THERE IS ONE STAND AT THE FARMERS MARKET THAT SELLS THUMB-THICK ASPARAGUS, WHICH I MUCH PREFER TO THE PENCIL-THIN ONES. YOU HAVE TO PEEL THEM, AN EASY TASK, WHICH GIVES YOU MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. TOMATOES COULDN'T BE BETTER. I HAD SOME LEFTOVER PEPPERS AND A COUPLE OF SMALL BURRATAS. COMBINE ALL OF THOSE INGREDIENTS, SPLASH THEM WITH A GOOD OLIVE OIL, SCATTER THEM WITH FRESH BASIL AND WHAT HAVE YOU GOT? DINNER.
PEPPERS (OPTIONAL)
CUT THE PEPPERS ALONG THE RIBS. TRIM OUT THE SEEDS AND WHITE PITH. SLICE THEM INTO 1-INCH PIECES.
HEAT SEVERAL SPLASHES OF OLIVE OIL IN A FRYING PAN. ADD THE PEPPERS AND SHAKE THE PAN TO COAT. SALT AND PEPPER.
COVER THE PAN AND REDUCE THE HEAT TO MEDIUM/LOW. COOK FOR ABOUT 1O MINUTES OR UNTIL THE PEPPERS SOFTEN. UNCOVER AND COOK FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES. LET THEM CHAR A BIT.
MEANWHILE, PEEL THE GARLIC AND CUT INTO THIN SLICES.
STRIP THE THYME LEAVES FROM THE STEMS.
WHEN THE PEPPERS ARE DONE, ADD THE GARLIC AND THYME. STIR TOGETHER UNTIL YOU CAN SMELL THE GARLIC.
STIR IN 2 TBSPS OF SHERRY VINEGAR. TURN OFF THE HEAT.
NOTE: THE PEPPERS KEEP, SO MAKE MORE THAN YOU NEED FOR THIS RECIPE.
ASPARAGUS
TRIM OFF THE TOUGH ENDS OF THE SPEARS. LAYING THEM FLAT, GENTLY PEEL OFF THE OUTER SKIN, STARTING BELOW THE TIP.
BRING A LARGE, DEEP PAN OF WATER TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY.
ADD THE ASPARAGUS AND COOK FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL YOU CAN JUST PIERCE THEM WITH A SHARP KNIFE.
MEANWHILE, FILL YOUR SINK WITH COLD WATER.
WHEN ASPARAGUS ARE DONE, REMOVE WITH TONGS AND DUMP INTO THE COLD WATER. SWIRL THEM AROUND GENTLY FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO STOP THEIR COOKING.
LAY THEM OUT ON A KITCHEN TOWEL AND WRAP GENTLY TILL YOU'RE READY TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH.
PUT THE BURRATAS IN A BOWL AND ALLOW TO REACH ROOM TEMPERATURE. CUT THEM ROUGHLY AND BEAT IN A FEW TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL.
CUT THE TOMATOES INTO BITE-SIZED CHUNKS AND TOSS IN A BOWL WITH SEA SALT AND FRESH PEPPER.
DIVIDE THE ASPARAGUS ONTO FOUR PLATES. SPOON THE TOMATOES AND PEPPERS ON TOP.
SPOON THE BURRATA OVER THE TOMATOES. DRIZZLE WITH OLIVE OIL.
SCATTER WITH FRESH BASIL.
SERVES 4
NOTE: SERVE WITH GARLIC BRUSCHETTA OR A BAGUETTE.
Ingredients
Directions
PEPPERS (OPTIONAL)
CUT THE PEPPERS ALONG THE RIBS. TRIM OUT THE SEEDS AND WHITE PITH. SLICE THEM INTO 1-INCH PIECES.
HEAT SEVERAL SPLASHES OF OLIVE OIL IN A FRYING PAN. ADD THE PEPPERS AND SHAKE THE PAN TO COAT. SALT AND PEPPER.
COVER THE PAN AND REDUCE THE HEAT TO MEDIUM/LOW. COOK FOR ABOUT 1O MINUTES OR UNTIL THE PEPPERS SOFTEN. UNCOVER AND COOK FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES. LET THEM CHAR A BIT.
MEANWHILE, PEEL THE GARLIC AND CUT INTO THIN SLICES.
STRIP THE THYME LEAVES FROM THE STEMS.
WHEN THE PEPPERS ARE DONE, ADD THE GARLIC AND THYME. STIR TOGETHER UNTIL YOU CAN SMELL THE GARLIC.
STIR IN 2 TBSPS OF SHERRY VINEGAR. TURN OFF THE HEAT.
NOTE: THE PEPPERS KEEP, SO MAKE MORE THAN YOU NEED FOR THIS RECIPE.
ASPARAGUS
TRIM OFF THE TOUGH ENDS OF THE SPEARS. LAYING THEM FLAT, GENTLY PEEL OFF THE OUTER SKIN, STARTING BELOW THE TIP.
BRING A LARGE, DEEP PAN OF WATER TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY.
ADD THE ASPARAGUS AND COOK FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL YOU CAN JUST PIERCE THEM WITH A SHARP KNIFE.
MEANWHILE, FILL YOUR SINK WITH COLD WATER.
WHEN ASPARAGUS ARE DONE, REMOVE WITH TONGS AND DUMP INTO THE COLD WATER. SWIRL THEM AROUND GENTLY FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO STOP THEIR COOKING.
LAY THEM OUT ON A KITCHEN TOWEL AND WRAP GENTLY TILL YOU'RE READY TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH.
PUT THE BURRATAS IN A BOWL AND ALLOW TO REACH ROOM TEMPERATURE. CUT THEM ROUGHLY AND BEAT IN A FEW TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL.
CUT THE TOMATOES INTO BITE-SIZED CHUNKS AND TOSS IN A BOWL WITH SEA SALT AND FRESH PEPPER.
DIVIDE THE ASPARAGUS ONTO FOUR PLATES. SPOON THE TOMATOES AND PEPPERS ON TOP.
SPOON THE BURRATA OVER THE TOMATOES. DRIZZLE WITH OLIVE OIL.
SCATTER WITH FRESH BASIL.
SERVES 4
NOTE: SERVE WITH GARLIC BRUSCHETTA OR A BAGUETTE.