April 11, 2005

Asparagus Festival looks for the right words

Asparagus Soup
      2 lbs. asparagus
      3 c. water
      4 T. butter
      1 medium onion, chopped
      1 T. flour
      3 c. chicken broth
      2/3 c. half-and-half
      Salt and pepper

      Cut off the asparagus tips to 2-inch to 2 1/2-inch lengths. Boil them 5 minutes in the water. Remove the tips to cool but reserve the water. Meanwhile cut the remaining part of the stalks into 2-inch pieces, discarding the tough lower portion.
      Melt butter in saucepan and sauté the onion until soft, a few minutes. Sprinkle flour on the butter-onion mixture, stir to blend, then add the reserved asparagus water, chicken broth and asparagus stalks.
      Gently boil the stalks until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender. Return to clean pan, add half-and-half and the reserved tips and heat through. Serve immediately. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6.
      Per serving: 152 calories; 6 grams protein; 11 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrate; 2 grams fiber; 30 milligrams cholesterol; 464 milligrams sodium
      -
      The Recipe Finder also ran the following recipe that was described as "grand enough to serve to company yet simple enough to prepare any time."

Fettuccine Provencal with Mussels and Shrimp
      16 oz. fettuccine
      ¼ c. olive oil
      16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
      1 onion, finely chopped
      3 cloves garlic, chopped
      ½ c. dry white wine
      3 tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
      ¼ c. chopped basil
      1 t. red pepper flakes (optional)
      20 fresh mussels, cleaned
      ¼ c. chopped parsley
      Salt and pepper to taste

      Cook fettuccine according to package directions. In a large saucepan, heat oil; sauté shrimp until just cooked, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove shrimp and set aside.
      To remaining oil in saucepan, add onions and garlic; sauté until tender. Stir in wine; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add tomatoes, basil and red pepper flakes, if desired; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add mussels, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until mussels open. Discard those that have not opened.
      Return shrimp to saucepan; heat through. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss fettuccine with mussel mixture. Note: When buying mussels, test each one individually by tapping it lightly with your finger. Discard any mussels that remain open when they are tapped. To keep mussels alive before cooking, place in a bowl, cover with wet cloth and refrigerate. Makes 4 servings.
      Per serving: 641 calories; 29 grams protein; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 90 grams carbohydrate; 6 grams fiber; 65 milligrams cholesterol; 293 milligrams sodium

      If you are looking for a specific recipe; want to try and obtain the recipe for a dish you had in a restaurant; have a cooking dilemma - or have solved one and want to pass on what you learned; had good (or bad) luck with a food product; or have other information of interest to fellow cooks, please send it to: Cook's Corner, Traverse City Record-Eagle, P.O. Box 632, Traverse City, MI 49685; call (231) 933-1452 or (800) 968-8273; or email: kgibbons@record-eagle.com.