Archive for Pasta
Penne with Swiss Chard Stems and Sausage
What better way to celebrate our last harvest of Swiss chard than by using the colorful stems to make a hearty pasta dish? The flavors found in this recipe aren’t your typical American variety. They’re reminiscent of northern European fare, weaving together smoky sausage with tangy apple cider vinegar and sweet yet earthy caraway seeds.
After finishing this meal, we knew that we had come up with a dish that could serve as a main course, without leaving any stomachs unsatisfied. This is definitely not a lunch meal. It’s best enjoyed at the dinner table, perhaps with a cold glass of beer, a side of brussel sprouts, and a hungry group of friends.
Penne and Swiss Chard with Gorgonzola Sauce
Another influx of chard challenged us to come up with not only one dish, but two: one using the actual greens, and the other using the stems. We like to separate them because of their different textures, flavors, and cooking requirements.
Our bounty of chard was accompanied by the arrival of our potted tomato plant’s harvest, so we hoped to make something that could incorporate the sharp flavor of a homegrown tomato.
Lately, our cravings have leaned towards pasta dishes, so we adapted a linguine, spinach and gorgonzola recipe from Cooking Light 2004 to suit our circumstances.
It’s been too hot to grow spinach here in the Mesilla Valley for over a month now, but Swiss chard is holding on. Not for long, though. The summer heat’s getting to be too much for the chard as well, so we might be making our last Swiss chard dishes until the fall. Let’s make the most of it while it’s here!
Pasta Primavera with Summer Squash
As we drove home from the farm with a patty pan and more crookneck squash in the backseat, it dawned on us that it might be nice to make “pasta primavera,” a simple Italian dish prepared with pasta and fresh vegetables. Although “primavera” means “spring” we decided to bend the rules by using summer squash!
The crooknecks and patty pans contributed a soft, nutty flavor that fit perfectly with our seasonings: fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. At the last minute, a creamy sauce came to mind as the perfect way to meld all the flavors together. It made this dish substantial enough to hold its own as a light summer meal.
Pasta with Swiss Chard Stems and Bacon
When we made our Creamed Swiss Chard a few nights ago, we were left with the colorful ribs and stems. We usually fold the leaves in half and cut off the stems to be cooked separately because their flavor and texture are distinct from the leaves.
We read that in Europe, the stems are often treated like asparagus while the leaves are discarded. Inspired by this practice, we tried to find a recipe that could emphasize the crispiness of these stems. What we decided on was a pasta dish that incorporated smoky bacon and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. The final result was full of flavor and character, cinching its place as a frequent and favorite side on our table.
