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November 13, 2012

Unique blend of ingredients jazz up holiday table

By John Zaktansky The Daily Item

A recipe can impress with its flavors without requiring endless hours of prep. This simple dish of blanched asparagus and haricots verts is a great example. The vegetables get nothing but a quick blanching in boiling water, then are dressed on a platter with olive oil, golden raisins and goat cheese. That’s it.



ASPARAGUS AND HARICOTS VERTS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PINE NUTS

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Servings: 8

1 teaspoon olive oil, plus additional for drizzling

1/2 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon ground coriander

Salt

1 pound haricots verts, trimmed

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed of woody ends, sliced lengthwise

1/4 cup chopped golden raisins

1/2 cup grated firm goat cheese

In a medium skillet over medium, heat the 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the pine nuts and cook just until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the coriander and season with salt. Set aside.

Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Blanch the haricots verts in the boiling water until bright green and just tender, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to immediately remove them to the ice water. Repeat the process with the asparagus, cooking it for 4 to 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the stalks.

Drain and pat dry the vegetables, then arrange them on a serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil, then top with the pine nuts, raisins and goat cheese.

Nutrition information per serving: 180 calories; 90 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 6 g protein; 160 mg sodium.

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