Carbonara with tomatoes, chives, & bacon

A simple, hearty dish that makes good use of fresh veggies.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20-25 minutes
Serves:   6 at least

INGREDIENTS
1 lb whole grain pasta (your favorite shape)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chives, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Start water heating for the pasta.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon, and slice the tomatoes and chives.

Cook the pasta.  When it is al dente, reserve a cup of the pasta water and drain the rest in a colander.  Return the pasta to the cooking pot .  Add the eggs and Parmesan and stir (the hot pasta will cook the eggs).  Stir in some of the reserved pasta water and stir.  You will notice that the water will disappear.  Stir in a little at a time until a creamy sauce appears in the bottom of the pot.  Now stir in the tomatoes, chives and bacon. 

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve this with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and all is right with the world.  Don't skimp on the freshly ground black pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Oven Dried Tomatoes

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick










This simple method enables amazing things - concentrated flavor, and the ability to easily store a million tomatoes well into colder months. The fact that the space required is dramatically reduced is an added bonus.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: Overnight

The quantities listed here are used as an example only, the method will work regardless of the number of tomatoes used. I like to use enough to fill every rack in the oven to make efficient use of space and heat.

INGREDIENTS
4 lbs tomatoes (every kind will work, romas work better than others since they have a slightly lower water content).
Garlic salt

DIRECTIONS
Line baking trays with parchment paper.

Wash, dry, and slice the tomatoes into wedges or halves of roughly equivalent size to others on the same tray. If, for example, you have cherry tomatoes in your mix, put them all on one tray as you may want to remove them from the oven at a different time from other trays.

Arrange the wedges skin side down. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Place trays in the oven set at the lowest heat setting (150 works well. Use the convection setting if you have it available). Check the oven after a few hours to guage the dry rate - my oven takes about 8-10 hours. The resulting tomatoes will be almost completely dry, with concentrated, delicious tomato flavor.

Storage: Oven dried tomatoes can be stored in clean glass jars, covered with olive oil, for at least a couple of months. (The tomato oil also becomes a great recipe enhancer.) I am also testing using freezer bags in the freezer, which take even less space.

Variations: Oven dry garlic and rosemary with the tomatoes, and add to the oil.

Tip: Slice grape or cherry tomatoes in half for faster drying. In spite of their small size, keeping them whole allows their skins to keep moisture in.

Toss oven dried tomatoes with pasta, use in stews or on pizza, or serve with crumbled feta. Any way you slice 'em, they're delicious.

Tatsoi Mac & Cheese

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick









This is not your kids' mac and cheese. 

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  6-8

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni (or your favorite pasta shape)
5 strips bacon
3 cloves garlic2 cups chopped tatsoi, stem parts separated from leaves
1 tsp. ground paprika
2 eggs, whisked
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS
Heat water for your macaroni.

While water is heating cook the bacon in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat.  When bacon is done, remove to drain on paper towels and pour off excess fat, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pan (or use olive oil).  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, or until tanned and fragrant.  Add the tatsoi stems and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring.  Then add the leaves, and sprinkle with the paprika.  Cover, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until greens are wilted.  Remove from heat.

Cook the pasta as you like it.  Drain the pasta, quickly return to the pan, and stir in the eggs.  The hot pasta will cook the eggs.  Then stir in the sour cream, Parmesan, and crushed red pepper, if using. 

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, and garnishing with chopped cilantro.

A rich pasta dish like this will pair well with a range of wines, from a full bodied white, such as a California chardonnay; to a dry rose, or even a light or medium-bodied red.

Macaroni with Peppers, Spinach & Mushrooms

 












Mushrooms bring umame (a hearty, meaty flavor) to this vegetable-intensive entree.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6, probably with leftovers

INGREDIENTS
1 pound whole wheat macaroni (or your favorite pasta)
2 Tablespoons + 3 Tablespoons olive oil, separated
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
8 ounces sliced oyster mushrooms (or your favorite)
2-3 cups fresh spinach, frozen spinach, or cooked hearty greens (kale, collards, etc)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Cook the pasta. While pasta is cooking, heat 2 TB  olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the garlic for 1 minute, stirring. Add the peppers and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and spinach and cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes or until peppers are tender crisp and spinach is wilted.

