Tasty and Easy Recipes

This recipe is great for entertaining!!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds trimmed asparagus
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons orange juice
Lemon and orange peel curls for garnish (optional)

Method:
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and saut? for 10-15 minutes, or until the asparagus is lightly brown and tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle with the lemon and orange juices and remove to a serving dish. Garnish with the peel curls (if desired) and serve hot.

Ingredients:
Dressing:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon (up to 2) Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad:
1/2 pound uncooked spiral, shell or elbow pasta
Water for boiling
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 pound fresh asparagus
1/4 pound carrots
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method:
Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to make a dressing.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, slice asparagus lengthwise in quarters, then across in 1-1/2″ pieces. Cut carrots in similar-size julienned pieces. Steam or blanch vegetables for a few minutes.
Drain pasta well. Stir in oil to prevent pasta from sticking together. Combine with vegetables, dressing, capers and parsley. Adjust flavor with more vinegar or salt, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients:
2 lb of asparagus.
1 shallot, chopped finely.
3 ½ oz of vialone rice.
2 oz of butter.
1 cup of dry white wine.
4 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Salt and pepper.

Method:
1. Break the ends off the asparagus stalks and discard.Cut off the extreme tips and chop the rest of the stalks.Blanch the tips in boiling water.
2. Remove the tips with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Cook the stalks in the same water until they go soft.
4. In a blender, puree the stalks with their cooking water to make a thick stock.
5. Add dry white wine, and simmer over a low heat.
6. In a pan, melt half of the butter and cook the shallot until it turns soft.
7. Add the rice to the pan and let it begin to absorb the butter before adding a ladle of the asparagus stock. Keep stirring until it is absorbed.
8. Stir in the tips and add another ladle of stock. Keep adding the stock, one ladle at a time, making certain not to drown the rice, until the rice is al dente (takes 15-20 mins).