A few weeks ago — where does the time go to? — a good friend and I were trying to figure out a dinner place for girls' night. It had been a long time since we'd had time to just sit and talk over a glass of wine. Unfortunately, every restaurant in her college town home would be packed for graduation day. Plan B was a Romanian pot luck dinner, but the recipes links to choose from were a bit, uh, challenging. Brains in jelly? Breaded udder?
We went with Plan C. As in "see you at your house with a bottle of wine and I will cook." I like Plan C. My friend was overjoyed and confessed, "I haven't had a home-cooked meal since 2009."
Wow. So, what could I prep ahead, make in a flash in a friend's kitchen? This fit the bill. Sorrel is a perennial herb with a lemony tart flavor. Added to basil, it makes a light, delicious spring pesto.
Asparagus, Proscuitto and Wild Mushrooms with Sorrel Pesto
1 lb. asparagus, cleaned and chopped to 1/4 inch pieces
6 oz. wild mushrooms, your choice
1/4 lb. proscuitto, cut in small cubes
1 tbs. olive oil
1 lb. pasta
Sorrel Pesto
1/3 cup sorrel leaves
1/3 cup basil
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste
Bring water to boil and start pasta. Heat the olive oil. Add the proscuitto and saute until just browned. Add the asparagus and mushrooms and saute for another 5-7 minutes. Drain the pasta when al dente, toss with the pesto. Gently toss with the asparagus mixture. Shave a bit of parmesan on top if desired.
Enjoy with a good friend.
That recipe is perfect for me! It is light and very easy to make. And what I like about it most is that it is light. I am weight-conscious and I am guilty that every time I eat a lot more than what I plan to eat, that equals to instant pounds! So this recipe is really great for me.
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