Great Groceries Recipe Archive-April 2000

Simple Sauteed Asparagus
Flavorful and simplicity at its best!

36 small to medium asparagus stalks
Salt
1 Tbls. peanut oil
1 Tbls. rice wine vinegar

Break ends of asparagus off by holding the tip in one hand and the stalk end in the other and bending stalk until it breaks. Stalk will break off where the tender part begins. Place the tips in a pot of well-salted boiling water. Blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Cut on the diagonal into 1 inch pieces. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Saute the asparagus, tossing, for 1 1/2 minutes, until just crisp-tender. Remove from the heat, toss in the vinegar and salt to taste. Serves 4.

Potato Lasagna with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Gruyere
This meatless version offers lots of flavor.

6 large baking potatoes (about 3 lb.)
6 Tbls. olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 lb. fresh white mushrooms, sliced thin
1 1/2 lbs. fresh spinach, stemmed and washed
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. Gruyere cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 2 large baking sheets and set them aside. Scrub the potatoes but do not peel. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place the slices in a large bowl. Combine 4 Tbls. oil with the garlic, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and toss gently. (With your hands is easiest). Lay the potato slices out on the prepared pans, making sure they do not overlap. Cover the pans tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven, uncover, and cool. Do not turn off the oven. While the potatoes are baking, heat the remaining 2 Tbls. oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they throw off their juices, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the spinach and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the spinach wilts, about 4 minutes. Uncover and cook off any liquid in the pot. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the ricotta. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with 1/3 of the potatoes. Spoon half of the spinach mixture over the potatoes and then sprinkle with 1/3 of the gruyere. Make another layer of potatoes and cover with remaining spinach mixture and 1/3 of cheese. Cover with the remaining potatoes and sprinkle with last of cheese. Bake until the casserole turns golden brown on top, about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let settle for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Strawberry and Macaroon Parfaits
This pretty dessert calls for purchased macaroons; thats why its so easy to prepare.

2 cups sliced hulled strawberries (about 12 oz.)
1 10 oz. package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed Italian-style almond macaroons or crushed almond biscotti
1 pint vanilla frozen yogurt
4 additional strawberries (for garnish)

Mix sliced strawberries and strawberries in syrup in medium bowl. Divide half of strawberry mixture among four 10 to 12 oz. goblets or wineglasses. Top with half of macaroons and small scoops of frozen yogurt. Repeat layering. Top each with 1 fresh strawberry, if desired.