Friday, April 6, 2012

FFWD Asparagus and Bits of Bacon


We love asparagus, but I normally don't do anything more interesting with it than toss it with olive oil, salt, and pepper (sometimes balsamic vinegar) and roast it in the oven.  It was fun to try a new asparagus side dish.  This was very easy (almost as easy as roasting) and faster than the usual method.  The only change I made was to cook the onions for a while before I added back the (turkey!) bacon.  I'm just not a big fan of raw onions.  This was a great change-of-pace.  It won't replace my usual, but I'm sure I'll make it again before asparagus season is over.


I served the asparagus as a side with Gnocchi a la Parisienne.  I've been meaning to catch up on the Gnocchi a la Parisienne for a while now, but kept putting it off because it's such an unhealthy dish. I finally decided that it wasn't going to get any healthier, and it was better to get it over with before it got any closer to swimsuit season.  I'm glad we tried it - we certainly enjoyed it - but it's probably not something I'll make again anytime soon.  For that many calories, I think I prefer macaroni and cheese, or au gratin potatoes, or just skipping straight to dessert....


For dessert this week I also made another Dorie catch-up recipe, the Orange-Almond tart.  I loved this.  I love almond and I love fruit tarts, but it would never have occurred to me to use oranges.  I never think of baking them, but I'm so glad I did.  This was delicious, and even though it wasn't exactly health food it didn't feel too heavy at all.  The perfect dessert.  This is definitely something I'll be making again.

13 comments:

  1. ahhh! Two catch-up recipes that I have left to do as well! ... It looks like a great little Dorie feast! :)

    Alice @ http://acookingmizer.wordpress.com

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  2. We love asparagus as well - not usually very creative with it. This recipe was perfect!

    Happy Easter

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  3. Oh, that orange almond tart was a favorite in my house. SO good, we've even done it again since for friends. And I agree with you about the gnocchi, it was really good, but quite the calorie bomb. Maybe for a very special occasion.

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  4. Very nice catch up. The orange tart was a favorite of ours - I can't remember much about the gnocchi - other than the bechamel.
    It all looks great.

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  5. Kudos for making the gnocchi alongside the asparagus. I had a horrible experience with Dorie's gnocchi. I'll definitely leave that one to the pros.

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  6. Well, you have been busy this week playing catch up. Everything looks great. Looking at all those recipes, I had forgotten some that we had made. It's been a fun time, some good
    recipes and some ???? Happy Easter.

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  7. That tart looks to die for! I just joined FFWD in January so that's one I missed as well. Gonna have to go back for it!

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  8. A Dorie-a-thon for sure :) You really did an impressive knocking out of recipes this week and they all look fab. I think my heart skipped a bit as I recalled the gnocchi....because it was so heavy and rich it was like a heart attack on a plate. But still I ate a ton of it. Now you have me craving that yummy tart- glad I have all this Easter candy to keep me happy......

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  9. You have been busy in the kitchen this week, Jora. Everything looks wonderful! I remember that gnocchi well...that was the only thing I have made for FFwD that John would NOT touch! Have a Happy Easter!

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  10. I cooked my onions too. Don't like raw onion either. Great catch up! The gnocchi is one of the few that I haven't made yet. I can't remember why I missed that one. I loved the tart. If I recall, the filling is also great baked without any fruit. Just the almond frangipane. Yum!

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  11. To answer the question you posted on my blog, white asparagus does taste different from green, but aside from saying that it has a milder flavor, I'm honestly not sure how to describe the difference. I'm no expert, but I believe that white and green asparagus are actually the same plant and it is only the difference in how they are grown which changes the color. White asparagus is grown completely underground and green grows above ground. Every european I know thinks that white asparagus is far superior (including my husband), but I actually find that it doesn't taste like asparagus to me and I find myself missing the green stuff sometimes.

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  12. Oh, that looks terrific with the gnocchi! I agree with Lizzy - definitely a Dorie Feast! Can't wait to see what you are pairing with the Sardines!

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