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Fast & Easy Dinner: Roasted Asparagus and Eggs

partysugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:50:45 -0700

A couple of weeks ago, my sister came over with her CSA box. Among the romaine and rhubarb was a bunch of perfectly tender asparagus. When she asked how we should cook the thin spears, I replied, "like Martha Stewart prepares hers: roasted and topped with a poached egg." Since that day, we've both enjoyed this simple yet sophisticated vegetarian meal many times. It's quite versatile - if you have other veggies like mushrooms or green beans on hand, roast them with the asparagus. For a heartier variation, plate the asparagus on top of toasted country bread. To appease meat eaters, sprinkle with salty pancetta. Whichever way you serve it, you'll need the basic recipe, so read more.

Roasted Asparagus and Eggs
From Whole Living

Ingredients

1 medium thick asparagus bunch, tough ends removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
4 large eggs
2 ounces shaved parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet with a rim, toss asparagus with oil. Season with salt. Bake until asparagus is lightly browned and tender, 15 to 18 minutes (timing will vary depending upon thickness of asparagus).
In a small saucepan, cook balsamic vinegar and sugar over medium-high heat until syrupy and reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large skillet with 2 inches of water to a simmer over medium heat. Add cider vinegar and season with salt. Break one egg at a time into a cup, then tip cup into pan. Simmer until whites are set and yolks are soft but slightly set, about 3 minutes.
With a slotted spatula, scoop out eggs one at a time and drain on paper towels. With a paring knife, trim edges.
Divide asparagus among four plates and drizzle with reduced balsamic. Top with shaved Parmesan and an egg.

Serves 4.

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Today's Special: Roasted Asparagus and Wild Mushroom Salad over Baby Greens

partysugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 07:55:38 -0700

FitSugar would be so proud of tonight's all vegetable dinner recipe. Basically it's 2 healthy salads in 1. Healthy is emphasized because the veggies are tossed in a light evoo (yes I know that it is a Rachael Ray-ism, but come on, it's also a very handy abbreviation and I've been abbreviating long before Ms. Ray came along), vinegar, and mustard emulsion - instead of a heavy mayonnaise buttermilk based dressing. Three types of roasted mushrooms make the salad hearty, filling, and figure friendly. When we consume foods packed with various flavors - as in this dish - the mind gets tricked into believing we are eating more than we really are. To pile this salad on your plate, read more

Roasted Asparagus and Wild Mushroom Salad over Baby Greens
From Oprah

1 pound fresh asparagus, medium thick with nice, tight tips
4 ounces portabellini mushrooms
4 ounces oyster mushrooms
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
4 ounces baby greens
2 ounces balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
5 ounces extra virgin olive oil, plus about 2 tablespoons to coat vegetables
Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper

Using a medium sized saucepan, fill 3/4 with water and bring to a boil.
When boiling, drop in asparagus (trim root end back to green of the stalk). Let water return to a boil, remove, drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Cut asparagus into two-inch long pieces, on the bias.
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Brush dirt from mushrooms, and slice into 1/4 inch-thick slices.
In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard and garlic. Whisk in the olive oil slowly to form and emulsion. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the sliced mushrooms, the asparagus and the two tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper.
Place single layer on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for 10 minutes until mushrooms start to brown. Remove, let cool.
In a bowl, combine salad greens with a little of the dressing to coat greens. Toss roasted vegetables with a few tablespoons of the dressing.
Arrange greens on a plate, top with the roasted vegetables.

Serves 6.

Nutritional information: 440 calories, 306 calories from fat, 36.3g total fat, 4.9g saturated fat, 0g of cholesterol, 33mg sodium, 29.0g total carbohydrate, 5.8g dietary fiber, 6.5g protein

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Sunday Dinner: Roast Chicken With Potatoes and Asparagus

YumSugar — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 06:00:19 -0700

In the last few weeks, San Francisco's been blessed with such warm weather that I've been thinking it's time to pack up the cold-weather clothes in favor of some sunnier ensembles. In addition, I'll be putting away my slow cooker until next Winter, forgoing Winter stews for fresh preparations instead.

What could be more seasonal than a Spring chicken, roasted with new potatoes and bright-flavored asparagus and lemon, and served with a roasted pan juice? To make this timely supper, read more.

