Asparagus Parmesan Sformato and a Bonus

I have been yearning. And I don't know for what. I wake up with a longing. It's not a bad of state of being. But it does turn you into a slightly boring person - this longing. Because you spend a lot of time turned inward. And you lose track of conversations. And it's obvious. You're caught not listening. I want the "yearning" to come out and assert itself and so I have been doing things I have been meaning to do forever - hoping these activities would coax out the little-stubborn-yearning.

I planned on making these little asparagus puddings when they were actually in season - last April. Some things take me a long time to do. Even pleasant things. I am an equal-opportunity procrastinator. I later planned on doing these over the holidays. And then I was sure these would come to the table in January. And now I am kicking myself that I hadn't made them earlier and monthly.

I have a fondness for the sformato - the transformation of cheeses and vegetables into velvet. Something dense but in a believable disguise as a light offering. (Even though the 6 eggs belie that notion.) I do try to eat seasonally and locally - but in Minnesota - you could come down with scurvy if you didn't move outside your northland circle.

Perhaps it is because I have looked at this long enough.

We are at the point in winter where the driveway has lost a lot of weight and become quite narrow. Where the December sighs of "Such a pretty snowfall - it looks like a Christmas Card!" have turned into "Oh Goody (or expletive), "It's snowing." (using the sarcastic font).

I have spent my eves with Stephen King going back in time. And while the book helped me get through a fifth arctic blast - it just intensified the yearning.

Perhaps I was tired of the recipe on the fridge nagging me every time I opened the fridge door. Perhaps it was the lure of $2.99/pound asparagus that did not look exhausted. I finally made them. And I will make them again - with broccoli, with spinach, with Swiss chard and with locally grown, seasonal asparagus. In April. Or May. And you should also.

Ingredients - 8 Servings
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs from crustless Italian bread
2 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 8 3/4-1 cup ramekins. Coat the bottom with breadcrumbs.
2. Cut off asparagus tips. Cook for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Put tips aside.
3. Coarsely chop asparagus stalks. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion. Saute onion about 6 minutes. Add stalks and saute 5 minutes. Add reserved asparagus cooking liquid. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring often - about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer to food processor and puree.
5. Add Parmesan, ricotta and flour and process until just blended. Salt and pepper a bit.
6. In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add the asparagus puree and whisk to blend. Stir in all but 8 of the asparagus tips.
7. Pour into ramekins - filling the ramekins about 3/4 of the way.
(Can be made ahead. Cover and chill.)
8. Put ramekins in water bath. (Put in roaster and large baking tray. Pour boiling water around ramekins - filling the pan about 1 inch with water.)
9. Bake "puddings" until set - about 35 minutes. Let stand ten minutes. Invert onto plates and garnish with reserved asparagus tips.

Look at it. Long for it.

It bends to the will of the seasons. It's flecked. It's cheese - baked and just a little browned. It's asparagus - coaxed  into a soft winter coat. Not intense - just soothing. Sort of cloudy. Sort of earthy. Sort of reassuring.

And it's good. Really good.

So is this.

Marinated Goat Cheese with Warmed Olives

The thing is - you probably have all in your kitchen: olive oil, a fresh herb, olives, goat cheese, a lemon.

And that's it. Use a goat cheese medallions or a log or two. Heat a bit of olive oil (about 1/4 of a cup) with the zest of a lemon and some fresh herbs (I used thyme - but use what suits your fancy). Add some olives - your choice - and some freshly-ground pepper. When nice and warm (not boiling), pour all over the goat cheese and serve.

I made this ahead of time on Valentine's Day and this lovely man that I am married to - who sent me flowers - who had an actual card waiting for me on Valentine's Day morning - didn't get any. Yeah. Well... I had my fill.

So I will need to make it again. But not ahead of time.

Meanwhile, my daughter has accused me of whoring out the cats to get comments on the blog.

Heavens-to-Betsy - why would I do that?

Savory Zabaglione - Gael Green

Gael Green changed the way New Yorkers dined. She changed they way people thought about food. And in changing New York City, she effected change throughout the country. As such, Gael Green is Week #46 on Gourmet's list of female game-changers in food. Widely credited as coining the word "foodie," Green intended to make her mark as a novelist. In-between writing her novel she supported herself by being a stringer in Detroit for the Detroit Free Press and freelancing for magazines. After a stint at the New York Post, she became the restaurant critic for New York Magazine in 1968. She would remain there until 2008 when she was quite famously - fired.

