Easy and healthy weeknight dinner.

I love Jaime Oliver.  I know I've mentioned this before.  He inspires me.  His food, well, his food makes me very, very happy.  And I am always on the lookout for easy, yummy, fresh, healthy weeknight meals.  And by "weeknight meal" I mean prep and cooking time must be around or less than 40 minutes. I like 20 minute meals, but am willing to put a little more effort into it on nights that allow such.

This recipe fits the bill perfectly.  Healthy, easy, fresh and incredibly delicious!  And don't be intimidated by the courgette listed in ingredients.  It's simply zucchini.

jamie’s italian’s asparagus fettuccine

main courses | serves 4
“This fettuccine is only on the menu the short while asparagus is in season. I think that makes eating it even more special,” says Jamie.

ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 small stick of celery, diced
• 1 medium courgette, finely diced
• 1 small leek, white part only, diced
• 16 stalks of asparagus, tips reserved, stalks thinly sliced
• A small handful of basil leaves
• 300ml vegetable stock (my note:  10 oz)
• 1 garlic clove
• 400g fresh or dried fettuccine (my note: 14oz, though I'd go ahead and use the entire 16oz box)
• 50g finely grated parmesan cheese (my note: 1.7 or 2 oz, I'd just do what feels right!)

• Pea shoots, to serve

1 Add 4 tsp olive oil to a heavy-based pan over a low heat and sweat onion and celery until soft. Add courgette, leek and asparagus stalks and sweat for a further 2–3 minutes. Add most of the basil leaves and when they wilt, add the stock, then simmer until veg are tender. Remove from the heat and, using a hand blender or food processor, blend till creamy. In another frying pan over a low heat, add a little oil and cook garlic till soft, then add the asparagus sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
2 Boil a pan of salted water. Cook fettuccine, and 3 minutes before it’s done, add the asparagus tips. When fettuccine is al dente, drain, reserving a little cooking water, and add to the asparagus sauce. Loosen the pasta and sauce with cooking water, as needed. Stir in remaining basil, and serve with parmesan and pea shoots.

Bon Appetite!