There are some flavors that are better when paired together: vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, a warm croissant with strawberry jam, crisp field greens with fresh lemon juice, lobster with clarified butter and, for me, ham with asparagus.
I can indulge in my perfect pair in many different ways: in an omelet, on pizza, atop a salad, each holding its own as a main dish and a side or, as in today’s column, tossed in a zippy pasta recipe.
Before you yawn and pass by “just another pasta dish,” know there is nothing boring about Spicy Ham and Asparagus Pasta Toss. It has red pepper and hearty, garlic-infused oil-and-butter “sauce.” The bright, fresh flavors of spring asparagus combined with nibbles of the season’s ham is a flavor pair you’ll want to celebrate.
Ham and asparagus is my perennial spring flavor pair. What’s yours? Log onto Kitchenscoop.com and leave your favorite pair in the comments section of this column.
Spicy Ham and Asparagus
Pasta Toss
2 cups dry mini penne
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
¾ to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 lb. fresh pencil-thin asparagus, rinsed and cut in 1-inch pieces
1 cup ham, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
Cook the pasta according to package directions. When al dente, drain well.
While pasta is cooking, heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add pepper flakes, garlic, asparagus, ham and tomatoes. Stir and cook until ham is beginning to brown and asparagus is crisp-tender. Deglaze pan with wine and reduce heat to low.
When pasta is done, add it and parmesan to ham and toss to mix. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Each serving has about 389 calories, 16 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 74 milligrams cholesterol, 17 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams dietary fiber, 577 milligrams sodium.
Alicia Ross is the co-author of three cookbooks. Contact her c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, email tellus@kitchenscoop.com, or visit http://kitchenscoop.com.
