Foodland Ontario - Asparagus

It’s that time again, time to turn to our Foodland Ontario calendar for dinner! Love that calendar. For the month of May the calendar feature’s the quintessential springtime vegetable, asparagus. I am hoping to get my girls out to a “pick-your-own” asparagus farm this spring. I’m just not sure they exist…but I’m working on it! The best part of this recipe is the pasta. Really, if we add anything to pasta my kids will eat it, so it’s no surprise my girls liked this recipe.

3 cups penne pasta
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1″ pieces
2 tbsp butter
1 chopped onion
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup diced smoked ham
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
pinch of pepper
1 1/2 cup grated asiago cheese

1. Place pasta in a large pot of boiling water, cook for about 6 minutes.
2. Add the asparagus to the boiling pasta water and cook with the pasta for 4 to 6 minutes.

3. Drain and pour into a large bowl.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan.
5. Add onion until softened.
6. Whisk in flour, then gradually whisk in chicken broth…bring to the boil.

7. Reduce heat and add ham, lemon rind, mustard, thyme and pepper.

8. Simmer and add 1 cup of cheese until melted.

9. Pour the sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with remaining cheese and serve.

We served our asparagus pasta salad with an Ontario steak, it was delicious. We saved the leftover salad and had a nice cold pasta salad for lunch the next day. I love a recipe that the kids like and that works as easy leftovers. After a beautifully sunny weekend, it is nice to eat the flavours of spring.

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