SPRING PASTA

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Proving that there’s no such thing as too many recipes using asparagus, here is one more: a very tasty and healthy pasta dish to celebrate Spring, even if the season is already waving goodbye. However, here in L.A. the warm weather is dragging its feet, temperatures barely hit the mid 70’s, and I still have to resort to long sleeves shirts. It’s preposterous!

I got this recipe from a new food blog: Inspired Edibles, hosted by Kelly, where you’ll also find all sorts of articles related to nutrition and fitness, two topics I’m quite fond of. Kelly got the recipe from from Ellie Krieger, cookbook author and Food TV host. I made just a few changes to accommodate what I had around the kitchen.

SPRING PASTA
(adapted from this post in Inspired Edibles)

whole-wheat spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)
1 bunch of asparagus
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chicken stock (or water)
fresh parsley, chopped
Iberico cheese, grated (or Parmiggiano Reggiano)

Heat oven to 375 F. Cut the tough stems off the asparagus and discard. Cut the stems in half, and unless the stems are very thin, slice the lower half in half lengthwise. Place them in a baking dish, coat lightly with 1 Tbsp olive oil, sprinkle salt, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until barely soft.

Start cooking the pasta according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs olive oil on a large non-stick skillet and saute the garlic and the sun dried tomatoes for a couple of minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomatoes start to soften up. Season with a little salt and pepper. If the pasta is not cooked yet, reserve the sauteed mixture over very low heat. Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the skillet together with the chicken stock, reserved asparagus, 3/4 of the walnuts, parsley and grated cheese. Mix well, and warm it all together in medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.

Serve with the remaining walnuts and additional grated cheese on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The more I eat whole-wheat pasta the more I like it. Barilla is my top choice, but this time I used a Trader Joe’s alternative and found that its beautiful brownish color faded quite a bit upon cooking. Not quite sure why that would happen, but it tasted fine, maybe a little less “toothsome” than Barilla.

Surprisingly, there was no Parmiggiano in our home, so I used Iberico, a delicious Spanish cheese, similar to Manchego. Since it’s not a hard, grating type cheese, it melted almost instantaneously in contact with the pasta. Nothing wrong with that, actually, we loved it! But it is a bit messy to grate, next time I’ll stick with the classic Parmiggiano.

Kelly, thanks so much for the inspiration, you obviously picked a perfect name for your blog! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Ice cream melts for mango

14May2011

COUSCOUS SALAD WITH ZUCCHINI AND PINE NUTS

Posted in Salads, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

From one of the latest issues of Food and Wine magazine, this recipe was the only bright spot on a day in which everything that could go wrong (in the lab) went wrong. But, as we were driving through intense Los Angeles traffic that Thursday, I knew that getting home and making dinner would improve my mood. It always does, actually. Especially if I already have it all planned and laid out in my mind, which was the case that day.

COUSCOUS SALAD WITH ZUCCHINI AND PINE NUTS
(adapted from Food and Wine, May 2011)

1 cup diced zucchini
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper

1 cup couscous
1 cup boiling water

3/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
fresh mint and parsley, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet and sautee the zucchini until golden. Season lightly with salt and pepper. You can prepare it in advance and keep it in the fridge.

Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the couscous in the bowl you intend to serve the salad. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes as you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Boil the peas for 2 minutes, drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the water. Add the lemon juice and olive oil, a little salt, to the reserved pea water, and whisk well. Fluff the couscous with a fork, pour this dressing over it, mixing it well. Gently mix in the cooked peas, reserved zucchini, toasted pine nuts, and fresh herbs. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Next time, I will dice the zucchini in slightly larger pieces, because I’d like their presence in the salad to be a little more obvious, not only visually, but also in texture. I love the popcorn-y taste of pine nuts, but you can use almonds (as in the original Food and Wine version), or walnuts. Make sure to toast them first.

It is crucial to let the zucchini get some color, so I like to leave it undisturbed in the sautee pan for a couple of minutes, before moving the pieces around.

This could be a nice vegetarian entree, as couscous is very filling, but we enjoyed it next to a juicy, grilled chicken breast. And that was a perfect antidote for the “lab-blues.” 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: A Simple Salad a la Jacques Pepin

29Apr2011

SPRINGTIME SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

The moment I saw this recipe in the latest issue of Fine Cooking, I knew I had to make it right away. First, because it involves asparagus. Secondly, because they are prepared in a novel way – the spears are shaved as ribbons. I am already quite fond of thinly sliced raw asparagus as in this farro salad, so I looked forward to trying this new (to me, anyway ;-)) method to serve them.

SHAVED ASPARAGUS SALAD
(adapted from Fine Coking magazine)

for the vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons agave nectar (or 1 Tablespoon honey)
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
salt and black pepper to taste

for the salad:
1/2 lb. thick asparagus, trimmed
2 cups baby arugula
1/3 cup toasted cashew nuts
2 oz. thinly shaved aged Gouda

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, agave nectar, shallots in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate if not using right away.

