Restaurant Widow

Lazy Market Lunch #1

It's funny.  As much as I love getting up early on Saturday mornings and going to the farmer's markets, I rarely cook when I get home.  One day, it is my dream to have nothing to do on Saturdays but put away produce, plan meals for the week, take lots of pictures of vegetables, zap a few things in the FoodSaver, and maybe make some jam, I always have to work on Saturday nights (and we all know how work takes the fun out of everyting).  So, until sometime steps up to the plate and pays me $300 to do nothing but shop and cook on Saturdays, I have to do with meals like this one.  (I am taking volunteers, so don't be shy.  I'll cook you dinner!)  (just kidding. sort of).

Fortunately for the most gourmet or the laziest of cooks, shopping at the North Market means you can indulge either side.  One of my favorite lazy meals, which is also incredibly tasty, is cheese ravioli with greens and red pepper flakes.  I love to keep the giant bags of frozen spinach & cheese raviolis from Costco on hand just so that I always know I have something delicious no matter what state I'm in.  See?  Even fancy food bloggers get lazy from time to time.

While at the market yesterday, I stopped by Pasta Seconda and picked up 2 variteties of frozen raviolis; spinach and ricotta, and stripedy mascarpone (the second primarily because they are pretty).  The prices for the raviolis by the pound might seem a little expensive, but I bought 12 raviolis for around $6 (although, one of them was empty!  The scandal!).  When I got home from the market, I browned about 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet and wilted the spinach and a handful of chopped chives with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  When the raviolis were cooked, I tossed them in with the spinach and put the whole mess on a plate.  Grate some Parmesan over the top and voila!  Nearly instant lunch! (the raviolis only take about 5 minutes).  That's literally the entire meal, and it's one of my favorites.  Besides, it's pretty to boot.  These would make a pretty stunning appetizer for a dinner part, especially if you buy the stripedy raviolis.

Arugula, with Pasta & Beans

I suppose it has something to do with winter, but I realized the other night that I've hardly been posting any recipes this year.  (Yikes!  I had no idea!)  My apologies.  It isn't that I haven't been cooking, it's just that I am not really inspiried during the late winter, and do you really want to know how many times we eat spaghetti with meat sauce?

Husband and I have been trying to eat a little more healthfully as of late, and those recipes seem kind of boring, too.  But then I thought, my boring might be useful to someone else.  So here we are.  A vegetarian dish with pasta and beans (complete protein) and the first of the year's arugula - I love arugula - which comes together in less than 15 minutes, makes a nice lunch, and can be eaten hot, cold, or at room temperature.  It makes a nice thing to take along in one's lunchbox.  In fact, I packed it for Husband today, so I hope he's enjoying it.

This is another recipe to show how a few staple pantry items (pasta, beans, roasted red peppers) can come together with even the earliest crop of local greens.

Arugual with Farfalle & Beans - serves 4

1/2 pound farfalle or other small pasta shape
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, roughly chopped
1 large bag (8 cups or so, 4 hands full) arugula or other nice peppery green, rinsed in several changes of water
1 tbsp good, tasty extra virgin olive oil
freshly cracked pepper
salt
2 tsp lemon juice

Cook the farfalle according to package directions, drain and set aside.  Place a large pot over medium heat and add the beans and roasted red peppers, and arugula.  Drizzle with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon juice.  Turn the heat off and dump the still-hot drained pasta on top and allow to sit for a few minutes, until the arugula has wilted.  Toss everything with tongs and taste to correct seasoning.  This dish can be eaten hot, cold, or at room temperature.  It's very good for you. 

Linguine with Clams and Pancetta

There's something about pasta and shellfish.  It becomes more than the sum of its parts.  I'm convinced clam juice contributed to the pasta is more important than the actual clams, although when Husband and I were discussing this, he disagreed, saying it was getting a tender delicious clam which was the best part.  Whoever is correct, there's no doubt that shellfish and pasta are a match made in heaven.  The trick to a successful "sauceless" pasta is, of course, pasta water, so under no circumstances should you drain the pasta and let all of the delicious water go down the drain.

As always, be sure you purchase your seafood from a reputable fishmonger.  I bought two dozen of these little pastaneck clams from Weiland's, they all opened when cooked, and none were sandy.  What more could you ask?  Scrub the outside of the clams very well, remembering that anything on the outside of the clam will end up in your pasta!  Yikes!

