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asparagus-white bean soup + pancetta croutons.

April 30, 2012 — 10 Comments

Here we go again with the white beans.

Asparagus + White Bean Soup with Pancetta Croutons

Every time I’m making something and the white beans come out, Dan’s like, “Really? White beans again? What is it with you and these things?”

It’s a good thing that everything I’ve made with them has been delicious. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have much of an argument for my continued obsession.

White beans are a perfectly magical ingredient, indeed: They add bulk, protein, and fiber to any meal – especially great for all of my vegetarian friends (you are out there, right?). And for those of us like Daniel and I, who like to go meatless a few times a week. You can easily make this soup totally meatless by omitting the pancetta, but I happen to know there are a few of you (at least one) that eat a mostly vegetarian diet with a speckle of bacon here and there.

These pancetta croutons are seriously insane. Cooking the bread cubes in the pancetta and fresh thyme with the help of a little olive oil, since pancetta doesn’t have much fat to render out, results in the most incredible, salty little flavor-bombs that I think could and should be added to pretty much any soup that exists.

The soup itself is {nearly equally} incredible. Potatoes and, yes, white beans add bulk to the soup and when it’s pureéd, you’ll be tricked into thinking you’re eating a rich, cream-based soup. But guess what, pretties? There is NO cream in this soup, and you won’t miss it one bit. There are a lot of ingredients that add flavor to this soup, like shallots (my addition), garlic, fresh rosemary, white wine, and lemon (also my addition). And then there’s the asparagus, which is roasted before being added to the soup thus bringing out its best side. I saved my asparagus tips and added them as a garnish along with the croutons.

In Food Matters Project, Healthy Eats, Main Dishes asparagus, croutons, leeks, pancetta, rosemary, soups, spring recipes, thyme, white beans

spring vegetable {goat cheese} dip.

April 9, 2012 — 9 Comments

Oh, how I love a hot and cheesy dip.

Typically reserved for our football gatherings in the fall and winter, you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a cheesy dip designed for the spring. A hot and cheesy dip packed with fresh flavor from all of my favorite spring vegetables? Yes, please.

Now, don’t me wrong: This dip is still creamy, cheesy, and totally dreamy – thanks to the béchamel base it starts with, and plenty of white cheddar and goat cheese. The goat cheese makes for a perfect pairing with spring vegetables like asparagus and artichokes – which make for a perfect pairing with – drumroll, please – wine! Yes, wine. It can be done, and it can be done well.

If you’re not into wine – or, let me rephrase – if you’re into drinking wine but don’t know too much about it, spring veggies like artichokes and asparagus are a no-no when it comes to vino. They contain certain chemicals that can make the wine taste off, or even rancid (especially red wines).

You can imagine the predicament I found myself in here. I was obsessing over two things: a springtime dinner party, and a wine pairing dinner party. But how could a springtime dinner party not pay homage to all of the fabulous vegetables springtime has to offer? I’m not one of those super-fussy people who say X wine must be served with X food, but at the same time, if I’m hosting a wine pairing dinner party, well, then the pairings need to make sense!

In Dinner Party Worthy, Starters artichokes, arugula, asparagus, dips + spreads, goat cheese, peas, prosciutto, spring recipes, sugar snap peas

spring coq au vin blanc.

March 26, 2012 — 10 Comments

This week’s recipe for The Food Matters Project is a twist on the traditional French dish, coq au vin – which means chicken braised in wine.

Yes, I’m a bit of a French food fanatic – so a recipe like this is right up my alley. It definitely falls on the rustic, French countryside area of the map, which might be my favorite place to be. For me, this type of French cooking equals plenty of good wine, crusty baguettes, and long, relaxed summer days.

Or in this case, spring days.

Though I will at some point be trying Bittman’s recipe in its original form, I couldn’t help myself from turning this into a spring vegetable-orgy. I usually describe my changes in words and link to the original recipe, but because I made so many changes, I wrote out my version for you below.

In Food Matters Project asparagus, carrots, chicken, cooking with wine, french recipes, leeks, mushrooms, new potatoes, pearl onions, peas, spring recipes

how-to: easy asparagus tart.

March 21, 2012 — 7 Comments

Guys. I’ve got something super-awesome for you today!

And, it’s super-easy. I even made a video to prove it.

This asparagus tart is what I like to call a “back-pocket” recipe. You won’t ever need a recipe again after you’ve made it once – and after watching it on video, you probably won’t even need a recipe on your first shot!

Yep, you can pull this one out of your back-pocket anytime you need it. And when might that be, exactly? Well, to start – Easter. This would make an outstanding choice as an Easter hors d’oeuvre, because Easter happens to fall in the springtime, when asparagus is at its lovely peak. It would be equally perfect for brunch with the girls, or even a simple lunch with your better half and a bottle of your favorite white on a gorgeous spring day.

This tart is so impressive and pretty, and what’s even better than that? It tastes delicious, too. Did I mention it’s easy to make? This is a triple-double-win, peeps.

In Fabulously Simple, Sassy in the Kitchen, Starters asparagus, dijon mustard, easy appetizers, entertaining, gruyère, puff pastry, spring recipes

asparagus with fried capers + poached eggs.

March 9, 2012 — 3 Comments

It’s time …

… to start thinking about … asparagus … !!!

