Pasta With Asparagus Shiitake Mushrooms And Lemon Recipes

ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions.
• Grate parmesan. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat.
• Cut asparagus into roughly five equal sections (four cuts). Add asparagus to pan and cook for approximately five minutes.
• While asparagus is cooking, slice mushrooms. Add to skillet. Cook for a few minutes, until mushrooms are softened.
• Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Serve over the pasta once it has cooked and generously sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

CREAMY MUSHROOM AND ASPARAGUS PASTA (GF)

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add olive oil (1 Tbsp as original recipe is written), garlic (4 cloves as original recipe is written), mushrooms, and asparagus. Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper and stir.
• Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are slightly browned and the asparagus is tender. Remove from skillet and set aside. (If you prefer more tender asparagus, cook longer. If you prefer it with more bite, cook 2-3 minutes.)
• At this time, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with sea salt. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
• Lower heat on the skillet to low and add olive oil (2 Tbsp as original recipe is written) and minced garlic (4 cloves as original recipe is written). Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
• To a blender add remaining raw minced garlic (2 cloves as original recipe is written), sautéed garlic (4 cloves as original recipe is written), vegan cream cheese, almond milk, vegan parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, red pepper flake, and another healthy pinch sea salt and black pepper.
• Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for cheesiness, raw garlic for zing, red pepper flake for heat, lemon juice for acidity/brightness, or salt for saltiness. Mix once more and add back to skillet.
• Heat the sauce over medium heat to warm until slightly bubbly, then reduce heat to low to keep warm. Stir occasionally.
• Add cooked drained pasta directly to the sauce along with sautéed asparagus and mushrooms. Toss to coat and enjoy immediately with additional vegan parmesan cheese. Fresh parsley would also make a fresh, colorful garnish.
• Best when fresh, though leftovers keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a bit of almond milk if it's dried out.

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Directions
• Prepare the veggies: dice the asparagus into 1 ½ inch pieces, dice the shallots, de-stem the mushrooms
• Prepare the pasta according to the package directions.
• While the pasta is boiling, add all the ingredients for the asparagus (diced asparagus, avocado oil, garlic, Himalayan pink salt, ground black pepper) to a skillet and sauté on medium/high heat for 4 - 5 minutes. Set aside.
• While the pasta is boiling, add all the ingredients for the mushroom sauce to a Vitamix, or high speed blender, and blend until creamy and smooth; adjust the seasonings to your preference and water to get the consistency you prefer.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta, sautéed asparagus and mushroom sauce together and gently toss until it is well combined and evenly distributed.

LINGUINE WITH LEMON, GARLIC AND THYME MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Slice the mushrooms finely, and put them into a large bowl with the oil, salt, minced garlic, lemon juice and zest, and gorgeously scented thyme leaves.
• Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions and drain loosely retaining some water. Quickly put the pasta into the bowl with the mushroom mixture.
• Toss everything together well, and then add the parsley, cheese and pepper before tossing again. Eat with joy in your heart.

FETTUCCINE WITH ASPARAGUS AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Steam the asparagus until tender but firm. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, bring four quarts of water to boil for the fettuccine.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and the shallots and saute for one minute. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender (three to four minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the asparagus and parsley and keep the mixture warm until the fettuccine is cooked.
• Cook the fettuccine until al dente, drain and transfer to a heated serving bowl. Add the sauce, toss and serve. Pass the cheese separately.

FETTUCCINE WITH MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• 1. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons salt.
• 2. While waiting for the water to boil, heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper flakes and sauté quickly to keep the ingredients from scorching. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms darken slightly in color and are softened but still holding their shape, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and asparagus and cook, stirring gently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, immediately reduce the heat to keep it from scorching, and cook for several minutes.
• 3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a sauté pan over low heat, shaking the pan, just until they are warm and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• 4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil (10 minutes if you are using pappardelle).
• 5. Add the basil, butter, pine nuts, and cheese to the pan with the mushrooms and toss well.
• 6. Reserve a cup or so of the pasta's cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the mushrooms, asparagus, and sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more pepper flakes if necessary.
• 7. Present the pasta in a bowl and serve family style from the center of the table, or divide among individual plates.
• Your Nightly Specials
• Mushrooms: Instead of using the cremini, use 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms.
• Dried Mushrooms: Dried mushrooms like porcini, morel, and chanterelle offer a quick way to add flavor to cooking and are especially useful in the off season or winter months. Always rinse dried mushrooms under cold running water to remove any lingering dirt and sand, then reconstitute them in hot water for 20 minutes, drain, and strain the liquid. Save the liquid for soups and sauces. Keeping a small packet of dried mushrooms, which costs just a few dollars, in your pantry will five earthy flavor on demand.
• Use a spice grinder to grind dried porcini to a powder. This seasoning powder will very economically make a full pot of risotto taste like a much more costly version, something many restaurants do to make flavors pop. Add 1 tablespoon to the finished mushrooms for a powerful and full flavor at an economical price.
• Porcini Mushrooms: Fresh porcini are among the most delicious of mushrooms. When they are available each fall, by all means use them, although they are expensive and need to be cooked as quickly as possible because they are highly perishable.
• Add 1/2 cup of blanched and shocked fresh or frozen peas, spincach, and/or broccoli buds.
• Toss some shredded, leftover roasted turkey or duck meat into the pan along with the cooked pasta.