Asparagus is one of the earliest things from the garden and while it can be eaten solo, this dish makes it a meal and the lemon keeps it light and very flavorful. This recipe is adapted from www.pioneerwoman.com and serves six.
1 pound pasta, your choice
4 tbsp. butter
15-20 spears fresh asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. lemon curd
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1. Cook the pasta according to the directions and drain.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter and sauté the asparagus and minced garlic until just tender.
3. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in lemon curd (see recipe below) along with the sour cream and salt.
4. Add drained pasta to the saucepan and stir until well-coated.
5. Add parsley, combine and transfer to a greased two-quart baking dish.
6. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
7. Bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes and serve.
Lemon Curd
(adapted from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2001)
Yields about 1 1/3 cups
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. grated lemon rind
2 large eggs
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)
3 tbsp. butter
1. Combine the first three ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk.
2. Cook until sugar dissolves and mixture is light in color (about 3 minutes).
3. Stir in lemon juice and butter, cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk until it thickens slightly.
4. Cool completely, cover and chill (or freeze). It will set up and become thicker as it cools.
From the blog Thy Hand Hath Provided, written by “Jane”. This recipe and many others can be found in Jane’s cookbook by the same name. Find ordering information on her website at www.thyhandhathprovided.com/p/the-cookbook.html.