"It's as if they removed the lions from the library steps," said Michael Batterberry, editor and publisher of Food Arts Magazine.

But by the time she was fired, she had established herself as knowledgeable, lusty and irrepressible (having written articles titled "Nobody Knows the Truffles I've Seen," "Everything You Wanted to Know about Ice Cream but Were Too Fat to Ask" and "The Mafia's Guide to Eating Out.") and her unemployment did not last long. She would continue to write books (a novel Blue Skies, No Candy, and her memoir Insatiable: Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess had been published earlier.)

Famous for wearing huge hats that hid her face, she also gave back to society with such programs as City Wheels-on-Meals which she co-founded in 1981 with James Beard. She has been honored with awards for her writing as well as for her humanitarian work.  

Today she continues to write, judge chef competitions and has a website Insatiable Critic by Gael Green which chronicles her food journeys as well as her still-present lust for life.

Because Green is a writer and not a chef, her recipes were either sparse or admittedly from other chefs. I scoured her food writing and came across her review of eating-all-things-wonderful in Sicily at the blog SICILIAMO which contained one of her articles for the NY Times.

"Tradition hits the fan at Il Mulinazzo, with its two Michelin stars, helmed by Nino Graziano, a veteran of several kitchens in France. It’s just south of Palermo in Villafrati, a quick drive for lunch. Even the tradizionale tasting menu shows off Sicilian cooking creatively rethought: elegant snapper tartare with oil and lemon on warm chickpea fritters, lasagnetta with sardines and wild fennel, almond couscous in a fish soup, rack of lamb with an asparagus zabaglione."

Asparagus zabaglione? What was that? A savory zabagalione? Taking something traditionally sweet and making it savory and you have colored me 'obsessed.' A little cayenne pepper in a rich chocolate cake surprises me and makes me dig in further. Give me dark chocolate (please) and add some salt and I return again and again to pack on the calories with spice and glee.

When I read books - and suddenly a moment of inspired silliness turns poignant - or a tender turn of phrase continues on to the irreverent, I am intrigued. I think there is a truism - that really - that is what life is like. Rich with sweet cream and hot peppers. Careful and careless. 

Is this the asparagus zabaglione that Green describes? No. I am sure the zabaglione actually had asparagus in it! But it is a fun inspiration of Green's description and perfect with a grilled or roasted vegetable. Inspired by Gael Green, I bring you Mario Batali's Savory Zabaglione with Black Pepper and Parmesan.. Richly decadent with hints of salt from the cheese and spicy black pepper, it's a concerto that's not afraid of containing too many notes.

Play with it - once you wrap your taste buds around this, the possibilities unfold. Today, I am thinking of this with asparagus puree, or taleggio instead of the Parmesan or pungent herbs...

Warm Asparagus with Black Pepper-Parmesan Zabaglione - serves 4

(from Mario Batali on Food Network)

2 pounds medium asparagus

6 extra-large egg yolks (which makes me thankful for my sincere love of egg-white omelettes))

1 extra-large egg

1/2 cup dry, fragrant wine (he suggest Vin Santo - I cannot get that here, in Italy every home seems to make their own)

3 tablespoons sweet butter - room temperature

3 tablespoons heavy cream - slightly warmed (I didn't warm it but it was at room temp)

1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon freshly-cracked pepper

salt to taste

Note: Batali has you cook the asparagus for exactly 1 minute and 15 seconds in the bottom of the double boiler as you whisk the zabaglione on top. I roasted it at 425 degrees F for about 5 minutes. I have a thing for roasted asparagus. It balances my "thing" for salty-dark chocolate. 

Wash asparagus and snap off stems with fingers. In a double boiler combine yolks, egg and wine with whisk and stir vigorously until frothy. Remove egg mixture from heat and add asparagus to the bottom half of pan and cook for 1 minute, 15 seconds (remember: I roasted). Meanwhile, whisk butter, cream, Parmesan and pepper into egg mixture. Season with salt. Drain asparagus, dry it, divide into four servings, spoon sauce over it and serve. 