Roast Chicken With Potatoes, Lemon, and Asparagus
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, halved
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 package cut-up whole chicken (about 3 pounds)
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place potatoes and half the butter in a roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
Scatter asparagus, lemon, remaining butter, and thyme around chicken. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken, vegetables, and lemon drizzled with pan juices.

Serves 4.

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Yummy Link: Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

YumSugar — Thu, 24 May 2007 08:28:19 -0700

I can't seem to get enough asparagus this year. Right now I'm drooling over oven-roasted green asparagus with parmesan. - Nami-Nami

5 Things About Asparagus

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Spring has sprung, and with it come delicious vegetables that cost less in-season. Asparagus is one of these farm-stand deals that's versatile and nutritious - I like to roast or steam it as a dinner side, cut it up for salads, and use it for crudités platter. Learn more about the green spears sold in bundles by checking out these five things.

Edible asparagus comes in three colors: green, white (milder flavor), and purple (fruitier flavor). Take advantage of the variety for a gorgeous medley.
The vegetable is an excellent source for several nutrients, including but not limited to vitamins K, C, A, folate, and potassium.
Because it contains high levels of folate (the naturally occurring folic acid), asparagus promotes a healthy cardiovascular system. Just one serving provides nearly 66 percent of the daily recommended intake of folate.

To see two more things about asparagus, read more.

As a natural diuretic, asparagus has been consumed for inflammation-related issues such as menstrual bloating and arthritis.
Eating asparagus causes funny smelling urine for some people, which is a harmless effect of the body digesting the vegetable's sulfur compound.

Source

What Would You Serve?

YumSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 03:30:44 -0700

Entertaining at home is one of my favorite activities of all time, but as with all hobbies, it requires lots of thinking ahead and decision-making, from planning a prep schedule to coordinating the menu. In this series, I'll present a dish and ask you to share what you'd serve alongside it.

Here's the scenario: You're hosting a birthday party for a close friend, and you've purchased fresh asparagus from the farmers market. You wrap it with paper-thin slices of prosciutto and roast it in the oven for a dish that's truly droolworthy. What would you serve alongside it? To see what I'd make, read more.

Inspired by fresh Spring ingredients, I'd serve my guests a seasonal farm-to-table dinner. As a stunning main course, I'd serve roasted prawns with morels, to be accompanied by the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and ricotta gnocchi on the side. Asparagus is notoriously difficult to pair with wine, so I would select a dry, crisp Pinot Grigio with a fruity nose, avoiding anything overly sweet, oaky, or tannic. For dessert, I'd take advantage of fresh, ripe strawberries and serve strawberries Romanoff.

What would your menu include?

Killer Apps: Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:28:51 -0700

Growing up, I hated asparagus. I thought it tasted weird, had an odd texture and was downright lousy. These days my opinion has completely changed and I think it's one of the tastiest veggies out there. Naturally it took a piece of cured meat to change all of that. That's right, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus was how I took the plunge from asparagus hater, to asparagus lover. And while I've learned to love asparagus in most any form, there's nothing quite as tasty as when it's wrapped in pork.

The traditional recipe for prosciutto-wrapped asparagus calls for you to blanch them first. However our pals at Slashfood claim you can skip the blanching step and roast them directly. Not wanting to dirty another pan, I decided to take their advice. It came out perfectly, and made for a wonderfully quick, delicious appetizer. If you want to see how to do it - with or without blanching - just read more.

Roasting without Blanching Method
To create the asparagus seen here, I cut the woody ends of the asparagus off. Next I cut pieces of prosciutto with kitchen shears (to create smaller pieces easily), and then wrapped them around the stems. I roasted them directly on a pan in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. I used skinny asparagus stalks, for larger stalks, you'll want to up the cooking time.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
From Whole Foods

Ingredients

20 stalks of asparagus
4 thin slices of prosciutto, fat removed
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan
1 lemon, quartered

Directions

Cut off tough ends of asparagus. Cover asparagus with water in a skillet; bring to a boil and cook until tender but still firm, 3–4 minutes. Drain well.
Divide asparagus into 4 bundles of 3 stalks each. Wrap prosciutto slice around center of bundle. Place the bundles into oven-proof dish; dot with butter; season with pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place in the oven to brown the cheese, 4–5 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedge.

