Asparagus Stock / Pasta with Asparagus Stock

June 2019: Asparagus "Stock" Revisited

Asparagus Stock/Pasta with Asparagus Stock has never been one of my favorite recipes, rather thrifty use of a spring gift come winter.  This spring there is still a lingering quart in our freezer.  Then as I was making still another batch of stock, I realized why. A friend of mine professed not to like asparagus, then I discovered her mother had cooked it until it was almost gray!  That's exactly what I was doing with this recipe, no wonder it was not my favorite (sorry edible Aspen).  How to cook shorter but get tender?  I shredded the stalks with a steel blade in my food processor, put the mixture in a small pan just barely covered with water and cooked, like I cook whole asparagus (small stalks) for three minutes.  The result was a bright green mixture that looked and smelled great.  To get it finer I used the immersion blender and for some reason this was a messy and additional process. Next time I chopped much finer in the food processor and then microwaved. Voila:

Put in food processor

12 oz*

Blend until quite fine, then add

3 T water

Blend again until mixture is pureed.

Put mixture in a glass bowl and heat, stirring frequently to just boiling about 3 minutes on high,

* I don't like to keep asparagus ends in the refrigerator for more that 5 days, and amount varies each time. adding about a tablespoon of water per 4 oz of asparagus makes for a good puree.  Stay tuned for recipes using this or try your own adaption (more water and some additional cooking may be required) of the pasta recipe below.

Long before the current trend to use the whole animal or the whole plant, I saved the tough ends of my local asparagus stems.  Local asparagus is so spectacular I could not bear to assign the less tender portions to the compost pile.  I made stock from these stems and turned the resultant stock into soup.  The soup cried for cream and since this was a weekday staple, I did not answer the call.  Pasta cooked in asparagus stock is a great dinner on its own, no cry for cream and could only be improved by perhaps a bit of chopped parsley or grated Parmesean.

After several years of this practice, I find I have company.  Headline from a May 22, 2015 article in the Wall Street Journal:

Vegetable Scraps Go Haute: How to Cook Root to Stalk

Save those stems! Across the country, chefs are getting very good eating from parts of our produce we typically trim away. Here are their tips for using every part of the vegetable, plus recipes mindful of making the most of your market haul*

And an article in the Spring 2015 issue of edible Aspen, "The Skinny on Asparagus", included a recipe for asparagus stock and directions on how to cook pasta in stock.  

With the asparagus season fast approaching some asparagus stock still left in my freezer, I remembered the pasta recipe.  I used whole wheat linguini fini with excellent results.  The whole wheat pasta makes a heartier, less delicate but healthier offering than white pasta.   

ASPARAGUS STOCK

The edible Aspen asparagus stock recipe is pretty close to the one I have been using for several years, except it finishes the stock using a food processor and then a food mill.  I find the food processor or even easier an immersion blender sufficent.  I collect the asparagus trimmings over the course of a few meals. Often I cook for only two but we eat a lot of asparagus so it does not take long to fill the quart container I keep in the refrigerator during asparagus season.

Place the asparagus stem pieces (I do a quart of 1 -2 inch stems at a time) in a medium pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover and gently boil until the asparagus is very soft, about 45 minutes.  Add more water if necessary to keep stems covered.  Let cool and then puree with a food processor or immersion blender.

I freeze and save for use after asparagus is no longer in season.

PASTA COOKED IN ASPARAGUS STOCK

"Cooking pasta in stock is a fabulous alternative to using your stock for soup. The pasta absorbs the flavors from the stock and leaches out starch, which thickens the sauce to create a savory sauce.."**

Serves 3

Heat until boiling: 

1 quart asparagus stock 

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add

8 ounces pasta, linguini fini or spaghettini works best

The pasta will be stiff and probably not all fit in the stock initially. Gently push down on the pasta until it softens and collapses into the stock.  Stir constantly to avoid strands from sticking together. Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Time on box/bag will not be accurate as pasta is being cooked in a significantly reduced amount of liquid and not water.  You will have to taste for doneness. During cooking, stock will thicken. Add a little water if sauce gets too sticky.  Divide into bowls and serve immediately.

This combination stands well on its own but could be garnished with 

finely chopped parsley 

and/or

grated Parmesean

* I don't subscribe to the WSJ so only saw the headline, not recipes.

