Besotted Gourmet » Vegetarian

Marvelous Vegetables

Jessica — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:21:57 +0000

Truman Capote once wrote, “The difference between the very rich and regular people is that the rich serve such marvelous vegetables.”

Obvious snobbery aside, was Truman making an observation on the socio-economics and agro-economics of setting a table? After all, to invest more resources in order to enhance the quality of a low-calorie food suggests that one’s resources are not terribly constrained. To prioritize the pleasure of a ‘marvelous vegetable’ over the utility of a higher-calorie comestible does seem luxurious… until you do the math on a farm-share or CSA membership.

I’ve paid $125 to split a quarter share at Allandale Farm in Brookline, with my dear friend, LN. For the $250 combined we get a weekly box-plus (they always hand over another bag of vegetables) to share for 20 weeks. The quality and variety are, to use Truman’s description, marvelous, and I do agree with his sentiment that the difference between an ordinary and an extraordinary table can be found in the quality (or marvelousness) of the vegetables served.

So, for those of you that think that farm-shares are just for trustafarians or the Bohemian-rich, do the math and you may be surprised to find that even us not-very-rich-folk can serve marvelous vegetables, too.

Below are a few tips for enjoying truly marvelous vegetables, but, please, don’t try these techniques with sub-par fare. The techniques are simple and designed to enhance existing flavor, not add any, so, if you’re using crap vegetables with no flavor, you’ll just end up with hot or slightly-warmed crap vegetables with no flavor.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes – Drizzle cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast in the oven or toaster oven at 300° for 10 minutes.

Roasted Carrots – Chop carrots into ½ inch slices. Toss with olive oil or dot with butter and 1 Tsp-1Tbls. (depending on how many carrots you’re using) five spice powder, salt & pepper, and raw sugar. Roast in a 350-400° oven or toaster oven for 20-30 minutes.

Beets – Peel beets, toss with olive oil , salt & pepper. Roast in a 350° oven for 30 minutes

Corn – Remove the kernels from the cob. Saute in 1 part olive oil and 1 part butter over medium heat for 10-15 minutes (longer if you like your corn mushier). Season with salt & pepper. Optional: Add chopped basil, goat cheese, feta cheese, thyme, cayenne pepper, or any other flavorings that you like (not all at once, in case that wasn’t obvious). Corn makes a great canvas for your culinary creativity and preferences.

Minty, Mashy Peas

Jessica — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:34:20 +0000

I know, I know, it’s been WAY too long since I’ve posted. And, I could sit here and list out all of my excuses – crushingly busy at work, wedding season, the fact that my un-air-conditioned apartment has been topping 100 degrees lately, and the idea of sitting with my laptop in my lap makes me want to tear off my own skin – but I won’t.

I will tell you that, despite the internet-evidence, I have actually been cooking quite a bit. My farm share, split with the former Miss LM, now Mrs. LS (!) started a month or so ago, and I’ve been having such fun playing with new recipes, including the minty mashy peas (and about 12 variations on them) from a previous post, spinach pasta with roasted beets in a cream sauce, creamed cauliflower, veal scaloppine with butter and shallots, and, most recently, dear CS’s surprising and addictive basil ice cream.

Other major updates include the addition of Mini-Cooper to the Besotted kitchen… no, not a car, but the cuddliest, cutest little bundle of joy, care of CS; the aforementioned wedding of Miss LM to Jimmy; and the start of my cooking class series. The first class, held in late June at the Boston Center for Adult Education, included recipes featuring fruits & veggies that are harvested in the mid-June to mid-July time frame – lots of greens, carrots, berries, green onions, and peas.

The next class will be held August 25th, and, while I haven’t decided on the curriculum yet, I’m leaning heavily towards a tomato, corn, and peaches-heavy curriculum – think tomato, basil, and ricotta tarts, peach pies, sauteed corn, grilled corn with queso (a la Toro), and light, fresh tomato sauces. This is just a sneak preview for what I’m thinking of – if there are any suggestions, now’s the time to send them. And, if you’re in the Boston area, you can sign up for the class here.

