Asparagus Risotto with Oyster Mushrooms and Ginger

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler & Mindy Toomay)

5 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 lb. asparagus
6 oz. oyster mushrooms
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. dried red chili flakes
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice
3 minced green onions

Heat the stock, soy sauce, and ginger in a saucepan until just steaming, and keep this broth handy near the stove.  Rinse the asparagus, break off and discard the tough stem ends, and cut at a slant into 1-inch pieces.  Rinse the mushrooms, pat dry, and chop coarsely.

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat.  Add half of the garlic and the red chili flakes and saute a minute or two, stirring constantly.  Add the bell pepper, asparagus, and salt.  Saute 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in the mushrooms, add the sherry, and immediately cover the pan tightly.  Remove the pan from the heat and set aside with the lid on.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the remaining garlic for 1 minute, then add the rice and stir to coat with the oil and garlic.  Add 1 cup of broth to the rice, and stir gently until the liquid is absorbed.  Add the remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before each addition.  When the last addition of broth has been absorbed and the rice is creamy and tender, stir in the asparagus and mushrooms, along with any pan juices.  Heat through for 1 minute.  Transfer to a warmed tureen or individual serving bowls and sprinkle with the green onions.  Serve very hot.

Ginger Coconut Milk Soup

(recipe from 101 Cookbooks)

Two 14-oz. cans full-fat coconut milk
One 14-oz. can water (use the coconut milk can to measure)
2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced
3 large shallots, minced
1 tsp. salt, or to taste

Lots of seasonal vegetables, for example (use a bit of each to fill up the broth):
squash (summer or winter)
broccoli florets
asparagus, chopped
scallions, sliced
mushrooms, sliced

to serve:
lots of fresh lime juice and cilantro


In a large soup pot, over medium heat, bring the coconut milk, water, ginger, shallots, and salt to a gentle boil.  Dial back the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the simmering coconut milk, and cook until tender. 

Can be served alone, or over egg noodles or rice.  Finish with a generous squeeze of lime juice and lots of cilantro.

(This is my new favorite soup!  I've made it a couple of times now, it's so easy and flexible!  Just add any veggies you have on hand to the broth, really.  I add the lime juice and cilantro right into the soup pot at the end.  I've used broccoli, butternut squash, asparagus, mushrooms, and scallions in varying groupings, but I can't imagine many veggies that wouldn't taste fabulous with this savory, tangy coconut broth.)

Roasted Asparagus with Red Pepper Sauce

(recipe from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics, via a newspaper clipping)

1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more to oil the pan
1 lb. fresh asparagus
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 tsp. salt
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 8 strips

Sauce:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tsp. chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 400F.  Lightly oil a baking pan.

Cut off the tough stem ends of the asparagus and discard.  Wash and dry asparagus.  Toss the spears with the Tbsp. of olive oil, the garlic and salt, and arrange them in a single layer on one half of the baking tray.  On the other half of the tray, arrange the red pepper strips.

Roast, turning vegetables every 10 minutes, until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Set asparagus aside and let come to room temperature.

Place roasted pepper strips in a blender with the sauce ingredients.  Puree until smooth.  Season with more salt and pepper if desired.

Arrange asparagus on a serving platter.  Drizzle some sauce over asparagus, and pass the rest when serving.  (Or, as I did, just dip the spears!)

(I very much enjoyed the roasted asparagus, as opposed to steaming.  The sauce was a nice accompaniment.)

Walnut Miso Noodles

(recipe from 101cookbooks.com)

4 oz. whole wheat spaghetti or linguini (or soba)
1 small bunch of asparagus, sliced thinly (1/4-inch thick)

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium clove garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp. mellow white miso paste
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
2 big pinches salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup+ warm water

Topping ideas:  sliced green onions, chopped chard stems and leaves that have been cooked for a minute or two in a skillet with a bit of olive oil and salt, chopped fresh chives, toasted walnuts

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt generously and cook the pasta per package instructions, being careful to not overcook.  About 10 seconds before you are going to drain the noodles, add the asparagus to the pot.  Now drain and toss with about 1/2 the walnut-miso dressing - you can make the dressing as you're waiting for the pasta water to come to a boil.