Drain the pasta when al dente, return to the pasta pot, and stir in the vegetables from the skillet.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and topping with Parmesan cheese.

Variation: add chopped cooked chicken, pork, or sausage.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Tatsoi Carbonara

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick









This essentially vegetarian pasta dish uses orecchiette because the shape matches the rough size of chopped vegetables... oh, all right, and because  I like the sound of "orecchiette".

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20-25 minutes
Serves:   6 plus high probability of leftovers

INGREDIENTS
1 lb whole wheat pasta, your favorite shape
3 TB olive oil
1 TB butter
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bunch tatsoi, cleaned, stems separated from leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. lemon grass (optional)
1 egg
1 large tomato, chopped
10-12 basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
2 TB olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cook the pasta per package directions to an al dente texture.

While water is heating, melt the butter with the olive oil in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat and saute the shallots and garlic for 3-4 minutes, stirring.  Add the tatsoi stems and saute for another 7 minutes, then add the tatsoi greens and the lemon grass if using, cover, and cook for 3 minutes or until greens wilt.

When pasta is done, quickly drain and and return it to the cooking pot or place in a large bowl.  Add the egg and stir (the hot pasta will cook the egg).  Add the greens, tomato, basil, and Parmesan and combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with a glass of rose and, even if it's February it will feel like a summer night.

Pasta with Fava Beans, Chard, and Parsley

There's a kindred spirit between earthy, al dente whole wheat pasta and the earthy, vibrant flavors of fresh chard and parsley. Layer in the richness of fava beans and sauteed onions, and this is a dish to make more than once.




Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-6 with leftovers

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1 small bunch chard, stems and leaves separated and chopped
1-2 cups prepared fava beans*
1 bunch parsley, washed and coarsely chopped
1 pound whole wheat pasta, your favorite
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat water for the pasta.

Saute the onion for 5 minutes in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chard stems and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring. Add the chard leaves, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until leaves are wilted. Stir in the prepared fava beans and set aside.

Cook the pasta, drain, and return pasta to the cooking pot. Stir in the vegetable mix from the skillet, and the chopped parsley. Distribute to serving plates, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and topping with Parmesan.

*To prepare fresh fava beans in the amount called for in this recipe, start with about two pounds of fava bean pods.  Remove the beans, and  cook them for two minutes in salted boiling water.  Drain in a colander, and then place beans in a bowl of ice water.  Drain, and then carefully slip the outer covering off each bean (discard outer covering).  Place beans in a bowl, and they are ready to use.

Variation - substitute other prepared dry beans for the favas.

This dish is gorgeous with a dry rose wine. Enjoy while looking out over the vineyards, with Mt. Ventoux in the distance.  The bike ride to the top can wait until tomorrow.

Pasta with Green Beans, Red Peppers, & Caramelized Onions

Pasta tossed with Grilled Clams and Cherry Tomatoes

Bring the taste of summer right to your back yard! This recipe was prepared for the Phantom Gourmet.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

The Clams
12 or more littleneck clams
4 TB butter
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 lemon

The Pasta
1 lb your favorite pasta, cooked (whole wheat spaghetti is delicious with this dish)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Pepper to taste

Boil water and cook the pasta per package directions.

Preheat the grill.

Melt the butter in the microwave, and stir in the garlic and red pepper.

Scrub clams under cold water, and arrange them in a single layer on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they pop wide open. While the clams are cooking, distribute the pasta to plates, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Top each plate of pasta with an equal number of clams, arranging with meat side down. Spoon a little of the garlic butter into each clam. Distribute grape tomatoes around the clams, sprinkle the plate with shredded Parmesan, drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with black pepper, and serve.