Now, for the main event – this minty, mashy pea recipe is as versatile as it is tasty. I’ve spooned it straight out of a cup for lunch, spread it on toasted nan for dinner, or covered little toasts for an appetizer, and it all works beautifully. Not only that, but most of the ingredients, even the peas, as I near-disasterously discovered during my cooking class, are subject to substitution. Toss in basil, mint, parsley, or other herbs at will; add more or less garlic, depending on your taste; capers would go nicely, if you like them. The only items that are not optional are the feta and greek yogurt – they really make this dish.

Minty Mashy Peas, Serves 4
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Bunch Mint, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 ½ cups frozen or shelled peas or sugar snap peas
1 Bunch Scallions, chopped
4 Tbls. Olive Oil
½ lb. Greek Yogurt
½ lb. Feta

Preparation:

Set water to boil in large sauce pan and boil peas for 3 minutes and drain.

Put the minced garlic and lemon juice in a bowl and set aside.

Put the yogurt and feta in a bowl, mash well to blend and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, chop the peas, garlic and lemon juice, scallions, and mint until they’re a lumpy consistency.

Add the pea mixture to the yogurt and cheese, mix well, and season with salt & pepper.

Enjoy!

Spring Time Dishes

Jessica — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:57:42 +0000

So, I took my first cooking class at the BCAE this weekend with a 16-year veteran, Diane Manteca. She specializes in Italian cooking (and tosses a couple Chinese courses in to keep things interesting). I was there auditing the class to see how they’re run, test out the facilities, and get some tips from one of their most popular instructors.

The class was great, but it dawned on me in the middle of it that while I’ve been caught up in all of the exciting elements – talking about farm shares, locally grown produce, what apron I would wear, should I wear practical clogs or really fun heels? – I’m yet to nail down the particulars of what I’m actually going to cook.

All is not lost though…. I have some favorites from last year’s share, and I’ve been getting on a ‘veggie-heavy’ kick since the snow thawed and more local produce has been showing up at my local Whole Foods.

Let me know what you think of the dishes below – recipes not included just yet, as I’m still doing a bit of tweaking in advance of the class. Also, if you have any meat dishes that also include Spring time produce, please send my way – while this class is about how to cook farm share produce, it’s not vegetarian, and I’d like to toss in some meat options, loaded with veg to round out the offering.

Let me know what you think….

Minty Mashy Peas…

Roasted Golden Beet and Sugar Rhubarb Spaghetti….

Sauteed Asian Scallops with Leeks and Asparagus….

And, an oldie but goodie – Asian Veggie Raviolis….

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Thyme Sauce

Jessica — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:24:50 +0000

I’m always curious to know what people shop for in a supermarket and why? What one person considers a staple, another considers a rare occasion treat. I remember being 13 years old, being at a friend’s house, and they had an enormous, family-sized bag of M&Ms in the pantry… 2 hours later, they didn’t, because I had managed to polish off the vast majority of the bag – I was both permanently hungry and had a much faster metabolism as a teenager. Sadly, only one of those things has changed… but I digress…

The reason for my voracious and greedy appetite was the fact that a bag of M&Ms never entered my own pantry. This was a treat and luxury that I could never have dreamed of – candy, open and available at a moment’s notice – and the cunning little imp in me couldn’t pass up the opportunity to over-indulge.

15 years later and I marvel at what others keep in their pantries, and have no doubt that my own shopping habits raise a few eyebrows. I was walking through the grocery store last week, passed a display of Parmesan Cheese, and mindlessly picked one up, as it is a critical staple in my household. It wasn’t until PT looked into my cheese drawer and pointed out that I had 7 different cheeses in there that it occurred to me that I may be deeply strange in this particular respect… possibly in others, but we’re talking about cheese right now.

I have two bricks of Parmesan, an aged Gouda, Mahon, Emmenthaler, Gruyere, and two aged Cheddars. That’s normal, right?

They make a great snack, and they’re awesome when you have to whip up something comforting and cheesy in a pinch, like a Sweet Grilled Cheese, Aglio e Olio, or Sweet Potato Gnocchi, which is just little bundles of amazing deliciousness.

