Creamy Mushroom And Asparagus Pasta Food

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.

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.

CREAMY FARFALLE WITH CREMINI, ASPARAGUS, AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the farfalle. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time to moisten. Stir in 1/2 cup of walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts. Serve.

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.

PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS, WALNUTS, ASPARAGUS AND APPLES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions so it still has a bite to it (al dente). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring continuously, until toasted, about 1 minute; take care not to burn them. Transfer the walnuts to a dish and reserve. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel if needed.
• Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and apples and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, wine, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in the drained pasta and toss to coat. Add a tablespoon or two of the pasta water if it starts to get dry, or more as needed. Add the walnuts and parsley. Serve immediately, sprinkled with nutritional yeast if desired.

CREAMY MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan. Fry the onion over a low heat for 10 mins or until softened and translucent.
• Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 mins over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, reduce the liquid by half.
• Add the double cream and bring to a simmer, then add the lemon zest and parmesan. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Reserve 100ml of the pasta water. Toss the pasta in the pan with the creamy sauce and enough of the reserved water to loosen. Stir through the parsley, divide into bowls and top with extra cheese, if you like.

CREAMY MUSHROOM AND ASPARAGUS PASTA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 4 cloves garlic, 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 2 Tbsp olive oil and 4 cloves minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
• To a blender add remaining 2 cloves raw minced garlic, 4 cloves sautéed garlic,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.