Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Fettuccine - Caity

It just about kills my mom when I tell her that I am cooking mushrooms for dinner. I refused to eat mushrooms nearly my entire life despite her best efforts. I would pick them out of anything she tried to hide them in. Now, I feel like I am playing catch up for all that I've been missing. Mushrooms are so good!

I like choosing a couple of different types of mushrooms to put in the fettuccine because they all taste different, and they are all so pretty! The nurse practitioner I work with goes mushroom hunting on the weekends. The last time I made this pasta, I used a couple of chanterelles she had picked the day before. I'm won't lie and say I wasn't a LITTLE nervous about eating them, but I am still breathing and from what she has told me, she is quite experienced in chanterelle hunting. 

This recipe is adapted from a recipe in the "Cooking Outside the Box: Easy, Seasonal and Organic cookbook". I bought it a long time ago from Anthropologie and this fettuccine was the first thing I've made from it. I think I'll have to test out more! The original recipe calls for prosciutto but I decided to use asparagus instead and I like it that way a lot. The asparagus cuts some of the creaminess which I really like. 

Serves 2 generously, or serves 4 as a light meal. 

One year ago: Crab and Brie Soup

what you'll need:

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 shallots peeled and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup chopped)

10-12 oz of assorted wild mushrooms, brushed clean

1/2 bunch of asparagus, woody ends broken off and cut into 1-2 inch sections

1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme

1/2 cup heavy cream

12 oz of fettuccine pasta

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Look at all those pretty mushrooms!  

Begin by putting a large pot of water on medium-high heat to boil. 

Slice the mushrooms and roughly chop the large pieces. 

In a large pan, sauté the shallots in 2 Tbsp of olive oil for 3 minutes or until softened. 

Add the asparagus and sauté for another 3 minutes before adding in the sliced mushrooms and chopped thyme. 

Sauté for another 8-9 minutes until the mushrooms are golden. 

Add the cream and simmer over medium-low heat until the cream starts to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Meanwhile, add the fettuccine to the pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. 

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce, mixing thoroughly. 

Serve hot with plenty of parmesan and freshly ground black pepper and garnished with thyme. 

One year ago: Crab and Brie Soup