**  edible Aspen, No. 30 Spring 2015, page15.

May 2017: It's asparagus season again, and I still have stock left in the freezer. Why not pasta cooked in asparagus stock garnished with fresh asparagus. Yum!









Reviewed 5/30/2017
Revised : 6/6/2019  - note at top of post

Freezing Mint/Mint Gremolata

In July 2012 I wrote about the abundance of Wild Mint I find near our home in Massachusetts.  Last October when we were in Colorado the garden was overflowing with mint which I knew the immenent frosts would kill.  Knowing we enjoy local lamb in the winter and mint would be a great accompaniment, I decided to try to freeze (in a controlled fashion) some of this mint.  I picked a huge bunch, removed the leaves from the stems, chopped the leaves, placed them in a container and then put the covered container in the freezer.  Actually, I froze several batches.

This mint has been delicious on lamb (gremolata recipe follows) and also in Fresh Green Pea Soup.  I'm really suprised how much I used this winter, and I haven't even tried this frozen mint in Wild Mint recipes.

GREMOLATA

Combine:

2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Zest from 1 lemon
2 T frozen chopped mint (or fresh mint in season!)
2 t olive oil (1 t if  using fresh mint)

This is an excellent garnish for lamb.












Reviewed 6/20/2017

Green Curry / Green Curry Paste

Though some may consider it "quaint", I still use the library, especially for cookbooks.  I had waited quite a while for Terry Romero's Vegan Eats World.  When I went to pick it up, the librarian said, "This book looks really good."  I replied it would probably be good, but I would still probably be disappointed as in my experience subsequent cookbooks are rarely as good as the author's first. Wrong. This is one of the few cookbooks I have borrowed from the library that I actually purchased.


The first recipe I tried, still trying to re-create Phat Thai's green curry, was "It's Easy Being Green Curry".  It has a lot of ingredients but the author notes, "The curry paste can be made days ahead, even frozen, making this a relatively fast weeknight meal."* This recipe, like Chicken Curry (Devaka), is a made-from-scratch, not "curry-powder-curry".   In the recipe below,  loosely adapted from Romero's, I took some short cuts. I used prepared ground coriander and cumin seeds, rather than toasting and grinding the seeds myself. I used powdered galangal root, rather than the 1/2-inch-wide piece called for (though optional) and prepared lemon grass. I did not have Thai or Serrano chili so I used a jalapeno and 2 scallions instead of shallots.  Finally, since I had returned the book to the library and my copy has not yet arrived, I did not have Romero's recipe for Savory Baked Tofu, so not being a strict vegan substituted chicken. Because I used chicken breast instead of dark meat as used in Deveka's Curry, I overcooked the chicken, but the sauce itself was excellent. I've since made this with dark meat with excellent results. Looking forward to trying with tofu.**

THE PASTE

Combine in a food processor:

2 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground cumin
1 t ground pepper
1 c lightly packed cilantro sprigs with stems
Green chili to taste, coarsely chopped
2 large shallots, peeled and chopped in half
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped in half

4 t prepared lemon grass (dried) or 1 stalk fresh, outer leaves removed and chopped

1/2 t galangal root (ground/powder)
1-inch peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
1/2 t sea salt

Pulse into a smooth thick paste, using spatula to frequently scrape the sides of the bowl.

THE SAUCE

In a 2 quart pot or wok, over medium heat, melt

2 t coconut or vegetable oil

Add the curry paste and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add and stir-fry for 2 minutes:

1/2 recipe Savory Baked Tofu or 8 oz purchased baked or fried tofu sliced into 1/4 inch strips (photo with 8 oz chicken breast - if using chicken, use skinless boneless second joints)
 .

Stir in:

1 14-oz can coconut milk (I use light)
1 1/2 c mild vegetable broth or water (I omitted first time but have since added 3/4 c chicken/vegetable stock)
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 T lime juice
2 t brown sugar
1 T Thai thin soy sauce


Increase heat to medium-high, simmer for 5 minutes then reduce heat to medium low.

Add:

1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced into 1/2-strip slices (omitted in photo at left)

2 small slender zucchini ***  (I used 2 medium-small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced)

1/2 c lightly packed Thai basil leaves - yum, from my garden!

Simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender but still have a bit of firmness to them.  Serve with rice.

