New Recipe, Old Recipe

Asparagus is at its best at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market right now. There was a new recipe in the New York Times for: Baked Asparagus With Shiitake, Prosciutto and Couscous and we decided to make it.

We had picked up some fresh Asparagus and also found a very unusual mushroom called “King Trumpet Mushroom”. It looked like a giant Porcini mushroothm. The recipe calls for the asparagus to be roasted inside parchment. It is a wonderful recipe. We really like the taste of the saltiness of the prosciutto combined with mushroom essence captured by the enclosure.
English Pea season is almost over. We make for probably the last time this year: Orecchiette Carbonara with English Peas and Pea Shoots from a recipe by Suzanne Goin in the fabulous cookbook: Sunday Suppers at Lucques. You can get the recipe from our blog of: April 29, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. We didn’t even have to shell the peas. We simply washed them and cut them up, shell and all. Of course we used Nueske’s Bacon, our favorite!

Baked Asparagus With Shiitake, Prosciutto and Couscous
New York Times
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons; additional for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
Grated nutmeg
3 tarragon sprigs
3/4 cup whole-wheat couscous
1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (it should be twice as long as pan). Lay asparagus in a pile in center. Scatter mushrooms and prosciutto on top. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, the pepper and nutmeg. Toss vegetables to coat evenly. Lay tarragon over top.
2. Fold parchment to completely enclose vegetables, and staple top and sides shut (or tie up with string). Transfer pan to oven and bake for one hour. Asparagus should be just cooked through. If too crisp, return to oven until done to taste.
3. In a small pot over medium-high heat, bring 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons olive oil and remaining salt to a simmer. Stir in couscous and remove pot from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
4. Spoon couscous onto serving plates and drizzle with oil. Divide prosciutto and vegetables, and their juices, among the plates and serve.
Yield: 2 main-course servings, or 4 side-dish servings.