Pasta with Asparagus and Lemon

From my Simple Seafood Class tonight. A delicious all-in-one side with fish, seafood or chicken. Be sure to serve this while it is warm and the sauce is creamy.

Pasta with Asparagus and Lemon

8 ounces penne pasta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
4 teaspoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
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, return to a boil 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, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice.

Stir the sauce into the drained pasta-asparagus mixture. Return pan to medium-low 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 plates and top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Serves 4.

Using Dreamfield’s penne: Boil penne for 8 minutes, add asparagus, return to boil and boil 3 minutes.

 

 

Roasted Purple Asparagus

I stopped downstairs in produce on my way home tonight looking for a vegetable for dinner. The beautiful purple asparagus caught my eye. The stalks are large, 10 stalks weighed 1.06 pounds. Because of the size, I decided to slow-roast them at 350° degrees for about 25 minutes - rather than in a hotter oven for less time as I would thinner asparagus. The result was delicious. The spears were very tender and had a mild asparagus flavor. The vibrant purple color fades slightly with roasting.

Roasted Purple Asparagus
1 1/2 pounds large purple asparagus, about 16 stalks
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Rinse asparagus well and pat dry. Break off woody ends of stalks. Transfer asparagus to prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat lightly and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange asparagus in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Serves 4.


Coat asparagus lightly with olive oil; season with salt and pepper

 

A nice punch of color on the plate