Warm Asparagus With Spring Leeks Green Peas And Mushroom Jus Food

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Place asparagus and leeks on an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over vegetables. , Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

BUTTER-POACHED ASPARAGUS, LEEKS & PEAS

Steps:

• Bring 100ml water to a simmer in a saucepan, add a pinch of salt and whisk in the butter. Drop in the leeks, cook for 2 mins,then add the asparagus and peas, and cook for 2 mins more. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and mint.
• To serve, remove the veg from the emulsion with a slotted spoon, then spoon over some of the buttery poaching juices.

ASPARAGUS-MUSHROOM-LEEK SAUTé

Steps:

• Sauté bacon. Set aside.
• Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat.
• Add olive oil (optional).
• Clean, stem and slice mushrooms.
• Clean leeks, slice into small slices, separating the rings. Discard the dark green end.
• Sauté mushrooms and leeks in bacon fat/olive oil until mushrooms are slightly done. Don't overcook.
• Cut asparagus into bite size pieces, discarding the tough ends.
• Blanch asparagus in hot boiling water until slightly crunchy. Don't overcook.
• Combine asparagus, bacon, mushrooms and leeks in fry pan.
• Add salt/pepper. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve warm. Enjoy.

WARM ASPARAGUS WITH SPRING LEEKS, GREEN PEAS, AND MUSHROOM JUS

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the morels, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the shallot, and cook until it's softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for a further 3 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside, covered, to keep warm. Cut leeks on a bias into 1-inch lengths. Rinse well, and separate them into individual rings. Set aside. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the asparagus spears for 3 minutes, until slightly tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Rinse under cold water or put in an ice bath to keep the asparagus green. Drain on a clean kitchen towel. Arrange the asparagus in the center of a serving platter. Add leeks to boiling water, and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well, and transfer to the platter. Microwave the peas until warm to the touch. Using a slotted spoon, distribute the mushrooms evenly over the asparagus and leeks. Bring the remaining mushroom sauce to a boil over high heat. Season to taste, and if necessary, cook a little longer to intensify the flavors. Remove from the heat, and swirl in the butter. Spoon the sauce over and around the asparagus, and sprinkle the peas and chives over the top. Garnish with chervil.

ASPARAGUS & MUSHROOM SALAD

Steps:

• Snap woody end from asparagus spears, and cut in half on the diagonal. Blanch in boiling water for one minute. Drain, and plunge into cold water. Set aside.
• Place mustard, citrus juice, zest, garlic, pepper and honey in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low, adding mushrooms, and toss. Cool, take off heat.
• Remove mushrooms from sauce with slotted spoon and set aside.
• Return the sauce to heat, bring to boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until reduce and syrupy. Cool slightly.
• To serve, toss the mushrooms, spinach leaves, red pepper, red onion, and asparagus. Plate this salad mix, and drizzle with the citrus sauce.

GRILLED PIZZAS WITH LEEKS, ASPARAGUS, AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add leeks; cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook until tender and juices have evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and wine; cook until asparagus is bright green and wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of pizza dough with olive oil; grill, oiled side down, until underside is golden brown and top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush top with olive oil; flip crust. Top with a thin layer of cheese and some of the asparagus mixture. Grill until cheese is just melted, topping is hot, and crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Slide pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with more thyme, and with a small amount of truffle oil, if desired. Repeat to make more pizzas.

POLENTA WITH GREEN BEANS, MUSHROOMS, PEAS, AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Blanch green beans 1 minute in boiling water. Add peas and cook until both beans and peas are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Cut beans on diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Set beans and peas aside.
• Bring milk and broth to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low. Cook until polenta is very thick, whisking almost constantly, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, combine leeks and vermouth in medium saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in butter, allowing each addition to melt before adding next. Add cream and whisk over very low heat to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until almost tender, 5 minutes. Stir in shallots, 1 tablespoon parsley, and thyme. Sauté until mushrooms are very tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and peas, tossing to coat.
• Rewarm polenta and spoon into large shallow bowl. Top with green bean mixture and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Rewarm leeks over low heat, whisking constantly; spoon evenly over polenta.