*   Page 146

** December 2013 made with Savory Baked Tofu:

*** Romero also suggests as alternative to zucchini, 6 Thai apple eggplants, stems removed and sliced into quarters.  If using Thai eggplant, add to the curry just two minutes before curry is done (or sooner - see below).

January 2015:  Found some Thai eggplant at the new Market Basket near us.  Either I sliced the eggplant too thick (photo left) or the eggplant was tougher and/or bigger than the kind Ms. Romero uses.  I added it late as directed but found I needed to cook it  almost long as zucchini of copmparable thickness.

Reviewed 7/11/2017

Vegan "Parmesean"

Chris introduced me to Veganomicon over a year ago and when I wanted a topping for Vegan Fettucine Alfredo I remembered a recipe from this book that had caught my eye: Almesan. The authors, Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero write, "'This is our vegan version of Parmesean made with almonds, sesame seeds, and a little lemon zest.  It's great for when your pasta needs a sprinkle of a little somethin'...."  I make a double recipe and initially omit the lemon zest. Easy enough to add a little lemon zest when serving, and the topping keeps longer when zest has not been added.

Combine in a food processor and pulse until everything turns to tiny crumbs:

1/4 c slivered or sliced almonds [I used whole almonds]
1 T toasted sesame seeds
1/8 t salt
1/4 t lemon zest [see note above]

This is great sprinkled on pasta tossed with Vegan Cream Sauce.











Reviewed 6/20/2017

Vegan Cream Sauce

Following up on our vegan dinner at True Bistro and the subsequent promise in my last post, I have been working on a basic sauce that will replace (or mostly replace) the decadent Fettuccini Alfredo which I like so much. Based on several sources, the key seems to be nuts and water combined in a food processor and blended until smooth:

1 1/4 c cashews
1 1/2 t lemon juice
3/4 c water

Initially focused on a vegan (no cholesterol) version of  Fettuccine Alfredo, I added just a pinch of nutmeg and freshly ground pepper to taste. However, this sauce lends itself to so many variations;  add a clove or two of garlic and/or fresh herbs to the blender bowl, mix fresh, coarsely chopped herbs into the sauce, the possibilities are limitless.... I intend to try a lot of variations in the months ahead as this sauce becomes a staple in my dinner repertoire.

For two servings, I tossed about half of this sauce with 6 ounces of Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta and topped with Vegan "Parmesean" and fresh chives from my garden (photo at left). The remaining sauce kept well in the fridge until Ed and I had a similar meal several nights later.

January 2014:  Tossed some Cream Sauce with Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta and topped with a mixture of the zest of one lemon, several fresh sage leaves, slivered and a couple of tablespoons of cashew,s coarsely chopped. Excellent.


January 2015:  Used this to make Spaghetti-Spinach-Cashew Cream Bake with excellent results.


June 2017:  Guess I've been lucky, but I was told by a chef friend this winter that this mixture will expand when left in the refrigerator and warned that I should be sure to put it in a container that allows for this expansion!

Reviewed 6/20/2017

Lamb Shank with Wine Jus, Gremolata and White Bean Puree

When Ed and I are in Denver, usually a couple of times a year, we tend to eat at 240 Union .  While we generally have a good meal at a reasonable price, occasionally something is really good. Several years ago it was a mushroom salad which I tried to capture in Mushroom - Arugula Salad. Unfortunately this item has been missing from the menu on all subsequently visits.  Most recently, Ed and I both found  "Colorado Lamb Shank –wood oven braised, Chianti jus, gremolata" to be particularly good, good enough for me to try to recreate this dish at home.  What the menu description does not mention is that the lamb shank is served with pureed white beans and sauteed beet greens, vegetables which well compliment the meat and make for a delicious meal. When I made this recently, however, I did not have a source of beet greens and while I could have done spinach I decided on a green salad.  Anticipating this as a guest meal and wanting to focus on guests rather than my stove, I determined that this meal can be made ahead almost to finish (see next to last photo), leaving time for a shower, a change of clothes and a glass of wine with guests before a quick exit to the kitchen to do the final assembly. Gremolata can be made way ahead. Wine can be reduced  to 1/4, then later warmed, removed from heat and  butter added at the last minute. Bean puree can also be made ahead and microwaved to warm before serving, and lamb shanks can be kept simmering until ready to serve.  

Serves 2, scale accordingly.

