Good Eats: Jaw-Droppingly Delicious Asparagus Penne

Vegetarians, this meal is for you! I was searching for another recipe this week when I stumbled upon the following recipe for Rachael Ray's "Jaw-Droppingly Delicious Asparagus Penne". The picture next to the recipe looked so good that I knew that I had to postpone my plans for dinner that evening so that I could make this pasta dish as soon as I possibly could.

When I told Jim what I was making, he said that it was awfully presumptuous of Rachael Ray to describe the meal as "Jaw-Droppingly Delicious". Yet, after finishing our meal, we both felt that the pasta was well-deserving of its title. It tasted so much like a dish that one might order at Noodles & Co. In fact, Noodles has recently brought back its Asparagus and Lemon Linguine for the spring. While I've never had the linguine at Noodles, I would imagine that Ray's penne rivals the restaurant dish.

Enjoy (And don't be surprised if your jaw DOES drop after tasting this pasta)!

Recipe for: Jaw-Droppingly Delicious Asparagus Penne
From: Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed of ends
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 tablespoon EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
2 tablespoons butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup vegetable stock
3/4 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped, a couple of sprigs
Juice of 1 lemon
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water. Drop the asparagus in for 2 minutes, then remove, drain, and chop into 2-inch pieces. Add the pasta to the water and cook to al dente.
2. To a skillet placed over medium heat, add the EVOO and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the garlic and gently cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Whisk in the stock, half-and-half, mustard, and lemon zest.
3. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and tarragon, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Add the lemon juice, and gently toss the asparagus and pasta with the sauce to coat.
4. Turn off the heat and adjust the salt and pepper to taste, then top with grated cheese and serve.