Here's a good recipe for spring when asparagus is at its best. I like the skinny ones better than the fat ones. I also think a little lemon zest and lemon juice would be good. If you can't find orecchiette, any small pasta will do. Grana padano is a hard cheese like Parmesan, which would be a good substitute.
Orecchiette with Asparagus and Peas 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 large bunch medium- thick asparagus (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 pound orecchiette 1 10-ounce box frozen peas, thawed 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 1 cup grated grana padano Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, and let it sizzle a minute. Add the asparagus and toss to coat it in the oil. Cook and toss until the asparagus just begins to soften, about 5 minutes. (Add a splash of pasta water if the garlic is in danger of burning.) Cover with a lid.
Uncover the asparagus, and at the same time add the orecchiette to the pasta water. Add the peas to the asparagus, and season with the salt. Toss to combine and cook about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the scallions, stir, and add 11/2 cups pasta water. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by about half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
When the pasta is al dente, remove with a spider directly to the sauce. Add the parsley, drizzle with some olive oil, and toss to coat the pasta in the sauce, adding a little pasta water if it seems dry. Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle with the grated cheese, toss, and serve.
—kwc— Here is a coleslaw recipe with Asian flavors. A nice side when you’re grilling outside.
Asian Inspired Coleslaw 2 cups green cabbage (shredded) 1 cup red cabbage (shredded) 1 cup carrots (shredded) 1 cup scallions (minced) Spicy Mayo Dressing:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp Sriracha (optional) 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 clove garlic, grated 1 tsp toasted sesame oil Salt and pepper to taste Whisk together the Spicy Mayo Dressing in the bottom of a large bowl: rice vinegar through sesame oil.
Add both types of cabbage and carrots to the bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
Toss in the scallions before serving.
—kwc— And how about a nacho recipe with a Greek twist. This is a healthy recipe with good flavors. I believe you can buy pita chips already toasted, but you can toast them yourself too.
Greek Nachos
1/3 cup prepared hummus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp ground pepper 3 cups whole-grain pita chips, toasted 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce 1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 tbsp chopped Kalamata olives 2 tbsp minced red onion 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano Whisk hummus, oil, lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl.
Spread pita chips in one layer on a platter. Drizzle 3/4 of the hummus mixture over the chips. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, feta, olives and red onion. Dollop with the remaining hummus mixture and sprinkle with oregano.
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