Celebrate Spring with Three of my Favorite Asparagus Recipes

Local vegetables at a farmers’ market in Venice

On a family vacation to Italy two summers ago, we took a cooking class from a local Venetian chef. The class included a trip to the local farmer’s market and then back to his home to prepare a fantastic lunch. Our menu consisted of eggplant parmesan, tiramisu, and homemade ricotta gnocchi with a fresh asparagus sauce. As with most of the best Italian dishes, it is a simple dish made delicious using the best seasonal ingredients.

Creamy Asparagus Sauce

makes enough sauce for 1 lb of pasta, 4-6 servings

vegan

The asparagus sauce is also delicious served over salmon.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, cut into small dice

fresh asparagus, tips cut off and the stems cut into 2 inch pieces

1 pound of  your favorite pasta

sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat and add onion. Cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for 2-3 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Add water to the pot, just enough to cover the asparagus by an inch. Cook on a high simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, puree asparagus in pot until smooth. Taste and season well with salt and some black pepper. If you are not keeping this a vegan dish, it is great with plenty of Parmesan cheese.

Roast Asparagus with Parmesan & Lemon

serves 3-4

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs thin asparagus spears, ends trimmed

1 tsp garlic powder

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

juice of half a large lemon

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet.Drizzle olive oil over them, then sprinkle garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Place sheet in oven,

Cook for 15 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over the asparagus, and Parmesan cheese, if using. Toss lightly and serve immediately.

Ham and Roasted Asparagus Frittata with Pecorino Cheese 

12 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely diced

1 /4 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated

1/4 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped

1/2 cup diced ham (Honey Baked leftovers, preferably), plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

1/2 cup roasted asparagus, roughly chopped (save a few for a garnish)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and roast for 15 minutes. Use the thinnest kind you can find at the market. Cool slightly and chop.

Heat the butter in a 12-inch, non-stick, oven-safe skillet and add the onion. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the asparagus and ham. While the onion is cooking, stir the cheeses, salt, and pepper into the eggs.

Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and stir a bit with a fork until the eggs start to set. Every minute or so, lift an edge of the frittata,  tilt the skillet toward you, and let some uncooked egg run underneath.  After doing this 3 or 4 times, transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. The sides of the frittata should pull away from the skillet a bit, and the top should be set with no runniness at all. Use a spatula to loosen the edges of the pan and then flip over onto a serving plate.

Garnish with a few asparagus spears and chopped ham.

The best thing about frittatas is that they can be served immediately at room temperature or even chilled. If you have leftovers, eat them the next day in a sandwich with cheese, lettuce, and your favorite spread. You can also serve them cold with a small salad. You can also use a small cookie cutter to make shapes and then put them into your kid's lunchbox.