Check out what the other bloggers are doing to honor this week's game-changer Gael Green and if you want to join in the fun, e-mail Mary at One Perfect Bite. Mary started this delectable journey.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others, Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed

Susan - The Spice Garden, Heather - girlichef,

Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living, 

Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen - Bake Away with Me

Sue - The View from Great Island, Barbara - Movable Feasts

Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds, 

Linda A - There and Back Again, 

Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Annie - Most Lovely Things, Alyce - More Time at the Table; Amrita- Beetle's Kitchen Escapades
Jill - Saucy Cooks, Sarah - Everything in the Kitchen Sink

Martha - Simple Nourished Living

Small Bites Sunday

This winter I resurrected "Small Bites Sunday." With my son living "in the Cities" and busy with graduate school and work, I made a promise to him that I would continue to make a "proper Sunday dinner" and there would always be enough for him. No reservations required.  With the men in my life training again for the MS 150, I like to have "small bites" available to the returning cyclists.

I love small bites! There is the time for the complete symphony, the never-ending book and there are times for the short story and for a Bach concerto. (Or a Fats Waller song.)

Yes, the open-faced sandwich is in fact a grilled cheese. My husband's reward for accomplishing the first lawn mowing of the season! Apparently April is grilled cheese month. But that's not why I made it. I made it because it has melted cheese. If you say "cheese," melt cheese or put pistachios into your dish, there is a chance that I will open up my umbrella and fly in through your kitchen window.

Besides, this recipe is adapted from Sophia Loren - she seems to have an understanding of Italian food. It uses asparagus and this is the time to use it. Sophia puts this on any bread, minces her ham and only uses the tip of the asparagus. I left the ham whole and used the entire asparagus stalk. Adapt, play but know this makes a welcoming snack or light lunch - have it for breakfast! Add an egg. Take away the ham and make it vegetarian. But do keep the asparagus and do melt the cheese.

Asparagus-Cheese Melt (for 1, easily doubled and tripled and quadrupled...)
1 slice favorite bread
2 asparagus spears
1 slice favorite ham (prosciutto, anyone?)
fontina cheese
Optional to finish: freshly-ground pepper, fresh Parmesan, arugula

Lightly toast your bread. Simmer the asparagus in salted water for 3-4 minutes. Cut into 2 inch slices. Place ham slice on bread. Lay asparagus stalks on top of the ham. With a vegetable peeler, peel of thin slices of fontina cheese. But on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F until cheese is melted - about 5 minutes. Sprinkle pepper and Parmesan over if you wish. Serve.

Below is another recipe for April - featuring asparagus. You can serve it hot, warm or at room temperature. You roast the asparagus first - and try not to eat them before you use them. 

Roasted Asparagus with Prosciutto (serves 4) - adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

16 asparagus spears - thick bottom chopped off or peel thick part of stalk

small amount of olive oil

8 slices of thin prosciutto

Optional: freshly ground pepper and Parmesan to finish

Brush the asparagus with olive oil. Salt and pepper if you wish. (The prosciutto adds enough salt for me.) In a 350 degree F oven, roast the asparagus on a baking sheet for 5-6 minutes - until almost tender. Remove from oven. With scissors or a knife, cut your prosciutto slices in half length-wise. Wrap the prosciutto slice around the asparagus. Giada now serves this at room temperature. I pop it back into the oven to let the prosciutto crisp up a bit (3-4 minutes), drain it on paper towels and then serve it with ground pepper and some Parmesan.

I have a southern friend who tells me she has never met a vegetable that she couldn't make unhealthy with her down home Texas cooking. I think of that when I take the innocent asparagus and then cover it with ham. Of course Italians are famous for Eggplant Parmigiano and you know what we do to the health quotient of the eggplant in that dish! But remember - these are small bites! If you need an indulgence, small bites will deliver.

I am going to pause here for a moment and let you know that I have a most excellent husband.

As I read that Bon Appetit noted the ten best places to get the perfect baguette in America, I saw that one was in Minneapolis. And  my husband's wonderful reply was:

"When do you want to go?"

That's love.

So along with our small bites this weekend, we also were treated to a crusty loaf of bread from Rustica Bakery in Minneapolis (and if you're in town - go, bike, skate or fly, and get there in the morning and feast - it delivers - the right amount of chew but not tough. hearty but not filling and brings you to an understanding of why bread is the staff of life). And just because - I bought a mini-focaccia - because that fit the theme of "small bites." It was diminutive. It was cute. And I really wanted it.

I will be doing Small Bites Sunday for awhile. If you have a "small bite" you'd like to share, send it over with a photo and a link to your posting by Saturday at 5 p.m. Nothing fancy - no badges - just for fun.

Today is Earth Day and even in Minnesota which is often the frozen tundra and icebox of the nation, the earth kept her promise. In return, I have some promises to keep for her. Hope you had a lovely Sunday, a small bite here and there and had time to appreciate our planet.