I was a little intimidated when I first decided to make these little orange-jeweled gnocchi, but it turned out to be far easier than some of the more ambitious doughy items I’ve attempted (ahem, pie crust – not easy when you have less than 2 square feet of counter space), and it’s instantly impressive when you tell people that you made your own pasta.

Toss these in a little brown butter with thyme and serve with a big salad or hearty winter vegetables for a delicious mid-week dinner.

Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Thyme Sauce, Serves 4

Adapted from East Village Kitchen

Prep Time: 1 Hour

Total Prep Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients:

For the Gnocchi:

1 1lb. Yam

6oz. Ricotta Cheese

½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1 Tbls. Brown Sugar

1 Tsp. Salt

1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg

1 1/3 Cup Flour

For the Browned Butter Thyme Sauce:

½ Cup Butter

3 Tsp. Thyme, chopped

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Prepare the yam by placing it in a large pot filled with cold salt water; bring the water to boil with the yam inside and allow to boil for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the yam and allow to cool until just warm to the touch and set the boiled water aside.

Scrape the yam flesh into a large bowl and add the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar, combine well with a fork.

Add the flour, ½ cup at a time and blend until the mixture is soft and dough-like.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and, slowly rock the dock back and forth between the the bottom of your palms and heels of your hand. You’ll see it slowly start to elongate and become rope-like. As much as possible, focus on any areas of the dough that are remaining thick and try to get the rope’s width as even as possible.

With a sharp knife, cut off 1-inch pieces of the dough and set aside on a lined cookie sheet. I’m boring, and leave my little gnocchi unadorned, but you can feel free to mark with an insignia (fork tines, back of spoon, a personal stamp, etc.)

Bring the pot of yammy water to boil again, add a bit more salt, and toss the gnocchi in in batches – just be sure not to crowd the pot, and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon, place in a bowl and cover with tin foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, get on making your brown butter sauce by heating the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, until it starts to bubble and turn brown. Skim some of the bubbles off of the butter and add the thyme (be careful, it will crackle and pop!). Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, just to keep warm while you cook the rest of your gnocchi.

Once all of the gnocchi are cooked, toss in with the brown butter sauce, mix around, plate, serve, and enjoy!

Fettuccine with Pecan Herb Sauce

Jessica — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:32:55 +0000

In a thoroughly unsurprising development, the holiday season has left me with less time than I’d like to do the things I enjoy most – namely putter around the kitchen and cook. I eat out too much, go to too many parties, and order delivery too often in an effort to save time for gift-wrapping, which inevitably takes 5 times longer than it takes the average all-thumbed clutz, that I end up cooking less during this home and hearth-oriented season than usual.

And, quite frankly, eating out so much sounds fun, but it is a bit off-putting. I like my own cooking, I like creating something, I like knowing what goes into it, I like being in my kitchen and doing the familiar dance around my pantry and stove, and not doing it makes me feel out of sorts.

Which is why it’s important to have recipes like Fettuccine with Pecan Herb Sauce that are the amazing combination of delicious, easy, quick-to-make, and healthy – in short, it gives me the face time with my kitchen that I crave and results in a pretty fantastic meal. Win, win…and…. win.

Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Fettuccine with Pecan Herb Sauce, Serves 4

Adapted from Caprial’s Bistro Style Cuisine

Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Total Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 Cup Pecans

½ Cup Parmesan, grated

3 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1/3 Cup Thyme Leaves, chopped

1/3 Cup Basil Leaves, chopped

2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

1lb. Fettuccine

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 250° and put a pot of salted water onto boil. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven (or a toaster oven) for 10 minutes or until fragrant… once you start to smell their toasty goodness, they’re ready to come out.

Once the water has started to boil, add the fettuccine and cook for 8-10 minutes or according to the box instructions, and then, get on making the pecan herb sauce.

Place the toasted pecans, grated parmesan, thyme and basil leaves in the bowl of a food processor or mini-food processor. Chop or pulse until fine. Add the extra-virgin olive oil through the feed tube with the processor running. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Once the fettuccine has finished cooking, drain, but leave the noodles a bit wet, and mix with the pecan herb sauce. Toss well, serve, and enjoy!

