Orecchiette with Two Peas, Asparagus and Prosciutto

Welcome to spring.

More daylight to play, leading to simpler foods with faster prep.

Like this.

Fresh green peas, asparagus, crispy sugar snap peas.

Salty prosciutto and sweet garlic, sliced sweet red onions and baby shallots.

Baby romaine lettuce.

On pasta? Yea baby. It works.

Orecchiette with Two Peas, Asparagus and Prosciutto
Liberally Adapted from Bon Appetit April 2009

2 tbsp butter
A couple of swirls roasted garlic oil (or extra virgin olive oil if you don’t make garlic confit and have some roasted garlic oil lying around)
½ large sweet red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp minced baby shallot
¼-½ cup dry white wine
½ cup homemade roasted chicken stock
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise into bite sized pieces
1-½ cups fresh shelled peas or frozen, thawed
½-¾ pound sugar snap peas
Enough orecchiette for three people
2 handfuls baby romaine lettuce
Manchego cheese, as much as you like
A handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into thin strips

Melt butter with a couple of swirls roasted garlic oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and shallots and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Saute until tender, about five minutes. Add wine. Increase heat to medium high and simmer until liquid is reduced to glaze about three minutes. Add broth and bring to simmer, set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a bit of coarse salt. Add asparagus, cook til done. Plunge asparagus into bowl of ice and water to stop the cooking and preserve the green color. Repeat with peas and sugar snaps, plunging them into the same water with the asparagus. Drain and set aside.

Return water in the big pot to a boil. Cook pasta til tender, drain, reserving about a ½ cup pasta water.

Reheat the onion mixture, add the lettuce and stir til just wilted and add the drained asparagus, peas and sugar snap peas.

Add the pasta and parsley to the skillet, toss together add reserved pasta water. Season with salt and water and cover for just a few minutes to allow pasta to absorb sauce.

Remove top, grate as much Manchego as you feel like eating, sprinkle with the prosciutto and toss again.

Drizzle with a bit more roasted garlic oil and serve.

Serves three generously.

Click here for a printable recipe!

One Year Ago on Feeding Groom

Orecchiette with Two Peas, Asparagus and Prosciutto

Grilled Swordfish with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Piperade

Have you ever had one of those days when nothing goes exactly wrong but then nothing goes exactly right? But it all turns out okay anyway? That was the case Friday when I cooked an absolute genius of a dish, if I say so myself, but the pictures didn't do it justice. The dish was Grilled Swordfish on Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Piperade. The potatoes were divine at Thanksgiving. I thought that swordfish would work beautifully with the flavors of the Piperade.

When I plated this, I decided in my infinite wisdom to put the potatoes on the bottom and the Piperade on the top. Well, we all know why Fingerling potatoes are called Fingerling. they could be called something else, probably sell a whole lot more of them due to the shape...are you with me here? ...any way, the porn star of Fingerling potatoes happened to be on the plate in a very odd position when I took the picture. Everything was aimed at this very well endowed Fingerling. I must admit that a little House Red had passed through my ruby lips by the time I took the picture, so I didn't notice that the picture was not as good as it should be until Groom, passing by, not one to say an unkind word, said, “Honey, maybe you need to take a closer look at this picture.”

I've pondered this now for three days and have decided to go on and post the recipe without the picture because it's so good, and I don't think a picture is what truly sells a recipe. I know I’ve discussed when you have to stand up and slap something because the food is so good. Our dogs were even hiding. They knew I was looking at them funny. This was that good.
Use your imagination and make this.

Grilled Swordfish with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Piperade
Adapted from Bon Appetit’s November 2007 issue


2 -7 ounce swordfish steaks, about ½ to ¾ inch thick, seasoned with a little olive oil, salt and coarsely ground black pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice
1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut in half
3 red and yellow bell peppers, seeded and stemmed and sliced
½ red onion, sliced
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 small handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 small handful fresh basil, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400‘. Put sliced bell peppers and red onion on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 10 minutes.
Layer the potatoes on top of the potatoes and roast for 35 minutes.
Then top with the shallots and parsley and basil and roast for five more minutes. Season with olive oil and salt and coarsely ground black pepper. You can do this ahead. Watch the peppers and the onions and be sure they don’t blacken.
Heat grill pan on top of stove. Grill swordfish for about 6 minutes per side.
Put the potatoes on the plate and top with the swordfish and a bit of the Piperade. Take a bite.
Slap something.
Serves 2.

Grilled Swordfish with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Piperade