I am making a pasta ( Mostaccioli) bake with fresh asparagus for Monday's delivery and it brought to mind the wonderful combinations of woodland produce...asparagus is a fern, and as ferns like cooler temps., they are often seen growing with mushrooms in the wild, their dead leaves make a great compost for the edible fungii.
I am making a pasta with leeks, mushrooms, asparagus, garlic, sherry, nutmeg and salt and pepper, coconut milk...topped with own bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese..to be topped and baked at the client's home.
Brandy or Sherry is a classic French addition to mushrooms.
Nutmeg is a classic Italian addition for mushrooms with a cream sauce, in fact it is basic for any savory cream sauce in Italian cooking as it makes everything taste creamier...try adding some to a white lasagne sauce, you will be pleased with the results
Just hints, ( 1/4 tsp) not over powering, make all the difference especially when cooking vegetarian.
The thickener for the asparagus and leek soup is peeled, starchy, potatoes, in the classic French it used to be a roux of butter and flour, but as a lot of my clients are gluten-free I opt for potatoes, it makes a creamy soup that does not break down on re-heating as corn starch ( cornflour) will.
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| carrot-garnet yam soup |
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| Asparagus and leek soup |
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| asparagus and mushroom mix for the pasta |
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| The pasta and asparagus mix to be baked at client's home |
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| own sour dough bread crumbs and grated Parmesan Cheese topping for the baked pasta |
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| these 2 photos.....the roasted root vegetables warm pasta salad with basil-lemon dressing |
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| the basil and lemon dressing being made..mainly lemon juice, fresh basil and garlic with a little extra virgin olive oil |
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| the apple, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry crumble fruit |
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| cooked "crumbles" with whole wheat shortbread crumb topping |
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