Pure and Balanced

You've heard it said before, possibly even on this blog, that nothing spells spring quite like asparagus. So what would this blog in spring be without a post containing asparagus? It's almost sacrilege not to indulge yourself in gorging on what the season has to offer. And just as spring rolls in you will see carts full of asparagus flood the markets green.

They used to be about $4 a bunch but I saw them being sold for 69 cents a bundle at a roadside market one afternoon. I was driving by and almost crashed into a median strip. I did manage to steer myself away from a near miss, but I was in too much shock to stop to buy any. Yes, cheap produce has quite an effect on me.

Even though that asparagus wasn't worth losing my life for, I did manage to get a few bundles at the Pyrmont Grower's Markets. Pristine, and just newly-picked from the farm, those gleaming emerald batons were calling out to be bought. And what can I say, I'm a sucker for anything fresh. And what to do with them, there are so many choices- stir fried, in a tart, perfectly seared on a char-grill or baked and wrapped in prosciutto? Talk about possibilities- endless, right?

And then there was the growing stack of cheeses in my fridge. Did they just reproduce themselves or was that just me going a little fromage crazy? After a trip to the Hunter Valley and a stint at the markets, my fridge was brimming with mouldy dairy. This is what was sitting in my fridge, a wedge of brie, a Pokolbin soft rind, a wedge of Hunter Valley blue, a tub of mascarpone, a few morsels of Danish Blue and some Midnight Moon. Call me a cheese hoarder- I definitely am guilty of that.

To overcome this self-induced cheese infestation I had to combine as many cheeses into a dish without going overboard. That's where this three cheese pasta was born, from a necessity to make use of this surfeit of cheese. The 3 cheeses I decided to use was the Hunter Valley Blue, the Midnight Moon, which is an aged chevre and mascarpone. The blue, for its saltiness and pungency, the aged chevre for it's slight sweetness and the mascarpone for its creaminess. It was a triple threat. The pasta had just the right balance of flavours.

I can just hear the collective sound of tsk tsk tsk and the heads of a thousand dieticians shaking in dismay- the words three cheese and pasta just don't call out diet to me. But the fortunate thing is that I'm not on a diet and if you were on a diet, after this pasta you won't be. Goodbye diet and hello gym.

But just because this pasta may be a little rich, doesn't mean you have to throw the towel in. It might a be little on the creamy side but the asparagus and the mushrooms rein it all in. Just as Simon Marchmont of Posh Nosh says, "Pure and balanced; like a nun on a tightrope".

Check out the round up of other great pasta dishes at Ruth's place, for Presto Pasta Night.

Three Cheese and Asparagus Umbricelli
serves 2



1 bundle asparagus
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic. chopped
3 anchovies
1 punnet mushrooms, sliced
50g blue cheese, diced
50g aged chevre, diced
100g mascarpone
250g umbricelli pasta (or any spiral shaped pasta)
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
freshly cracked black pepper

Take asparagus and snap the bottom parts and discard.
Chop the asparagus in half.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and blanch asparagus for 1 minute. Drain.
Bring another 1-litre pot of salted water to the boil.
Cook the pasta for the specified duration. Drain.

While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the garlic and anchovies and cook until the anchovies are dissolved.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.
Then add the blue cheese and aged chevre and stir until the cheese has melted.
Turn heat down to low and add the mascarpone and asparagus.
Add the pasta and mix until the sauce has coated the pasta.
Sprinkle parsley and freshly cracked black pepper on top.
If desired, top with shavings of aged chevre.