To make the dressing, use a food processor, blender or hand blender to puree the walnuts, olive oil, garlic, miso paste, vinegar, and honey.  Add the warm water a bit at a time until the dressing is the consistency of a heavy cream.  Taste and add salt if you think it needs it.

Add as much or as little dressing as you like to the noodles and toss well.  Arrange in two bowls or on a platter - I finished off this version topped with sliced green onions, a bit of sauteed slivered rainbow chard leaves & chopped stems, a few toasted walnuts, and some chives.

(I found I liked the asparagus sliced into thin strips lengthwise, which blended with the noodles better.  I cooked my asparagus with the noodles a little longer than 10 seconds, as I like mine less crunchy.  The dressing is very tasty.  I cut down a bit on the olive oil.)

Vellutata di Asparagi (asparagus soup with fried eggs)

(recipe from La Cucina Italiana magazine)

This recipe calls for a very detailed presentation involving toasts and eggs.  I am typing the recipe as is, but I did not use eggs or bread.  Instead, I just blended all of the asparagus and ate as a blended soup only.  Also, I used vegetable broth instead of water.

1 mini baguette
2 1/2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
sea salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
freshly ground white peppercorns
4 large eggs

Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) slices from the baguette and lightly toast.  Save remaining baguette for another use.

Cut all but 8 asparagus into 1-inch lengths.  In a medium saucepan bring 3 1/3 cups water, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt to a boil; add chopped asparagus and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.  In batches, carefully puree soup until creamy and smooth.  Return soup to pot and cover to keep warm.

Cut remaining asparagus in half, lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise; place in a large skillet.  Add water to come halfway up sides of pan, 1 Tbsp. oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Simmer until tender, about 3 minutes, then drain.

In a large nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining Tbsp. oil; sprinkle with salt.  Gently warm soup, stirring, then ladle into bowls.  Top with asparagus, fried eggs, and toasts.  Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with pepper.  Serve hot.

(This is a nice way to take advantage of the springtime sales on asparagus.  An elegant, subtle soup.)

Asparagus Vinaigrette

(recipe from Orangette)

1 bunch asparagus
salt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. white wine or champagne vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. olive oil
Scant 1/8 tsp. pressed garlic (or minced)
1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped (optional)
Zest of half a lemon (optional)

For the hard-boiled egg, a new method:  Put the egg in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  When it begins to boil, pull it off the burner, cover it, and let it sit for 12 minutes.  Then rinse in plenty of cold water.  The white will be tender and the yolk bright yellow, with not one single nasty bit of gray in sight.

Fill a 12-inch skillet with water to a depth of about 1 inch.  Add a good dose of salt, and bring the pan to a boil over high heat.  Add the asparagus, spreading them out in a single layer, and cook just until they turn bright green and yield to the tooth, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.  Drain into a colander, and briefly run cool water over the asparagus to stop them from cooking.  They should still be warm.  Dry them gently on a paper towel, and transfer them to a serving platter.  Set aside.

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt.  Add the oil, and whisk well to emulsify.  Taste, and if necessary, add a bit more oil.  Depending on the flavor of the oil and vinegar you use, you might need a teaspoon or so more oil.  Add the garlic, and whisk to combine.

To serve, drizzle the vinaigrette over the asparagus, and top, if you like, with hard-boiled egg.  If you choose to use the lemon zest, sprinkle a couple of pinches on top.  Alternately, serve the asparagus plain, with the vinaigrette and other optional toppings on the side, so each eater can dress it to their liking.

(I tried this recipe a few years ago, and it has become my go-to asparagus dish.  The lemony, mustardy dressing is delish, and good used as a salad dressing, too.  The hard-boiled egg is not necessary, but creates a creamier dressing when mixed together.  So good!  I usually make this and eat the whole bunch of asparagus myself.)

Potato, Asparagus & Mushroom Hash

(recipe from Eating Well magazine)

Serves 4.

1 lb. new or baby potatoes, scrubbed, halved if large
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 lb.), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 oz. shitake mushroom caps, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed
1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
fresh chives for garnish

Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil.  Put potatoes in the basket and steam until barely tender when pierced with a skewer, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on size.  When cool enough to handle, chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large (not nonstick) skillet over medium heat.  Add asparagus, mushrooms, shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil to the pan.  Add onion and the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits with a metal spatula, until the potatoes are browned, 4 to 8 minutes  Return the asparagus mixture to the pan along with the roasted red pepper, sage, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more.  Serve sprinkled with chives, if desired.

