Penne with Shrimp, Feta, and Spring Vegetables
This is the ultimate one-pot dish. It is so light and lemony and a wonderful way to feature asparagus and snap peas. Start to finish it takes no more than 15 minutes to prep and cook.
Archives for posts with tag: asparagus
This week’s meal plan is a celebration of spring. It features many of the vegetables that I’ve been waiting all winter to eat: spinach, asparagus, snap peas, ramps and even rhubarb! Last Saturday, I visited the Boro Hall Greenmarket for the first time in awhile and was so happy to see piles of ramps and rhubarb. I snatched them both up even though I had no idea what I’d do with them. That’s what I love most about this time of year – meal planning shifts from recipe-driven to ingredient-driven. You have to embrace a little uncertainty but trust me, you’ll be rewarded!
Meal #1: Chicken Saltimbocca + Sautéed Spinach
Meal #2: Pork Chops with Rhubarb-Cherry Sauce + Roasted Asparagus
Meal #3: Splayed Roast Chicken With Caramelized Ramps, Garlic and Capers + Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Meal #4: Penne with Shrimp, Feta, and Spring Vegetables
Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
spinach – 2 large bags or bunches
ramps – 1 bunch
asparagus – 2 bunches
snow peas – 1/2 lb.
rhubarb – 8-10 ounces (about 5 to 6 stalks)
onion – 1
fingerling potatoes – 1 lb.
sage – 1 bunch
mint – 1 bunch
rosemary – 1 bunch (optional)
lemon – 2
chicken broth – 1 small can
penne pasta – 1 box
feta – 4 ounces
dried cherries – 1/2 cup
pine nuts – 1/4 cup (optional)
capers (If you don’t already have them)
chicken cutlets – 4 (6 to 8 ounces each)
thinly sliced prosciutto – 4 slices (3 ounces)
whole chicken – 1 (approx. 4 1/2 lb.)
pork chops – 4 (6 to 8 ounces each)
shrimp – 1 lb.
dry white wine – 3/4 cup
Pork Chops with Rhubarb-Cherry Sauce
The salty, fatty pork and the sweetness of the sauce together is so delicious. This is a great dish when you are deep into rhubarb season and can’t eat any more compote. I love the addition of the dried cherries.
Roasted Asparagus
My go-to method of preparing asparagus.
1 bunch of asparagus – ends trimmed
olive oil
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss trimmed asparagus with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and a little bit browned. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese over to serve.
I don’t know what was up with this week, but for some reason I made a lot of meals with Asian ingredients and flavors. The great thing about using Asian ingredients is that they often add a great burst of flavor with very little work or time. So, for this week’s meal plan I’m featuring two of these dinners – the pork stir fry and grilled tuna steak which when paired with my dipping sauce may remind you of sushi.
Meal #1: Salmon and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce
Meal #2: Pork Stir Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas
Meal #3: Grilled Tuna Steaks with Dipping Sauce + Sesame Broccoli
Meal #4: Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon
Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
onion – 1
shallots – 2
lemons – 2
asparagus – 1 lb. bunch
sugar snap peas – 1 1/2 cups
broccoli – 1 large head or 1 lb.
leeks – 4
ginger – 1 piece
small white potatoes – 3/4 pound
fresh parsley – 1 bunch
Kalamata olives – 1/2 cup
diced tomatoes – 2 cans (28 ounces each)
sherry – 1 bottle (it’ll keep)
sesame seeds – small package (they’ll keep)
short pasta (penne) – 1 box
rice (if you don’t already have it)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
Sriracha (if you don’t already have it)
brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
rice vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil (if you don’t already have it)
corn starch (if you don’t already have it)
eggs – 2
pork tenderloin – 1, 12-16 ounce piece
bacon – 6 slices
salmon fillets – 4 (6 ounces each)
tuna steak – 4 1-inch pieces
Pork Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas
It is a little early in the season to be bored with asparagus, and trust me I am not, but sometimes I get bored with the typical cooking methods – steaming or roasting.
Note: I used regular cooking sherry that I bought at the grocery store, but if you don’t have that you can find a bunch of suggestions for substitutions on Serious Eat’s online forum.
Penne with Asparagus, Scallions, Peas and Prosciutto
I couldn’t wait. I tried to wait until asparagus arrived at the farmers market, but the beautiful, green bunches of asparagus at Whole Foods were calling my name. This winter has just been so brutal that I felt I deserved a meal featuring those bright, grassy flavored stalks of spring.
Not only is this dish a celebration of spring, it takes very little time to prepare and it doesn’t need a side.
1 TB. olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed, stalks cut into 1/2 inch pieces
5 scallions, chopped
1 cup frozen or fresh peas
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
12 oz. penne
1/4 lb. prosciutto, torn into small pieces
1/4 – 1/2 cup of half and half or heavy cream
Parmesan
Bring salted water to a boil and add the penne. Cook for 10-12 minutes to al dente (read the directions on the box for an accurate time). Save 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water for your sauce.
While the penne is cooking, heat olive oil in a pan and add asparagus, scallions and peas. Saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
When the penne is finished drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the vegetables and add the prosciutto. Add a little bit of the reserved cooking water, some half and half or cream and season with a bit of salt and ground pepper. Mix and taste to see if you like the consistency of the sauce. You can always add a little bit more water or cream depending on your preference. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.
I love anticipation. There is no better feeling than the excitement leading up to a big holiday or great vacation. Anticipation is especially strong when you are a kid – how many of us barely slept on Christmas Eve – but fortunately it is one of those few experiences that doesn’t totally go away as you get older. Of course, as an adult what we get excited about changes, but the fun of it stays the same.
After the long, hard winter I have been eagerly anticipating spring. That means getting excited about the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, tulips along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, and of course, asparagus and peas at the farmers market. Like a kid before Christmas who tries to find their presents in their parent’s closet I may have cheated a bit this week… I jumped the gun and bought some California asparagus at the grocery store because I just couldn’t bear to wait any longer. I would like to say that I regret it, but honestly I don’t. I needed that taste of spring and I’m happy to share my recipe with you.
The first asparagus and peas of 2014
Meal #1: Penne with Asparagus, Scallions, Peas and Prosciutto
Meal #2: Mustard Crusted Branzino + Sautéed Spinach
Meal #3: Italian Sausage and Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Feta
Meal #4: Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta + Sautéed Green Beans with Shallots
Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
asparagus – 1 bunch
bell peppers – 2 (red, yellow or orange)
red onion – 1
scallions – 1 bunch (5 or so )
frozen or fresh peas – 1 cup
spinach – 2 bags or bunches
green beans – 1 1/2 lb.
grape or cherry tomatoes – 1 pint
shallots – 7
lemon -1
thyme – 1 bunch
box of penne
farro – 1 cup
breadcrumbs – 1 cup
half and half or heavy cream – small container
feta cheese – 1 cup
Spanish olives – 1/2 cup
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
whole grain mustard (if you don’t already have it)
pine nuts (optional) – 2 TB.
prosciutto – 1/4 lb.
Italian Sausage – 1 or 2 links per person
bone-in, skin-0n chicken thighs – 8 or approx. 2 1/2 lb.
branzino or trout – whole (two fish, 2 lb. each) or filet (6-8 oz. per person)