Serves: 6 to 8 as a side dish
 
2 cups Basmati rice
4 cups Swanson’s Thai Ginger broth
1-tablespoon oil
8 oz. shitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 large shallot, minced
2 to 3 heads of bok choy, cleaned and chopped into bite-sized pieces, stems separated
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and sliced
 

1. Cook the rice in the Thai broth until cooked yet firm.  Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan to medium.
3. Add the mushrooms and sauté about 3 minutes.
4. Add the shallots and sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
5. Add the bok choy stems and the asparagus pieces to the mushrooms and shallots.  Sauté all of the vegetables for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Combine the rice with the sautéed ingredients.  As you mix, add the Bok Choy greens.

 
Note:  This dish can be served warm or at room temperature.  It can also be served as a main course.
 

​Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 2 TBS butter or oil of choice
• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed off and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, fresh and chopped into thin slices
• 4 big handfuls of baby spinach, washed well and roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups broth (chicken, beef , or veggie)
• 1/2 tsp tarragon, dried
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup milk ( your choice: dairy, nut milk, coconut – used in this recipe)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil of choice in medium soup pot and saute onion until translucent and beginning to brown
2. Add minced garlic and saute for about a minute
3. Add asparagus and shiitake mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes until veggies start to sweat
4. Pour in 4 cup of broth and add bay leaf, tarragon, and spinach
5. Simmer soup for about 30 minutes on low-medium until asparagus is nice and soft
6. Turn off heat, add milk, lemon juice and fresh parsley, cover and let sit on stove top for at least another 30 minutes (longer will let flavors meld)
7. Before serving, add salt and pepper to taste and gently reheat.

Serves 2
 
8 to 10 whole ramps, cleaned, roots removed, bulb and stem separated from leaf
10 medium to large stalks of asparagus
2 tablespoons sweet butter
1cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon lemon zest
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
1 whole Buratta ball (fresh ricotta can be substituted)
½ lb. fettuccini
 

1. Set a pasta pot of salted water to boil.
2. Place 5 or 6 good sized ramp leaves in a mini-processor or cut finely into shreds.  Wrap remaining leaves in a paper towel and store in the refrigerator for another use.
3. Slice ramp bulb and stems diagonally.
4. Melt the butter in a wide saucepan over low heat.  Add the white wine.  Add the sliced ramps and the lemon zest and sauté until tender.  Set aside.
5. Take two or three stalks of asparagus, remove the tips, and using a mandolin or just an apple peeler, shave those asparagus and set the shavings aside.
6. Slice the remaining asparagus horizontally into ½ inch pieces.
7. Add the asparagus pieces and the tips removed from the shaved stalks to the boiling water for about 2 minutes, not more.  Remove the pieces from the water with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl.  Set aside.
8. Add the fettuccini to the asparagus flavored water and return to a boil.  Cook according to package directions until it is tender but still firm to the bite.
9. Before you drain the pasta, reserve a ½ cup of the water.
10. Drain pasta and return to the pot.  Add the sautéed ramp bulbs and stems.  Toss well.  Add the blanched asparagus pieces and the raw asparagus shavings.  Toss well again.  Finally add the minced or shredded ramp leaves and toss again.  If more moisture is needed, add a bit of the reserved pasta water.
11. Divide the pasta between two large serving dishes.
12. Depending on the size of the Buratta ball, cut it in half or slice two 1 to 1½ inch thick slices from it.  Scooping up the looser insides, place the Buratta on top of the pasta and serve.

 
NOTE: Additional Parmesan cheese does not serve this dish well.

​​Serves: 4
 
Night Before:
1 cup farro,
3 cups water
 
Day of:
Soaked and drained farro
3- ¼ inch slices of pancetta (or thick bacon), diced
¼ cup minced ramp bulbs, leaves reserved, torn vertically
8- ½ inch wide stalks of asparagus, tips removed and reserved
3 tablespoons of butter
1 cup fiddlehead ferns, cleaned and trimmed
½ cup white wine
6-7 cups very hot broth, vegetable or chicken, keep hot throughout
Salt & pepper
 

1. As above, soak 1 cup of farro in 3 cups of water overnight.  Drain thoroughly.  Set aside.
2. Place the asparagus tips in a small prep bowl with a ¼ inch of water and microwave for 1 minute.  Drain the tips adding the water to the broth.  Set tips aside.
3. Using a vegetable pare-er, shave each of the asparagus stalks on both sides.  Reserve the shavings.  Dice the remaining stalks and set aside.
4. Cook the pancetta in large sauté pan, slowly, until close to crisp.  Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined dish.  Reserve the drippings in the pan.
5. Melt the butter slowly into the pancetta drippings.  Add the minced ramp bulbs and sauté gently until soft and transparent.
6. Add the diced asparagus stalks and the fiddlehead ferns.  Sauté the vegetables over a low heat for about 2 minutes.  Using the slotted spoon, drain the vegetables and remove to a dish.
7. Add the wine to the drippings and butter and blend.
8. Add the farro to the pan and mix the grains well so that each is coated with the mixture.
9. Add just enough very hot broth to cover the farro.  Stir often until the liquid is almost absorbed.
10. Continue to add a ladle or two of broth at a time and to stir it often until the grain is tender and the mixture is creamy in consistency.  Taste and add the salt and pepper accordingly.
11. Return the vegetables and the pancetta to the pan and blend with the farro gently.
12. Place the farro into a generous serving dish.
13. Add the torn ramp leaves, the asparagus shavings and tips around the dish and serve.