Remove the tips of the asparagus and put them in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a stalk discarding the first shaving, which will contain only the thick outer layer. When shaving the first side becomes awkward, turn stalk over and repeat. Add all shavings to the bowl with the tips. Repeat with remaining stalks. Toss asparagus with 1/4 cup of vinaigrette and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Add arugula and toss, adding more dressing if needed to coat the leaves. Top with the shaved cheese and cashews, adjust seasoning and serve right away.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This salad dressing is very close to perfection. The original recipe used honey, but I’m so fond of agave nectar that whenever I have the opportunity, I use it instead. Once you add the dressing to the shaved asparagus, the transformation is quite obvious: within a few minutes the ribbons start to soften up. Don’t do it too early, or they will get mushy. For obvious reasons, the salad won’t keep at its best for very long, so if you are serving it at a dinner party, keep that in mind. The asparagus tips will retain most of their bite, adding a nice texture together with the cashew nuts.

At first, I thought about substituting parmiggiano or ricotta salata for the cheese component of this recipe. Aged Gouda is not a cheese we normally buy, but its slightly smoked taste worked surprisingly well with the arugula and asparagus. We gave it two thumbs up!

I can see many variations of this recipe during Spring and Summer months. And, I was not the only one who enjoyed it: browsing through “One Perfect Bite” the other day, I noticed that Mary also loved it. Check it out by jumping here.

ONE YEAR AGO: Indonesian Delight

13Apr2011

THE END OF GREEN BEAN CRUELTY

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I’m talking about THIN green beans, of course… 😉

We learned about Michel Richard firsthand, at his wonderful, exciting restaurant Central in Washington DC. What a delicious experience it was! The bread – that keeps coming to the table, always warm and impossible to say no to – and the gougeres alone are worth stopping by. In his book Happy in the Kitchen, Michel Richard comments that most recipes for green beans cook them in boiling water, then quickly shock them in an ice-bath. However, he adamantly opposes this method when dealing with pencil-thin green beans. They are so delicate, so why would anyone furiously boil and shock the poor things, leaving them limp and lifeless?

I’ve been guilty of such green bean cruelty more than once, but I won’t ever do it again. When prepared by Michel’s guidelines, they are simply irresistible, even served without any embellishments. However, pairing these beauties with small roasted tomatoes didn’t hurt them a bit.

GREEN BEANS WITH ROASTED TOMATOES
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the green beans:
a bunch of pencil-thin green beans (amount enough for two)
1 Tbs olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp orange zest
salt and pepper to taste

for the tomatoes
1 cup of grape tomatoes, cut in half
drizzle of olive oil
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Start by roasting the tomatoes. Spread them in a single layer on a small baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper for easy clean up. Drizzle some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, shake them around, and season with salt and pepper. Place in a 400 F oven until they get soft and start to brown around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserve, keeping warm.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet, add the red pepper flakes and the orange zest. Keep in a gentle heat for a couple of minutes, until the mixture starts to get fragrant. Increase the heat, add the green beans, and let them cook for a few minutes undisturbed, so that they get a little color where they make contact with the pan. Stir them around to coat the beans with the flavored oil, and saute for a little while longer, until the beans are cooked through, but still al dente. Don’t overcook! Season with salt and pepper, add the roasted tomatoes on top, and mix gently. Adjust seasoning, and serve right away.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Michel Richard’s main message is to cook thin green beans straight by sauteing in a small amount of fat. You can substitute butter or a mixture of butter and olive oil, or use a different type of oil, keep in mind that some – like walnut oil – burn at a lower temperature, so it’s best to add them close to the end of cooking.

The combination of green beans and orange zest, worked quite well in this recipe, with the touch of balsamic vinegar brought by the tomatoes. It was a nice side dish for our grilled flank steak, but if you want a fully vegetarian meal, add some pasta or couscous, a big salad and a thick slice of grilled bread. It’s more than enough for a tasty dinner. Just remember, be kind to the green beans! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Torta di Limone e Mandorle

3Apr2011

ROASTED CORN AND TOMATO RISOTTO

Posted in Rice and Grains, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

This excellent recipe from Fine Cooking, published in 2003, is best at the height of the Summer, with grilled fresh corn. But, one frozen product (that I am absolutely smitten with) makes it possible year-round: the roasted corn kernels from Trader Joe’s. Their subtle smokey flavor stays sharp during cooking, and the charred kernels add color and pizazz to so many dishes. I used them in this risotto, and they made it even better.

RISOTTO WITH CORN, TOMATOES, AND BASIL
(adapted from Molly Stevens)

4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable stock)
1 cup roasted (or cooked) corn kernels
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. basil leaves, coarsely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat the broth in a pot to a simmer and keep it covered, hot.

Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the grains are well coated with the oil. Pour in the wine, stir, and cook until the wine is absorbed, about 1 minute.

Ladle in about 1-1/2 cups of the hot broth, and cook, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Continue adding broth in 1/2-cup increments, stirring and simmering until the liquid is absorbed each time, at intervals of about 3 to 5 minutes.

While the rice is simmering, combine the tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, and 2 Tbs. of the basil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

When the rice is starting to get tender (16-18 minutes cooking time) stir in the corn. Continue adding more stock and stirring until the rice is creamy but not mushy – 20 to 25 minutes total. Remove from the heat, fold in the Parmigiano and then the tomato-basil mixture. Top each serving with the remaining basil and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: If you don’t have a local Trader Joe’s, then just roast or grill your own corn. The 10 or 15 minutes on a hot grill boosts its flavor so much that it justifies the extra step. Adding the tomatoes at the very end preserves their bright flavor, and ensures a nice presentation too. Molly Stevens didn’t finish her recipe with butter, as is traditional in the dish, but even without butter the risotto was substantial and satisfying. I like to add a bit of lemon zest before plating, and serve it with some additional grated parmeggiano cheese! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Light Rye Bread