ASPARAGUS RECIPES & COOKING TIPS

April 26th, 2011

STORING ASPARAGUS
Keep in a plastic bag in crisper drawer.

PREPARING ASPARAGUS
Soak asparagus in cold water. To trim the asparagus, simply snap off the tough woody bottoms by bend the stalk at the natural breaking point (where the color changes from white to green), 1 to 2 inches from the base.

COOKING ASPARAGUS

There are so many ways to cook asparagus!  Below are basic techniques:

Grilling
Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat.  Toss trimmed asparagus with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on the grill directly or in a grill basket.  Grill until just tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes.

Steaming
Steaming is a great option for the health-conscious cook because it utilizes very little or no fat. Place a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 inch water.  Bring water to a boil.  Add 1 pound trimmed asparagus, cover, and cook until crisp-tender, 2 to 6 minutes.

Blanching
Drop trimmed asparagus into a large pot of simmering water and leave it for about 3-4 minutes. Then drain and shock by putting it in an ice bath. When blanched, the texture of asparagus becomes a little softer, but still crisp, and the color brightens up.

Sautéing
Sautéing asparagus is the cooking method most often used to prepare asparagus as side dishes to meat or fish entrees or in sauces for pasta. With sautéing as well as with stir-frying, it’s preferable to use blanched asparagus for softer texture. In a skillet, heat up oil or butter, add the trimmed asparagus and cook, tossing every once in a while, until tender but still firm and crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes.  (For a healthier option use vegetable broth instead of oil or butter.)

Roasting
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place trimmed asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.  Roast asparagus until tender, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes.

These cooking techniques were sourced from sustainabletable.org.

SERVING IDEAS
• Add asparagus to your favorite salad, stir-fry, or omlette.
• Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, melted butter, or grapeseed oil (such as Aprés Vin Lime Riesling or Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil).
• Squeeze lemon or lime juice over it.
• Douse with balsamic vinegar or any vinaigrette.
• Wrap with prosciutto.
• Top with shaved Parmesan and bake.
• Add a dollop of garlic sauce, lemon-thyme butter sauce, mustard sauce, or hollandaise sauce along-side.
• Serve with sauteed mushrooms.
• Sprinkle with fresh herbs, especially tarragon or chervil.
• Sprinkle with goat cheese and crumbled bacon.

ASPARAGUS RECIPES…

Grilled Asparagus and New Potatoes

Ingredients:
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
• 6 small red potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
• 1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed

Step 1:
Heat grill (set to medium heat).  In large shallow bowl, mix 1 Tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning.  Add potatoes and toss to coat.  Place in grill basket.

Step 2:
Place grill basket on grill.  Cook 15 minutes, shaking grill basket occasionally to turn and mix potatoes.

Step 3:
Meanwhile, place asparagus in same shallow bowl.  Add remaining Tbsp oil, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, & remaining 1.4 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning.  Toss to coat.

Step 4:
Add asparagus to potatoes in grill basket.  Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes and asparagus are tender, shaking basket occasionally to turn and mix vegetables.
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Asparagus Wrapped in Pancetta with Citronette

Ingredients:
• 2 pounds large asparagus, 12 to 18 stalks per pound
• 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• Coarse sea salt

Step 1:
Snap the tough bottom stalks off the asparagus. Unroll the slices of pancetta. Lay an asparagus spear on a slight diagonal across one slice and roll it up, covering as much of the stalk as possible but leaving the tip visible. Place on a tray or small baking sheet and repeat with the remaining asparagus. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (this rest will help the pancetta adhere to the asparagus).

Step 2:
Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.

Step 3:
In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest, juice, and mustard. Continuing to whisk, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Step 4:
Place the asparagus on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until it is just tender and the pancetta is crisped, about 4 to 6 minutes. If the pancetta browns too much before the asparagus is cooked, move the spears to a cooler part of the grill.

Step 5:
Whisk the citronette again, and pour half of it onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with half of the chopped thyme and pile the asparagus on top. Drizzle with the remaining citronette and sprinkle with the remaining thyme. Serve with a small bowl of coarse sea salt for dipping.
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Asparagus-Parmesan Cheese Puffs

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. asparagus spears
• 3/4 cup milk
• 5 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

Step 1:
Cut or snap off the tough stem ends from the asparagus spears and discard. Cut the spears crosswise on the diagonal into 1/4-inch pieces. Bring a sauté pan three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and simmer just until tender, about 1 minute. Drain immediately and set aside.