 
 

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Recipe by Anna Gill

Serves: 8

1 cup broccoli florets
2 cups asparagus pieces
1 cup slivered snow peas (or sugar snaps)
½ cup slivered carrots
1 cup slivered zucchini
1 small eggplant, diced into ½ to ¾ inch pieces
3 large crushed garlic cloves
20 - 24 ripe plum tomatoes (4 cups chopped)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 to 2 cups good green olive oil as needed
1 packed cup of shredded basil
½ cup pine nuts
1 lemon
1 ½ lbs. pasta of choice*

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Place the eggplant on a shallow roasting pan and roast in a 300◦ oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
2. Steam the broccoli, carrots and asparagus lightly. Saving the water, drain vegetables well and put aside.
3. Heat the reserved vegetable water, adding water if necessary, and heat to a boil.
4. Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen skin. Save the water again.
5. Peel and coarsely chop the tomatoes, retaining as much of the moisture as possible. (It is possible to place the whole peeled tomatoes in a bowl and chop them with a pair of kitchen shears. It's easier and it keeps more of the liquid too.)
6. Add garlic, basil, olive oil, pepper flakes, salt and pepper to the tomato mixture. Mix well. Add the juice of one lemon and mix again. Set aside
7. Cook pasta in the same water that steamed the veggies and blanched the tomatoes. Drain well. (Now you can throw out the water.)
8. Remove the crushed garlic cloves from the tomato mixture.
9. Add all vegetables, cooked and uncooked, to the tomato mixture and toss together. Reserving ¼ of the sauce, mix balance with the pasta in a large, comfortable bowl.
10. Pour remaining sauce on top of the pasta, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve with the grated cheese on the side as desired.

* Rotini or medium sized shells are good for this dish because they trap little bits of sauce.

NOTE: Almost any vegetable with do in this dish, and the more crunch the better

Recipe by Anna Gill

Serves: 3 or 4

3-4 garlic scapes, diced
¼ to ½ cup chopped ham
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 stalks asparagus, sliced into ½ inch pieces
2 tablespoons melted butter
8 large eggs
½ cup milk
Salt & pepper to taste – take care if ham is salty
⅓ to ½ cup shredded Swiss cheese 
1 -9 to 10 inch ceramic/glass quiche dish or pie plate

1. Preheat oven to 375.*
2. Spread the melted butter around the dish.
3. Place scapes, ham, tomatoes and asparagus in the dish, distributing them evenly. Place dish in the microwave at HIGH for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper and chives. Whip mixture with a whisk attachment in an electric mixer until well blended and a bit frothy. Pour egg mixture into dish..
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully sprinkle cheese atop the half set mixture and return to the oven.*
6. Bake for another 15 to 25 minutes or until center is puffed up and set.

* If the cheese is put on too early it sinks to the bottom and stays there.

Recipe by Anna Gill

Serves: 2 to 3

2 to 3 cups cut up boneless chicken, dark meat preferred
1 large zucchini, cut into 1½ inch pieces
12 to 14 spears of asparagus, cut into 1½ inch pieces
1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ to 2 cups chicken broth
1½ cups dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup shredded parsley
¼ cup shredded basil

3 cups cooked (warm) basmati rice

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent.
2. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth to the pan and heat it to a low simmer. Add the white wine and continue to simmer for a minute or two.
3. Add the chicken to the broth and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
4. Add the asparagus and the zucchini, tossing them gently. Cook briefly until both vegetables are warmed through but still have a bit of bite, or are al dente.
5. Add the remaining liquids as needed to keep the mixture very moist while cooking.
6. Remove the mixture from the heat.
7. Toss with half the shredded herbs.
8. Put the rice in a large serving bowl. Add the chicken vegetable mixture to the rice, mix gently. Sprinkle the remaining herbs on top of the dish and serve.

Recipe by Anna Gill

Serves 4 for lunch

Lemon-Chive Dressing: 
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup light cream
1/3 cup minced chives

Crab & Celeriac Salad:
6 ounces celeriac, peeled and trimmed into matchstick pieces
6 ounces fresh crabmeat.
8 1 inch thick slices of tomato
12 lightly steamed asparagus spears
Fresh Romaine leaves

1. In a small jar, combine the lemon juice and salt. Cover and shake to dissolve the salt. Add the cream and chives, and shake to blend. Taste for seasoning. Store, covered and refrigerated, for up to one week. Shake to blend again before using.
2. Place 1 cup of the dressing in a large, shallow bowl.
3. Julienne the celeriac. This is a perfect use for a mandoline..
4. Place the cut celeriac into the bowl with the dressing. Toss to evenly coat the celeriac.
5. At serving time, place a large fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Transfer the celeriac to the sieve and allow any excess dressing to drain off. Place the crabmeat in a small bowl and toss with just enough of the drained dressing to evenly coat the crabmeat. Add the celeriac to the crab and toss gently.
6. Arrange the Romaine, the asparagus and the tomatoes on four serving dishes. Mound of the dressed celeriac and crab on each of 4 salad plates. Place a mound of the crabmeat on top of the celeriac.