Asparagus seems to be everywhere I go lately and two things come to mind when I see asparagus. #1 is grilling asparagus with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and #2 is this recipe for creamy goat cheese pasta with roasted asparagus. I decided to bring my two asparagus loves together and grilled the asparagus instead of roasting it and combined it with the creamy goat cheese pasta. Oh yes, these two were made for each other. The smoky asparagus contrasts nicely with the creamy goat cheese and pasta. I usually make this as an easy weeknight entree with a salad, but we picked up some beautiful salmon at Whole Foods and I turned the pasta dish into a side. We marinaded the salmon in a butter rum sauce and it was quite tasty, but I sadly didn’t taste much rum once it was cooked. I’ll include that recipe here, too. If you cannot grill the asparagus or salmon, roasting works great. I first fell in love with this creamy goat cheese pasta dish when I made the roasted asparagus version. It’s quick and delicious.
Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Roasted (or Grilled) Asparagus
Adapted from Everyday Food
Serves 4 generously for an entree and 6 as a side dish
I’m going to share the roasted asparagus recipe below as I make it. Grilling works great if you are already grilling your protein. Place the prepared asparagus in a single layer on the grill for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally to prevent burning. It works out well to start the water boiling right before you place the asparagus on the grill. Let cool and cut into 2 inch pieces before adding to pasta.
2 bunches asparagus (about 2 pounds), tough ends trimmed
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. unsalted butter, but into small pieces
1 pound cavatappi pasta (or your favorite kind)
1 small log soft goat cheese (5-7 oz.), crumbled
2-3 T. snipped fresh chives for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cut asparagus into 2 inch pieces and place on a large rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. While the asparagus is roasting, generously salt the now boiling water. Add pasta and cook al dente, according to the package instructions. Set aside 1 1/2 C. of pasta water, then drain the pasta and return the drained pasta to the pot.
3. In a large bowl combine the goat cheese, 3 T. butter and 1/2 C. pasta water. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Add pasta and goat cheese to the goat cheese mixture and toss to combine. Add more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat the pasta. Serve garnished with snipped chives.
Butter Rum Grilled and Smoked Salmon
Recipe from about.com via frantic google search
I cut this recipe in half because we purchased 1 pound of salmon and not 2. I’m sure this cook be baked and taste great, too. I’d bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until if flakes easily in the center.
Serves 4-6
2 lbs. salmon
3 T. butter, melted
3 T. dark rum
2 T. olive oil
1 head garlic, peeled and minced
1 T. black pepper
2 t. salt
1. Set up a two zone fire in your charcoal grill (one cool side and one hot side). While grill is heating, soak your favorite wood chunks in water for at least 30 minutes.
2. Twenty minutes before you are ready to grill, lay salmon on a rimmed baking sheet and combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Spread mixture evenly over the salmon. Let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Add wood chunks to the coals and oil your grill grates. Gently place the salmon over the cooler side of the grill. Close the lid and let the salmon smoke for 30-45 minutes, depending on the thickness. When finished the salmon should flake easily in the center. The color should be light pink without any shine.