You might have other, more exhilarating things to get your heart fluttering right now. Not a bad thing! I suppose I do, too – but as we know, it’s the edible things in life that get me weak in the knees.

The edible things, that grow from the ground, that allow us as people who enjoy food to truly get excited about putting good stuff into our bodies.

Ah, the power of a vegetable at its prime.

Or should I say, the power of a roasted vegetable at its prime. Because when you roast asparagus – like most other veggies – at a very high heat, something magical happens. I’m going to trust that you’ve done this before. Because I’m pretty sure I’ve talked about it ad nauseam. But – the real question remains: Have you ever topped said asparagus with fried capers? And perhaps more importantly – poached eggs?

Swoon.

There’s a lot of magic happening in this dish, and if you’re afraid of poaching eggs, well, then I triple-dog-dare you to try it. If you, too, go weak in the knees for a creamy egg yolk running over your toast, ridiculously-delicious roasted asparagus, hash browns, whatever – then you simply must learn how to poach an egg. Because more often than not, restaurants will undoubtedly screw this up, which leads me to throw a temper tantrum in my head because now my breakfast is ruined, and all I really wanted was a proper eggs Benedict and why must I suffer from an overcooked egg yolk that doesn’t. run. anywhere. ?

In Fabulously Simple, Weekend Brunch asparagus, capers, eggs, everything's better roasted, meatless, poached eggs, roasting veggies

creamy lemon-dijon pasta with asparagus.

May 25, 2011 — 2 Comments

What do you do when you’ve got fresh produce and no protein, yet you want to make a balanced meal for dinner?

Easy. Enter pasta, your weeknight fix BFF.

I make pasta for dinner all the time. It’s so easy, so fast, and super-cheap. I rarely pay attention to what I pay for pasta, but the other day I happened to notice that the cost for Smart Taste (by Ronzoni) was $1. For a pound, which should equal 4 servings. Crazy, right?

This brings me to my next point, which is that this particular brand of pasta has a high protein and fiber content even though it tastes like white pasta. I do like whole wheat pasta, but I think it’s best in certain dishes where the other ingredients complement its nutty flavor. For everyday pasta, I like the flavor of Smart Taste.

{And Ronzoni isn’t paying me to say this, either}

Sometimes I keep it as simple as spaghetti with garlic and oil, and sometimes, when I’ve got some leftover produce in the fridge, I add that in. You can even do frozen veggies, and just add them to the boiling water as it cooks the pasta – just make sure to add for the last few minutes, or however long that particular veggie takes to cook.

This recipe is slightly more involved than garlic and oil – and so worth it. Some milk and a bit of flour, along with a nice amount of coarse ground dijon mustard and lemon, produces a flavorful, creamy yet low-fat sauce. It’s perfect with the asparagus, and the Parmesan topping at the end just adds that final dose of salty deliciousness.

What are you eating for dinner?

Creamy Lemon-Dijon Pasta with Asparagus

Adapted from Eating Well

8 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta {I use Smart Taste}
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 teaspoons coarse ground dijon mustard
4 teaspoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh herbs {I used thyme, you could also use tarragon}
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add asparagus and continue cooking until the pasta and asparagus are just tender, 3 minutes more. Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, whisk milk, mustard, flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in herbs, lemon zest and juice.

Stir the sauce into the pasta-asparagus mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sauce is thick, creamy and coats the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Makes 4 servings.

In Fabulously Simple, Main Dishes asparagus, dijon mustard, parmigiano-reggiano, pasta, weeknight fix

risotto with asparagus + shiitake mushrooms.

April 21, 2011 — 1 Comment

Risotto is one of the things that everyone makes a big deal about – like it’s hard, or something.

Let me just clear up any misconceptions you have right now – it’s not hard, at all! It’s actually quite easy. The only negative I can think of, that may have given people this crazy idea, is that it takes some time. Some stirring. Some love.

And as the much-loved Carla of Top Chef might say, it’s all about cooking with love!

I made this risotto for a dinner party with close friends, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend making this dish for a dinner party. I did it because I knew my girlfriend wouldn’t mind hanging in the kitchen with me as I cooked, but if you’re having people over, you might not want to be stuck in the kitchen stirring away.

For a risotto, this dish was fairly light – 1/2 stick of butter is used, and then, of course, there’s the Parmesan that goes in at the end. Other than that, this dish is chock-full of vegetables.

This was my first time making risotto, and I have to say – the end result is so worth it. It’s really not difficult, and I’d go so far to say that there’s something about putting all of that love into your food that makes it that much better.

I can’t wait to make another risotto. A nice bottle of Chianti, a quiet night spent stirring rice in a pot – sounds like heaven to me!

{Is that weird?}

Asparagus and Shiitake Risotto

From Gourmet

5 cups chicken broth (40 fluid ounces)
1 cup water
1 pound thin to medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, leaving tips 1 1/2 inches long
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)

Bring broth and water to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Add asparagus and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Keep broth at a bare simmer, covered.

Heat oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute.

Ladle in 1 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and looks creamy, 18 to 20 minutes. (Save leftover broth for thinning.)

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese, remaining tablespoon butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir in asparagus and mushrooms, then cover pan and let stand 1 minute. If desired, thin risotto with some of remaining broth. Serve immediately with remaining cheese on the side.

In Main Dishes asparagus, italian recipes, mushrooms, risotto, spring recipes