Hello, Spring: Asparagus Pasta

Hello, Spring.  You've finally sprung.  And I know this because asparagus graced our table four times last week.  Four.  We ate in in pasta, on pizza, as a salad and served alongside chicken.  Flavourful and vibrant, it was nice to see something other than the root and cruciferous vegetables that have been taking up real estate on our dinner plates lately.

The pasta dish was one that Jackson and I made together.  My boys both fear asparagus a little, although they do eat it.  The craggy ends are the worst part for them as they assume the javelin-like vegetable tastes as bad as it looks.  My solution to this is to chop the asparagus when possible, making the rough-looking ends disappear completely, and somehow this makes it all the more palatable for the kids.

Jackson chopped, I boiled water, the pasta cooked and a simple stirring of three other ingredients made this a vegetarian meal any carnivore can enjoy.  Or any kid who fears the monstrous end of an asparagus stalk. But it's specifically good for any Mom who has less than 40 minutes to get a healthy dinner on the table between the end of work and the start of baseball.  Welcome back, Spring.

Pasta with Asparagus and Chives

• 1 500g box of pasta (penne or rigatoni work well)
• 2 bunches of asparagus, ends trimmed, stalks chopped on a bias
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup cream cheese or goat cheese
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped chives

Place the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, add the asparagus, olive oil, salt and pepper to a skillet and saute until the asparagus is cooked through and slightly browned.

Reserving 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.

Add the reserved water back to the pasta pot and stir in the butter and cream cheese; stir continuously until both are melted.  Add the the pasta and asparagus into the pot and stir until well combined with the sauce. Top with chopped chives and serve.

Comments

[Janet File]

Why are your boys afraid of eating asparagus? Is it because of the smell? There really isn't any reason to be afraid of it. It has many health benefits! It helps treat toothaches, it detoxifies one's body and it prevents cataracts. It has a lot more benefits, and kids should be taught about those.

[competition bbq]

I love asparagus, this dish so light and tasty. I would personally go for the goats cheese as I have a bit of a weekness for this.