Pasta with roasted veggies and Swiss chard
My mom suggested that I try the roasted cauliflower as a pasta sauce. So this is what I came up with. Thanks mom.
Day 1:
I made the roasted cauliflower one night after dinner (five minute prep and into the oven, it really wasn't any trouble.) I also added a can of artichokes and a few extra garlic cloves to the cauliflower recipe in anticipation of its future as a sauce. When everything was roasted, I just popped it into the fridge so I would have something to work with the next day.
Day 2:
The next day, I got home from work and it was time to hustle a meal before my husband had to leave for Judo class.
I was thinking mushrooms and Swiss chard (I am pretty much always thinking Swiss chard, but this time I actually had some.)
The Swiss chard went into a salad spinner full of water to soak off the dirt. This is the easiest way to clean greens. Just let it soak in still water and the dirt settles to the bottom. Lift the greens out and dump the water. Repeat if necessary.
Olive oil went into a deep frying pan with crushed pepper and garlic. Then onion and two chopped portabella mushrooms.
I let the mixture cook down a bit so the mushrooms would brown a little before adding the greens. This keeps the mushrooms from steaming. It is a texture issue and an important one for my husband who really only eats mushrooms because he loves me. Any slime is pushing things too far.
While the mushrooms cooked, I chopped several handfuls of the greens into small strips.
Then the greens went into the pan. After everything had cooked down a bit, I added the cauliflower and olive mixture. Then after everything was settled in, I added a half-cup of chicken broth, seasoned with salt and pepper and small handful of chopped parsley. Voila.
After I tossed the pasta with the veggies, it still needed something so I threw in a bunch or grated Parmesan cheese, which helped thicken it and round out the flavors. What it really needed was pancetta. Maybe next time.
For a whole-grain alternative, serve the sauce over quinoa cooked in chicken broth. This is how I ate it, and it was delicious. My kids ate a bunch off my plate, so I may make it that way for the family next time.
Pasta with roasted veggies and Swiss chard
One batch roasted cauliflower, olives and artichoke hearts. Here is the link.
Medium bunch of Swiss chard
Two portabella mushrooms, tops only, chopped into thin pieces
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
crushed red pepper
fresh parsley
good salt
pepper
(Optional pancetta, it would be great with this, but the above works well as a veggie, or no pork version.)
1/2 -3/4 pound of pasta
Prepare the cauliflower ahead of time.
Remove the stems and soak the Swiss chard leaves to remove the dirt. Chop into small strips.
Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta.
Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan. Then add crushed red pepper, then garlic. Make sure the garlic doesn't brown. Add the onion, let it sweat. If you are going to add the pancetta, add it now. Then add the mushrooms. Let them release and even brown a little before you add the greens. (You don't want them to steam.)
Add the greens, let cook down until the green are soft and beginning to darken. Add cauliflower mixture.
Sometime in here the water for the pasta should have boiled, unless you forgot to turn the heat on, I've never done this of course.) Assuming you have boiling water, add the pasta. If not, swear briefly, then get that darn heat on.
Now back to the sauce. When everything has cooked down for a few minutes, add half a cup of chicken broth. (You can add a little more if you need more liquid.) When the flavors have blended, season with salt and pepper and toss in a hand full of chopped fresh parsley.
Drain the pasta, leaving it a little wet with the cooking water.
Toss the sauce with the pasta. If you did not add the pancetta toss in several tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
Serve with extra cheese.
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Comments
This looks yummy....maybe next time ill get a taste...lol.Glad everyone liked it..and may try to make myself. I may suprise you .. mary
- by mary on Oct 6, 2007 at 8:43 PM | link