I originally made this with twice the amount of pancetta I've called for in this recipe, because I thought I might have used a little too much.  You can substitute bacon for the pancetta if you like, but I think the gaminess of pancetta works nicely with the wild oceanic flavor of the clams.  Purchase your pancetta from a store which sells it at the deli counter, so that you can have it sliced into thin slices (instead of purchasing it as a chunk); this makes cutting it into tiny cubes much easier.  Of course, you could leave it out entirely if you'd like a pork-free dish.  You can either choose to precook all of the clams and remove them from their shells, or do as I did, precooking some and cooking more in their shells in the pasta, which I think ensures an even richer flavor.  There is no salt called for in this recipe, because you should be boiling your linguine in well-salted water, which will reduce later; pancetta is also very salty.  Allow your dining companion to salt to her desire.

Linguine with Clams and Pancetta - serves 2

1/4 clam stock, clam juice, or water
24 small clams - I used pastanecks, which are smaller than littlenecks - well-scrubbed
6 ounces linguine, cooked 3 minutes less than package directed, not drained
olive oil
2 1/4" slices of pancetta (about 3 ounces), cut into 1/4" dice
2 large shallots, cut into small dice (or one medium onion)
6 cloves garlic, mashed in garlic press
1 cup dry vermouth or white wine
2 cups pasta water
Clam juice from cooking clams (see below)
freshly cracked black pepper
red pepper flakes
1/4 cup butter

Remove about 10 of the smallest clams from the bunch and set aside.  In a small saucepan with a lid, bring the 1/4 cup clam juice or water to a boil and tumble in the rest of the clams.  Cover and steam for about 5 minutes, checking after 3 minutes, until the clams open all the way.  Carefully remove the clams and set them aside to cool, but reserve the liquid left behind.  This is what you will use for the "clam juice" called for later.

In a large saute pan, heat about 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and add the pancetta.  Cook until crisp (about 7 minutes).  Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to paper towels to drain, and drain off the remaining fat.  Add a little more olive oil (just to lower the smoke point), and add the shallots.  Cook for about 4 minutes, or until they begin to soften, and then add the garlic and cook for about 4 more minutes, being sure the garlic does not burn.

In the meantime, remove the cooked clams from their shells and set aside.

Add the vermouth, the pasta water, and the clam juice, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil.  Return the pancetta to the pan, add black pepper and about 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes to taste.  Reduce by at least half, then add the pasta - I like to just use tongs to transfer it from one pot to the other, because I don't mind more pasta water getting in.  Add the reserved (uncooked) clams and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the clams open and the pasta has cooked to taste.  Add the butter and stir to melt and bring everything together; add the cooked clams which you removed from their shells.  You should end up with a nice rich stock which coats the pasta, and just a little liquid left behind - serve with nice crusty bread. 

Super Easy Pasta, for Hot Days

 
It's hot outside.  Really hot.  The other night, Husband and I were planning to have some friends over for dinner, and I had planned to open the dining room doors, thinking that by the time we were sitting down at 8pm, maybe there would be a nice summery breeze.  HA!  Husband came in from taking the trash out and confirmed we were now living in a swamp.  There were even frog croaking sounds and a mist, lingering throughout the trees and plants and leftover garbage in the alleyway.  It was raining off and on, but the rain just sort of melted into the early evening fog.  It's hot, it's hazy, and no one with breathing conditions is supposed to leave the house.  (Be sure to check in on your elderly friends!)

Who wants to cook?  Not me.  Alas, if I don't cook, you don't read, so the best I can do is offer things you might want to cook when it's blisteringly hot, even in the shade, with a breeze.

So, it's tomato season.  I suppose you could reduce this entire recipe to "cook pasta, add tomatoes and olive oil, salt and eat," but sometimes, even when it's really hot outside, you want something substantial.  Maybe with fiber, and protein.  This vegetarian pasta takes advantage of the summer's tomato harvest - both in cooked and uncooked form - as well as the first of the garlic.  This recipe is super healthy - garbanzo beans are loaded with fiber and iron, and are shown to lower cholesterol; since we paired this recipe with loads of garlic, it has even more cholesterol-lowering power.  Fiber also helps stabilize blood sugar.  Best of all, as mentioned, it's very easy - and tasty - the cooked tomatoes burst with tomatoey goodness, the garlic turns soft and sweet, the garbanzos provide a nice nutty flavor.  This recipe makes a great cold pasta salad, as well, so you can make extra and pack leftovers in tomorrow's lunch.

