Asparagus With Almonds Goat Cheese And Basil Recipes

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH BUTTERED ALMONDS, CAPERS AND DILL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet (baking tray) with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl or on a work surface, use your hands or tongs to toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon oil, a generous pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Arrange asparagus in the paper-lined pan, spaced well apart, and roast, shaking the pan occasionally, until asparagus is soft and starting to brown in places, 8 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove from oven and set aside in the pan.
• In a small or medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until foamy. Add almonds and fry, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes (reduce heat as needed to prevent scorching). Pour almonds and butter evenly over asparagus.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and heat over high heat. Once hot, add the capers and fry, stirring continuously, until they have opened up and become crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove capers from the oil and sprinkle over the asparagus. Add dill. Using tongs or two spoons, mix gently to combine, transfer to a large plate and serve warm.

ASPARAGUS WITH ALMONDS, GOAT CHEESE, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Dressing: Place egg in a small saucepan; cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Cover pot and let stand 8 minutes. Run egg under cold water to stop cooking. Peel egg; remove white and reserve for another use. Press yolk through a fine sieve into a small bowl.
• Meanwhile, remove peel and pith from 1 lemon. Holding fruit over another bowl, cut between membranes, allowing segments to drop in. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl; discard membranes. Coarsely chop segments (you should have 2 tablespoons). If you don't have 2 tablespoons of juice or segments, use second lemon.
• Add mustard, lemon juice, sugar, and salt to bowl with yolk. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until creamy and emulsified. Stir in lemon segments; season with salt and pepper. Dressing can be refrigerated up to 1 week; return to room temperature before using.
• Salad: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus; return to a boil and cook, uncovered, until bright green and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Run under cold water to stop cooking; drain again and pat dry.
• Remove lemon zest in long strips with a vegetable peeler. Slice zest very thinly into strips; you should have about 2 tablespoons (or use a channel zester). Remove remaining peel and pith from lemon; holding fruit over a bowl, cut between membranes, allowing segments to drop in.
• Arrange asparagus on a platter with cheese. Sprinkle with almonds, zest, lemon segments, and basil. Drizzle with 1/4 cup dressing (reserve remainder for another use). Season with salt and pepper and serve, garnished with whole basil leaves.

LEMONY ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH SHAVED CHEESE AND NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread pistachios in an even layer and toast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle, then roughly chop.
• Meanwhile, fill a large skillet with 1-inch water. Place steam basket on top, cover and bring to a simmer. Steam asparagus until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Finely chop 3 tablespoons mixed soft herbs. In a medium bowl, combine shallot, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and the pepper, and let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk in oil, then stir in pistachios, cheese and chopped herbs.
• To serve, drizzle asparagus with oil and salt to taste. Dollop with dressing, tear remaining 1/2 cup herbs on top, and sprinkle generously with more cheese. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Spray spaghetti squash with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Place squash, cut-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in hot oil until just starting to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus to onion and continue to saute until onion is tender, 5 minutes more. Stir garlic into onion mixture; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove onion mixture to a plate.
• Return skillet to heat. Scrape spaghetti squash flesh from skin using a fork to create 'noodles'; stir noodles into hot skillet and saute until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour vegetable broth into skillet with spaghetti squash; bring broth to a simmer and cook until mostly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir onion mixture and goat cheese into spaghetti squash until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Add basil and thyme. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS WITH OLIVES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the asparagus, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper and cook, stirring, until the asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the olives, basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve.

ASPARAGUS WITH SLICED ALMONDS AND PARMESAN CHEESE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Stir in almonds and parmesan, and cook until the cheese is slightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS & TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Place asparagus, tomatoes and walnuts in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Mix oil, oregano, salt and pepper; add to asparagus mixture and toss to coat., Roast until asparagus is crisp-tender, 15-20 minutes, turning vegetables occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with basil before serving.

PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper; sauté until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add asparagus, tomatoes, stock and 1/4 cup sliced basil. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
• Pour sauce over pasta. Add cheese, parsley and 1/4 cup chopped basil. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

APRICOT CANAPéS

Steps:

• Place the apricots on a serving plate.
• Top each one with a little 1/4 teaspoon scoop of goat cheese and smoosh it down a bit. Grind some pepper over the whole plate.
• Using the goat cheese as the glue to which your remaining items will stick, sprinkle each bit of goat cheese with one-eighth of the almonds (a good pinch on each one is about right) and then gently press on two rosemary leaves.
• Indulge!

ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO BUNDLES

Steps:

• Cut stalks from asparagus, leaving 2-inch-long tips. (Reserve asparagus stalks for another use; see note in recipe introduction.) Cook asparagus tips in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain. Transfer asparagus to paper towels and drain well.
• Mix goat cheese, basil, pine nuts, water and orange peel in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Spread scant 1 teaspoon filling over each prosciutto strip. Arrange 2 asparagus tips atop filling at 1 short end of prosciutto. Roll up prosciutto, enclosing base of asparagus. Press to seal. Place on platter. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the asparagus, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
• Spread one side of each tortilla with 1/2 the goat cheese. Place 1/2 the asparagus and 1/2 the cilantro on each tortilla, and fold tortillas in half over contents to form quesadillas. Brush the outsides of the quesadillas with remaining oil.
• Place the quesadillas in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Cut in half and garnish with cilantro to serve.

ASPARAGUS WITH ALMONDS, GOAT CHEESE, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Dressing: Place egg in a small saucepan; cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Cover pot and let stand 8 minutes. Run egg under cold water to stop cooking. Peel egg; remove white and reserve for another use. Press yolk through a fine sieve into a small bowl.
• Meanwhile, remove peel and pith from 1 lemon. Holding fruit over another bowl, cut between membranes, allowing segments to drop in. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl; discard membranes. Coarsely chop segments (you should have 2 tablespoons). If you don't have 2 tablespoons of juice or segments, use second lemon.
• Add mustard, lemon juice, sugar, and salt to bowl with yolk. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until creamy and emulsified. Stir in lemon segments; season with salt and pepper. Dressing can be refrigerated up to 1 week; return to room temperature before using.
• Salad: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus; return to a boil and cook, uncovered, until bright green and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Run under cold water to stop cooking; drain again and pat dry.
• Remove lemon zest in long strips with a vegetable peeler. Slice zest very thinly into strips; you should have about 2 tablespoons (or use a channel zester). Remove remaining peel and pith from lemon; holding fruit over a bowl, cut between membranes, allowing segments to drop in.
• Arrange asparagus on a platter with cheese. Sprinkle with almonds, zest, lemon segments, and basil. Drizzle with 1/4 cup dressing (reserve remainder for another use). Season with salt and pepper and serve, garnished with whole basil leaves.