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Jamie Oliver Serves World Leaders at UK's G20 Summit

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:00:25 -0700

UK's Buckingham Palace has been abuzz as Prime Minister Gordon Brown hosts world leaders from countries such as China, Japan, and the US to discuss key issues surrounding the global economy. Last night, finance ministers took a break from heated dialogue to enjoy a multi-course dinner prepared by UK celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in Prime Minister Brown's house at 10 Downing Street.

TV's famed Naked Chef cooked the dinner with the help of apprentices from Fifteen London, his restaurant that trains unemployed and at-risk youth. The dinner menu, which Oliver described as "the best of Britain," features organic, sustainable foods from around the British Isles. To see what President Obama and other leaders ate, read more.

First Course

Baked Scottish salmon with seashore vegetables, broad beans, herb garden salad, mayonnaise, and wild garlic-scented Irish soda bread
Vegetarian option: Childwickbury goat cheese with roast shallots, seashore vegetables, herb green salad, and wild garlic-scented Irish soda bread

Second Course

Slow-roasted shoulder of Welsh lamb, first of the season Jersey Royal potatoes, first of the season asparagus, and wild St. George mushrooms with mint sauce and gravy
Vegetarian option: lovage and potato dumplings with first of the season asparagus and wild St. George mushrooms

Third course

Hot bakewell tart with homemade custard

So far, the media has been somewhat critical of the menu, and the Guardian called it "not terribly exciting." Still, I think the menu sounds appetizing, although - unlike President Obama - I am a fan of British food. Does the menu impress you?

Source

Healthy Recipe: Romesco Sauce

FitSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:00:00 -0700

If you're looking for a healthy, tasty, vegetable laden sauce to accompany with fish, veggies, or poultry, search no further. Try this easy Spanish inspired romesco sauce featuring roasted red peppers pureed with nuts, olive oil, and spices.

This sauce contains a handful of nutritional super foods, eating for your heart has never been so tasty. Pouring romesco over roasted or grilled asparagus is my favorite way to enjoy this sauce. As a snack, I dip toasted bread in the sauce. To see the recipe read more.

Romesco Sauce
Inspired by About: Spanish Food

Ingredients

1/2 cup almond slivers
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
5 cloves of garlic
6 inch piece of stale bread baguette
2 large ripe tomatoes
4 large red bell peppers
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 to 1/4 cup red wine or sherry vinegar to taste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon or a pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Roast peppers and garlic on rimmed baking sheet six inches from flame of broiler on high. Rotate peppers as they char, about 3 to 5 minutes. When garlic is browned remove from pan to cool, this will likely be when peppers are only half roasted. Peel garlic once it is cool to the touch.
When peppers are charred evenly on all four sides, place in paper bag, or an insulated lunch box lined with paper towels, for 10 to 20 minutes so peppers steam cook in their own heat. Drain on a plate for 10 minutes before using.
Place almonds and hazelnuts into food processor and process until finely ground.
Spray medium skillet with olive oil cooking spray, or use teaspoon of olive oil, and sauté quartered tomatoes for five minutes.
Add tomatoes and torn bread to nuts and process.
Add peppers, garlic, and spices to food processor and mix well.
While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle olive oil and then vinegar; add more of either as needed. Salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe makes about 3 to 4 cups of sauce. I wish I could tell you if it freezes well, but I end up using all of it in two to three days.

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What's in Season: Asparagus

partysugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:01:31 -0800

Last week I had my first asparagus of the season! I was surprised to see it in the local supermarket and couldn't resist serving it at an impromptu dinner party. In my opinion, asparagus is best roasted or grilled rather than steamed or blanched. To see my tips for enjoying Spring's asparagus to the fullest, read more.

Asparagus is most abundant between March and July.
There are three types of asparagus: green, white, and purple. Green is the most common and white is covered with soil - grown in the dark - to keep it from turning green.
At the store look for crisp stalks with firm brightly colored heads. Stay away from soft, limp-looking asparagus. Also flowers are a sign of age, so avoid stalks with flowers.

Fat stalks tend to be more flavorful and less stringy than thin stalks.
After purchasing, keep asparagus chilled until time to cook. If left at room temperature the stalks become tough and stringy and can lose their flavor quickly.
A serving size of asparagus is about eight stalks.
Choose stalks of similar size so they will cook evenly.