Meyer Lemon and Asparagus Pasta

Another sample recipe from The Frugal Foodie today...this one a really tasty lemon-and-asparagus pasta. Don't forget to enter my giveaway to get your own copy of the cookbook. From my review:

This is one of those dishes that I’ve made many variations of, but Frugal Foodie presented a new and tasty version. Lots of butter coats the intensely lemon-y pasta, and cooking the asparagus in a bit of vegetable stock results in tender and flavorful veggies. We added dots of goat cheese on top for a little tang, but either way this is a very yummy pasta dish that I’ll be adding to my summer repertoire.

I used a Meyer lemon here because it's what I had on hand from the backyard, but a regular lemon should work just as well. Beware that this pasta is really rich (as you can see from the amount of butter and oil in the recipe), but it's also very tasty and well-balanced with the asparagus and acid. I'd suggest serving it with some simple veggies or a salad.

Meyer Lemon and Asparagus Pasta (adapted from The Frugal Foodie)
Serves 4

1 pound pasta, cooked al dente
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
3/4 cup vegetable broth
6 T unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
grated zest of 1 Meyer Lemon
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
1/2 Meyer lemon, very thinly sliced
Goat cheese, optional

1. Preheat a covered skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and then pour the vegetable broth over it. Cover the skillet and steam for 4-5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Transfer the asparagus to a bowl with a slotted spoon, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
2. Return the skillet with remaining broth to the stove and boil until reduced to 1 tablespoon. Add the butter and olive oil and cook until the butter is melted. Add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and sliced lemon and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the asparagus and toss to coat.
3. Pour the sauce over the warm pasta, toss, and allow the pasta to absorb the sauce for a few minutes before serving. Optionally top with crumbled goat cheese.