Braden Family Cookbook

Chuck Braden

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Freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ tablespoon chopped garlic

½ pound julienne chicken or turkey (either confit or smoked)

½ pound fresh asparagus, trimmed, blanched* and cut into 2 inch pieces

3 oz. concentrated (reduced) chicken stock**

6 oz. dried penne pasta

Drizzle of really good olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf Italian parsley

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the penne pasta and proceed to cook for about 9 minutes.  The last minute of cooking is done when the pasta is added to the chicken ragu mixture for its last bit of cooking. 

In a large saute pan, heat the oil. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add the garlic and chicken. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add the reduced chicken stock. 

Then add the pasta that has about one more minute of cooking to go.  Stir over moderate heat for about 1 - 2 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper.  Serve in individual warmed pasta bowls or plates.  Garnish with chopped parsley.  Drizzle a little really good olive oil over the mixture.

serves 2

Options:            Use smoked duck or turkey or confit of duck.  Add a little chopped buffalo mozzarella cheese tossed in at the end.

A good Chardonnay.  Crispy baguette.

*           Add 1 TBSP. vegetable oil (peanut is O.K.) to a large pot of boiling water.  Drop asparagus     in boiling water for no more than 3 minutes.  Remove asparagus from boiling water and drop into a big bowl of ice water and ice to stop the cooking and set the bright green color.

  **            Take either 1 cup of homemade chicken stock or low-salt canned chicken stock and boil it until reduced to about 3 ounces.