GOLDEN MUSHROOM, PEA, AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO (VEGAN)

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, place the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
• Slice the asparagus spears diagonally into 1-inch pieces and place them in a fine mesh strainer. Place the strainer in the boiling vegetable stock and cook the asparagus in the stock for 2 minutes to blanch them.
• Remove the strainer from the stock and set the asparagus aside. Reduce the heat of the stock to low.
• In a large saucepan, saute the onion in the olive oil for 3 minutes to soften. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute the mixture an additional 3 minutes.
• Add the Arborio rice, stir well to coat it with the sauteed vegetable mixture, and cook an additional 2 minutes while stirring constantly or until rice turns opaque.
• Add the white wine (or use some of the stock if omitting) and saffron threads, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir well to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook the mixture while stirring occasionally until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Add 1/2 cup of the simmering vegetable stock and continue to cook, while stirring occasionally, until all of the stock has been absorbed.
• Repeat the procedure of adding a 1/2 cup of simmering stock, stirring, and cooking until fully absorbed before adding additional stock, until all but a 1/2 cup of stock remains.
• Add the blanched asparagus, along with the remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine. Cook the mixture an additional 2-3 minutes while stirring constantly, adding the remaining stock, as needed, so that the rice is tender and the risotto has a creamy consistency.
• Taste and adjust the seasonings, as desired.

SHRIMP PRIMAVERA PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS, PEAS, AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Place a large covered pot of water on the stove; bring to a boil; salt water and cook spaghetti to al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, trim the tough green tops and the roots from the leek; halve the leek lengthwise and dice it thin.
• Place leeks in a colander and rinse them vigorously to release any grit; drain leeks well.
• Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over med-high heat; add in the garlic; cook for 1 minute.
• Add in the leeks and shiitakes; cook 3-4 minutes until tender.
• Add in the stock; increase heat a little and bring it up to a bubble.
• Once the stock bubbles, add in the zest and shrimp; cook 2 minutes, then add the asparagus and peas to the pan; cook 2 minutes.
• Melt the butter into the sauce; add the drained pasta to the pan; toss to combine the shrimp and vegetables with the pasta.
• Season with a little pepper and more salt if needed; garnish with cheese and parsley.

OVEN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Trim each leek at root end, then cut off top where the thick green leaves begin.
• Cut in half lengthwise and soak in cold water 10 minutes.
• Rinse, then pat dry.
• Trim tough ends of asparagus.
• Combine leeks and asparagus in a large bowl.
• Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper.
• Toss to coat.
• Place in a large roasting pan and roast until vegetables start to turn brown, about 25 minutes.
• Let cool 5 minutes, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

ASPARAGUS, GREEN PEA, AND SCALLION SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse the asparagus, snap off the tough bottom stub of each spear (and save; see the recipe that follows). Slice each spear crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces; if the spear is fatter than 1/2 inch, slice it lengthwise in half or quarters. You want the asparagus pieces to be approximately pea-size. Slice the spears to make 4 cupfuls.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the oil into the skillet, set over medium-high heat, and stir in the onions. After a minute or two, when the onions are gently sizzling, stir in the leek pieces and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook for a minute, drop the peperoncino into a hot spot to toast briefly, then stir and cook until the leeks are hot and starting to wilt, 3 minutes or so.
• Dump in the green peas and stir with the other vegetables. Cover the pan, lower the heat, and let the vegetables cook, sizzling gently. Shake the pan frequently, uncover it occasionally, and adjust the heat as needed to make sure the onions aren't in danger of burning.
• After 6 minutes or more, when the onions are pale gold and the peas are softening, stir in the asparagus pieces and the scallions, then the butter and another 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour in 1/3 cup of water, and stir well to moisten everything.
• Bring the sauce to a slow simmer and keep it cooking, very slowly, over low heat, for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, and add spoonfuls of water to the sauce if it seems to be getting dry. The vegetables should become very soft but still retain their shape and identity the sauce as a whole should be moist and thick. When it's reached this stage, turn off the heat, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the shredded mint leaves.
• Use right away or let it cool. The sauce can be refrigerated for several days. If frozen, the texture will change but the flavor will be fine it will keep for several weeks.
• Good With . . .
• Both dry and fresh pastas
• Gnocchi
• As a topping for polenta
• As a base for risotto
• Potato, Leek, and Bacon Ravioli (page 186)