Asparagus with Lemon Mint Pesto & Prosciutto

I want to say thank you to a group of my friends for being guinea pigs for this recipe...even if you did not know I was experimenting with you. The concept behind this recipe did not originate with me, but the pesto sauce is a Christine original. In the past I played with a recipe calling for prosciutto wrapped asparagus drizzled with a lemon-mint dressing. However the dressing contained too much liquid and would separate making a big soupy mess. Then last Friday, stirred by a craving and a potluck with some friends, I came up with this version. I changed the drippy dressing for a thick, rich pesto. Hope your friends enjoy it as much as mine!

Gluten/Wheat Free

ingredients
3-4 bunches asparagus
8 oz prosciutto
½ medium sweet onion – roughly chopped
1 cup mint leaves packed (about 2 small bunches)
¾ cup pine nuts
½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1½ lemons)
2 small to medium garlic cloves
½ scant teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
pepper to taste

preparation
Blanch the asparagus (should still be firm). Rinse or soak in ice cold water to stop from cooking/softening further and set aside. Chop prosciutto and set aside*. In blender, puree onion, mint, pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Stir pesto on the slowest blender speed and drizzle in olive oil. Dry the asparagus between paper towels then on a serving dish arrange cold asparagus, pour pesto on top and top with prosciutto.

*If you are ambitious and have a smaller group you are serving this to, try wrapping the asparagus instead of chopping it. Wrap 2-3 asparagus together, place on individual plates and serve with pesto.

Putting the Fear of Risotto to Rest

I always enjoyed eating risotto when eating out, but at home…? It just seemed so complicated adding things in slowly, waiting, watching. (Honestly, patience is not a virtue I possess.) It took a little cooking class in France to show me just how easy it is. Even yesterday, I found myself defending the fat little rice to a friend who expressed the same fear.

I now have made risotto several times and no matter how much I try I cannot seem to wreck it. I have found only two simple rules:
1. add liquid a little at a time, and
2. if you are using wine, do so at the beginning (not sure why, but it does make a difference).

Besides following those two rules, you are free to play with bell peppers, spinach, exotic mushrooms, lobster, crab, shrimp or a combination of all the above. You can decide if parmesan cheese or heavy cream better fits your pallet. It really does not matter, because it all tastes great.

This is how I made our Gluten Free Risotto Dinner last night:

Sautéed 1½ small, finely chopped onion in butter with some salt.
Stirred in 1½ cups arborio rice. Heated for a minute or two.
Opened a nice dry chardonnay and poured in about a glass full (1 cup), continued to sip on the rest.
After the liquid was absorbed, stirred in chicken broth about 1 cup. Repeated the sipping and adding chicken broth until almost tender.
Added 1 package fresh, chopped spinach, plus more chicken broth.
Once liquid was absorbed, added a combination of roughly chopped baby bella, shitake and oyster mushrooms, plus more chicken broth.
When the risotto was completely tender, I mixed in shredded parmesan cheese.
Served with scallops sautéed in butter and asparagus.
YUM!

Cauliflower Poppers

My kids love these! Thanks to a neighbor’s suggestion, my kids now beg for cauliflower every time they see one. Crazy colors, like orange or purple, add to the fun. On movie night we often nibble on these instead of boring old popcorn.

Gluten/Wheat Free, Vegan, Kid Friendly

ingredients
cauliflower - white, orange, purple or a combination
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into small flowers. Toss in a large bowl with olive oil and salt. Spread out on a baking sheet then pop into the oven for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Serve warm.