We bought some asparagus today. We had some tender stem broccoli in the veg drawer of the refrigerator. Didn’t have any great ideas for what we might do with them, so I asked ChatGPT for some suggestions.
The first prompt that I gave it was:
Act as an artisinal vegan chef, who favours simple dishes with fresh ingredients. You have about 200g of asparagus and 100g of tender-stem broccoli to use. What dish would you prepare.
It gave a pretty good suggestion:
As an artisanal vegan chef who favors simple dishes with fresh ingredients, I would prepare a delicious Asparagus and Tender-Stem Broccoli Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing. This dish will highlight the natural flavors and textures of the asparagus and tender-stem broccoli, while providing a light and refreshing taste.
Ingredients:
- 200g fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 100g tender-stem broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Lemon Herb Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar or maple syrup
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Prepare a pot of boiling water and blanch the asparagus and tender-stem broccoli for 2-3 minutes, until they are bright green and slightly tender. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve their color.
In a large salad bowl, combine the blanched asparagus, tender-stem broccoli, red onion, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and basil. Toss gently to mix.
To make the lemon herb dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and agave nectar or maple syrup in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat the vegetables evenly. Allow the salad to sit for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled. Enjoy this light and refreshing dish that showcases the fresh flavors of asparagus and tender-stem broccoli.
Next question was, what would we serve that with? So I asked:
If you were to serve this as part if a main course, what would you serve with it?
The response was:
To serve the Asparagus and Tender-Stem Broccoli Salad as part of a main course, I would suggest pairing it with a hearty protein and a flavorful grain dish to create a well-balanced and satisfying meal. Here are two simple and delicious vegan options to accompany the salad:
Lemon Herb Marinated Tofu Steaks:
Ingredients:- 1 block (400g) extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Slice the pressed tofu into 4 equal steaks.
In a shallow dish, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the tofu steaks to the marinade, ensuring each piece is well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated tofu steaks for 4-5 minutes per side, until they are golden brown and slightly charred.
Herbed Quinoa Pilaf:
Ingredients:- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing until they are soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the quinoa to the saucepan, stirring to coat it in the onion and garlic mixture.
- Pour in the vegetable broth or water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, then stir in the chopped parsley and basil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
To serve, plate the Lemon Herb Marinated Tofu Steaks alongside a generous scoop of Herbed Quinoa Pilaf and a portion of the Asparagus and Tender-Stem Broccoli Salad. This combination will provide a satisfying and delicious vegan main course, showcasing the flavors and textures of fresh, simple ingredients.
Now, as all the recipes had some element of lemon and herbs, I just made one large batch of lemon, garlic, oil and herbs, and split those across all three dishes.
It was delicious! Great job ChatGPT!