Pasta with Arugula and Goat Cheese July 9, 2008

I’ve made the following recipe with both arugula and Red Russian kale. If you like the sauce a bit more juicy, add some sour cream to thin it out. I get country-style bacon from a local butcher and freeze it in packs of three slices each, perfect for adding to dishes for a bit of flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 thick country-style bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Italian style diced tomatoes in juice
• 2½ cups coarsely chopped fresh arugula (about 3 ounces)
• 1 9-ounce packages fresh fettuccine
• 3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add bacon; cook until translucent and nearly crisp, about 3 minutes.
3. Add onion and garlic to same skillet and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
4. Add thyme and crushed red pepper; sauté 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes with juice. Simmer until tomatoes are heated through, about 4 minutes. Add arugula and simmer until wilted, about 1 minute.
5. Add goat cheese, toss to combine.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente (tender but still firm to bite), about 3 minutes. Drain.
7. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add sauce and season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.

Serves 2-3

Pasta with Fava Beans April 16, 2008

I know what you’re thinking, Fava beans would go well with liver and a nice chianti. Remember, it’s only a movie.

Fava beans are a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium and iron. They also contain levodopa (L-dopa), a chemical the body uses to produce dopamine (the neurotransmitter associated with the brain’s reward and motivation system).

Very popular in Italy in the spring and known as avas in Mexico, fava beans are a little work, but well worth it. For the freshest fava beans try a farmers’ market or farm shop. Choose crisp-looking unwithered pods. Depending on the size of the bean, approximately 1 pound of fresh beans will yield about 1 cup of shelled beans. The beans have a buttery texture, slight bitterness and lovely, nutty flavor.

The outer shell is not edible so first shell the beans. Split the pods and remove the beans. To remove the pale inner skin, blanch the beans in boiling water for one minute and then rinse in cold water. Then pinch off a little of the skin at the base and squeeze the bright green beans out. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large Portobello mushroom caps (de-gilled), cubed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups cooked, peeled fava beans
• 9 ounce package fresh fettuccine
• 4 oz. piece Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth. Remove the stems. Remove the brown gills with a spoon, otherwise, they will turn your sauce a lovely brown.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic and onion to the pan. Saute until lightly brown.
3. Add the cubed Portobello mushrooms and saute until lightly browned. 
4. Stir in the fava beans, sundried tomatoes and the oregano. Add the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and olive oil to the water. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes for dry pasta, 4 minutes for fresh. A minute or two before your pasta is supposed to be ready, remove a piece of pasta from the water and bite through the pasta to see if it’s done. Drain.
6. Serve immediately and grate the cheese over the top at the table.

Makes 4 servings

‘Sausage,’ Collard Greens, and Penne April 11, 2008

Collard Greens are one of the non-head forming members of the Brassica family along with broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and kale. They are various loose-leafed cultivars of the cabbage plant. Collard leaves are rich in calcium (226 mg per cup, cooked), vitamins B1, B2, B9, and C (which may be leached by cooking, however), as well as beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A).

Look for collard greens that have firm, unwilted leaves that are vividly deep green in color with no signs of yellowing or browning. Leaves that are smaller in size will be more tender and have a milder flavor.

Ingredients:

• 4 Italian-style Tofurky sausages, sliced. If using real turkey sausage, remove the casings and chop it into pieces as it cooks.
• 6 large mushrooms, sliced. I prefer cremini mushroom but white mushrooms work just as well.
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small bunch young collard greens, stems removed and chopped
• 1/2 minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 14-oz. can Italian-style chunky tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 pound penne pasta, cooked and drained
• Grated parmesan cheese to garnish
• 2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1. Brown the “sausage” slices in a large deep pot until browned on each side. Remove from the pan and drain any fat.
2. Add the oil to the same pot and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is deep golden, about 5 min.
3. Add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushroom are browned, about 5 min.
4. Return the “sausage” slices to the pan and add the collards, parsley, basil, marjoram, oregano, salt and pepper, and the tomatoes and juice.
5. Cook, stirring as needed, for approximately 10 minutes.
6. Add the pasta and toss well.
7. Garnish with parmesan cheese before serving.

Makes 4 servings