Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus

Growing up we looked forward to certain meals my Dad made… this one became one of our favorites. Now that we are married my sisters and I have incorporated this recipe into our repertoire!

1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1 ½” pieces

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1” cubes 

2 TBL butter

3 TBL shallots, finely sliced

1 cup heavy cream

1/16 TSP crushed red pepper flakes

1/8  TSP nutmeg

¼ pound Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

½ TSP dried tarragon

1 pound fettuccine, cooked

½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

Drop the asparagus into boiling water for about 2 minutes and drain. Set aside.

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat butter in skillet and add chicken, stir and cook for about 1 minute or until the chicken begins to brown. 

Add shallots and cook briefly, about 30 seconds.

Add cream, red pepper flakes and nutmeg.  Bring to a simmer. 

Stir in asparagus and Gorgonzola cheese.  Cook until cheese melts.  Add tarragon and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Toss with pasta and serve with grated cheese. 

The Weekend Cook ~ Asparagus Soup with Seasoned Dill Yogurt

Thanks Reshma Adwar for sharing her story and recipe with us in our Country Comfort Cookbook: Cooking Across America.

"In springtime, asparagus are just coming into the markets. I happened to find a particularly tender bunch at my local

farmers market, and decided to make a healthy and tasty soup. The asparagus picked at the peak of the season gave the soup a grassy, fresh finish, which was heightened by adding a dollop of the creamy, tangy seasoned dill yogurt. There is no cream in this, which trims calories, and the overall preparation of this is simple. Yet the results are exceptional.". Reshma

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped (or 1 medium

white onion)

2 bay leaves

1 large carrot, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 garlic clove, smashed  (YouTube Chef Nicole Roarke)

1 pound asparagus, chopped (save a few of the tips for garnish)

2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped dill

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt

4 lemon wedges (optional)

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium pot. When hot, add leeks and bay leaves, and sauté until the leeks soften (about 5 minutes). Add carrot, celery, and garlic, and sauté until the leeks caramelize and brown (about 8 minutes; if the vegetables start to stick, add a little water). Add asparagus, and sauté until slightly tender (about 5 minutes). Then add

chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add ¼ cup of dill, and remove the bay leaves. Remove from the heat, and blend the mixture with either an immersion blender or in batches using a traditional blender or food processor. Return the blended soup to the pot and bring to a simmer.

Add the juice, zest, salt, and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, combine the yogurt with the 1 tablespoon of dill and salt to taste.

To serve, ladle the soup into serving bowls and add a dollop of the dill yogurt mixture. Garnish with an asparagus tip and a sprig of dill, along with a lemon wedge on top for color.

Tuesday's Tip ~ How to cut Asparagus

Springtime makes me think of  serving asparagus ....to prepare them, hold the stalk by each end and bend together until the stalk snaps naturally (the asparagus will always break at the point where the asparagus is no longer tender and becomes extremely fibrous). Only use the end with the tip; discard the opposite end or put aside and save for soup.