Almond Butter Crisp
- 1 head garlic, roasted, removed from skin
- 1 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flake
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup dry bread crumb
- 3 oz butter, at room temperature
To make the crisp: In a small bowl, mix together the roasted garlic, butter, bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper flakes. Carefully fold in the nuts, trying not to crush them. Cover and refrigerate until hardened.
Pasta
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut on bias into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp chiffonade of fresh mint
- 2 tbsp julienned preserved lemon
- 8 oz baby arugula, stemmed
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb Basic Pasta, cut into linguine noodles, or 1 pound dried linguine
To make the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the linguine in the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes, or according to the package directions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta. Drain and rinse the pasta and reserve.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the asparagus and sauté until the asparagus is bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the broth, soy sauce, and the 1/3 cup reserved pasta water. Simmer to reduce the liquid by half. Add the pasta, arugula, lemon, and mint, tossing to coat them with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the almond crisp and cook until it has started to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour half of the butter into the pasta, tossing to coat. Transfer the pasta to a serving platter or plates, then garnish with the remaining almond crisp before serving.
Recipe courtesy of Girl in the Kitchen by Stephanie Izard/Chronicle Books, 2011.
