The 21st Century Housewife's Special Asparagus Omelette

I have a rather un-traditional way of making omelettes, in that I use a broiler or grill to finish them off. I find it makes them nice and puffy and also avoids the stress of having to turn them. The other thing I do is always use three eggs. We now know that eggs are much better for us than we thought they were, and that unless you have a serious issue with cholesterol you don’t have to be nearly as careful about them. Like the American egg board has been saying for years, they are the “incredible, edible egg”.  However, if you are worried, there is no reason why you shouldn’t just use two eggs.

I know asparagus is pretty much out of season at the moment, and it is very naughty to buy the imported stuff, but I just love asparagus and sometimes I cannot resist. It’s also a great way to use up leftover cheese, so hopefully that makes up for the food miles…

I like to use a light cheese like Swiss or Gruyere in this omelette, but having said that cheddar can be a brilliant foil for the strong flavour of the asparagus, so just pick your favourite cheese and go for it!

For each omelette you need:-

1 teaspoon mild olive oil

3 eggs

1 tablespoon milk

a few very thin slices of red onion

salt and pepper to taste

5 - 6 small spears of asparagus, very lightly steamed (they should still be almost crunchy)

1 handful of your favourite cheese

Heat the olive oil in an oven safe medium non-stick frying pan with a non-metal handle. Beat the eggs, milk and seasonings together in a bowl.

Preheat the grill or broiler to medium.

When the pan is hot, add the egg mixture and scatter the onion slices over top. Cook for minute or so, pulling the mixture away from the edges of the pan with a heat proof spatula or egg turner as it cooks and tipping the pan so more egg fills in the gaps that are left. Cook for a couple of minutes, lifting the edges of the omelette occasionally to make sure it is just browning and not burning.

Now carefully lay the asparagus over half of the omelette, and sprinkle the cheese over the whole thing.  Let it cook for a second or so.

When the top begins to look a bit dryer and the bottom is nicely brown, place the frying pan under the grill or broiler. The omelette should puff up (it will fall when you take it out from under the grill). Watch the omelette constantly or it will burn. When it is golden brown, remove it from the grill and flip half the omelette over like in the photograph above. Slide it on to a plate carefully and serve.  It’s really nice with a side of hash browns if you are feeling like a treat. 

The 21st Century Housewife's Asparagus, Scallop and Pesto Tagliatelle

This is a beautiful recipe for using up the last of the season's asparagus, and is perfect for an intimate dinner à deux.  


7 ounces (200 grams) tagliatelle (fresh for preference but dried is fine)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

14 scallops (thawed if frozen), roes removed

a handful of asparagus, washed, drained and cut in half if large

2 - 3 tablespoons prepared Basil pesto 

(I used Sacla but by all means use freshly made if you have it.)

2 - 3 tablespoons single cream (light cream or half and half)


If using dried pasta, prepare it according to package directions now.  

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat.  Fry the scallops in the butter until opaque in the centre (about 6 to 7 minutes, depending on how thick they are).  At the same time, lightly steam the asparagus over boiling water for about three minutes.  Drain, set aside and keep warm.  

At this point, if you are using fresh pasta, cook it according to package directions.  

When the scallops are cooked, gently toss the steamed asparagus into frying pan with them. Leave in the frying pan over very low heat.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it and return it to the pan.  Add the pesto and cream, stirring through to make a light sauce.  (You can add a bit more of either of these ingredients to taste.)  

Serve the pesto and cream coated tagliatelle into warmed bowls and top with the scallops and asparagus.

This is lovely served with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc.  

The 21st Century Housewife’s© Sausage, Pesto and Asparagus Pasta

The other night I had some beautiful fresh pork and caramelised onion sausages and some fresh asparagus to use for dinner.  This is the dish that evolved from those two ingredients and various other things I had on hand.  I love inventing dishes like this, especially when they turn out as delicious as this one did!

You could easily make this recipe suitable for vegetarians by omitting the sausage and adding a few more mushrooms instead. 

Serves 3 to 4 adults generously

3 or 4 leeks, topped, tailed and cut in thin slices, washed and drained

a handful of your favourite mushrooms, sliced

1 large bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed, each piece cut in half

2 tablespoons olive oil (or other cooking oil such as sunflower or Canola)

6 good quality sausages

2 to 3 generous tablespoons basil pesto (I used Sacla brand)

2 generous tablespoons low fat crème fraîche or sour cream

8 ounces pasta

(I used Fiorelli shaped pasta but penne, rigatoni or just about any pasta shape would be fine.)

Put the sausages in an oven safe dish, drizzle with a bit of the olive oil and place in the oven at about 350℉ or 180℃.  Cook for about half an hour until no pink remains inside, turning half way through. 

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil over low heat in a large frying pan.  Add the leeks and cook slowly until they begin to soften.

Stir in the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. 

