To close out the month of April, I’d like to do a little recap of all that’s going on with Dietitian in the Kitchen. You may have noticed that I’ve freshened up the look of the website and been posting more frequently. I’ve also added a few little gadgets here and there that will hopefully make this blog/website experience more pleasant for my readers. I attribute all of this to being unemployed the past five weeks since our big move – I’ve actually (and thankfully) had time to read the library of books on food blogging that I got for Christmas! I would highly recommend each one of these to anyone interested in starting a food blog:
Despite the fact that my photos are very much in the “beginner” stage and I have many miles to go before this blog is everything I envision it being, the time I’ve had to learn, regroup, and gain a new vision for my business and brand over the past month has been invaluable. There’s just nothing like a good spring cleaning to celebrate fresh starts and new beginnings!
I’m excited to share more about my vision for this blog, food philosophy, and recipes which are near and dear to my heart in the coming weeks. Most of the recipes will be healthy but a few will be indulgent. As we get to know each other better, you will see that I am an adventuresome foodie with a significant sweet tooth who doesn’t like to deprive herself from having “just a taste” of all the culinary creations this big world has to offer 🙂
The recipe I’m sharing with you today shines a spotlight on seasonal spring asparagus and gets a flavor punch from an herbaceous basil pistachio gremolata. The recipe was inspired by Ina Garten’s fresh and simple Green Beans Gremolata and is further enhanced with the addition of creamy Feta cheese.
A few fun facts about the recipe:
- Gremolata is an herb condiment that classically accompanies the Italian dish Osso Buco and is traditionally made of lemon zest, parsley and garlic. This condiment lends itself to much creativity and can be comprised of just about any citrus zest or herb. Feel free to experiment with the addition of toasted nuts or substitute shallots for the garlic. Try it on grilled meats, vegetable sides or toss in salads.
- A microplane is an invaluable tool for making gremolata and can be used to zest the citrus, grate cheese or mince garlic.
- Garlic should be as fresh as possible to achieve the best flavor in a gremolata. Baby spring garlic would be ideal if you have access to it. Just make sure your garlic is not too old – green sprouts growing down the center and out the end of a garlic clove is a sign that your garlic has seen better days!
- 1 pound fresh asparagus washed and trimmed
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 oz feta cheese crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest from 1 large lemon or 2 small ones
- 3 Tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic minced (about 2 medium cloves)
- 1 Tablespoon roasted pistachios finely chopped
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Preheat oven to 400.
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After asparagus is washed and trimmed, place it on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast the asparagus for 8-12 minutes until crisp-tender. Roasting time will depend on the thickness of your stalks.
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While the asparagus roasts, make the gremolata. Combine the garlic, pistachios, lemon zest and basil in a small bowl.
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Toss the gremolata with the hot asparagus. Place on a serving platter, top with feta cheese crumbles, and serve immediately.
Is there anything that I can sub for the pistachios? 🙂
Of course! If you are looking for a non-nut substitute, I would try sunflower seeds to add crunch. Toast the seeds in a saute pan on medium heat for 5-6 minutes stirring occasionally; they will be done when you can smell them. Thanks for the comment!