Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Asparagus Recipies

Delicious Browned Asparagus and Poached Eggs

Note: Serves 4, Total Carbohydrates: 44, Carbohydrates per Serving: 11. If you don’t feel comfortable with poaching eggs, you can fry them instead, or you can omit them completely.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. medium-sized asparagus
sea salt
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 large, free-range eggs
white vinegar
4 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Start by bringing large pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water, snap the woody ends from the asparagus. Gently tie the asparagus into two bundles, in two places with string. When the water boils, add the asparagus bundles and half a handful of salt. Cook until the asparagus is just tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus bundles from the pot and immediately plunge into a bowl of cold water. Continue running cold water over the asparagus until completely cool. Drain well.

Remove the string and lay the asparagus out on a towel. You can do this several hours in advance. Just roll up the towel and place on a plate in the fridge. Fifteen minutes or so before serving, bring a deep frying pan with 4-inches (10-cm) of water to a simmer. Add a splash of vinegar. Crack and egg into a small bowl and then slip the egg into the water. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Poach the eggs for 4 minutes, or until the whites are firm.

In another frying pan heat the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter is a deep brown. Immediately add the asparagus and toss in the butter until heated through. Add the lemon and a dash of salt to taste. Transfer to four heated plates and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Top each serving with a poached egg and grinds a little black pepper over the plate. Serve with a wedge of lemon on the side.


Asparagus Ala Katsiki

Note: Serves 6. Total Carbohydrates: 48, Carbohydrates per Serving: 8. Asparagus and creamy goat’s cheese is a natural combination. If you want to get very fancy a few droplets of truffle oil can simulate the effect of marvelous truffled goats cheese over the finished dish.

Making a savory zabaglione (sauce) is not difficult and it is a great sauce to have in your repertoire. Try it with salmon.

Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup white wine
6 oz. Salt Spring Island or other soft un-ripened goat’s cheese,
At room temperature
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. minced chives
2 lbs. fresh asparagus

Whisk the egg yolks and white wine together in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over, not in, a pot of simmering water. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes thick and triples in volume. Set the bowl into a larger bowl filled with iced water, whisking constantly until cool.

Beat the goat’s cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in the water and lemon juice. Fold the chilled egg yolk mixture into the cheese. Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold into the yolk mixture. Stir in half the chives. Cover and refrigerate. Use the same day.

Start by bringing large pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water, snap the woody ends from the asparagus. Gently tie the asparagus into two bundles, in two places with string. When the water boils, add the asparagus bundles and half a handful of salt. Cook until the asparagus is just tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus bundles from the pot and immediately plunge into a bowl of cold water. Continue running cold water over the asparagus until completely cool. Drain well. Remove the string and lay the asparagus out on a towel. You can do this several hours in advance. Just roll up the towel and place on a plate in the fridge.

If you wish to serve the asparagus hot, drain it, remove the string, and arrange on a platter or individual plates. Top with the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining chives. Serve immediately.

To serve cold, cool it under cold running water and drain well. Remove the string and arrange on a platter or individual plates. Top with the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining chives. Serve immediately.


Open-Faced Asparagus Omelet (fritto)

Note: Serves 4 . Total Carbohydrates:20 ,Carbohydrates per Serving: 5
Can be good as an easy dinner with a salad or a hand held snack. They are adaptable too-you can add a spoonful of pesto or a few chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 medium tomato, seeded and diced
12 cooked asparagus stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 large eggs
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) of the olive oil over medium heat in a 9 to 10-inch, preferably nonstick, ovenproof frying pan. Add the onion, garlic and thyme. Sauté until the onion is caramelized. Add the asparagus and cook for a minute longer. Add half of the tomato and give a few stirs. Remove the vegetables and wipe out the pan.

Turn on the broiler. While it is heating, beat the eggs, salt, pepper and cheese together. In the same frying pan, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and scatter the vegetables on top of the eggs. Turn the heat to low and cook until the frittata is golden brown on the bottom, 5-8 minutes. Place the frittata under the broiler and cook until firm. Slide onto a plate and garnish with the remaining chopped tomato.


Roasted Asparagus

Note: Serves 4-6 . Total Carbohydrates: 41, Carbohydrates per Serving: 10.30 Don’t expect this asparagus to be green and crunchy. It will be browned, soft and sweetly delicious. It needs nothing more than a sprinkling of coarse-grained salt.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. thick asparagus
1 Tbsp. olive oil
coarse salt
lemon wedges

Preheat the oven to 450ºF (227ºC). Snap or cut off the fibrous ends of the asparagus and discard. Place the asparagus in a bowl and toss with the olive oil. Spread it out in a single layer onto a thick, rimmed baking sheet. Roast the asparagus, shaking the pan occasionally, until tender and browned, about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt. Transfer to a heated platter and garnish with the lemon wedges.

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Rhubarb Recipies

Half frozen Ricotta with Warm Rhubarb Pita

Note: Serves 6. Total Carbohydrates: 33. Remember to put this in the fridge an hour before serving if you’ve made it in ramekins or bowls.

ram·e·kin = A cheese preparation made with eggs and bread crumbs or unsweetened puff pastry, baked and served in individual dishes. 1. A small dish used for baking and serving.

This is great with spring rhubarb and can be served with fresh berries in the summer. Without the rhubarb, the carb count goes down to 2.42 grams per serving.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 vanilla bean, split
1/2 lb. ricotta cheese
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
liquid sweetener to equal 1/4 cup
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 lb. fresh young rhubarb with pink stems
2 Tbsp. water
1/3 cup Splenda

Combine the first 1/2 cup (120 ml) of whipping cream and the vanilla bean in a small pot. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and cool completely. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the cream. Discard the bean.

In a food processor, puree the ricotta cheese and vanilla until smooth. With the motor running, pour in the vanilla cream. Transfer to a bowl.

Beat the egg yolks, sugar and salt until thick and lemon colored. Fold into the ricotta mixture. Beat the cream into soft peaks and fold into the ricotta mixture. Pour into 6 6-oz. serving bowls and freeze.

For the rhubarb compote, trim the leaves and the lower end of the stalks from the rhubarb and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces. Place in a non-corrodible saucepan the water. Cover and set over low heat. Stew gently for 30-45 minutes until soft. Cool slightly and the rhubarb can be cooked a few days in advance

To serve, remove the half-frozen ricotta from the freezer and place in the fridge an hour before serving. Gently re-warm the compote and spoon on top of each half-frozen ricotta. Serve immediately.


Rhubarb Delight

Note: Makes 8 yummy servings. Total Carbohydrates: 54. Carbohydrates per Serving: 6
1 recipe rhubarb compote, see below
1 3/4 cup whipping cream

Make the rhubarb compote following the recipe below. Allow to cool, then drain for an hour in a sieve. Whisk the rhubarb into a coarse pulp. Whisk the cream to firm peaks and fold into the rhubarb pulp. Pour into tall wine glasses to make individual servings or into a large serving bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Rhubarb Compote

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

2 lbs. fresh young rhubarb with pink stems
1/4 cup water
liquid sweetener to equal 1 1/2 cups

Trim the leaves and the lower end of the stalks from the rhubarb and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a non-corrodible saucepan with the water. Cover and set over low heat. Stew gently for at least an hour. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Let cool and add the sweetener. Cover and refrigerate.