Recipe: Pasta with Asparagus & Leeks

Fresh & quick for summer. This dish is easy and classy enough to serve as a vegetarian main course. As a side dish, it complements seafood cooked on the grill very well.
Don't freak on the heavy cream, it is only a few tablespoons and adds a velvety texture to the wine sauce. If you don't cook with wine, substitute veggie stock for the wine.....just as tasty!

Pasta with Asparagus & Leeks

1/2 tblsp butter
1/2 tblsp olive oil
1 leek, white part only, washed and thinly sliced
4 scallions, white part only, minced
1/2 cup fresh minced parsley
2-3 tblsp white wine... Chardonnay, Viognier or Riesling
8 oz of Pasta, such as Orcchiette
1 & 1/2 cups asparagus tips
1-2 tblsp heavy cream
4 oz grated cheese, such as Vella Dry Jack (or Parmigiana- Reggiano)
Sea salt & Pepper to taste

Steam the asparagus tips until just crisp- tender, about 4 minutes. Plunge into ice water to stop cooking, set aside.
Boil pasta until just al dente, drain and set aside in a large serving bowl to cool slightly.
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, saute the leeks and scallions, until just translucent.
Add wine to saute pan and and stir occasionally, until wine is reduced by half, this should only take a minute or two. Lower heat and add heavy cream and steamed asparagus.
Pour saute pan ingredients over cooked pasta, add cheese and minced parsley. Salt & pepper to taste. Serve immediately! Makes 4-6 servings.