Green Pea And Asparagus Ragout Recipes

GREEN PEA, ASPARAGUS, AND PARSLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté for 4 minutes, until softened. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the peas and asparagus and simmer, covered, for 3 minutes longer. Carefully place half of the soup in a high-powered blender and puree until smooth, then return it to the pot. Add the parsley and thyme (if using), and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

EASY SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Soak leeks in cold water for 5 minutes; lift out and drain. Repeat until no grit remains on bottom of bowl. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-highheat. Add leeks and salt and sauteuntil leeks are tender, about 2 minutes. Stirin asparagus, then water. Simmer coveredfor 2 minutes. Add snap peas and radishes,cover, and simmer for 2 minutes more.
• Stir in mustard until well combined, then swirl in butter and herbs. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS AND ENGLISH PEA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a greased casserole dish, layer half of the peas, asparagus cuts, mushrooms, soup, cracker crumbs, and cheddar cheese.
• Repeat layers.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

GARDEN PEA & ASPARAGUS MOUSSE

Steps:

• Brush 6 dariole moulds (100 ml/ 31⁄2 fl oz capacity) with mild olive oil and line the bases with discs of baking paper. Shell the peas and trim away and discard the cut end of the asparagus. Chop the asparagus into short lengths and put in a steamer with the peas. Steam for 3-5 minutes until the asparagus and peas are just tender but still bright green. Put 6 tbsp of steamed peas into a small bowl, spoon over the 1 tbsp olive oil and set aside.
• Put the asparagus and the rest of the cooked peas in a food processor and whizz to a purée. Soften the gelatine in the wine or lemon juice in a small pan for 5 minutes, then put over a low heat until the gelatine is dissolved, stirring occasionally.
• Whisk the cream with the tarragon until it is thick but still glossy. Stir the gelatine into the purée and fold in the cream with plenty of salt and pepper. Divide the mixture between the moulds so they are three quarters full, then put in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until set.
• When ready to serve, run the blade of a small knife around the rim of the mousse and turn out each one on a small plate. Sprinkle the reserved peas around the base of each mousse and lay a tarragon sprig on top of each one. Drizzle a little more olive oil and a few dashes of balsamic vinegar over the peas. Serve straight away while still chilled.

SPICY PEA RAGOUT

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the packet.
• Heat oil in a large pan. cook shallots for 8 mins until soft and coloured.
• Add cumin and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add cherry toms and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Add tobasco, peas, zest and juice and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Drain pasta and place everything in the pasta pan. Stir in the parsley and serve.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Break off the stem ends of the sugar snap peas, and pull off the strings. Set aside.
• Rinse the asparagus, and snap off the ends where they break naturally. Cut the stalks in thirds. Set aside.
• Squeeze the lemon into a bowl of water large enough to hold the artichokes, and put the squeezed halves in the bowl. Trim the stem ends of the artichokes, and slice about 1/4 inch off the tops. Pull off one or two layers of the outer leaves, slice the artichokes in half lengthwise and drop them into the bowl of acidulated water.
• Place a large, heavy saute pan or skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and half the scallions. Saute until they soften, then add the peas and stir-fry until they begin to turn bright green. Add the asparagus, and continue to stir-fry about 3 minutes, until asparagus turns bright green. Remove vegetables from pan.
• Add another tablespoon of the oil, the remaining scallions and the artichokes. Stir-fry over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the artichokes barely start to brown. Add the chicken stock and thyme, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the artichokes are tender, about 20 minutes. Return the peas and asparagus to the pan, and cook, uncovered, over medium heat until the peas and the artichokes are also tender, about 5 minutes longer. There should be enough liquid in the pan to moisten the vegetables. If not, add a little more stock.
• Stir in the remaining oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, dust with parsley and serve.

SPRING PEA SOUP WITH ASPARAGUS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium pot over medium. Add leek, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add broth, 2 cups water, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until aromatic, about 10 minutes.
• Add potatoes and simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Add shelled peas, snap peas, and asparagus tips and stalks; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are bright green and just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, remove Parmesan rind, and season with salt and pepper. Serve, topped with dill.

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)

CREAMY BAKED ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a shallow baking pan.
• Cut off and discard the lower, fibrous part of the asparagus stems (take about 1-2 inches off the bottom).
• Then chop the rest of the asparagus into 1-inch long pieces and place them in a pan, immersed in water.
• Boil until just tender and then drain the excess water.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, saute the onion in olive oil until translucent.
• Add flour and stir in the milk.
• Cook until it starts to thicken.
• Stir in salt, pepper, and parsley.
• Add the asparagus and peas to this mixture.
• Turn vegetables into the prepared pan and sprinkle the bread/cracker crumbs over it.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, or until it looks bubbly.

GREEN PEA AND ASPARAGUS RAGOUT

Steps:

• Shell: 3/4 pound green peas
• Snap the ends from: 3/4 pound asparagus.
• Slice, on a slight diagonal, into slices between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. Leave the tips 1 1/2 inches long; split them in half lengthwise if they are thick. Melt, in a heavy pan over medium heat: 2 tablespoons butter.
• Add: 3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced (about 3/4 cup).
• Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until soft. Add the sliced asparagus and shelled peas with: 1/2 cup water, Salt.
• Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Swirl in: 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or chervil.
• Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
• Tender young fava beans can be substituted for some or all of the peas.
• Use sugar snap peas trimmed and sliced on the diagonal instead of the shelling peas.
• Slice 1 or 2 stalks of green garlic and add with the asparagus and peas.