Blogging, Asparagus, Nopalitos.

One day, I might learn. I get several good ideas for blogging, got lots during A to Z but because I am too dumb to write them down, guess what, I forget what they were. Trouble is I am usually doing something at the time which precludes me from recording an idea so it just drifts away with the breeze.

I was horrified to learn yesterday, that a very good friend, Elizabeth Seckman, doesn’t like asparagus nor does her husband. What sacrilege, what Philistines! I grieve for people who don’t like the heaven sent spears of deliciousness. Don’t tell anyone, but I do know other people who fall into this category. Elizabeth tells me they bought a house with an asparagus bed and gave away all the produce for a while and finally mowed over the whole lot and got rid of it. I used to have an asparagus bed in England. Once the season was over, I used to grow the ferns (well you have to let it grow anyway) and pick some of them for flower arrangements. Very pretty. Girlfriend in NC used to have a bed as well, just enough for her, never did get any of it. Mind you I probably wouldn't have shared any either. It wasn’t until we discovered Barrie’s Asparagus Farm a few years ago that I got to indulge my predilection for asparagus again. I will warn you, if you are a newcomer, this blog will be full of asparagus recipes whilst the season is upon us. July 1 it will be all over.

If you followed my A to Z contributions,, I talked about Nopalitos or cactus leaves. Another thing I very much enjoy. Tuesday I received a parcel with two cans of them which I had ordered on line from a company called La Tortilleria. What I hadn’t expected was that they would arrive in 27.5 oz cans. Rather a lot of nopalitos to consume in a reasonable amount of time. I will, however, do my best. My lunch yesterday included both asparagus and nopalitos. Probably will again today.

I actually don’t much like gnocchi, but I thought this recipe looked delicious nevertheless. I might change it back to pasta anyway. Many people do like gnocchi so for them this is fine.

Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Pesto

Cooking Light

Gnocchi--small Italian potato dumplings--are a hearty alternative to pasta. While making gnocchi from scratch could take more than an hour, premade vacuum-packed dumplings cook in a few minutes.

4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

Ingredients

2 quarts plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Vigo)
4 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)            
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, coarsely chopped 
1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons preshredded Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
 

Preparation

1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add gnocchi to pan; cook 4 minutes or until done (gnocchi will rise to surface). Remove with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add asparagus and shrimp to pan; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain. Add shrimp mixture to gnocchi.
2. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon water, basil, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides. Drizzle oil through food chute with food processor on; process until well blended. Add basil mixture to shrimp mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Have a great day