I never forget a thing.
It’s both my strongest asset and what drives me mad. At any given moment, I can rattle off all three hundred loose ends that are hanging out there in my life. And there are always at least three hundred.
Jason will tell you that I have a hard time not just constantly checking things off that list. He’ll remind me that sometimes it’s okay to read a book, do a crossword puzzle, or just go to bed early. Sometimes, the mental list has to get put away.
So that’s how I got to this Monday—I had the day off—where all I dreamed of was spending ten hours purging our house of all the stuff that accumulates when you’re an adult. Old bed spreads and comforters, that free tumbler you got at some cheese tasting event, clothes that you haven’t worn in years (slacks, HA!), and computer cables that are missing something to plug into.
For the last two months, I’ve been opening closets in our house stunned that we can possibly own this much stuff we don’t ever use, and then promptly closing them. Not right now, I kept telling myself. Just wait.
Let me tell you how glorious Monday was. I packed the Subaru to the brim of things we don’t need and dropped them all off at Goodwill. I put furniture on Craigslist and it was out the door before 4:00pm. I made space. In the closets, yes, but also in my soul. I mean it people, this was therapeutic.
And how appropriate that it comes at the beginning of spring. A spring cleaning, how cliche, but how totally necessary. And so on Monday night, with kitchen cabinets not threatening to dump their contents on my head when I opened them, I made a lovely dish full of spring ingredients: the first taste of asparagus (there will be so much more to come), lovely fennel, and some shrimp to boot.
The asparagus is transformed into a pesto and tossed with pasta. Who said pesto had to be basil (not me)? The asparagus flavor isn’t too overpowering—it’s mellowed by the Parmesan and walnuts (use pine nuts if you’re not feeling cheap)—and pairs beautifully with the toppings.
Now to crack open a bottle of white wine. It truly is spring.
- 1 pound asparagus (thin spears work best), trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup walnuts or pine nuts
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice from ½ a lemon
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large red onion, sliced thin
- 2 large fennel bulbs, cored and sliced thin, fronds reserved
- 2 pound shrimp, deveined
- 1 pound fettuccine
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil. Add asparagus pieces and cook for 8-10 minutes, until asparagus is tender but still a bright green color. Drain well and let cool.
- Add asparagus, garlic, nuts, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and lemon juice to a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. If the mixture feels too thick, add additional olive oil. Sprinkle with pepper, taste, and adjust seasoning, adding more cheese or lemon juice as needed.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil for pasta.
- Meanwhile in a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add red onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add fennel and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until fennel has softened and begins to brown.
- Add shrimp and cook until pink, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain liquid and run under cold water, then toss pasta with pesto, tossing to coat. Serve pasta with fennel and shrimp mixture on top, sprinkled with some freshly ground black pepper and fennel fronds.
3brunswick
writes 3phillip