Tip: Do not use any clams that are already open before cooking, and discard any clams that don’t open after grilling.

Tip: Seasoning on clams is great, but eliminate or go easy on the salt. Remember – clams grew up in salt water!

A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc goes perfectly with grilled clams.

Fried Sage Carbonara

Photo:
Tod Dimmick















Mac and cheese for adults.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6, probably with leftovers

1 lb. whole wheat rotelle (or your favorite pasta)
3 TB olive oil
12 or more fresh sage leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 TB fresh rosemary leaves, or 1 tsp dried
1 egg
2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta. While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the sage leaves. When crisp, remove the leaves to paper towels Add the garlic and the rosemary and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

Drain the pasta when al dente, return to the pasta pot, and stir in the egg. It will cook in the hot pasta. Then stir in the Parmesan and sour cream, half of the sage leaves, and the garlic, rosemary, and any olive oil remaining in the skillet.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and topping with remaining crisp sage leaves.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Pasta with Fava Beans & Chard Stems

Photo:
Tod Dimmick















Chard stems don't get enough respect. Sometimes (gasp) they are even discarded. But the delicious, earthy, crunchy flavor is perfect in many dishes.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6, probably with leftovers

1 lb. whole wheat egg noodles (or your favorite pasta)
3 TB olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large bunch chard, leaves removed for another use, stems washed and chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 cups cooked fava beans
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 TB minced dill
1 TB balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Cook the pasta. While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic and the chard stems and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the fava beans and heat. Drain the pasta when al dente, return to the pasta pot, and stir in the vegetables from the skillet, the parsley, and the dill.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and topping with Parmesan cheese.

Variation: add chopped cooked chicken, pork, or sausage.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Green and Red Macaroni

The bright bright green of fresh shell peas, and the glowing crimson of beets, make this dish stand out from across the room. Then the fresh flavors, framed by a touch of rich egg-and-cheese, make this a light but satisfying vegetarian entree.

Of course, you could also simply serve beets and peas all by themselves...



Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes (not including beet cooking)
Serves: 4, plus leftovers

1/2 lb whole wheat macaroni
2 TB butter
1 egg, whisked
1 cup fresh peas
1 cup cooked beets, chopped into cubes approximately pea-sized
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 TB minced fresh dill
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Cook the macaroni per package directions.

While the macaroni is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat and cook the peas, stirring, for 2 minutes or until they begin to become tender. Then, add the chopped beets and heat for another minute. Turn the heat off under the peas.

When macaroni is done, drain and quickly return the pasta to its cooking pot. Pour in the egg and stir for a minute (the egg will cook). Stir in the parmesan, the peas, the beets, the dill, and the black pepper.

Distribute to serving plates, seasoning with salt to taste.

Serve a light dish like this on a warm summer evening with a glass of dry rosé. Uh oh, here it comes again... life is good.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Fresh Kale & Chicken Soup

Photo:
Tod Dimmick

Powisset Farm serves up a gorgeous bunch of kale. That's where we'll start. What next? Hm, let's look in the fridge... What's this? Leftover chicken, leftover whole wheat shells? Add a few more choice ingredients, and can you say "Dinner"!

Prep time (assuming the component parts are already done): 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-6

3 TB olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch kale, washed, stems separated from leaves: stems chopped into 1/2 inch pieces, leaves coarsely torn into pieces
6-8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Dash hot sauce
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb grilled chicken, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2-3 cups cooked whole wheat pasta
Salt to taste
Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large stock pot over medium heat and cook the garlic, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until garlic lightly tans. Add the kale stems and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the stock and heat to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, add the kale leaves, Italian seasoning, hot sauce, and black pepper, and cook for 5 minutes or until the leaves are tender. Add the chicken and pasta and heat for 2-3 minutes to desired temperature. Add salt to taste, and distribute to serving bowls, topping with Parmesan cheese.

Serve with crusty bread and a dry red wine, and life is good.

Submitted by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes