Creamy Asparagus Pasta With Peas and Mint from NYT

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, more as needed
  • 1 pound short pasta, such as campanelle
  • 1 pound asparagus (about 1 bunch), trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup frozen green peas (no need to thaw)
  • 4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
  • ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan, more for serving
  • 1 lemon, zested and halved
  • ½ cup chopped fresh mint (or use parsley, basil or dill), for serving
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions.
  2. As the pasta boils, slice asparagus stems into ¼-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, peas, scallions and red-pepper flakes. Cook until vegetables are bright green and just tender (but not soft or mushy), 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with the salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; pour mixture into a large serving bowl.
  4. To the same skillet, add the heavy cream, ½ cup grated Parmesan and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until reduced and thick, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return vegetables to the skillet and toss with the sauce to reheat.
  5. When the pasta is done, reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain well.
  6. Immediately put the hot pasta in the same bowl you used for the vegetables and toss with remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan, lemon zest and mint. Add vegetable-cream mixture and the juice of half a lemon, and toss well. If the mixture looks thick, add a little pasta water to loosen it; it should be saucy. Taste and season generously with salt, pepper and more lemon juice as needed; it should taste bright and lively. Serve, topping each bowl with more Parmesan, mint and a drizzle of olive oil.

Grilled Asparagus Salad with Fried Eggs, food and wine

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1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound medium asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 large eggs
6 cups baby arugula
3/4 cup freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)

  • In a small bowl, whisk 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the lemon juice and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the asparagus over high heat until tender and charred in spots, about 5 minutes; keep warm.
  • Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat. Working in batches if necessary, cook the eggs sunny-side up until the whites are firm and the yolks runny, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • In a bowl, toss the arugula with the lemon vinaigrette and transfer the salad to plates. Top with the asparagus, fried eggs and cheese shavings and serve at once.