Pasta Primavera Salad
I have made this recipe numerous times, with a few adjustments. Try to find the Greek orzo, which is larger. I also always bump up the amount of vegetables in pasta recipes. I think this is from a very old New York Times food section. This recipe can also be simplified by buying already cooked and shelled fava beans and frozen peas.
Serves eight to 10.
1 lb. fresh fava beans in the pods
1 lb. fresh peas in the pods
1 lb. thin asparagus spears
4 oz. haricots verts, trimmed
4 oz. sugar snap peas
Salt and pepper
1 lb. uncooked orzo pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic infused olive oil
Juice and finely grated zest of one lemon
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. finely sliced chives
Place a large pot of water over high heat. Shell fava beans and peas, keeping them separated. Snap woody ends from asparagus, and cut spears diagonally into one-inch pieces. Cut haricots vests in half horizontally.
When water boils, blanch each vegetable separately, cooking to taste. Haricots vests and sugar snap peas should be blanched very briefly, about 10 seconds. Reuse cooking water, placing each vegetable in a sieve and dipping it into boiling water for the duration of the cooking. Rinse blanched vegetables under cold water and allow to drain well. Peel and discard fava bean pods and the beans’ thick translucent cover.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil and cook orzo according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water, and drain well. Transfer to large mixing bowl and stir in olive oil until pasta is well coated. Add vegetables.
Add garlic oil to bowl and season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice and zest and a quarter cup of chives. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with remaining chives. Serve immediately.
Asparagus and Prosciutto Bundles
This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa book “Make It Ahead.” This would make a great first course or could even be a meal with a salad and some bread and cheese.
Serves six.
Kosher salt
2 lbs. medium size asparagus, bottom thirds discarded
6 slices Italian prosciutto
Good olive oil
2 Tbsp. white truffle butter
Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper
2 oz. grated Gruyere cheese
Preheat oven to 400.
Fill large pot with water. Add one tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. If the asparagus are thick, peel them halfway up the stalk with a vegetable peeler. Immerse the asparagus in the boiling water and cook for two minutes. Drain and put immediately into a large bowl of ice water to set the bright green color. Allow to chill for two to three minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Gather six to eight asparagus spears into a bundle with the tips together, and wrap a slice of prosciutto securely around the middle. Repeat to make six bundles. Brush baking dish (large enough to hold bundles in single layer) with one and a half tablespoons olive oil. Place the bundles seam-side-down in the baking dish, arranged side by side, with the tips facing the same way. In a small saucepan, heat the truffle butter and one and a half tablespoons olive oil until the butter melts. Drizzle it over the bundles. Sprinkle with three-quarters teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper, and the Gruyere and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the butter is sizzling and the cheese melts and starts to brown. Serve hot.
You can prepare this dish ahead of time before baking, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
