This March signaled the arrival of one of my favorite vegetables, asparagus, among the organic produce at our nearest Whole Foods. Eating Well also noticed asparagus, as it was featured in the current edition of the magazine.
I found this recipe in the pages of Eating Well and prepared it for my parents and my sister while I was staying with them after ExpoWest. I made a few key changes to the recipe, and the meal had everyone raving. I had to share it with all of you because it’s so easy and delicious.
MAIN DISH
Shrimp, Asparagus, & Pesto Fettuccine
INGREDIENTS
-8 ounces of fresh fettuccine*
-1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces
-1/4 cup prepared pesto, or make your own
-2 teaspoons butter
-a little extra virgin olive oil
-1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
-1 cup dry white wine
-a few cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
-fresh grated Parmesan cheese
-sea salt, fine
-freshly ground pepper, to taste
*Fresh fettuccine can be found in the refrigerator section of the store. Most decent grocery stores will carry it, I know that most Whole Foods I’ve been to have this pasta. If you can’t find fresh fettuccine, you can use the typical dried version of the pasta.
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add fettuccine, a little oil, and a pinch of salt, and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Fresh fettuccine cooks much quicker than dry pasta, so if there aren’t any directions, boil the noodles briefly and briskly.
Add asparagus and continue cooking until the pasta and asparagus are just tender, just a few minutes more. Reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the fettuccine and asparagus and return to the pot. Stir in pesto and cover to keep warm.
Heat some butter in a large skillet over medium heat, taking care not to burn the fat. Add shrimp and chopped garlic, cooking for about 3 minutes or until shrimp is just pink. Add white wine, increase heat to high, and continue cooking until wine is reduced and shrimp are curled, about 3 minutes.
Drain butter from the pan and add shrimp to the pasta. Add the reserved cooking water and toss to coat. Season with pepper and serve immediately in low bowls. At the table, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top of each person’s dish.
SIDE DISH
Butter Lettuce & Orange Salad
We’ve been buying butter lettuce at the store that still has the roots attached. It’s amazingly fresh, and it makes for a great salad. Cut the roots off and rinse the leaves. Dry lettuce and tear into appropriately sized pieces. Add orange slices, cut into pieces with seeds removed. Add a handful of chopped walnuts or almonds, whichever you prefer. Toss salad with dressing and serve in bowls.
Orange-Vanilla Salad Dressing
I’ve been LOVING this salad dressing lately. It’s so easy to make, and it perfectly complements the flavor of butter lettuce. This dressing uses the Vanilla Bean Paradise Oil from Jungle Products. This oil is a blend of macadamia nut oil, red palm oil, and coconut oil, infused with a vanilla bean. Its flavor is so good, you won’t know what hit you.
Pour Vanilla Bean Paradise Oil into a small bowl, a little less than you’d use to cover the whole salad. Add some freshly squeezed orange juice, keep the proportion of the liquid around 2:1, oil to orange juice. Add sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, minced garlic, and ground coriander to taste.
Whisk ingredients with fork. You can store any extra dressing for a few days, though it’s best served fresh.
DESSERT
Rocky Road Ice Cream
Look, I know that Shrimp Fettuccine and Rocky Road isn’t exactly the most eloquent of pairings. But this was the month that Ted converted me to a bona fide Rocky Road enthusiast, so I thought I’d throw it in there. My favorite Rocky Road is Haagen Dazs, but I’m not supposed to say that, now am I?
MUSIC
Album: Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
I will always love the Arcade Fire. Last year, when I thought they’d broken up, I was totally upset. So their new album sounds even better to me, knowing that they didn’t split after all. Seriously, I love the Arcade Fire, and to anyone who’s scoring tickets to David Bowie’s NYC music festival in May, I hate you.
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