needed

coarse sea salt

1/2 c. olive oil

Leaving one end in tact, cut lemons lengthwise into quarters.  Using your fingers, stuff about 2 T. salt inside each lemon, close them, and transfer to an 8-cup, sterilized, wide-mouth jar.

Measure lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup, add to jar along with half that amount of water, making sure liquid almost covers lemons.  Add more freshly squeezed lemon juice, if necessary.

Loosely cover jar and let stand, at room temperature, for 2 days, shaking the bottle each day.

If there is room, add more cut lemons with salt and add to jar, covering with more lemon juice, if necessary, and olive oil. 

To use lemons, rinse with water. Remove seeds and pith and discard.  Use peel as desired.



Strawberry Asparagus Salad

Source:  adapted from tasteofhome.com

1/4 c. lemon juice

2 T. olive oil

2 T. honey or agave nectar

2 c. cut fresh asparagus (1" pieces)

2 c. sliced fresh strawberries

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil and honey; mix well.  Steam asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2-4 minutes; drain and cool.  Arrange asparagus and strawberries on individual plates; drizzle with dressing.

Yield:  8 servings

Steamed Asparagus with Warm Goat Cheese

Well, my goat cheese disk doesn't look anything like the picture on Martha Stewart's website (maybe the goat cheese was too creamy, or maybe I didn't freeze it long enough, maybe I cooked it too long, or maybe I shouldn't have substituted regular bread crumbs for the panko?), but the flavor definitely wasn't compromised.  How yummy!  It was especially delightful knowing that the goat cheese came from Dove Song Dairy. a local farm; I just discovered them!  Their products can be purchased at Root's Market via the Fertile Valley Dairy Farm stand.  (I purchase my eggs from Fertile Valley since they are free range and are not fed any GMO soy.)

Source:  Marthastewart.com

5 oz. fresh goat cheese log

flour

1/4 c. panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

2 T. olive oil

steamed asparagus

salt

lemon wedges

Slice a 5-oz. fresh goat cheese log into 4 disks; dredge in flour, then in panko.  Freeze for 15 minutes.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 2 T. olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add cheese disks; cook until browned, about 1 minute per side.  Season asparagus with salt, and serve with cheese disks and lemon wedges.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Asparagus and White Beans

Source:  thedailygreen.com

1 c. quinoa, regular or red, thoroughly rinsed

2 c. water

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 16-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into 1/4" x 2" strips

1/2 c. celery, thinly sliced

salad greens for serving

2 T. fresh parsley or basil, chopped, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the quinoa with water in saucepan and bring to boil.  Salt the water, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10-15 min. or until all liquid is absorbed.  Drain well and place in a large bowl.  Set aside to cool.

Arrange the asparagus on a light oiled baking pan and drizzle with 1 T. olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Roast until tender, about 10 min.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Add the white beans, roasted pepper, celery, and scallions, along with the roasted asparagus and cooked quinoa.  Toss gently to combine.  Serve on salad greens garnished with parsley.

4 servings

Chilled Asparagus with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Oooh, this is nice served chilled....

Source: marthastewart.com

2 T. mayonnaise

1 T. olive oil

1 T. white-wine vinegar

1 t. Dijon mustard

sea salt and pepper

steamed asparagus

In a bowl, stir together mayonnaise, olive oil, white-wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle over chilled steamed asparagus.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

This recipe needs a bit more tweaking, but it's a start.  Maybe the fact that I substituted onions for the leeks affected the flavor....

Source:  adapted from allrecipes.com

3 medium leeks (white part only), chopped

3 T. butter

4 c. chicken broth

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

2 c. diced peeled potatoes

1/2 t. dried thyme

1/8 t. white pepper
additional sea salt and pepper to taste

 Garnish:

heavy cream

fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, saute the leeks in butter.  Add broth, asparagus, potatoes and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth; return to the pan.  Adjust seasonings.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with cream and parsley.

Asparagus with Poached Egg

Now why didn't I think of this combination?!  Delish.

Source:  adapted from marthastewart.com

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed

4 large eggs

olive oil, for drizzling

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Lightly steam asparagus until crisp tender.

In separate pan, poach eggs approximately 3 1/2 minutes.  Remove from water with slotted spoon, draining excess water.

Divide asparagus among 4 plates; top each with an egg.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan, and season with sea salt and pepper.

Mushroom & Asparagus Frittata

This is so simple, it hardly warrants being considered a recipe, but it was good!  It's basically a simpler variation of the Mushroom Spinach Frittata from last spring.

sliced mushrooms

asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" lengths

3 eggs, lightly beaten

sea salt and pepper to taste

Simply saute the mushrooms and asparagus in butter until almost tender, then pour eggs over top.  Cook over low heat until eggs are set.  If desired, slide frittata out of pan onto plate, invert, and slide back into pan to brown top.

Sauteed Chicken with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Today's recipe was a tad bit on the boring side, but still good.  I served it over red quinoa - I'm hooked on that grain!

Source:  marthastewart.com

1 T. olive oil

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6), cut into 2" pieces

1 lb. button mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 lbs. asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 2" lengths

1 c. water

coarse sea salt and pepper

cooked noodles or rice (optional)

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in two batches, turning occasionally, until browned and opaque throughout, 6-8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

To skillet, add mushrooms, asparagus, and water; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, tossing once and scraping up browned bits, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 4-6 minutes.  Add chicken; cook, tossing, until warmed through, about 2 minutes.  Serve on top of noodles or rice, if desired.

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This is a simpler version of yesterday's salad plus the addition of sun-dried tomatoes; I actually liked it better - sometimes it's best not to have too many competing flavors in a dish!

red quinoa, cooked according to package directions

fresh asparagus, lightly steamed

sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped

sea salt and pepper to taste

vinaigrette:

oil from sun-dried tomatoes

vinegar

sea salt and pepper to taste

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Roasted Chicken

My friend Julia came up with this combination of flavors!  I don't have an official recipe and still need to perfect the vinaigrette, but it was delicious anyway.

red quinoa, cooked according to package directions

asparagus, cut into 1" lengths and lightly steamed

roasted chicken breast, sliced

toasted pecans

goat cheese

sun-dried tomato vinaigrette

sea salt and pepper to taste

Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza

This recipe inspired me to make up a batch of sun-dried tomatoes and well as some raw-milk ricotta cheese - worth every ounce of the effort!

Source: Inspired by marthastewart.com

thin asparagus spears, cut into 1" lengths

sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), sliced or chopped

ricotta cheese

prepared pizza crust

sea salt and pepper

Brush pizza crust with oil from sun-dried tomatoes.

Drizzle asparagus with sun-dried tomato oil and toss.

Layer ricotta cheese, asparagus, and sun-dried tomatoes on crust.

Season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 500 degrees for 5-8 minutes or according to crust directions.