...and now for some culinary success...

I'm starting to realise that the key to cooking food which the boy will love, is to make sure there is plenty of cheese in the recipe.

This dish was really yummy, although I have to admit I was quite alarmed to see just how much oil goes into the pasta sauce (which is basically equal parts oil and cream). Fortunately the pasta soaks it up really well and then you can forget you saw it.

It's from Jo Seager's Easy-Peasy Summer Entertaining
Pasta with Grilled Asparagus, Broad Beans and Lemon (serves 4)

500g asparagus
2 cups shelled broad beans
350g dried penne pasta
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
3 tsp chopped fresh mint
100 ml cream
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim the asparagus and slice in half lengthways.

Place the asparagus in a grill pan or on a barbeque, brush with a little oil and grill 3-4 minutes each side until charred and tender. (I don't have a good grill, nor a barbeque, so I put them in a hot frying pan with a little oil and shook them around until they were nice and grilled-looking).

Blanch the beans in lightly salted water for 2 mins, then remove with a sieve.
Run cold water onto the beans and remove the hard outer skin. (This bit was a pain in the arse because it takes so long to remove the skin off each and every bean. I may use frozen peas next time.)

Return the bean water to a boil, add pasta and cook for 10 mins until just tender.

Heat the oil, add the garlic and lemon rind and fry gently for 3 minutes.
Add the beans, mint and cream, and heat gently.

Drain the pasta and toss with the asparagus and the bean sauce.
Stir in the cheese and lemon juice to taste.
Season and serve in a warm bowl.