SPRING IN JERSEY - AGRICULTURE

SPRING IN JERSEY - AGRICULTURE 

If you ask people to think of states that they associate with agriculture, most will think of the nation's heartland. Big wheat fields, big corn fields, etc... But they should also be thinking of New Jersey. That's right, Jersey. Actually, agriculture is New Jersey's third largest industry, which generates about 65 billion dollars a year! That's a lot of money for such a small state. There are more than 9,000 farms that lay claim to Jersey as home, covering over 715,000 acres of farmland. 

Like this beautiful farm in Hopewell, NJ (below)

Our tiny state produces an abundance of corn, potatoes, hay, soybeans, tomatoes, strawberries, apples, and nursery stock. We also rank 5th in the nation for blueberry production, 4th in the nation for peach production, and 3rd in spinach, bell peppers, and cranberry production. Also, New Jersey has a grading system in place to ensure that all of its fresh fruits and vegetables are of the highest quality. That is what I love so much about my home state. The beautiful farms and the abundance of fresh produce available from spring through fall, and the many, many roadside produce stands, where I can hop out of the car, and grab everything I need for a home cooked, farm to table meal. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS AND CREAM PASTA

SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS AND CREAM PASTA

When you purchase asparagus, look for bright green or violet-tinged spears, with firm (not limp) stems. Make sure the tips are compact and closed. To store your asparagus and make them last as long as possible before using them, stand the asparagus up in a container with about an inch or two of water, making sure all of the ends are sitting in the water. Then, loosely cover the asparagus with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. One of the best places I know to buy asparagus in south Jersey is at Walker Brothers Farm in Pittsgrove. They have been growing this delicious, spring vegetable for many years, and when buying, you can be assured it is fresh. 

A great way to enjoy asparagus, besides roasted fresh, is with pasta. Asparagus and pasta go together, well as good as peanut butter and jelly. You have the chewy, woody texture of the asparagus, mixed in with the soft pasta, and it just makes for a great combo. My maternal grandparents were completely Italian, whose parents came to America from Italy, which makes me a full-fledged Italian food lover!  My grandmother, who made and canned her own sauce, also canned such favorites as pickled eggplant, Caponata, and stewed tomatoes. Of course her homemade meatballs and sauce were to die for! She would make pizzelles and biscotti for my siblings and me, and would deliver these delicacies to us on Saturday mornings, when we would pick her up at her house to take her grocery shopping. Saturday mornings were great back then. We always got to watch cartoons and one of our favorite shows, the Gene London Show, before heading out to pick up our nonna for our weekly grocery trip. We went to the Acme back then, and one of us was always assigned to walk around with my grandmother, because she couldn't see the prices, (yes, back then, sticker prices were put on the groceries themselves, lol) and so we had to tell her how much each item was. I remember always having people stare because we were shouting the price to my grandmother, because her hearing was going as well. (They probably thought we were being mean to her and shouting at her) But we loved her dearly, she was the sweetest woman that I ever knew. 

my beloved grandmother, Anna Papiano

I am an Italian food lover today because of her wonderful cooking skills, and because of her generosity in proudly sharing her love of the foods that she grew up eating with the grandchildren that she loved.  With that being said, the recipe that I want to share with you, is a very simple asparagus and pasta dish, with a creamy sauce. And a simple tip I would like to share with you, is that whenever you make a vegetable and pasta dish, if you are cooking your vegetable separate from the pasta, never throw out the water. You can cook your pasta in the vegetable water to give it more flavor.  And always remember, no matter how you like your pasta cooked, whether it be al-dente, or tender, do not start the timer until you have not only added the pasta to the cooking water, but also have brought the water back to a boil after adding it. And do not forget to salt your water before adding the pasta. And last but not least, do not rinse the pasta when it is finished cooking. 

The dish I usually choose to make when combining asparagus and pasta is Asparagus and Cream Pasta. It is a very simple dish, but simple is usually better.

What you will need: 1 cup Organic Valley half and half (or any brand of half and half that you like, this is just my preference) - 1/4 cup of Organic Valley heavy cream (again, use this or your brand, my preference)  - 1 1/2 tsps. salt - 1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced - 1 pound of fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds - 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper - 1/3 cup dry white wine (I like to use Chardonnay) - 1 pound of dry pasta (I usually use penne, but you can use anything you want) - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano

To Prepare: Start by taking out your half and half and heavy cream. Bring to room temperature. Clean and cut your asparagus. Then cook the asparagus in boiling salted water, over medium-high heat, uncovered, until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus, but save the water to cook your pasta in. In a separate pan, saute' your garlic in 4 Tbsps. of unsalted butter, over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. (When the edges are starting to brown, that's when it's done.) Add the cooked asparagus and pepper. Increase heat to high, and pour in the wine. Stir for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium. Pour the half and half and cream over the asparagus mixture and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt. Keep warm while boiling the pasta. Prepare your pasta in the asparagus water. Drain and return to the pot. Combine asparagus sauce with the pasta, stirring over low heat. Add the Parmigiano, stirring until it melts. Transfer to a platter. Enjoy. This meal pairs well with a nice, cool and crisp Chardonnay. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do. Salute' my friends.