Tags: Asparagus, Recipes, Wine Pairing
Posted in Chef's Corner

COOL SUMMER THAI

August 25th, 2010

People often think of Thai food as heavy and intense, the kind of rich, spicy food you’d want simmering on the stove on a cold winter’s night—but not exactly what you’d crave on a sunny day.  But there is more to Thai food than the thick curry and greasy stir-fry mainstays of American Thai-restaurant buffets.  This summery Thai-inspired menu shows the versatility of Thai flavors with two light and cool dishes, perfectly suited to refresh on even the hottest summer’s day.

The hardest part about cooking Thai food is usually figuring out a balance between salty, sweet, sour and spicy.  The recipes below give estimates, but there is no formula—you need to find a blend that works for you.  Don’t be afraid to pour and shake using your eye instead of measuring cup.  When it comes to chopping veggies, go with however much of each you want to eat.  Feel free to experiment and have fun!

Yum Neauh (new-uh)

My most memorable Yum Neauh experience involved a Hmong wedding in the north of Thailand where almost every last part of an entire cow was transformed into a dizzying array of beefy dishes, my favorite being Yum Neauh. The women sat at long picnic tables, peeling bags of garlic, chopping lemongrass and green onions, and pounding chilies for an hour. The meat was seasoned and laid to rest in a marinade, given a little time on the grill, added to a colorful bed of fresh vegetables, and drizzled with a dressing popping a complex and delicious flavor.  Enjoy with Airfield’s robust, but easy-drinking Mustang blend.

INGREDIENTS

Meat:
• About one pound rump or sirloin steak

Marinade:
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 square inch ginger, chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro (coriander) roots, washed & chopped
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp ground black pepper

Dressing:
• 4 Tbsp fish sauce (like salt in baking, fish sauce doesn’t give a fishy or salty flavor but simply helps to enhance other flavors)
• 4 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp chili flakes (more if you like it hot; also consider chopping up 1-2 fresh bird chilies per person)
• 1 Tbsp palm sugar (you can substitute brown sugar)

Salad:
• 1 bag pre-mixed greens
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (use both green & white parts)
• 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 bunch mint leaves
• Optional: 1 bunch cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS

Grill meat to taste using your preferred method. (The meat is typically served quite rare—just charred on the outside, juicy inside.)  Once it’s cooked, slice the meat into thin, bite-sized strips.  Mix marinade & let the meat rest in it while you prepare the dressing & chop the vegetables.  Briefly saute red onions to ease the spice & bring out the sweet notes.  Arrange all vegetables in a large bowl or platter, topping with meat.  Pour dressing over salad & toss.

Watermelon Soup

This refreshing soup tastes like summer vacation.  After all, nothing says summer like cold, pink watermelon, but the Thai flavors add a whole new dimension.  Serve with a variety of crunchy garnishes to complement the smooth, cool juice, and the crisp, fruity Rose.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 Tbsp ginger
• About 4 cloves garlic
• 3 stalks of lemongrass (don’t skimp here!)
• 1 shallot
• 1 serrano chile
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 medium watermelon
• 1 cucumber
• Juice of 3 limes

DIRECTIONS

Remove rind and coarsely chop watermelon, reserving a few slices.  Puree in food processor, straining puree to get juice.  This can be quite messy – be careful not to fill the food processor too full or you’ll end up with juice everywhere.  When you’ve obtained all the juice you can, discard solids and grate rind of one lime into the juice.  Refrigerate to chill.  Dice reserved slices of watermelon and freeze on baking sheet.  Mince ginger, garlic, lemongrass, shallot, and serrano chile and saute in oil – preferably Lime Riesling oil from Après Vin, but olive oil will work – until they are soft and golden, roughly five minutes.  Add about 2 cups watermelon juice and simmer for five minutes more.  Blend this mixture in food processor, then pour into remaining watermelon juice through a strainer, discarding solids.  Add lime juice to soup to taste – I prefer about 3 limes.  Chill.  Serve with diced cucumber and frozen diced watermelon as garnishes.  You may want to reserve some of the sauteed red onion made for the Yum Neauh as well.  Mint or cilantro sprigs also add a nice touch.

~ For more delicious ideas from Jeannie, visit www.thefauxgourmet.com ~

Tags: Cool, Salad, Soup, Summer, Thai, Wine Pairing
Posted in Airfield Wine Press Articles, Chef's Corner, Mustang, Rosé

Corn Cakes with Sauteed Kale & Spicy Tomato Sauce

February 7th, 2010

February is, we’re told, time for love. Time for romantic, expensive dinners, for doting gifts, for all the pressure that comes with trying to show someone how much you adore them by how much you can plan or spend. What if, instead of the fancy, fussy, forced Valentines Day displays of adoration, we stepped back and had a relaxing, low-key evening actually celebrating and enjoying the people we love? Not because there’s a recession, and we begrudgingly forego the jewelry and champagne toasts, but because there’s something really lovely and deeply satisfying about staying in, cuddling up, feasting on hearty, homey food with a rich glass of wine?

