Pasta Fit for the Easter Bunny

The calendar might say spring, but the cool weather will not let go here in Maine.
There still piles of snow at the end of my driveway and a cold breeze coming of the water.
Go ahead. Feel sorry for me.
I feel sorry for little Maine girls at Easter time. Every where else girls are dressed in sweet little outfits with shiny white shoes and a pastel cardigan.
More often than not, little girls here have to throw a ski jacket on over their dresses, (which are worn with boots and tight, not mary janes) when hunting for eggs  - in the mud.
Yeah. It's that rough.

The Easter Bunny needs a lot of sustenance when making the rounds in Maine.
I think this simple pasta dish will do the trick. It's creamy and carroty. It's also a cinch to make and nice change from the typical pasta/veggie dish. It would also be delicious with asparagus, which I will try the next time.
The EB will love this dish so much, I'm sure he'll leave me many, many chocolate-coconut eggs.



Pasta with Carrots, Risotto-Style
Saveur.com


8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock

5 Tbsps. butter

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 lb. gemelli pasta, uncooked

8 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed and diced

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

salt and freshly ground pepper

14/ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Bring stock to boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low to keep stock hot.

Melt 4 Tbsps. of the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and carrots, stirring often, until pasta is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Add one cup of the stock at a time to the pasta, stirring constantly; wait until almost all the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Continue cooking, stirring and adding stock (you may have some left over) until pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 15 minutes. It's important to taste as you go so as not to overcook.

Remove pot from the heat and stir in remaining tablespoon of butter, the Parmesan and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish, or serve from the pot.

I Owe You a Salad

After all those Nutella treats last week, I was left craving a salad.
A really good salad. The kind that makes you not care if there's anything else for dinner.

When I was growing up (and probably you too), salad consisted of a cellophane wrapped head of iceberg lettuce, a pinkish tomato or two from that plastic cello-pack and a cucumber. Dusty croutons from a box were a special treat. In those days, I didn't even care for salad dressing. 


Thankfully, salads have evolved a lot since then. The choice of lettuces is wide and varied. It can be topped with anything from sunflower seeds to exotic mushrooms, goat cheese to artichoke hearts.
This one has roasted carrots and spicy jicama. It may sound like an odd combination, but it was really, really enjoyable. The soft, sweet carrots contrasted nicely with the cool bite of the jicama.
Don't fear the jicama. It's vegetable you may not be familiar with, but it's easy to prep and has an awesome crunch and refreshing taste. 
Peel the rough skin off with a paring knife, including the fibrous flesh that's just below the skin. Slice jicama then cut into strips.

And the dressing is divine - a tangy yogurt base, boosted with garlic, shallot and basil. I know I will make this over and over to use on many other salads. It makes a great dip too. 


Picante Jicama and Roasted Carrot Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing
adapted from Epicurious


8 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3" pieces


1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted


1 small jicama, peeled and cut into matchstick-sized pieces (about 1 1/3 cups)


freshly-squeezed juice of one lemon OR 2 limes


2 tsps. mild chile powder


1/8 tsp. cayenne (optional, use it if you like your food spicy)


4 cups mixed baby greens


1 head Belgian endive 


1 blood orange, peeled and thinly sliced (also optional)


Preheat oven to 400. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Spread carrots on baking sheet, then very lightly spray the carrots. Roast until soft and lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Let cool.


In a small bowl, toss jicama with lemon or lime juice. Sprinkle with chile powder and cayenne of using.


To serve, pile greens on large serving platter. Top with carrots and jicama. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Tuck endive leafs around the edges and garnish with orange slices.
Serve with dressing.

Creamy Basil Dressing


1/2 cup low fat or nonfat yogurt


2 Tbsps. white balsamic vinegar


1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice


2 Tbsps. fresh basil, chopped


1 tsp. chopped shallot


1  small clove garlic, chopped


sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until very smooth.