Primavera With Asparagus Recipes

CLASSIC PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Blanch the broccoli, asparagus, snow peas: Get a large pot of water boiling. Salt it well. It should taste like the sea. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Boil the broccoli for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and boil another minute. Add the snow peas and boil for 30 more seconds. Remove all the vegetables and plunge them into the ice water. Once they're cool, drain in a colander. If you want, you can boil your pasta in the same pot you boiled the vegetables in, or you can start over and boil new water; I use the same water.
• Sauté the zucchini and garlic, then add the tomatoes: In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. When the butter is hot, add the garlic and zucchini and sauté 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes and sauté another 2 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the stock, cream, blanched vegetables, and peas: Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and turn the heat to high to bring it to a boil. Add the cream and toss in all the vegetables you boiled, plus the peas. Stir to combine. Turn the heat down until the cream-chicken broth mixture is just simmering, not boiling.
• Add the Parmesan: Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick-it should be pretty thick, but not gloppy-add some more chicken broth, cream or water.
• Boil the pasta: If you are using spaghetti, you will want to start cooking it before you begin sautéing the garlic and zucchini. Angel hair will only need 1 to 2 minutes to cook, vermicelli or spaghetti can take 8 to 12 minutes.
• Toss the pasta and serve: As soon as the pasta is done, transfer it with tongs into the sauce and stir to combine. Add the basil now, and taste for salt. Add salt if needed. Grind some black pepper over everything and serve immediately. You will want a dry white wine with this, ideally a dry French white.

PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
• While the water is coming to a boil, slice snap peas and asparagus stems into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add snap peas, asparagus, English peas and onion. Cook until vegetables are barely tender (but not too soft or mushy), 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Drop pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente (1 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta, more for dried pasta). Drain well and transfer pasta to a large bowl. Immediately toss pasta with vegetables, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crème fraîche and herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper, if needed.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook penne pasta in salted water according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
• Meanwhile heat olive oil in a 12-inch (and deep) skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add red onion and carrot and saute 2 minutes.
• Add broccoli and bell pepper then saute 2 minutes.
• Add squash and zucchini then saute 2 - 3 minutes or until veggies have nearly softened.
• Add garlic, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning and saute 2 minutes longer.
• Pour veggies into now empty pasta pot or a serving bowl, add drained pasta, drizzle in lemon juice, season with a little more salt as needed and toss while adding in pasta water to loosen as desired.
• Toss in 1/4 cup parmesan and parsley then serve with remaining parmesan on top.

PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH PEAS, ASPARAGUS AND KALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs; add the peas, asparagus and kale to the pot during the last 3 minutes of cooking and stir occasionally. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables.
• Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, all but 2 tablespoons chives, the lemon zest and juice, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a blender. Add 3 tablespoons cold water and pulse until smooth, scraping down the inside of the blender. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the tarragon and drizzle with olive oil.
• Add the pasta and vegetables to the chive puree along with 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water and half of the cheese; season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat, adding more cooking water to loosen, if necessary. Serve topped with the remaining cheese and chives.