Recipe: Endive, Asparagus and Parmesan

I cannot stop with the asparagus. Obsessed.
I played with this recipe a bit. First I tasted it without the Parmesan, then with...then I added the pinenuts...then the shallots...my conclusion was....
Keep parmesan. Keep shallots. But no need for the pinenuts. I dunno. You try it. Sometimes I go into a frenzy of ingredients and cannot stop myself from adding more and more.

1 pound asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 endives
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms or 1 cup cooked fresh
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

4-6 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 shallot thinly sliced

Servings: 4 as a first course

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Snap off ends of asparagus where they naturally break. Toss with olive oil and dijon. Place in oven for approximately 10 minutes or until tender with a slight resistance/crunch.

Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl with whisk or food processor.

Soak porcini mushrooms in a bowl with boiled water and let sit approximately 30 minutes or until tender and soft. Remove and finely dice.

On medium heat in a small frying pan heat up butter and garlic. Add porcini's and saute 3-5 minutes.

Break apart endive leaves. Place 4-6 on a plate.

Toss asparagus with dressing. Place inside endive leaves and drizzle dressing on top along with 1 tablespoon parmesan, shallot slices and salt and pepper.

Take a evenly divided portion of the porcini's and place to the side of the salad.

Recipe: Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Wafer

This soup is tasty and low fat. Making a roux (flour, butter and milk) makes the soup smooth and rich without the calories of cream. You can have the parmesan wafer on the side or in the soup.

3 cups (1/2-inch) sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, divided
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup of grated parmesan

Combine asparagus, broth, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, bay leaf, and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Place asparagus mixture in a blender; process until smooth.

Place 1 teaspoon of butter in a pan. Add flour. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add puréed asparagus and ground nutmeg and stir. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon butter, salt, and lemon rind. Season with pepper.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Shred 1/4 cup of parmesan on a large grater. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon into a circle on a baking sheet (you should have 4 circles). Bake for 5 minutes or just until melted. Let cool on a cooling rack. Gently remove with a spatula and serve with soup.