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Friday, March 8, 2013

Asparagus with Pignoli Nuts

I was visiting my great friend Ivy recently for a long weekend filled with baking and good food.  She had recently gotten a vegetarian food filled cookbook called : Fast, Fresh and Green by Susan Middleton, which is full of wonderful and not-too-complicated recipes.  I really loved this one--when I was making it i thought there were too many pignoli nuts, but as I ate it, I found the nuty flavor balanced really nicely with the asparagus.  I cut my asparagus into two inch sections ans that worked even better.

1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed, cut on diagonal if preferred--I cut mine up, but you can leave them whole
1-2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 tsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice (I reduced this from 1/2 tsp. in the recipe)
freshly ground black pepper
.
In a large frying pan, melt the butter until brown, but not burnt.
Add the pine nuts.
Cook until the pine nuts are a golden color, about 3 - 4 minutes more.
.
Fill a large saucepan with water and add 2 tsp. salt.
Bring to a boil and drop the asparagus in.
Cook until crisp-tender, 3 - 4 minutes only.
Do not overcook, they will continue to cook in the butter.
.
Drain the asparagus and place immediately into the butter-nut mixture.
Coat well.
Sprinkle with lemon juice, toss again.
Season with freshly grated black pepper.
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Serve immediately while asparagus is hot.

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