Pasta with Slow-Cooked Tomatoes, Garlic & Garbanzo Beans - serves 2

4 tbsp good quality, extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into very thin slivers
1 quart container mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes, divided in half
dried oregano, or dried Italian herb blend, or handful fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme), roughly chopped
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas) drained, but liquid reserved
Juice of one lemon
4 ounces spaghetti
salt and pepper

Cut half of the tomatoes in half and reserve to the end.  In a large nonstick saute pan, combine 2 tbsp olive oil with the garlic, the whole tomatoes and herbs (if using dried; if fresh, wait until the end).  Dust with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the tomato skin begin to split; toss the pan every once in awhile to be sure the garlic doesn't burn - you'll have to start over.  In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  After the garlic and tomatoes have been cooking for about 10 minutes, add the garbanzo beans.  Also, add the spaghetti to the pot and cook until pasta is very al dente - about a minute and a half before the end of the cooking time. 

Before draining the pasta, remove a cup of the pasta water and place into the pan with the garlic and tomatoes.  Add about 2 tbsp of the reserved bean liquid to the pan and then turn the heat to high.  Reduce by half, then add the pasta to the pan.  Cook on high heat for another minute and a half, or until the pasta is cooked.  Add the lemon juice (if using fresh herbs, this is the time to add them), turn the heat off, and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and put on plates.  Top with the raw halved tomatoes.  Serve with good toast or bread, pausing every once in awhile to dip the bread into the olive oil juices at the bottom of the bowl and eat with a bursting tomato on top.

Sugar Snap Peas, Shitakes, and Greens in Creamy Pasta

Yes, this is a variation on a theme.  It's quite possible that I will reinterpret this recipe, yet again next week, only in risotto.  You never know.  If it seems as though Husband and I eat a lot of pasta, well, it's true.  Pasta is such a great blank slate.  For this reason, I could never even think of doing any sort of low-carb nonsense; it's a silly thought.  Many of my pasta recipes can be adopted to use beans as a base instead of pasta, or a combination of both; this will at least give you some fiber.

I love this time of year, when the sugar snap peas are just coming up - I like to cut them lengthwise and give them a quick steam.  They hardly need any gussying up, just a little salt and maybe a pinch of butter, if you're so inclined.  Here they're paired with a little bacon (could easily be left out for a vegetarian option) and those shitakes I love so much.  A little cream and a good dose of herbs round out the flavors.  I received this blend of braising greens in this week's CSA box - tiny chard, young mustard and kale, lamb's quarters - and adding them gives you a little nutritional boost, so you don't feel so bad about all that cream... My farmer picks her greens young and tender, so if you have larger, tougher greens, you might cut them into thin strips and leave them in the steamer for a few minutes.  Don't forget that cream loves black pepper, so don't leave it out.  Also, the Tabasco in this recipe isn't for heat per se, it's just for a nice acidic balance to all of the cream and cheese.

Sugar Snap Peas, Shitakes, Bacon & Greens with Creamy Pasta & Herbs - serves 2

1/2 pound angel hair or linguine, cooked in salted water to just al dente
4 slices bacon, cut into thin strips
3 green garlic stalks, slivered or 3 scallions or shallots - whatever's available
8 ounces mushrooms, shitake or other good mushroom, slivered
8 ounces (2 good handfuls) sugar snap peas, strings removed, rinsed, and cut lengthwise
large handful greens - kale, mustard, lamb's quarters, spinach, chard, or a blend
4 ounces vegetable or chicken stock
4 ounces heavy cream
5 sticks thyme
12-15 sage leaves, cut into chiffonade
salt & black pepper
6 dashes Tabasco
2 ounces hard cheese, such as Parmesan (although I used Oakvale aged Gouda), freshly grated, plus extra for garnish

Steam the peas for 2 minutes and shock in cold water.  Set aside.  Steam the greens for 30 seconds and set aside.  Cook the bacon in a large sauce pan over medium to medium-high heat until bacon is crisp, then remove the bacon to paper towels.  Drain off bacon fat until there is about 1 tbsp left; add the green garlic or onions and saute for about 2 minutes, until it's begun to soften, then add the mushrooms; season with salt & pepper and cook just a few minutes, then deglaze the pan with the vegetable stock (there will probably be some brown bits from the bacon).  When the stock has cooked down, add the heavy cream and thyme; season heavily with pepper.  Turn the heat up to high and add the greens, peas, Tabasco and the sage. Cook until the cream is reduced by about half, add the bacon and cheese and stir, then add the pasta.  Toss everything to coat.  Place in bowls, garnished with a little more black pepper and grated cheese.

