Asparagus Florentine Recipes

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Trim the woody ends from the asparagus, usually about 1 1/2 inches. Lightly peel the remaining stalks (not always necessary, but more of a personal preference). Spread the spears in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and roll to coat thoroughly.
• Roast the asparagus until lightly browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, giving the pan a good shake about halfway through to turn the asparagus. Arrange the roasted asparagus on a serving platter and top with some Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually mix in canned chicken broth. Bring mixture to boil. Add asparagus pieces and summer savory and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.
• Drain asparagus, reserving cooking liquid. Puree asparagus in food processor. With machine running, Gradually add 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return mixture to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Top with dollops of sour cream or yogurt, if desired.

LEMONY PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Grate the zest from the lemon into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice from half of it on top of the zest. Add the white beans, shallot or onion, grated garlic, red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt and toss well. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, usually 2 minutes less than the package directs.
• Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, then add the asparagus. Sauté until the asparagus is tender and starting to brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Add a big pinch of salt and the sliced garlic and sauté until the garlic is lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
• Dip a coffee mug or glass measuring cup into the pasta water and scoop out about 1/2 cup of it to use for the sauce. Drain pasta, shaking it well. Add pasta, bean mixture, parsley and Parmesan to sauté pan and cook until the beans are hot and the pasta is al dente. If the mixture looks dry, splash in some (or all) of the reserved pasta water. Squeeze remaining lemon half over pasta, toss and taste. Season with pepper; add more salt, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice, if desired.

FETTUCCINE WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
• Cut off tough ends of asparagus spears. Cut each on the bias into 1-inch lengths. There should be about 1 1/2 cups. Rinse well and drain.
• Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook about 2 minutes. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Drop the fettuccine into salted boiling water. Let cook to desired degree of doneness (cooking time will range from about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for fresh pasta to 9 minutes or more for dried). Reserve 2 tablespoons cooking water. Drain the pasta.
• Heat the butter in the pot in which the pasta was cooked. Add the asparagus pieces and the fettuccine. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of cooking water and basil. Toss to blend. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese on the side.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP (CRèME D'ASPERGES)

Steps:

• Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish.
• Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in crème fraîche, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter.
• Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.

ASPARAGUS FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Snap off tough ends of asparagus.
• Wash stalks well.
• Cook asparagus in boiling salted water until almost tender;drain.
• Wrap 1 slice of Prosciutto around a few stalks of asparagus and fasten with a toothpick.
• Butter the bottom of a baking dish and lay the bundles of asparagus in the dish.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes.

FLORENTINE STYLE PORTERHOUSE & ASPARAGUS (ATKINS)

Steps:

• Porterhouse:.
• 1. Rub steak with 1 teaspoon of the oil, then rub steak all over with cut sides of garlic; discard garlic. Rub steak again with 1 rosemary sprig and 1 thyme sprig; discard herbs. Season steak on both sides with salt and pepper; set aside.
• 2. Prepare a high-heat grill or set a grill pan or large cast-iron skillet over high heat. When very hot, add steak and grill or sear until done to taste, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
• 3. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. With a sharp knife, cut around bone so that you have 2 pieces of meat. Trim off any fat. Thinly slice steak and transfer to a platter. Surround with the remaining 2 rosemary sprigs and 2 thyme sprigs. Drizzle steak with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and serve.
• Asparagus:.
• 1. Heat oven to 400°F Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Rinse asparagus, and snap off tough ends. Lightly pat dry.
• 2. Spread asparagus out in pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to distribute seasoning. Pat into a single layer.
• 3. Bake until asparagus are tender and lightly crisped; about 15 minutes. Shake pan once or twice during baking time.

ASPARAGUS FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Place asparagus in a saucepan with a small amount of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender.
• In a bowl, whisk together the soup, water, egg yolks, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper. Whisk in lemon juice. Add to onion mixture. Add cream cheese. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in spinach and asparagus; heat through.
• Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

FLORENTINES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour then add the cherries, flaked almonds, pistachios and orange zest.
• Scoop 10 flat tbsp of the mixture onto the baking sheets, leaving room for them to spread. You will need to do these in batches. Bake for 10 mins until golden. Leave to cool for 2 mins until firm enough to lift onto a wire rack. Cool completely. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a simmering saucepan of water or in the microwave in 30 second bursts. Turn the florentines over on the wire rack. Spoon chocolate onto the base of each florentine and gently spread to the edges. When the chocolate is firm enough to hold its shape, use a fork to draw wavy lines across the chocolate. Leave to set and then store in an airtight container.