With the arrival of Spring-like weather (finally!) we are excited: to be leaving Winter behind, to be getting outside more, and to having more daylight hours in the evening as we wind down the day. We are also ready to leave behind the Winter vegetables and start eating out of the garden again. That means asparagus is coming into season.

This recipe adds gnocchi (my favorite form of pasta) and shrimp (my favorite shellfish) to the asparagus. Besides those items and wanting a recipe using a popular Spring perennial vegetable for this post, I was also drawn to this recipe for its speedy preparation. Having the meal ready in well under an hour and using readily available ingredients are huge bonuses for a weeknight dinner. Another important benefit of making this dish was that it dirtied very few dishes. Being the designated clean-up crew and chief dishwasher in the house, that factor is always a big draw for me. And it leaves us plenty of time to go for a walk after dinner to enjoy the beautiful weather & sunset and get us out of the house while continuing to practice our social distancing!

PS: The gnocchi do not need to be boiled first!

Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus.

Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus (adapted from eatingwell.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Makes: 4 1-1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi
• 1/2 cup sliced shallots
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into thirds
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound raw shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until they are plumped and golden in spots, about 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl.

Toast the gnocchi.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the shallots. Cook them over medium heat, stirring, until they begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Saute the shallots.

Stir in the asparagus and broth. Cover the pan and cook until the asparagus is barely tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the asparagus to the pan.

Add the shrimp, pepper, and salt to the pan. Cover it and simmer until the shrimp is pink and just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes more.

Season & cook the shrimp.

Return the gnocchi to the skillet, add the lemon juice and cook the mixture, stirring, until everything is heated through, about 2 minutes.

Return the gnocchi to the pan and add the lemon juice.

Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle the cheese over the top of the other ingredients, then cover the pan and let it stand until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the Parmesan over it all.

Delicious, yet quick!

Serve & enjoy!

Enjoy all the wonders of Spring!  ~Linda

Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus (adapted from eatingwell.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Makes: 4 1-1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi
• 1/2 cup sliced shallots
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into thirds
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound raw shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until they are plumped and golden in spots, about 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the shallots. Cook them over medium heat, stirring, until they begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and broth. Cover the pan and cook until the asparagus is barely tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp, pepper, and salt to the pan. Cover it and simmer until the shrimp is pink and just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes more.

Return the gnocchi to the skillet, add the lemon juice and cook the mixture, stirring, until everything is heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle the cheese over the top of the other ingredients, then cover the pan and let it stand until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Serve.