Local sources for this recipe: I bought nearly everything for this pasta at this week's market - mushrooms from Toby Run, peas from Wishwell Farms, green garlic from Pop & Judy's farm, bacon from Blues Creek in the North Market, and Oakvale from their stand at the North Market Farm Market.  North Market Poultry & Game sells great chicken stock, as well.  The greens came from this week's CSA.  You can even buy fresh linguine at Pastaria in the North Market!

Ode to Toby Run Shitake Mushrooms, with Pasta & Cream

Husband and I have been totally enamored of these Toby Run shitake mushrooms for a few years now.  Toby Run also sells oyster mushrooms - which I always want to buy because they are so lovely, especially the pink ones - but when I have to make a choice, it's always the shitakes.  I'm not sure if I can describe exactly why these mushrooms are so delicious, or why they're better than others; it might just be the fact that fresh mushrooms taste so much better then anything you buy at the grocery store that's been sitting around, drying out for awhile.  They are rich and meaty, flawless, clean, and delicious.  I knew what I had to do with them the second I saw farmer Jim Rockwell at the North Market Farmer's Market on Saturday, where I gushed that I've been waiting for these mushrooms for 6 months, making the farmer smirk just a little.  Ah well, some people dream about cake: I dream about mushrooms.

Shitake mushrooms have large amounts of naturally occurring MSG, as well as a similar flavor enhancing compound "synergistic with glutamate" (McGee, On Food & Cooking), GMP - guanosine monophosphate - making them have that ineffable savory quality - umami - which we love in things like seaweed, Parmesan cheese, and cured meat products.  Did you know that the Chinese have been cultivating shitake mushrooms since the 13th century?  and that mushrooms contain high levels of iron (20% in one cup).

This pasta is quick, easy, indulgent, and delicious.  And it's vegetarian.  It isn't really a diet dish, but something I love to make every year when the mushrooms come out.  It is inspired by something served every year at G. Michael's when the morels arrive.

Ode to Shitake Mushrooms, with Pasta, Cream and Herbs - Serves 2 as an entree, or 4 as an appetizer

For the pasta:
1/2 package cappelini (angel hair pasta)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, quartered and cut into very small slivers
1 small bunch chives
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sticks of thyme
10 sage leaves, whole
6 ounces white wine
6 ounces heavy cream, plus about an ounce or 2
salt & pepper
4 dashes Tabasco

For the mushrooms:
1 tbsp + 2 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
8 ounces shitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps slivered
4 ounces white wine
salt & pepper

Make the sauce: Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the leeks with a sprinkling of salt over medium - medium low heat until they are very tender - but without browning, about 15-20 minutes.  When they are very soft, add the chives and the garlic and stir together.  Turn the heat up to high and deglaze the pan with the white wine.  When the wine has cooked almost away, add the herbs and the cream.  Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer while you do everything else.  If the sauce begins to get too thick, add a little cream.  Remove the herbs, add the Tabasco and taste; correct seasoning as needed.  The Tabasco here doesn't add spiciness per say, just a little "zing" to balance the richness of the cream.

Make the Mushrooms: heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter over medium high heat and add the mushrooms.  When they are about half cooked (just beginning to lose their whiteness and turn soft), add the wine and season with salt and pepper.  When the wine is nearly cooked out, add the 2 tbsp of butter.  Taste and correct seasoning.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, being sure it is just barely al dente.  It should still have some bite and not be completely cooked.  We are going to be putting it back on the heat, and it is very easy to overcook this skinny little thread.  Drain the pasta and place into the cream sauce.  Toss with tongs until the pasta is thoroughly coated.  If necessary, add a little more cream.  Place the pasta in bowls and top with the sauteed mushrooms.  Crack a little black pepper over and top with more chopped herbs, if desired.  Mmmmm.

Carbonara with Boar Bacon and Asparagus

Raise your hand if you guessed I'd be making some Carbonara out of my spoils from this week's market.  Good for you!  You get a gold star.