On a gas grill sear until browned on all sides

2 lamb shanks

(A gas grill is a quick and clean way to brown the shanks, but this is not worth building a charcoal fire. Searing can also be done on a stove top or in the oven; see Lamb Shanks with Fig Sauce)

In a large pot saute:

1 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

When garlic is soft, add browned lamb to the pot, then

1/2 c red wine

When wine has slightly evaporated add

Water to almost cover lamb
IF serving with white bean puree, add  2-3 whole unpeeled garlic cloves to pot.

Cover and turn the heat to low.  Cook for at least an hour and thirty minutes, turning the shanks every half hour and  adding more water if liquids run low, until the meat is very tender - nearly falling off the bone.  Avoiding or spooning away the accumulated fat, remove lamb from liquid and place on a platter to drain/dry off any excess cooking liquid.

WHILE LAMB IS COOKING MAKE GREMOLATA, WHITE BEAN PUREE, WINE JUS

GREMOLATA

Combine:

1/4 c finely chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 t lemon zest, finely chopped
1 sprig of mint, finely chopped (optional)

WHITE BEAN PUREE

In a medium sauce pan heat:

1 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, cooked in lamb broth, removed from skin

Add the following and simmer until liquid is reduced by approximately half, about 5 minutes:

1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained but not dry
3/8 c chicken stock
1 T lemon juice

Put bean mixture in a food processor or, my choice, use an immersion blender, and blend until smooth. Add more chicken stock if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency. If this puree is made well before lamb is ready to be served, it should be warmed in the microwave before serving.

WINE SAUCE

Boil in small saucepan, until reduced to 1/4 c, about 10 - 15 minutes

1 c red wine

Remove from heat and add

1 T cold cut-up butter
Swirl pan until butter is melted and sauce is thickened

WHILE LAMB IS DRAINING ON PLATTER SAUTE THE BEET GREENS

ASSEMBLE DISH

Divide the warm bean mixture, the sauteed greens and the lamb shanks between 2 plates or large pasta/soup bowls.  Pour the wine sauce over each of the two lamb shanks. Put a generous tablespoon of gremolata on top of each lamb shank.  Serve immediately.


Reviewed 5/29/2017

Salmon Rub

For Christmas Chris, Alex and Dan gave Ed and me Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, caught by friends of Alex and Dan --- sort of a CSA of fishing --- to be delivered this spring along with some sugar rub made from a recipe on The Alaska Seafood Website. Eager to try the rub even before the gift salmon arrived, we purchased some salmon.  Yummy!  And particularly good served with grilled scallions. We went through Dan's batch of rub and made another.  Now we are eagerly waiting for our Christmas salmon to arrive.

The first step is to combine:

2 T sugar
1 T chili powder
1 t black pepper
1/2 T [1 1/2 t] ground cumin
1/2 T paprika
1/2 T salt [Dan and I both omit]
1/4 t dry mustard
Dash of cinnamon [I used 1/16 t]

The recipe says this rub will  do 4 to 6 fillets, but does not specify the weight.  Dan just spreads a little olive oil on the fillet(s) then liberally applies the rub.  The Alaska Seafood Recipe calls for heating 2 T of canola oil in a large heavy pan over medium-high heat, carefully placing salmon fillets in the pan, seasoned side down, cooking about 2 minutes to sear then turning fillets over, reducing heat to medium and continuing to cook 6 to 8 minutes just until fish is opaque throughout.  For a good demonstration on applying a rub (albeit a different one) and pan cooking see Mark Bittman's video, Four Spice Salmon.

Ed grills the fish on a gas grill, on low heat with the cover down. He places the salmon on aluminum foil, skin-side down, rub-side up and cooks for ~10 minutes until the fish is ~120 degrees. After he removes the fish from the grill the tempertaure continues to rise to ~125 degrees. He previously cooked it, based on the "fish setting" on our thermometer to ~130 degrees (135 by the time it reached the table). We've recently gone rarer based on Harold McGee's recommendation in On Food and Cooking:  "In general, fish and shellfish are firm but still moist when cooked to 130 - 140 degrees F.... Some dense-fleshed fish, including tuna and salmon are especially succulent at 120 degrees F, when still slightly translucent and jelly-like. ...some fish, Atlantic salmon, for example - can develop an almost custard-like texture if heated gently to 120 degrees F...."* We have achieved this custard-like texture but so far only with King  Salmon.

