
Mid-April marks the beginning of asparagus season. The markets in Berlin are plentiful with both white and green varieties bound in thick bundles, waiting to be bought and put to a plethora of creative culinary uses. I love asparagus prepared in any way I can get it and this is my new favorite way of enjoying the stalks. However, I can’t take credit for the asparagus noodles, though the sauce is my own, which I made from ingredients I had at the time. The idea for the noodles came from a food magazine I’d picked up while I was waiting in the market checkout line. The thin strands were achieved with the use of a mandolin. In shopping for asparagus for this recipe I suggest that you buy thicker stalks rather than the thinner varieties. And I highly recommend that you proceed slowly whenever using a mandolin so you keep for fingers intact. But don’t worry, you’ll make up for lost time because the sauce is incredibly quick to make.
Consider serving this alongside baked spicy-honey glazed salmon filets.
For the fettuccine noodles: For the Parmesan Sauce: Bring two cups of water to a boil, and then set the hot water aside. Meanwhile, make the asparagus noodles. If you have thick asparagus stems start by bending the stalks toward base until the stalk snaps, usually about an inch into the stalk. Discard the ends. Then, carefully slice the asparagus lengthwise, roughly ⅛” thick. Place the sliced spears into a colander. Meanwhile make the sauce. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Next, whisk in the flour, and cook to remove the raw flour taste for about 1 minute. Then, slowly add the milk while whisking, to smooth any lumps of flour. Then, add the Parmesan, dill, salt and pepper. Check for seasonings, and add more salt if necessary. Turn off the heat, and return to the asparagus. Next, pour the hot water into the colander of asparagus, and drain thoroughly. Add the asparagus to the sauce. Stir and serve immediately. Asparagus Fettuccine with a Light Parmesan Sauce
Serves 2
Ingredients
Instructions
[…] I recently bought some really beautiful salmon filets from my local farmers market. Salmon is rich in vitamins A, D and B12. It’s also a good source of protein and omega-3’s, which can help reduce bad cholesterol. In deciding on how to prepare them, I happened to be on Facebook and noticed that my cousin, Renatta, had posted a mouth-watering picture of a honey-glazed salmon that she prepared. Inspired by her photo, I decided to follow her lead and added a bit of cayenne for a spicy kick to these beautiful, coral-hued, filets. This is a quick recipe that bakes in about 12 minutes, which gives you just enough time to prepare a side salad or perhaps my Asparagus Fettuccine with a Light Parmesan Sauce. […]