Carbonara is one of those seemingly indulgent dishes that make me groan when I think of the calorie load, but the truth is, it tastes much richer than it actually is, thanks in large part to the egg yolk-based sauce, which contains a fraction of the calories in other rich sauce bases, such as butter or heavy cream.  Furthermore, a small portion makes a nice 4-bite appetizer or light lunch along with a salad.  For my recipe, I used one (6 ounce) pillow of fresh pasta from Pasta Seconda in the North Market.  As usual, my eyes were much bigger than my stomach; I would recommend using one pillow for 2 for dinner, or for 4 as an appetizer.  This dish is about the balance between the smoky bacon, the light and green asparagus (peas are traditional, but we've just entered asparagus season, they'll be in everything I cook for the next 3 weeks), the rich egg yolk punctuated by a smattering of Parmesan and a kick of black pepper.  It's a simple recipe whose whole is definitely more than the sum of its parts, which should all be of the highest quality; when you have these few ingredients, it simply won't do to use a mass-produced, tasteless grocery store egg.  I'm not trying to a snob, I'm just encouraging you to discover how delicious simple food can be if you use the best ingredients.

I've seen carbonara recipes which call for using whole eggs, but nothing creeps me out more than undercooked egg whites (although I love love love runny yolks - it's a delicate balance when frying).  I very dutifully separate my eggs and use only the yolks.  The trick is to have the sauce ready to go in a big bowl well before the pasta is drained.  The pasta must be piping hot when it hits the sauce so that the yolks can cook.  Of course, wild boar bacon isn't essential here, and it's three times the price of pork bacon, but it is really, really good.  It's like uber bacon.  It's rich and meaty, very slightly gamey, and intensely savory.  If you'd like to use regular bacon, again, buy the good stuff.  Locally, I highly recommend Blues Creek Farms in the North Market or Thurn's Specialty Meats on the South Side.

Spring Carbonara - serves 2-4

1 (6 ounce) pillow of fresh long pasta, such as linguine, or 4 ounces dried pasta
1 duck egg yolk or 2 chicken egg yolks
1 tbsp half and half or cream
1/2 ounce freshly & finely grated real Parmesan Cheese
2 ounces wild boar bacon, or regular bacon, cut into thin strips (or lardons, if you please)
8 stalks fresh local asparagus, rinsed and trimmed into 1 inch sticks, tips reserved
Freshly cracked black pepper
salt

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  If using fresh, it only takes 2-3 minutes, so have a pot of boiling salted water ready and save this step for last.

Cook the bacon over medium heat until nearly crisp.  Blanch the asparagus in the pasta water for 2-3 minutes, then add to the bacon.  Blanch the tips for 1 minute and set aside.  Toss and cook with the bacon for about 3 minutes, or until the asparagus is lightly browned and the bacon is crisp.  Drain on paper towels and set aside.

In a large bowl, much larger than you might think is necessary, whisk the egg yolk with the cream and add the Parmesan a few good grinds of black pepper.  You want a consistency similar to crepe batter; it should not hold its shape and should look loose enough to toss pasta, but you do not want it as thin as heavy cream. 

When the pasta is ready, drain it and dump it in the bowl with the egg yolk mixture, tossing immediately and coating every strand with eggy goodness.  Add the bacon and asparagus.  Place in bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips, and few grates of Parmesan and a little black pepper, if desired.

**Of course, people who are pregnant or who have comprimised immune systems should not consume undercooked eggs**

Let's Hear it for Preservation

 
Raise your hands if you have the winter blahs.  If you're anything like me, after the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over, you're ready to throw on some jammie pants, hop into bed, pull a nice down comforter over your head and settle in until the daffodils start to show their perky yellow heads, surfacing only to consume large amounts of carbohydrates - I am particularly fond of them in the form of cheesy pasta . . .

Unfortunately, the mortgage, cable, electric and gas companies keep expecting me to pay for services rendered, and I am therefore forced to rise occasionally and make my way into the cold, dark world to work.  Besides all of that, I am pale and mushy enough as it is, and I fear months spent immersed in dreamland, eating nothing but piles of Parmesan and butter-coated pasta surrounded by piles of books would render me into a shapeless translucent blob. 

