Fork on the Road

Spring is trying to make its way to Vermont and there’s no better way to encourage its arrival than by including asparagus in every possible dish. Don’t you think?

Last night for the first time since October I cooked with kitchen windows flung wide open. The sound of  peep frogs waking up and singing down by the river was music to my ears as I diced colorful veggies, including some gorgeous asparagus.

The green, greenness on the counter made me feel as though I was just waking up, too, like the peep frogs. My recent trip to the Languedoc certainly helped. Asparagus has been popping up there on market vendors’ tables for the last month. And the thicker the better! Stalks of white and green varieties can be the size of a large man’s thumbs and they are very much in demand. Contrary to what I always believed, these large spears are super tender and buttery. I tested lots to make sure.

I thought I’d share a petite French asparagus photo essay with you to accompany a recipe which is also influenced by the tastes and markets of the south of France. It’s the addition of a little anchovy paste sauteed in the olive oil which dresses the pasta that takes this dish to the next level. Don’t worry: the anchovy doesn’t  make it taste fishy in the least. Would it help if I told you my kids loved it? It simply adds depth and flavor that makes all these spring vegetables sing. Like the frogs. Like the markets of France.

And this one too because even though there’s no asparagus, it’s just too beautiful to resist. I think it deserves the title “Food as Art”:

Roasted Spring Asparagus and Vegetables with Penne and Feta

This is so full of flavors. Besides making sure to add the anchovy paste (and you can substitute whole anchovies in oil – 2 should do the trick – if you have them in your pantry) don’t skimp on the vegetables. The more the better as they add texture and sweetness to the main dish. If course, feel free to add more asparagus than I’ve suggested  since it is so full of the taste of springtime!

1 bunch asparagus (the thicker the better!), roughly 1 pound, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into halves

5 small zucchini, cut into a large dice

1 large red onion, halved and sliced thin

1 pound penne

olive oil, a few glugs for roasting veggies and also for pasta

kosher salt, a few pinches

1-2 TBS anchovy paste

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped (minced)

several leaves of fresh basil

1/3 cup fresh feta, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Toss prepared veggies with olive oil and salt to coat. Place on baking sheets and place in oven for 20-30 minutes until soft,  lightly browned and roasted.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Strain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat a generous amount of olive oil (roughly 1/4 cup) over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and soften for around 1 minute. Add anchovy paste and stir to incorporate in the warm oil. Do not let burn or stick to the bottom of skillet. Add noodles and toss to incorporate with the flavored oil. If pasta seems dry, add a bit more olive oil here. Stir in roasted vegetables and remove from heat. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and fresh chopped basil.

Delicious warm, at room temperature and even cold as a salad the next day.

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