(This is meant as a breakfast entree, served with toast and topped with an egg.  However, I ate this cold for my lunches, kind of like a potato salad.  It's a tasty combination of vegetables.  Topped with fresh chives, very light and springtime-y.)

East-West Marinated Asparagus

(recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine)

Serves 6.

3 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 Thai bird chile, seeded and thinly sliced for garnish, optional

Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water for 5 minutes.  Drain, and plunge into ice-water filled bowl.

Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, oil, ginger, garlic, agave, and cayenne.  Pour over asparagus in a large baking dish, submerging them (add some water, if necessary).  Cover and chill in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

Drain off marinade, and arrange asparagus on plates.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chile slices, if using.

(Very delicious.  I added the chile pepper right into the marinade.  I ate the asparagus with some brown rice that I stir-fried along with a little bit of the marinade mixed in.)

Asparagus, Peas, and Basil

(recipe from Gourmet Italian Kitchen magazine)

Serves 6.

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (I used red onion)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups (12 oz) shelled fresh peas (1 3/4 lbs. in pods) or 1 (10 oz.) package thawed frozen peas
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Handful of torn basil leaves (about 3/4 cup)

Cook shallots in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 4 minutes.

Stir in asparagus, peas, salt, and pepper; cover skillet with a lid.  Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender but still slightly al dente, about 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in basil.

(So good!  So unbelievably good!  I ate this with some brown rice.  One of those recipes that makes me happy that I try new things.)

Spring Salad with New Potatoes and Pickled Spring Onions

(recipe from Smitten Kitchen, online)

2 lbs. small new or fingerling potatoes (a mix of reds and golds is nice)
1 lb. asparagus
1/4 lb. snap peas, green beans or other spring pea
4 small-to-medium radishes, thinly sliced

Pickled Spring Onions
3 spring onions
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar (I used honey)

Sharp Mustard Vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
2 tsp. smooth Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with one inch of water.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the tip of a knife easily pierces through a potato.  Drain the potatoes and let them cool until they're almost room temperature.  You can hasten this by covering them with cold water, and replacing the water a few times as it warms up.

Meanwhile, pickle your spring onions.  Whisk vinegar, water, salt, and sugar together in a small container with a lid until the salt and sugar dissolve.  Slice the bulbs and paler green parts into very thin coins and submerge them in the vinegar mixture.  Cover and put in the fridge until you're ready to use them; if you can put them aside for an hour or even overnight, the better.  Reserve the onion greens.

Refill the saucepan you used for the potatoes (here's to fewer dishes!) with salted water and bring it to a boil.  Prepare an ice bath, a large bowl with ice and water in it.  Trim the tough ends off the asparagus.  Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus.  One minute later, add the snap peas.  Two minutes later, drain both together then dump them in the ice bath until chilled.  Drain the vegetables and spread them out on a towel to absorb excess water.

Slice the cooked asparagus spears and snap peas into 1/2-inch segments and place them in a large bowl.  Chop potatoes into moderate-sized chunks and add them to the bowl.  Cut the radishes as thinly as possible.  If they're especially big, you can first quarter them lengthwise.  Cut the reserved onion greens into thin slivers and add them to the bowl.

When you're ready to serve the salad, or an hour or two in advance, whisk the dressing ingredients and toss it with the vegetables, to taste.  (You may find you don't want to use all of it.)  Stir in as many pickled onion coins as you please.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Do ahead:  Pickles can be started in the day or days before.  Potatoes can be boiled and chilled in fridge overnight, as can other vegetables.  Vinaigrette can be made in advance as well, but you may want to wait till the last minute to toss it with the vegetables, as the vinegar, over a long sitting time, can ever-so-slightly discolor the cut edges of the asparagus and beans.

(I made this 8/24/11 with the intention of it being for my week's lunches.  Justin came over to drink old-fashioned's and watch Mad Men.  We ended up eating most of the potato salad, too.  Justin said it was the best!  It is ridiculously good, especially if you're a mustard lover like me.)