Asparagi e Porri al Limone

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Photo Credit: Lidia’s Italian Kitchen, 2017

Asparagi e Porri al Limone
(ASPARAGUS AND LEEKS IN LEMON VINAIGRETTE)

From
Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian
by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali
2017

I am really trying to eat light this Spring and given that I love asparagus, I found this delightful salad while perusing Lidia Bastianich’s most recent cookbook, “Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian” .

Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian

The best thing about this salad is that you can serve it while the vegetables are still warm, or you can serve it chilled, especially if you are hosting a buffet or a picnic. The important thing is to dress it just before serving, since the lemon juice will change the color of the vegetables.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
2 pounds medium thick asparagus spears, trimmed and peeled
1 bunch medium leeks, white and light green parts, washed and halved lengthwise
Juice of 1 large lemon
¼  Cup extra-virign olive oil
4  Hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cut the peeled asparagus into thirds, crosswise. Cut the leeks in thirds crosswise as well. Add the asparagus and leeks to the boiling water, and cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes, depending on their thickness. Drain, and plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking and set the color. Drain and pat very dry.

Put the asparagus and leeks in a serving bowl. Drizzle with the lemon juice and olive oil, and season with the salt. Toss well. Mound the asparagus and leeks on a serving platter, and scatter the hard-boiled eggs over the top and serve.

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Lobster Tacos

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Sometimes, you have to come out of “shell” and try something new.

Such is the case with me trying out this new Shrimp Taco tacosSeasoning Mix from McCormick®, that caught my eye in the spice aisle at the local supermarket. I usually make my own spice mixes, but I thought this would be easier for a change of pace.I also like using Old El Paso® Crunchy Taco Shells, I have used for Old El Paso® products for years and I just find them ever so reliable. Instead of using shrimp, as the spice packet advises, I decided to used 1 pound of Maine lobster meat, just to give this recipe a twist. tacoshellscrunchyI am sure that you could also substitute the shrimp for a white fish like tilapia or cod for easy fish tacos on soft flour tortillas, as well.

 

Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the Pico de Gallo:
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
Fresh lime juice, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste

For the Cilantro Coleslaw:
1 head green cabbage, sliced thin
1 head purple cabbage, sliced thin
1 small jalapeño, seeded an diced
2 cups whole milk, plus more for thinning
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves, barely chopped

For the Lobster:
1 package of McCormick® Zesty Garlic Shrimp Taco Seasoning
Mix
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 pound of cooked lobster meat, chopped into chunks
8 6-inch Old El Paso, crunchy corn tortilla shells
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 325ºF.

To make the pico de gallo, in a bowl, stir together the onion, jalapeños and tomatoes. Season with lime juice and salt. Set aside.

To make the cilantro coleslaw, combine the shredded cabbage and jalapeño in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt, black pepper and cayenne. Add more milk if you like the dressing a little thinner. Pour over the cabbage. Toss to combine. Just before serving, toss in the cilantro. Can mix the slaw up to 2 hours before serving.

For the taco shells, unwrap the store bought taco shells and place them  on a baking sheet and pull apart slightly. Bake at 325ºF for 6 to 7 minutes until crisp.

Heat oil and water in a large cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add the lobster meat and Seasoning mix an stir for about 2 minutes or just until lobster is heated through.

To assemble the tacos, add shredded lettuce, coleslaw, lobster meat and cheese. Serve on a platter with the pico de gallo on the side.