* Pages 209 and 211

June 2013: This is an excellent rub for shrimp too!

Grilled Scallions 
Serves 2, scale accordingly

Wash, trim and dry
3 large or 6 small scallions.

If the scallions are large, slice then in half vertically.  Lightly coat with

olive oil

and grill until soft but not charred.

July 2013:  The salmon arrived and what a treat!  Better than the fresh sockeye we have been getting in the local market.

Revieewed 5/23/2017

Demi-Glace/Demi-Glace with Olive Oil Roux

Introducing some new items that have just found their way into my kitchen. My brother, Jason, has long used More Than Gourmet products, particularly their Demi-Glace Gold.  He gave Chris a 16 oz container of this for Christmas and me several containers of the Red Wine Sauce and White Wine Sauce. I have used some of the White Wine Sauce to make Chicken and Wild Mushrooms Supreme . In making this recipe I used 1 t fresh thyme instead of dried thyme, substituted lemon juice for cream and served over Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta instead of in pastry shells. For my taste the recipe is a bit heavy on sauce (I used 1/3 container for 10 oz of chicken) but that's what More Than Gourmet is selling.

© 2012 Chris Kern

Chris immediately used some of his Christmas present to make a mushroom-onion demi-glace which he served over a dry aged sirloin strip.  He posted photos (inculding the ones at left) on Google+ (and gave me permission to use them here). The ratio of demi-glace to hot water is 1:4 as noted on the container. Chris made the roux from flour and butter, using equal parts by weight, but it seemed too thick to him so he added more butter. Jason, the demi-glace pro's advice is, "Do it by feel".   Alexandra saw Chris's post and photos and convinced Chris to make this when we were together last week.

© 2012 Chris Kern

Prior to Chris's arrival,  I ordered the Demi-Glace Gold from Amazon Prime (didn't spring for the overpriced 1.5 ounce packages at Whole Foods and elsewhere).  When it arrived I was amazed to discover that the label lists only 0.5 g of fat per 2 t (before water is added) serving; the cholesterol comes from the butter in the roux. Chris made a demi-glace like he had made in New York and it was awesome.  I used some of the leftover demi-glace on some mashed potatoes and cod (see below) a few nights later.  It too was very tasty, and I began to ponder how I might make a healthier version of this.

© 2012 Chris Kern

For a long time I have used Stonewall Kitchen's Mushroom Sage Steak Sauce (this sauce is no longer available) with additional sauteed mushrooms to accompany steaks and with caramelized onions and mushrooms over cod. The Demi-Glace Gold would be a tasty, less expensive alternative and if I used an olive-oil roux, it also would contain no cholesterol.

Demi-Glace made with Olive Oil Roux
Serves ~2-3; scale accordingly

Whisk together, then simmer, about 6 minutes, until well mixed:

2 T Demi-Glace Gold

1/2 c hot water

In a small skillet brown

1 T flour (I used 2 T in photo above and it made way too much roux)

Stir constantly until it is slightly golden then whisk in

1 T olive oil

Whisk constantly until flour and oil are well blended, adjust quantity "to feel." Then whisk enough roux in with the demi-glace to achieve the desired thickened, smooth consistency.  Add mushrooms and/or onions if desired (see below).

© 2012 Chris Kern

Mushroom Demi-Glace

Chris sometimes complains I serve mushrooms with sauce over steak rather than mushroom sauce and admonishes, "Don't put in too many mushrooms."

When Chris made Mushroom Demi-Glace last week he used a big cup each (actually about 1 1/4 c each) of finely chopped mushrooms and onions and 1/3 c Demi-Glace Gold.  For the recipe above that would translate to

~ 1/3 c mushrooms, (I use crimini and/or shitake), chopped
~ 1/3 c onion, finely chopped

Sautee mushrooms and onions in

1 t olive oil until they are soft and onions are golden

Mix into demi-glace.

Cod with Caramelized Onions and Mushroom Demi-Glace

Follow the recipe for Cod with Carmelized Onions and Mushrooms but instead of using Stonewall Kitchen's Mushroom Sage Steak Sauce use Demi-Glace made with Olive Oil Roux (photos left and below).

Note: When using demi-glace on cod/other similar fish such as hake, I prefer to make basic demi-glace then follow instructions in cod recipe and leave onions and mushrooms in thin slices.














Reviewed  5/7/17