Dining Detour

My dear Krissy has finally relinquished control as soul web master of Dining Detour to her bff  (yours truly) an equal lover of everything dining (and dirty martini) related.   In doing so, she is going to allow me to make a guest post from time to time to share my own favorite tried and true recipes.  Thanks Kristin for dropping the velvet ropes for the VIP treatment:).

In celebration of my maiden voyage I thought it would be most respectful to pay homage to our fabulous Dining Detour Diva by sharing a recipe that I made for Krissy and her hubby for our Valentine’s Day double date/Kristin’s 30th birthday celebration.

This recipe is everything I celebrate about great cuisine.  Simplicity + great ingredients.  It’s creamy, colorful, rich, and nutty in flavor and the perfect dish for entertaining without spending all night in the kitchen.  Its a heavier dish so perfect for a cold winter night.  It was perfect for our Valentine’s Day date.   Thank you to Giada for putting yet another fabulous spin on pasta!

I also highly recommend pairing this with a nice Malbec.  I am a firm believer in wining while cooking.  Alamos is a really great Malbec that I recently discovered from South America that is medium bodied and super smooth.  And best yet.  A great price!

Creamy Farfalle with Cremini Mushrooms, Asparagus, Walnuts, & Marscapone recipe: adaption of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound farfalle pasta I usually buy the fancy gourmet stuff when entertaining
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced This is Rick’s favorite so I typically do 2 lbs instead of 1.  Mushroom lovers only
• 1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese  the secret weapon
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan don’t be shy

Optional:  Chicken Sausage (Cook per instruction and add once pasta is prepared and pulled together)

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.  I’ve dumped the reserved pasta water oh so many times when first debuting this dish.  If this should occur, a semi-good plan B is to make 1 cup of salt water.

To toast the walnuts, bring your oven to 400 degrees.   Line a baking dish with aluminum.  Add the nuts and cook until your kitchen is fragrant and aromatic with a nutty smell – about 5 or so minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Make sure the mushrooms are fork tender before you move onto the next step.   Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the farfalle. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time to moisten. Stir in 1/2 cup of walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts. Serve.

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