4 oz. fresh goat cheese
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp. finely sliced fresh chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
3 to 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more
as needed
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed
10 to 12 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stems
removed
1 large sweet onion, cut into ½-inch-
thick slices
1 large lemon, halved crosswise
12 oz. fettuccine
Prepare a medium-high (400°F to 475°F)
charcoal or gas grill fire.
Mix the goat cheese with the parsley
and chives, and season lightly with salt and
pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Toss the tomatoes with just enough oil to
coat lightly. Season with salt and pepper, and
thread onto skewers. Toss the asparagus with
enough oil to coat well, and season with salt
and pepper. Brush the mushrooms and onion
with enough oil to coat lightly, and season with
salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally
and removing them as they are done, until
tender with grill marks (some of the tomatoes
may burst), 6 to 12 minutes. Grill the lemon
halves, cut side down, until well marked,
about 2 minutes.Halve or quarter large mushrooms, and
cut the asparagus into 1½-inch pieces. Peel
the onion slices, if necessary, and coarsely
chop. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl.
Slide the tomatoes off the skewers and into
the bowl.
Cook the pasta according to package
directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of
the cooking water, and drain. Toss the pasta
and 2 Tbs. oil with the vegetables. Squeeze
the juice from one charred lemon half into
the bowl, and toss. Season to taste with salt,
pepper, and more lemon juice, if you like. If
the pasta seems dry, toss with some of the
reserved cooking water and another drizzle
of oil. Serve tossed or topped with the
herbed goat cheese.fettuccine with grilled asparagus, shiitake, and charred lemon
Savory grilled mushrooms lend a meatiness to this otherwise light and bright pasta. To get the most from your asparagus, trim
just the very bottom of the stalks, and use a peeler to remove any tough exterior of the bottom inch or so. Serves 4
make the
pasta ahead
If you’d rather not light the
stove and the grill at the
same time, boil the pasta a
day ahead. Simply cook it to
just shy of al dente, cool it
quickly under cold water,
cover, and refrigerate.
Reheat the pasta
under hot running
water just before
tossing with the
vegetables.FINECOOKING.COM 69