Cooking With Friends

Joe and I recently made a delicious spring dinner via Zoom with two local chefs from our favorite restaurants. It was truly a wonderful fundraising event with a total of 30 "friends" of the library. Many households ate well that evening! I only took one photo, and here it is.

I'm sharing the recipe we received because it is that good. I made the healthful and colorful salad again for an outdoor dinner I hosted later in the week. A perfect spring meal. 

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

½ lb. Peeled and Deveined Small Shrimp

 14 Asparagus Spears 4 Medium Radishes

 ¼ lb. Snow Peas

 1 Medium Peeled Carrot

 2 Eggs

 4 T Red Wine Vinegar

 1 T. Capers

 1 Clove Garlic

 Sliced Red Onion

 1 Minced Shallot 

2 tsp. Dijon Mustard

 2 Lemons

 2 T. Fresh Dill

 1/4 C. (approx) Extra Virgin Olive Oil - divided into 2 T portions

 1 T butter

 Kosher Salt

 Ground Pepper

 1 tsp. (approx) Honey or Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup

 1/4 lb (approx) Good Parmesan Reggiano or Grana Padano Cheese Chunk

 Baguette or French Bread

SPRING ASPARAGUS AND SHRIMP SALAD with lemon-dill vinaigrette

The chefs have paired seasonal spring favorites to create a fresh, fast and healthful composed salad.

 

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

2. Fill the saucepan with water and put on a burner on medium heat. Add a splash of vinegar (about 3 T) and a hefty pinch of salt.

3. Set the skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and add the asparagus (whole). Season with salt and pepper. Cook for approx. 3 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Prepare the other vegetables. Thinly slice the radishes in rounds. Slice the snow peas. Grate the carrots. Thinly slice red onion. Finely chop fresh dill.

5. Chop the garlic and place in 2 T of the olive oil 6. Cut bread into ¼” slices. Place bread slices in a mixing bowl and toss to coat with garlic-olive oil mixture. Place bread on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.

6. Make the vinaigrette next. In another bowl, add mustard, honey or brown sugar, minced shallot, and vinegar. Squeeze in juice from 1 lemon and add salt and pepper. Whisk briskly adding olive oil slowly until the vinaigrette comes together.

7. Arrange the vegetables onto your dinner plates. Drizzle with lemon vinaigrette.

8. Place the pan with bread in the preheated oven. Set the skillet back on the stove on Medium-high heat.

9. At this time, your water should be at a simmer in the saucepan. (just under boiling) Crack your eggs into separate cups. Whisk water in a circle to create a vortex. Gently add one egg to the water. Being careful not to break the egg in the water, whisk a circle again and gently drop the second egg.

10. In the hot skillet, add 2 T olive oil. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook for approx 2-3 minutes and stir until just cooked through. Turn off heat. Add butter, capers, and 1 T lemon juice. Stir until butter is incorporated. Finish with fresh dill. Remove from heat.

11. Simultaneously, check your eggs for doneness. Eggs should take 3-5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove eggs onto a plate. (place plate right over the pot of water to keep warm)

12. Remove toasted bread from the oven and fan on the plate with vegetables. Spoon shrimp over the vegetables. Gently place eggs over the salad.

13. Peel strips of parmesan with vegetable peeler over the salad. Finish with a few sprigs of fresh dill and sliced red onions. Bon Appetit!

On Saturday, May 1 we headed to camp and it snowed during night! We are never surprised at the weather in the mountains. The motto in the mountains is "wait a minute and the weather will change". By noon, the snow was all melted and it was a beautiful sunny day. We always enjoy time with the littles. These photos are of our grand nieces and grand nephew. A good day was had by all.