Vibrant Veggie Soup and little Monday (or Tuesday) Morning Quarterbacking

Jessica — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:46:28 +0000

As promised, November’s posts starts with a recipe made from Gourmet’s October issue, what they called Scarlet Carrot Soup, but which I’ve modified to more of a Vibrant Veggie Soup. When I described the contents to PT – tons of carrots, beets, and parsnips – he crinkled his nose and grabbed a carrot cupcake with maple frosting, presumably to soothe himself from the raw shock of so many vegetables.

As it turns out, the soup was delicious, thanks to a liberal dose of coriander, which playfully and spicily tickled the back of my throat. And while I hope that you do try this soup, as it is incredibly easy, healthy, and tasty, it’s not really what this post is about….

I was flipping through my Gourmet this weekend, pen and post-it notes in hand, and mentally eschewing all of the critiques that had emerged since its demise – that it was out of touch with home cooks, spoke a language that no one understood, wasn’t attune to the economy, etc. I set out to mark the recipes that I couldn’t live without making, and I noticed something that I hadn’t before. I got to page 103 of my October issue and had only seen 3 recipes. This isn’t expected from the iconic cooking magazine that mentored and guided America’s home cooks for the last 70 years.

In Gourmet’s defense, it is their Restaurant Issue, but I have a refrigerator filled with farm share veggies and the crisp Fall air has me in the mood to turn my oven on. Looking for recipes as though they were needles in hay stack was a little disappointing. It was an eye-opening moment when I saw all of the critiques that I had rejected glaring at me from glossy pages.

I still mourn Gourmet’s passing, just with a touch more understanding and perspective.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Vibrant Veggie Soup, Serves 6-8

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Simmering Time: 30 Minutes
Total Prep Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients:

For the Soup:

¼ Cup Olive Oil

2 Onions, chopped

1/8 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

6 Carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

2 Beets, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 Parsnip, cut into ½ inch pieces

3 Sprigs Thyme, leaves removed from stems

2 Turkish Bay Leaves

2 Tsp. Coriander

8 Cups Water

2 Tbls. Red Wine Vinegar

For the Carrot Ribbons:

2 Carrots

2-3 Tbls. Flour

½ Tsp. Salt

3 Cups Peanut Oil for Frying

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in large stock pot. Once hot, add the onions, thyme leaves, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes and cook the onions until they’re softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, beets, parnsip, water, and coriander to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium-low heat and let simmer, covered for 20 minutes.

While the soup is coming to a boil, start making your carrot ribbons. Heat the oil in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 325°. While it’s heating, make your carrot ribbons by peeling carefully down the length of the carrot with a vegetable peeler until you reach the core.

Toss the carrot ribbons in a bowl with the flour and salt until well-covered. Once the oil reaches 325°, add the carrot ribbons in 2 batches and fry for 1-2 minutes. Let drain on a plate covered with paper towels until the soup is ready to be served.

Now, back to the soup…. Once it’s simmered for 20 minutes, turn the heat off and stir it for a minute or so to release the steam. If you have a hand-held blender, the next step is going to be easy-as-pie – sadly, if you don’t, it’s going to be a bit stickier. With the hand-held blender, simply blend the soup carefully until smooth. If you don’t have one (it may be time to invest), you’ll have to very carefully take the soup to the processor or blender in batches to puree.

Once pureed, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls, top with your carrot ribbons, serve (with a big slice of Cheddar Bread), and enjoy!

Lovely Fall Onion Jam

Jessica — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:00:30 +0000

There are certain cookbooks in my library that are stained, dog-earred, and otherwise, lovingly mistreated with their overuse. And then there are those that are not. This latter number is far smaller, and there is one reason why 3 or 4 of my cookbooks are rarely opened…. these cookbooks scare me.

They are all derived from famous restaurants around the globe, were all bought in a fuzzy haze of culinary ambition bordering on delusion, and have fantastic, exotic sounding recipes that, as it turns out, are a bit of a pain in the ass to actually make. When a cookbook actually dictates the type of green you must use (lamb’s lettuce, butter lettuce, red perella, perhaps) as opposed to the quotidian “mesclun mix”, you know you’re in trouble.

