Whole Grain Pasta With Mushrooms Asparagus And Favas Recipes

ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions.
• Grate parmesan. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat.
• Cut asparagus into roughly five equal sections (four cuts). Add asparagus to pan and cook for approximately five minutes.
• While asparagus is cooking, slice mushrooms. Add to skillet. Cook for a few minutes, until mushrooms are softened.
• Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Serve over the pasta once it has cooked and generously sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

CREAMY MUSHROOM AND ASPARAGUS PASTA (GF)

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add olive oil (1 Tbsp as original recipe is written), garlic (4 cloves as original recipe is written), mushrooms, and asparagus. Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper and stir.
• Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are slightly browned and the asparagus is tender. Remove from skillet and set aside. (If you prefer more tender asparagus, cook longer. If you prefer it with more bite, cook 2-3 minutes.)
• At this time, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with sea salt. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
• Lower heat on the skillet to low and add olive oil (2 Tbsp as original recipe is written) and minced garlic (4 cloves as original recipe is written). Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
• To a blender add remaining raw minced garlic (2 cloves as original recipe is written), sautéed garlic (4 cloves as original recipe is written), vegan cream cheese, almond milk, vegan parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, red pepper flake, and another healthy pinch sea salt and black pepper.
• Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for cheesiness, raw garlic for zing, red pepper flake for heat, lemon juice for acidity/brightness, or salt for saltiness. Mix once more and add back to skillet.
• Heat the sauce over medium heat to warm until slightly bubbly, then reduce heat to low to keep warm. Stir occasionally.
• Add cooked drained pasta directly to the sauce along with sautéed asparagus and mushrooms. Toss to coat and enjoy immediately with additional vegan parmesan cheese. Fresh parsley would also make a fresh, colorful garnish.
• Best when fresh, though leftovers keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a bit of almond milk if it's dried out.

WHOLE-GRAIN PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS, ASPARAGUS AND FAVAS

Steps:

• Begin heating a large pot of water while you shell the favas. Fill a bowl with cold water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the asparagus. Blanch thin stalks for 3 minutes, thicker ones for 4 to 5. Transfer to the cold water, drain and cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
• Bring the water back to a boil and add the favas. Boil 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the beans. Drain and transfer immediately to the cold water. Allow the beans to cool for several minutes, then slip off their skins by pinching off the eye of the skin and squeezing gently.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the shallot. Cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes, and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have begun to soften and sweat, about 3 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, fragrant and juicy, another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and favas and remove from the heat but keep warm.
• Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente, using the timing instructions on the package as a guide but checking the pasta a minute before the time indicated is up. When the pasta is ready, use a ladle to transfer 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the vegetables and another 1/2 cup to a bowl, in case you want more to moisten the mixture. Drain the pasta and toss at once with the vegetables and basil. Add more of the cooking water if desired. Serve hot, passing the Parmesan at the table.

BAKED ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 7x11-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook gemelli at a boil until flexible but still firm to the bite, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and stir for 2 minutes. Add asparagus and mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to soften and asparagus is bright green, about 4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour the vegetable mixture into a large mixing bowl. Drain pasta and stir into the bowl.
• Melt butter in the same skillet. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles, about 4 minutes. Pour in milk, stirring briskly to avoid lumps. Continue to stir until sauce thickens and bubbles again, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and provolone cheese until melted.
• Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and vegetables and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Taste and adjust seasonings. Toss remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano with bread crumbs and sprinkle over the casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH FRESH FAVAS AND MORELS

Steps:

• Bring 1/2 cup water to boil in small saucepan. Add mushrooms. Remove from heat. Place shallot in small bowl. Add vinegar. Let mixture stand 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Cook favas in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Drain. Remove and discard outer skin of each fava bean; transfer favas to medium bowl.
• Place asparagus on large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast asparagus until tender when pierced with skewer, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, drain mushrooms and slice thinly. Sauté pancetta in saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sliced mushrooms; sauté 2 minutes. Add shallot mixture; simmer 2 minutes. Add favas and toss to heat through. Stir in thyme. Season fava-mushroom mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place asparagus on platter. Top with fava-mushroom mixture and serve.

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Directions
• Prepare the veggies: dice the asparagus into 1 ½ inch pieces, dice the shallots, de-stem the mushrooms
• Prepare the pasta according to the package directions.
• While the pasta is boiling, add all the ingredients for the asparagus (diced asparagus, avocado oil, garlic, Himalayan pink salt, ground black pepper) to a skillet and sauté on medium/high heat for 4 - 5 minutes. Set aside.
• While the pasta is boiling, add all the ingredients for the mushroom sauce to a Vitamix, or high speed blender, and blend until creamy and smooth; adjust the seasonings to your preference and water to get the consistency you prefer.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta, sautéed asparagus and mushroom sauce together and gently toss until it is well combined and evenly distributed.

MUSHROOM AND ASPARAGUS PASTA

Steps:

• Cut the asparagus into 7.5cm/3in lengths. Very finely chop the garlic. Slice the mushrooms. Finely grate the cheese.
• Cook pasta according to instructions on the pack.
• Meanwhile cook the asparagus stems in boiling water for 2mins. Add the asparagus tips and cook for a further minute. Drain.
• Heat the oil and cook the garlic and mushrooms for one minute, stirring.
• Add vegetable stock, black pepper and thyme. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add asparagus and heat gently. Fold in the cooked, drained pasta and most of the cheese.
• Serve immediately with the remaining cheese sprinkled on top.

FETTUCCINE WITH MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• 1. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons salt.
• 2. While waiting for the water to boil, heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper flakes and sauté quickly to keep the ingredients from scorching. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms darken slightly in color and are softened but still holding their shape, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and asparagus and cook, stirring gently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, immediately reduce the heat to keep it from scorching, and cook for several minutes.
• 3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a sauté pan over low heat, shaking the pan, just until they are warm and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• 4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil (10 minutes if you are using pappardelle).
• 5. Add the basil, butter, pine nuts, and cheese to the pan with the mushrooms and toss well.
• 6. Reserve a cup or so of the pasta's cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the mushrooms, asparagus, and sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more pepper flakes if necessary.
• 7. Present the pasta in a bowl and serve family style from the center of the table, or divide among individual plates.
• Your Nightly Specials
• Mushrooms: Instead of using the cremini, use 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms.
• Dried Mushrooms: Dried mushrooms like porcini, morel, and chanterelle offer a quick way to add flavor to cooking and are especially useful in the off season or winter months. Always rinse dried mushrooms under cold running water to remove any lingering dirt and sand, then reconstitute them in hot water for 20 minutes, drain, and strain the liquid. Save the liquid for soups and sauces. Keeping a small packet of dried mushrooms, which costs just a few dollars, in your pantry will five earthy flavor on demand.
• Use a spice grinder to grind dried porcini to a powder. This seasoning powder will very economically make a full pot of risotto taste like a much more costly version, something many restaurants do to make flavors pop. Add 1 tablespoon to the finished mushrooms for a powerful and full flavor at an economical price.
• Porcini Mushrooms: Fresh porcini are among the most delicious of mushrooms. When they are available each fall, by all means use them, although they are expensive and need to be cooked as quickly as possible because they are highly perishable.
• Add 1/2 cup of blanched and shocked fresh or frozen peas, spincach, and/or broccoli buds.
• Toss some shredded, leftover roasted turkey or duck meat into the pan along with the cooked pasta.