Awesome Asparagus

It's a little early, but we are fastly approaching asparagus season. Wahoo!! A sure sign that spring is here. Last Saturday, I made a simple meal honoring my favorite spring food, asparagus. As I mentioned earlier, it was a tribute to Udi's Pizza Cafe, a great gluten-free bakery and restaurant in Denver, Co. In my anticipation of spring and longing for a delicious slice of gluten-free pizza, I made Asparagus and Taleggio Pizza, a wonderful compliment to Lemon Beets. The meal was colorful and craveable.

Asparagus and Taleggio Pizza with Honey and Black Pepper: Yields 1 Pizza (4-8 Servings)
1/2 recipe prepared Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
6 stalks asparagus
1 cup ricotta cheese
zest of 1 lemon
2 T minced parsley
1 clove garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lb Taleggio cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2-4 T honey

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Blanch asparagus in boiling salted water until bright green, about 30 seconds. Shock in ice water. Drain and slice 1/4-inch thick on an extreme bias.
3. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread over pizza crust. Top with Taleggio cheese, sliced asparagus and grated Parmesan. Bake until cheese is bubbly.
4. Let pizza cool slightly. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cracked black pepper before serving.


Lemon Beets: Yields 4-6 Servings
3 large beets (about 3 lbs)
juice of 1 lemon
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Place beets in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer, cover pot, and cook until tender, about 1 hour depending on size. Run under cold water until cool enough to peel. Peel beets and cut into large chunks. Drizzle with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve warm.


This meal was delicious and simple - hope you enjoy! I won't be cooking next weekend, but I have a few fun recipes planned for soon after. Be sure to check back. :)