But, one recent afternoon day, armed with a strong dose of brazen assertiveness, I took my Zuni Cafe Cookbook, the scariest of them all, and decided to try one of Judy Rodgers more modest recipes.

This onion jam is the quintessence of what I consider a Judy Rodgers recipe – its rustic simplicity, incredibly complex flavor, and long, slow simmering time give it that lovely combination of being both simple to prepare but painstaking enough to make you feel truly special and accomplished (and who doesn’t want that?)

The only adjustments I made were to the title and a couple of the cooking times (just increased specificity really). She lumps this onion jam in with a larger meal, but I thought it was so good, that it should really be the focus. Spread it on top of some creamy goat cheese, served on little toasts, and you’ll know what I mean.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Lovely Fall Onion Jam, Serves 4-6

Adapted from Zuni Cafe Cookbook

Ingredients:

1lb. Red Onion, Sliced into half moons

1-2 Tbls. Olive Oil

¼ Tsp. Salt

1 Tbls. + 2 Tbls. Honey

1 Bay Leaf

1 Cup Red Wine

3 Tbls. Balsamic Vinegar

Preparation:

Heat the onions, olive oil, and salt in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium-low heat. Cover and let the onions sweat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 25 minutes, moisture will start to puddle in the pan and cover. Remove the cover and allow to cook for 15 more minutes.

Try one of the onion slivers; if there is no bitterness, stir in the honey and cook for 5 minutes. If there is bitterness, cover the sauce pan and cook for another 5 minutes before adding the honey.

Add the bay leaf and red wine, and turn the heat up to just under the medium mark to bring the mixture to a low simmer for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, drop the temperature down to low and cook for 1 hour, again, stirring occasionally.

The wine gives the onions a gorgeous, glossy purple hue.

After 1 hour, add the balsamic vinegar and cook, still at low heat, for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, most of the moisture should have been cooked off or absorbed, but there will be a small puddle left. Turn the heat up to medium, stirring constantly, until all of the moisture is absorbed or evaporated, about 5 minutes. Be careful to remove from heat as soon as the moisture is no longer visible.

Allow the onion jam to cool to room temperature and either serve at room temperature or cool further in the refrigerator.

When you do decide to serve, spread over goat cheese covered toasts, serve, and enjoy!

Harukei Turnip Gratin – Trying to achieve balance

Jessica — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:00:54 +0000

I imagine that you probably think that farmshare folks sit around in homespun hemp gnawing on raw vegetables with ascetic delight. And that may be true for some folks, but I prefer a bit of indulgence to balance out the veggie virtue.

The late comedian, Mitch Hedburg, once declared that he believed that eating a good food with a bad food cancelled out the negative affects of the bad food. Eating a carrot, along with some fries, gave the fries a ‘free pass’ into his gullet, and I must admit, I adhere strongly to the same principles.

Butter and cream seem a lot less dastardly when used to cook carrots, but somehow take on a forbidding countenance when used to make a crème anglaise or some burnt butter cupcakes. Irrational, but true.

Which is why, when confronted with a bucket of harukei turnips, the only reasonable solution was to drown them in a bath of hot heavy cream and milk. A heaping tablespoon of horseradish and some rosemary cut the heaviness of the turnips and cream, and turned them into a creamy bit of lush virtuous veggie deliciousness.

Serve these with a flavorful hunk of meat and a big green salad – you’ll want some fresh, raw greens to balance out the creaminess of the harukei turnip gratin. And, as always, enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Harukei Turnip Gratin, Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Simmering Time: 25 Minutes

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1 Cup Whole Milk

1 Cup Harukei Turnips, sliced into discs

2 Tbls. Fresh Horseradish

1 Tsp. Dried or Fresh Rosemary

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat the cream and milk in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.

Gorgeous, earthy turnips

Add the sliced harukei turnips and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the horseradish and the rosemary, cover the sauce pan, and let cook for 20-25 minutes, until the turnips are tender, stirring occasionally.

