You know, half the time I have no idea what I'm doing. It's really more like experimenting with ingredients than actually cooking. Cooking for me means you know what you're doing and that the final product will be delicious. Most of the time I just dump everything into a pan and cross my fingers that it'll be edible. And this is the one reason why I don't bake.
How much salt did I use? A pinch? How much is a pinch? Not sure. How much pasta did I really boil? I know 1 serving isn't enough for me so I usually make a little bit more. Is it 3 ounces? How long do I saute the asparagus? Eh....*shrugs. Medium heat, high heat, low heat. I should pay more attention when I cook so that I can be consistent every time. Some days my dishes turn out pretty darn good and some days they're underseasoned. I guess like everything else, it's just practice practice practice.
This is difficult but I'm going to try to be better at this. This whole recipe writing thing.
Anyways, check it out, spring is finally here. I found asparagus (sorry kale) at the farmer's market and decided to cook it for lunch. Luckily I had stuff at home to cook a pasta dish with the asparagus. It was like spring on a plate.
Asparagus, Shrimp with Miso Pasta
Serves 1 ----------- 2 ounces pasta 4 stalks of asparagus cut into inch long pieces 8 shrimp 1.5 tablespoons miso paste A handful of tarragon leaves (save the smaller ones for garnish afterwards) Half and half (you can use cream or pasta water really) Oil 1 knob of butter Salt and pepper
Get a pot of water boiling for the pasta. When the water begins to boil, add salt and add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. I used fusilli and boiled it for 11mins. While the pasta is boiling, put a pan over medium heat. Add oil and the knob of butter to the pan. When the melted butter starts to bubble, add in the asparagus. Saute the asparagus for about 7 minutes or until cooked through but still has a nice crunch. 5 minutes into cooking the asparagus, add the tarragon leaves. Stir. Throw in the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes or until they just about to turn pink. Season with salt and pepper. Add miso paste and enough half and half to create the sauce. I used half and half because that's what I have at home. A dollop of creme fraiche works well too. Try and dissolve the miso paste into the half and half. You might want to lower the flame a bit here or else the half and half gets cooked off way too quick. Add the pasta and mix well. A little too dry? Add couple tablespoons of the pasta water. Finish the dish with some fresh tarragon leaves.
Do you like asparagus? What's your favorite way to eat them?