Sounds pretty good to me. If you want your fancy V-day reservations out on the town, you’re certainly welcome to them. But when it comes time to wind down and focus more on the people in your lives than the fanfare, this simple meal hits the spot.

When I first tried the Airfield Zinfandel, all I could think was “smoked eggplant.” The wine has multiple layers, a deeper note that longs to be paired with the earthiness of eggplant or a wintry green like kale, but also a brighter acidity begging to accompany tomatoes. But the smokiness? Where was I going to find the right flavor to complement that?

Mozzarella, turns out. Smoked mozzarella has a beautiful aroma, of hearth and home, just like the meal. It is a bit browned on the outside and has the creaminess of fresh mozzarella but a nuttiness I associate with, say, browned butter or roasted brussel sprouts. Leftovers are joyous on toast in the morning.

The rest of the recipe is a feast of colors and textures, giving the lie to the notion that winter food is bland and bitter. Start with a cheery yellow corn cake, beautiful by the stack. Cover with sauteed fresh kale, dotted with bacon. Finish with a spicy tomato sauce bedecked in smoked mozzarella. Settle in by the fire (or the space heater) with a bottle of Airfield Zin and a loved one or dear friend for an evening of endearing conversation and affection—proving the best things in life are, after all, (just about) free.

CORN CAKES WITH SAUTEED KALE & SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Corn Cakes:

• 1 cup flour
• ¾ cup coarse cornmeal
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup plain yogurt + ¼ cup water, mixed
• 3 Tbs melted butter
• 3 ½ Tsp baking powder
• ½ Tsp baking soda
• ½ Tsp salt
• 2 eggs

Separate eggs, adding yolks to watered down yogurt, sugar and butter. Whip whites until they form soft peaks. Mix dry ingredients, stirring in the wet and folding in egg whites. Depending on the consistency of the yogurt, you may need to add a bit more liquid to get a good consistency for pancakes, though the finished batter should be fairly thick. I used a very thick yogurt then added 1 Tbsp each cream and water to thin it down.

Make corn cakes as you would any other pancakes, although corn cakes should be a bit thicker. A diameter of roughly 4 inches makes for a good single serving.

Makes approximately 6 cakes. Leftover cakes are wonderful with maple syrup or berries for breakfast; batter keeps 4-6 days.

Sauteed Kale

• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• Enough olive oil to fill bottom of pan in thin layer, approximately 6 Tbsp
• 1 large bunch kale, washed
• 4 Tbsp diced bacon (hint: cutting frozen bacon width-wise creates conveniently sized pieces and avoids having to separate pieces of bacon)
• 4 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• 1 red onion, diced 

Fold each piece of kale in half, cutting fibrous center stem out with kitchen scissors. Chop leaves into bite-sized pieces.

Saute garlic in olive oil, taking care not to burn. Reserve approximately ½ the oil & ½ the garlic. Add red onion and cook over medium-low heat until onion is softened and gooey, 5-10 minutes. While onion is cooking, toast pine nuts (hint: set timer for 1 minute, shake, set timer for another minute; when nuts turn color, immediately pour into separate bowl or they’ll keep cooking in the pan, even with the heat off).

Add bacon to pan with onions, allowing to just crisp before adding kale, stirring slightly. Cover for 2-3 minutes to allow kale to absorb liquid and soften, then stir gently. Give it a bit more time if they’re still rough or crisp. Leaves should be bright green and just tender, but not mushy. Sprinkle pine nuts on kale.

Tomato Sauce

You may use your favorite pre-made tomato sauce if you want an easy substitute. Alternately, you can search for the ingredients that made my sauce truly special—or come up with a variety of your own based on what’s local and tasty in your area. I started with a big can of diced tomatoes, roughly 2 cups worth. Canned tomatoes are usually made from tomatoes picked at the height of freshness and it isn’t hard to get cans whose only ingredient is—tomatoes. Considering they’re cheap and keep forever, canned tomatoes are about the perfect food.

To this I added about 1/3 cup of a Middle Eastern pepper sauce, available by the jar—spicy with a hint of vinegar, the paste is packed with red peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and chilies. I also added 1/3 cup fried eggplant, also available by the jar. I further added the remaining garlic and oil, leftover from the kale, salt, pepper, and about 2 teaspoons of an Italian seasoning blend (marjoram, thyme, oregano, basil).

Use tongs to top corn cakes with tong-ful of kale. Cover with a ladle full of tomato and dot with pieces of smoked mozzarella. Microwave briefly to assist with the melting (or put briefly under a broiler).

Enjoy!

Recipe provided by Jeannie Rose Field.

Tags: Recipe, Recipes, Wine Pairing
Posted in Chef's Corner