24 med. asparagus spears, trimmed, peeled as necessary & tied in a bunch for cooking
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 lbs. morel mushrooms, stems trimmed & cleaned
2 c. heavy cream
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp. lemon zest (finely grated lemon peel)
1/2 lb. angel hair pasta
1/4 c. fresh snipped chives
3 tbsp. fresh grated Romano cheese (may substitute grated Parmesan)
Salt & coarse ground pepper to taste

Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover asparagus and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. Add asparagus, cooking until al dente, about 3 minutes. Remove to colander and cool until cold running water. Remove the string and cut asparagus on an angle into 1" pieces.

In a large skillet over high heat, add butter, heating until it just begins to brown. Add morels; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add cream, cooking until thickened to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and zest. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm over low heat.

In a large amount of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Transfer to a strainer, rinse with warm water, and drain well. Add asparagus and pasta to skillet and toss until evenly coated. If sauce seems too thick, lighten with an additional few tablespoons of cream or liquid. Distribute to serving plates and top with chives and cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 4.