All of that to say, I would like to raise up three cheers for modern preservation methods (an ancient ones), but particularly the invention of the white-lined can, which allows us to enjoy delicious tomatoes during even the coldest months.  Lately, I have been enjoying Trader Joe's fire roasted tomatoes in a can, which have a nice smoky flavor and make eating the occasional vegetable during winter tolerable.  I made a similar recipe the other day, but instead of the pasta and chicken, I placed a piece of fresh cod on top, coated it liberally with salt and pepper, and baked at 450 for 7 minutes, then added a little lemon juice and the bread crumbs and returned to the oven for another minute or 2.  Just so you know how you can interpret this recipe in other ways.

I love making bread crumbs - they seem to make everything just a little more delicious, giving a nice texture to pasta (or soup, or whatever).

Read the recipe, if desired, in the extended post . . .

Friday Pasta, aka Everything in a Bowl Pasta

Sometimes on Friday afternoons, there's a little bit of panic when I realize how much produce I have left in the fridge and the next day is market day.  It seems no matter how little I try to purchase, I always end up buying more than we can eat; especially if I well-meaningly planned meals while shopping at the market and then ended up eating out every other day.  It was no surprise to find myself standing in front of the fridge Friday, pulling out everything I could think of which would go nicely together.  It turned out quite tasty, and it's another example of using one basic recipe - pasta with butter or olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper - and adding to it as desired.  That's why I love pasta so much; it's a blank slate.  You can make it with nothing or pile things in and, as long as you cook your pasta properly, it's almost always good.  If you wanted to get in an extra bit of fiber, you could use whole wheat spaghetti without very much noticeable difference.

You can, of course, add or remove ingredients as suits your fancy.  For me, I was using everything from last Saturday's CSA box; it just so happened that everything fit together nicely.  I felt I was using such healthy ingredients that the good dose of butter, cream and Parmesan cheese was okay.  If you wanted to make this healthier, it's a cinch: substitute whole wheat pasta, leave out the butter and cream but add good, extra virgin olive oil (a good drizzle after the pasta is in the bowl); finely grated Parmesan can be used to good effect with under an ounce, so I leave it on even if I'm trying to watch the calories. 

I do recommend adding the greens - they are a great and sneaky way to get some extra nutrition.  I was writing an article on greens this week and was amazed to discover how good they are for you.  As I interviewed Sandy Sterrett of Elizabeth Telling, my CSA farmer, I learned she likes to pick the greens young, tender and delicious.  Just look at the picture below - can you believe how beautiful they are?  This is an assortment of Swiss chard, arugula, a few different varieties of mustard greens, and several other varieties I've completely forgotten.  You can buy greens now at the farmer's market; in the winter, they might be more difficult to come by, but you can almost always find kale, collards, arugula and mustard greens in the grocery store.  They aren't going to look like this, of course, but they'll still be good for you.  If you are using older greens, I'd recommend chopping them very finely to ensure they cook evenly. 

This is just personal opinion, but I like to cut all of my vegetables and put them in bowls or separated on a plate, and then cut the chicken last, even though I don't put it in last.  This is just so that I don't have to find a new cutting board and knife after cutting chicken.  Husband and I had (non-spinach related) food poisoning a few weeks ago and I can tell you, it's no fun.  So wash those chickeny hands and don't contaminate!

Friday Lunch Pasta - serves 2

6 ounces whole wheat or regular spaghetti, cooked according to package directions and set aside
olive oil
1 small onion, cut into half moons - or an assortment of sweet and other small onions, from CSA box, as I used
3 small shallots, cut into slivers
2 sweet red bell peppers - I used nice sweet Italian peppers from last week's market - cut into small dice and divided
1 large chicken breast, cut into 1/2" chunks and seasoned liberally with salt and pepper
4 Tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, shaved very thinly or minced
red pepper flakes
1/2 head broccoli, cut into very small florets
4 ounces shitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into slivers, or other mushrooms
1 large bunch assorted greens, picked over, chopped if big tough, and washed in several changes of water
1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
20 grates of Parmesan cheese - maybe an ounce or so, plus more for garnish (about 1/2 cup freshly grated)
salt and freshly cracked pepper
good, extra virgin olive oil, optional

Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add a little olive oil.  Add the onions, shallot, and half of the bell pepper (this is totally optional - I cooked half of the bell pepper down with the onions for taste and then added the other half later for texture) and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. 

