Recipes
Prep time: 20 minutes Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 lb of asparagus spears
1 shallot
½ c basil
1 cup washed, sliced white mushrooms
6 thin slices of prosciutto
1 head of roasted garlic
1 block Parmesan
1 pint heavy cream
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb angel hair or thin spaghetti
Roast Garlic by turning the head of garlic on its side and cut down the tips of the cloves to reveal the encased garlic inside. Using a muffin pan, place garlic inside and pour olive oil over the top, fill half way up the head of garlic. Then salt and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minute depending on the size. You will know it is done when the garlic starts to rise out of the casing, or it is fork tender.
Method
Boil water, salt to flavor pasta. Cut the ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut and wash asparagus, wash and slice mushrooms, slice shallots, slice Prosciutto, and grate cheese. Oil the pan and toss in the roasted garlic, s&p, herbs, asparagus, mushrooms, and shallots. Cook for about five minutes, then turn down heat slightly and add cream and cheese. Stir constantly until all ingredients are well blended. Let it come to a slow bubble and watch it for a few, stirring every so often for about five minutes. Next, turn the heat down even further and let it sit while you drain pasta. Toss pasta with sauce, and serve.
Ingredients
1 lb. asparagus (medium to thick stalk)
1 T fresh thyme
1 T fresh basil
1 tsp fresh dill
1 T fresh flat leaf parsley
16 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. thinly sliced proscuitto
Garlic Powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Boil water; put just enough in the pot to cover the asparagus. In another dish prepare an ice water bath. Hold the asparagus in the middle and at the end, snap off the ends to find the natural break. Do a few in the bunch then even them up with the others and cut evenly along the same line so your pieces are uniform in size. When the water starts to boil put the asparagus in and turn off the burner. Let them stay in the water for about 4 minutes (depending on the thickness you chose). Pull them out and put them directly into the ice bath. Keep them in just until cool, and then dry them on a paper towel.
Pull all four of the herbs off of there stems and chop them pretty finely. Let the cream cheese sit out on the countertop for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Combine the herbs, cream cheese, garlic powder, and salt & pepper in a shallow bowl. Using the back of a fork smash and smear and mix all the ingredients together. You want the herbs incorporated well and the cream cheese soft and spreadable.
Be gentle with the proscuitto, lay out several pieces. Carefully, spread about a tablespoon of cheese on the ham. Place a spear on the ham with the tip exposed and roll it up.
Ingredients
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp thyme
Pitted Calamata Olives (from the deli section in the grocery store)
1 or 2 heads of garlic
Method
Peel back the casing of the Garlic until you have only a thin layer left. Turn the garlic on its side and make a single knife cut down the head to expose the garlic inside. In a shallow pot, pour in the oil and place the garlic, and olives in. Make sure you turn the garlic to coat it with the oil and place it right side up for cooking. The number of olives you put in is up to you. If you love them, put more, not in love with them, put less. I put about five per person. Turn the oil on, bring in just to a boil, then turn it down on low and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes. You want the garlic to be fork tender in the middle. When it is finished you can remove the garlic from the casing after they cool, then drop them back in. Chop your herbs and put them in the oil after you are finished. Serve in a dipping plate with your favorite bread. The garlic will spread like butter on the bread. So good!
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