Uncover the turnips once, divide between four plates, remind yourself that anything tastes good drowned in cream, serve, and enjoy!

Tangy Mustard Cole Slaw

Jessica — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:00:28 +0000

After a weekend of decadent wedding food and, horror of all horrors, two pit stops at McD’s, I came home craving, yearning for my the fresh veggies from my latest farm share.

Not long after arriving at home, a pile of peppers, bunches of carrots, and one large, firm, brilliant head of cabbage found themselves on the chopping block, awaiting shredding by my lethally powerful Cuisinart.

A bit of mayonnaise, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and mustard later, and I was delving into a crunchy, tangy, refreshing, and so-satisfying bowl of tangy mustard cole slaw.

So, if you’re looking for a bit of cleansing, or just have too many veggies from your latest farm share, try this (or any variation on) a cole slaw recipe for instant gratification and purification.

Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Tangy Mustard Cole Slaw, Serves 12

Prep Time: 20-30 Minutes

Total Time: 20-30 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 Head Cabbage, trimmed and cored
2 Ribs Celery, trimmed and cut in half
2 Carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut in half
2 Green Bell Peppers, trimmed, cored, and de-seeded
2 Tbls. Mayonnaise
1 Tbls. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbls. Dijon Mustard
1 Tsp. Mustard Seed
2 Tsp. Sugar
½ Tsp. Pepper

Preparation:

Get your Cuisinart (or other food processor) ready to do its duty. With the shredding blade fitted, shred the cabbage and set aside in a large bowl. Shred the peppers, celery and carrots one time, setting aside each shredded vegetable in a separate bowl. Once finished with all of the vegetables, send the shredded vegetables through the Cuisinart, in the same manner, once again, to get a finer shred.

Quick and lethal

Add the shredded vegetables to the bowl with the cabbage and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, dijon mustard, mustard seed, sugar, and pepper. Mix well and pour over the shredded vegetables.

Toss to combine, plate, serve, and enjoy!

Linguine with Summer Tomato Sauce

Jessica — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:17:28 +0000

Things have been a little hectic around Chez Besotted lately, but the brisk Fall air, ushering in the change of seasons has me very excited for some of my cold weather favorites – chicken stock and soup, pies, and scones, and braised meats.

But, there’s still just enough summer left in the air for a de-constructed Summer tomato sauce, made with farm-fresh tomatoes. This is a no-cook, light and easy week-night dinner (unless you count cooking the pasta) that really capitalizes on the flavor and brightness of local tomatoes.

Aside from the pasta, the only other cooking involved is done by the vinegar in the sauce. This is one of my favorite tricks for keeping flavors really light and fresh, but still ‘cooking’ out the face-puckering bite of things like garlic, onions, and ginger. Any acid – vinegar, lemon, lime, and orange juice – ‘cook’ the items that they are marinading, including meats, herbs, and vegetables. It’s the same principle used in ceviche, any salad dressings that you’ve made that use raw garlic, and even the green beans in mustard vinaigrette recipe.

There’s no heat involved, but the acid breaks down the food in the same way that heat would, easing and mellowing the flavor, and it does it beautifully here. Enjoy!*

*Obviously, it goes without saying that this method would not be used to ‘cook’ food to kill bacteria and should only be used on foods that could otherwise be eaten raw.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Linguine with Summer Tomato Sauce, Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

1lb. Linguine

2 Tbls. Olive Oil

4 Medium-Sized Tomatoes, roughly chopped into cubes

½ Cup Parsley, chopped

½ Cup Basil, chopped

4 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 ½ Tbls. White Wine Vinegar

½ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Set a pot of water to boil, seasoned with salt and 2 Tbls. olive oil, for the pasta.

In the mean time, place the chopped tomatoes, parsley, basil, and garlic in a large bowl, and mix together.

Pour the vinegar on top and mix well. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the pasta is nearly done cooking.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the packages instructions.

Just before the pasta is done cooking, whisk the extra-virgin olive oil into the tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the tomato mixture, mixing well. Divide among four plates, serve, and enjoy!