Add the chicken and stir until it is cooked on both sides (it might not be cooked through yet, but it will be by the time you're finished), and then scoot everything to the top half of the pan.  Tilt the pan a little and add the butter; lower the heat a little, to medium-low, and add the garlic and red pepper flakes.  Cook until the garlic is soft, about 4 minutes (if the garlic is minced, only about 2 minutes), and then stir everything together; this is ensure the garlic is cooked without burning and the pepper flakes are soft.  Add the broccoli and cook until it begins to soften, a minute or so (this is why we cut it small), and then add the mushrooms and the remaining red bell peppers, stirring and tossing to make sure they get a nice bit of buttery goodness on.

Add the greens.  At this point, season everything liberally with salt.  Add the cream and turn the heat up; add the Parmesan cheese a little at a time, stirring to melt it into the cream as you go.  Stir everything together; the cream should coat everything with a little extra (to coat the pasta), everything should be cooked through but not mushy, and the greens should have wilted completely.

Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat.  Place in bowls and garnish with a little more Parmesan and a few good cracks of black pepper (cream just loves it!).

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Arugula

One of the best things about fall is the second harvest for greens.  I love greens of all sorts (okay, most sorts), and they get better the cooler it gets.  Arugula, called rocket pretty much everywhere else, is a peppery salad green which is great raw or cooked.  It can range in texture from smooth and soft to a little though, and in flavor from mildly peppery to really hot - especially the Italian varieties.  Aside from being lovely in salads, arugula makes a surprised surprising, of course - I think arugula would be interested to find itself surprised, not having emotions or anything in the first place - addition to sandwiches (especially roast beef), where it contributes more than the typical lettuce.  I like to pair arugula with other strong flavors, such as the sausage and onions below.  This is essentially a "sauceless" pasta, but I think all of the ingredients speak for themselves and go together so nicely that no sauce is needed.  Don't skip out on the good olive oil, though.  I don't know how an Italian mother would feel about this, but for some reason I prefer smooth pasta shapes when I'm going to go sauceless and add olive oil instead.  You, of course, can do whatever you prefer.

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Arugula - serves 2

6 ounces smooth penne
2 sweet or hot Italian sausage links
red pepper flakes
1/2 onion, cut into thin half moon slices
2 red peppers, roasted* and cut into 2" by 1/2" slivers
2 large handfuls arugula, well washed and torn, any tough stems removed
salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 tbsp vinegar - sherry, plain white, apple cider would all work well
Good extra virgin olive oil
good Parmesan cheese, optional

Cook the pasta in well-salted water according to package directions; remove a little of the pasta water and set aside, then drain the pasta and set aside.  In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add a little olive oil, and add the sausage to the pan - slice the casings and crumble the sausage with your fingers into the pan; season with crushed red pepper flakes.  When the sausage is cooked through, drain off the fat and place the sausage on a plate.  Add the onions to the pan and saute over medium-high heat - you want them to have some "toothiness" left, not to go all soft.  Add the peppers and return the sausage to the pan.  Stir everything through.  Add a little (1/4 cup) of the pasta water to the pan and scrape up any browned sausage bits that have accumulated.  The starch in the pasta water will help bind your ingredients together.  Add the arugula to the pan and sprinkle liberally with salt.  Stir everything together, add the vinegar, and allow the arugula to wilt down and soften.  Stir for about 2 minutes and taste a piece of arugula; add a little black pepper and correct seasonings as needed, cooking a little longer if the arugula is too tough.  Add the pasta back to the pan and toss to coat.  Place pasta in bowls and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired, and grate a little Parmesan over. 

Local Sources for this Recipe:

Italian Sausage came from Wagner's Pork at the Worthington Farmer's Market
Red peppers came from Wenger's Produce at the Worthington Farmer's Market
Arugula of various types came from Elizabeth Telling CSA, but she also sells it at the North Market Farmer's Market
Onions came from Cottage Gardens

*To roast red peppers: if you have a gas stove, you can simply place a whole pepper directly on the flame.  Char each side, turning with tongs.  When the entire pepper is black, place it in a paper bag and set aside for a few minutes, then remove it to paper towels.  The skin will rub right off - be careful, the pepper might be hot and might release steam.  Place on cutting board and carefully cut off the flesh, removing any seeds.  Cut into strips.  This is a lot easier than it sounds, as you can have the pepper charring on a back burner while you are doing everything else.  If you have an electric stove, place the pepper under the broiler and char it that way.  OR, just use canned roasted red peppers!