It's been a great way to share knowledge, experience and recipes for the entire group!! I thought I'd share the favorite from last year (I shared with this year's group too :)) as we are nearly at the end of asparagus season.
I created the Asparagus Spread to be stored in the freezer and have a versatility to it in everyday cooking. This recipe makes a great appetizer with slices of baguette, a base for asparagus soup (add 3 cups chicken/vegetable stock) an easy savory tart on it's own, or spread onto a pastry crust and top with eggs for a quick and delicious quiche. It's also fantastic stirred into freshly prepared linguine pasta!
The ingredients are a tad more expensive, but it's truly worth the effort and expense for such an elegant, easy, tasty variety of dishes.
Asparagus Spread with Truffle Oil
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 stick butter
1 8 ounce carton mascarpone
Salt & pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Truffle Oil
Saute asparagus in large sauté pan over medium heat about
6 minutes with butter until barely soft, and bright green.
Remove from heat and add mascarpone cheese, salt, pepper
and truffle oil. Stir until combined and
place in freezer containers. Let cool to
room temperature then place in freezer up to one year.
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| The Boulevard Market sells this for $12.98/ bottle. Not cheap, but worth it! |
I looooove truffle oil! In this house, we drizzle a teeny bit on scrambled eggs, a little bit more over hot pasta, and even use it to jazz up store-bought frozen pizzas. Yes, it's expensive, but a tiny bit goes a long way, so its overall cost isn't that bad.
ReplyDeleteMay I ask a question? I have been anxious to try truffle oil and bought some today at Whole Foods. It is a product of Italy, 3.4 oz., made by Roland Foods. When I got home, I looked at the packaging date. It's 1999! Is that normal? Does olive oil with truffle shavings (truffle oil) have to sit unopened for years before it's ready to use? Or should I return it and look for some with a more recent packaging date?
ReplyDeleteThanks much!
The rule of thumb on most olive oil is to use within 2 years of HARVEST. I think I would return it. It might be ok, but why spend so much for an oil that isn't fresh? Truffle infused oils do not have to sit long for great flavor. The brand I took a photo of is well respected and costs about $12 per bottle and many shops stock it.
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