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Not sure if it was a major ice-cream headache, weekend trips, or other commitments, but somehow I’ve ended up with a backlog of a dozen or so posts to catch up on.  Rather than try to recreate the magical conversations we had when enjoying these meals, I’m going to post a quick summary of each dish.  That’ll do, pig.

“CSA” Soup: Delicious!  Lisa made this soup up from all the ingredients we had left over from our last CSA box.  Snow peas, zucchini, broccoli, and shallots, in a tomato and vegetable broth base.  Making a soup is a great way to use up vegetables that are starting to lose their firmness or are a few days away from the compost bin.

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This stir-fry, originally found on 101 Cookbooks, is a quick-to-prepare mix of tofu, asparagus, mushrooms, and spinach.  We [Heart] Asparagus season!

Asparagus Stir-Fry
toasted sesame oil
8 oz extra-firm tofu, cut into slices
4 oz mushrooms, halved
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
a couple big pinches of fine-grain sea salt
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 big handful of toasted cashews, chopped up a bit
a few handfuls of spinach
zest and juice of one lime
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 small handful fresh mint, slivered
1 small handful fresh basil, slivered

Heat a teaspoon or so of sesame oil in a large pan, or well-seasoned wok over medium high heat. When it is hot, add the tofu, and cook until golden – a few minutes. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.

Add a generous splash of oil to the pan and, as soon as it is hot, add the mushrooms, onions, ginger, red pepper flakes, asparagus, and salt. Stir fry for about a minute, then add the garlic, cashews, and spinach and stir-fry for another minute, or until the spinach wilts. Return the tofu to the pan. Stir in the lime zest and juice and the hoisin sauce. Cook for another 10-20 seconds, stirring continuously.

Remove from heat and stir in the mint and basil. Taste and add a bit more salt if needed.

2 Main-dish Servings