When the sausages are nearly done, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.  Boil or steam the asparagus for two to three minutes.  Drain and set aside. 

Remove the sausages from the oven, and using a fork and sharp knife, cut them in half inch slices. 

Add the sausages to the leeks and mushrooms, along with the pesto and crème fraîche.  Stir in the asparagus.

Very gently add the cooked pasta and stir to coat with the sauce.  Serve on warmed plates or in warmed bowls. 

The 21st Century Housewife’s© Sirloin and Asparagus Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

This hearty salad isn't just tasty, it's good for you too.  Lean steak has lots of protein and asparagus is a great source of folic acid and vitamins.  It is also a great salad if you are watching your weight because it is filling without being too high in calories. You can use as much or as little of the dressing as you like, and because it contains the punchy flavours of balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard a little of it goes a long way.  It's also incredibly easy to throw together at the last minute - and you can always use ready prepared bagged salad leaves if you are really in a hurry.

The quantities below will serve two to three people.

4 to 6 cups of assorted lettuces, washed and torn
(I used iceberg, Boston lettuce and baby romaine)
a handful of radishes, washed and thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
one large bunch of asparagus (about 20 pieces), washed
2 to 3 sirloin steaks, about four to six ounces each, preferably about a half inch thick
Montreal Steak Seasoning

Dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar

Trim any excess fat from the steaks and sprinkle with Montreal Steak Seasoning on both sides. Heat a frying pan and when it is nice and hot, add the steaks.

Meanwhile, trim the asparagus stalks and cut most of them in half but leave about four to six of them whole for garnish. Place in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them, pop a lid on, bring to the boil, and cook for about two to three minutes. Drain immediately, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking and then cover with the lid. Set aside.

Turn the steaks once, cooking for a total of about three to five minutes on each side depending on the desired doneness. Just before they are cooked, put them on a warm plate, cover with aluminum foil and a tea towel, and set aside to rest.

Put the dressing ingredients in a clean jam jar or other container with a lid and shake together well.

Divide the lettuce, radishes, most of the tomatoes and the cut pieces of asparagus between the plates. Toss together. Slice the steaks in fairly thin slices and place on top of the lettuce. Garnish with the whole stalks of asparagus and the remaining cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

The 21st Century Housewife’s© Risotto Primavera

This is a wonderful recipe for this time of year, and with the exception of the asparagus, you may well have most of the ingredients to hand already. It's a great recipe for Earth Day as well as it is totally meat free, and if you use local produce it has a very small carbon footprint. (Just remember that if you are catering for strict vegetarians you need to be sure to use vegetarian cheese.) Speaking of cheese, you can use whatever kind you wish, from Gruyere to Parmesan. However, for me, the sharp tang of cheddar cheese against the soft creamy bite of the rice and gently cooked spring vegetables really make this dish. It’s a bit unexpected to use cheddar in Italian cooking, but the results are fantastic.

Risotto is definitely a hands on dish, something that has to be watched and stirred almost constantly. The finished dish is well worth the effort though and like Nigella Lawson, I do highly recommend the benefits of a little mindless repetitive stirring, particularly if you are feeling stressed (which I am this week with my son still stuck in Athens due to the volcanic ash cloud over Europe). Stirring is bizarrely reassuring, plus you get to serve and eat delicious comfort food as a result of your labours. So it is a good deal all round!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
320 grams of risotto rice (Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone)
1 glass dry white wine
1 litre of vegetable stock (I made mine from cubes)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup of frozen peas
a couple of good handfuls of asparagus spears, each one cut in two to three pieces and lightly steamed for two to three minutes
1 handful of grated cheddar cheese

Take the peas out of the freezer, measure out one cupful and leave them on the side to thaw out a bit. Heat the oil over medium heat in a saute pan or fairly deep frying pan (in a pinch you can use a large saucepan for this as well). Gently saute the onion until it is beginning to soften, but not brown. Stir in the risotto rice until it is well mixed with the onion and coated with oil.

Pour in the glass of wine and stir gently until it is absorbed. Now you can begin adding the stock, a few ladles full at a time, stirring each one in until it is absorbed. This will take at least fifteen to twenty minutes. Don’t be tempted to crank up the heat too much, you have to be patient with this dish. When cooking risotto the burner should never be turned up beyond medium heat.

As soon as the last ladleful of stock has been absorbed, turn the heat back a bit and stir in the cheese and the frozen peas until the cheese has melted. After a couple of minutes gently stir in the already steamed asparagus.

That’s it, you are good to go. This is not the most calorie conscious suggestion I have ever made, but we love this served with fresh bread or hot rolls in our house. However, if you are being healthy, a crisp fresh salad makes a great side dish. Having said that, risotto is perfectly fine eaten all by itself from a bowl while you are curled up in front of the television, yet it’s also good enough to serve at the most formal dinner party as a starter (in which case this would serve six easily). I hope you enjoy it as much as we do in our house!