LEMONY PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND WHITE BEANS
Marinating canned white beans in lemon juice and zest, along with red-pepper flakes and shallots, imbues them with brightness and a touch of heat, adding so much flavor to this warm-weather pasta. It's dead simple to make: While the pasta cooks and the beans marinate, sauté the asparagus in olive oil, then use that pan to finish the dish. There's enough asparagus in the mix to make this a one-pan meal, but serving it with a crisp green salad on the side will add a little crunch and freshness.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, noodles, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Grate the zest from the lemon into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice from half of it on top of the zest. Add the white beans, shallot or onion, grated garlic, red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt and toss well. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, usually 2 minutes less than the package directs.
- Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, then add the asparagus. Sauté until the asparagus is tender and starting to brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Add a big pinch of salt and the sliced garlic and sauté until the garlic is lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Dip a coffee mug or glass measuring cup into the pasta water and scoop out about 1/2 cup of it to use for the sauce. Drain pasta, shaking it well. Add pasta, bean mixture, parsley and Parmesan to sauté pan and cook until the beans are hot and the pasta is al dente. If the mixture looks dry, splash in some (or all) of the reserved pasta water. Squeeze remaining lemon half over pasta, toss and taste. Season with pepper; add more salt, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice, if desired.
LEMONY SALMON AND CREAMY ASPARAGUS PASTA
A delicious way to use these two complimentary and healthy nutrient-rich main ingredients in a creamy dinner-party-ready combination that also makes a great family supper. Salmon and asparagus, with their delicate flavours, both work well with butter, fresh lemon juice and garlic. The secret to this recipe is the way it uses the tender whole asparagus tips, which add sexiness and visual flavour to the dish, differently to the blended stalks, which give colour and flavour to the sauce. Add to the meal your favourite pasta and top with some soft healthy leaves and a good Italian cheese, and it's restaurant quality. Serves 4 people very generously, or more.
Provided by CarolineOYum
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Cut off the tender asparagus tips at an angle, about a third of the asparagus stems. Boil the tips in 2 cups (500ml) water for 3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon then blanch in cold water to keep the bright green colour, and reserve in a microwaveable bowl.
- Cut the remaining asparagus stems into rough 2cm pieces and boil, covered, in the same water with vegetable stock powder and white pepper, for about 8 minutes.
- Blend the stems and cooking water, pulsing until fairly smooth but with small chunks of asparagus remaining.
- In the meantime, in a small saucepan over low heat, make a classic roux: melt 2 tablespoons of butter and then stir in 2 tablespoons of flour with a wooden spoon continuously until the mixture combines completely. Let the roux brown very slightly for a couple of minutes.
- Start adding the milk very slowly, stirring all the time, until all the milk is absorbed by the thirsty roux, and then slowly add the asparagus puree, stirring constantly until you have a thick green asparagus sauce.
- Salt to taste, remembering that in a delicate sauce less salt is better, and you've probably used salted butter.
- Add most of the herbs, reserving some for garnish, then add the cream. Stir very well and turn off the heat.
- While you're doing that, oil the salmon fillets on both sides with about a tablespoon of olive oil and briefly sear over medium-high heat in a large non-stick saucepan. Watch as the white colour moves up the side of the salmon, and when about one-third of the way up turn the salmon. When the other side has seared, while the salmon is still pink in the middle, remove from the pan.
- Turn down the heat in the salmon pan, add the rest of the olive oil and soften onions for 2 minutes or so, add mushrooms for a further 3 minutes, and add garlic for a further 5 minutes. Stir often.
- Now's a good time to start cooking the pasta, according to instructions on the packet.
- Pour the asparagus herbed cream sauce into the onion and mushroom saucepan and mix well. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon, taking care not to add the pips. Stir in half the parmesan cheese.
- Separate the salmon into flakes using a blunt knife. A butter knife is good; salmon flakes beautifully. Add salmon to the warm sauce and stir for 5 minutes or so over low heat. The sauce will finish cooking the medium-rare salmon without toughening it, while it absorbs the yummy creamy asparagus flavours in this honeymoon phase.
- Use the other half of the lemon to slice as garnish for your plates.
- Heat the asparagus tips in the microwave briefly.
- Drain the pasta and divide between the plates. Top with the creamy garlic lemon asparagus salmon sauce, then the asparagus tips and the remaining fresh herbs. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 606.8, Fat 25.4, SaturatedFat 10.6, Cholesterol 79.3, Sodium 227.8, Carbohydrate 64, Fiber 5.8, Sugar 5.7, Protein 32.1
LEMONY ASPARAGUS PASTA
A Creamy Lemon and Asparagus Pasta. Perfect for summer days.
Provided by jordangenevieve
Time 30m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water. Add the asparagus for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain and return the pasta to the pan to keep warm.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the oil and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, stock, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Take off the heat.
- Add the pasta and asparagus to the pan with the Parmesan and basil leaves. Mix to combine.
- Top the pasta with the extra Parmesan and serve.
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