READY, SET, CELEBRATE!
Trips to the farm stand and farmers markets are now focused on what to make for that Memorial Day weekend BBQ — and we have a perfect recipe here.
What I love most about our North Fork farm stands is that they are so thoughtfully curated with local items that complement the beautiful produce. One of the best examples is Catapano Dairy Farm, where they make award-winning goat cheese. You can look for it in the fridge of your favorite farm stand, or you can visit their charming little shop with the cute goats in Peconic.
This pasta salad is a delicious accompaniment to the Memorial Day grill lineup — seasonal flavors of local asparagus, shallots and fresh herbs topped with tangy Catapano goat cheese. By now you can usually leave the farm stand with armfuls of asparagus, alliums, beets, carrots, greens and peas — any of which you can choose to feature in this recipe.
Head outside with a plate full of pasta, feel the warm, almost-summer air and watch the sunset. It’s the ideal North Fork night. Who’s ready?
Farmers Market Pasta Salad with Crumbled Catapano Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 box Sfoglini brand trumpet pasta (or a short pasta of your choice)
- 1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1 bunch baby spinach, washed and dried
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for sautéing
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Champagne vineagr
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 4 oz. container crumbled Catapano goat cheese
- 1 cup roasted golden beets
Directions
- Add pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water and let cool.
- Meanwhile, trim the ends off the asparagus and slice asparagus on the bias into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat a sauté pan with olive oil. Place the asparagus in the pan and season with kosher salt and pepper. Sauté on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- In a small bowl, combine shallot, mustard, Champagne vinaigrette, lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add chives.
- Add pasta and vegetables to a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing, add the crumbled goat cheese and toss. Season salad with salt and pepper, to your taste, and toss again. Keep chilled before serving. Top with chive blossoms or flowering herbs.
