Linguini with Veggies in a Clam Sauce
Linguini with Veggies in a Clam Sauce
I have was craving veggies, and I was thinking about how I had some cherry tomatoes that needed using up, and I had some Linguini that I should use, and pasta has been sounding good lately. I was walking through Portland yesterday, and stopped at the Rosemont Bakery for lunch, and I saw these really cute little Brussels Sprouts that came from a local farm, and also a zucchini, the idea of a pasta dish started taking shape in my mind. I love mushrooms, and I knew they needed to be in there, and I have been really digging parsley lately, and of course sea salt, garlic, and shallots had to make an appearance. Then the final touch came when I stopped at the supermarket on my way home from Portland, and I saw this clam juice, and I was thinking that that would make a great base for this pasta dish. Then of course we still had some non-dairy shredded parmesan, and this meal finally figured out in my mind what it was going to be. I am sure that this isn't original, and that something like this out there exists, but I just threw this together from things that sounded good at the time. I think that is when cooking is the best, when an idea starts taking shape in your head, and you start to just obsess over it, until you can get in the kitchen and turn it into a reality. I want to assume that everyone does this, that when they are going about their day, they start thinking about ways to create art in the kitchen, starting with either ingredients that you have on hand, and what it would take to add to it, or just going purely off of craving, and letting your cravings help to shape the artistic meal that you will create later that day. Or maybe just wander around lost in the supermarket until a meal begins to take shape. Or maybe it is just me, but honestly that is one of the things that I really love about myself.
Ingredients:
1. Med-Small Zucchini sliced and cut in half
A large handful of Brussels Sprouts (I love these very small ones that I found), cut in half
1 Shallot (minced)
1 Bulb of Garlic (minced)
about a dozen cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 lb of mixed mushrooms (have fun and get a variety)
1 bunch of Parsley chopped
1/2 of a package of Linguini (enough for two people)
Clam Juice
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Oregano
Basil
A dash of Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Roasted Garlic Powder
Water (for cooking the noodles)
Olive Oil
A Splash of Lemon Juice
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Recipe:
Okay for this recipe I used a pot for my pasta, a deep pan for cooking the veggies, and a 12" frying pan for cooking the mushrooms, and I think cooking the mushrooms separate, so that they can take on their own flavours, and then add them to the veggies, and then add the that to the pot with your drained noodles, because at this point you will have out grown your pan and will need the pot.
1. Heat heavily salted water to a boil in a large wide pot (trust me a large wide pot will make the later stages of this meal much better)
2. Boil the noodles according to instructions on the package to cook your noodles al dente (if you made your own homemade noodles, then I trust you know how to cook them al dente, so just do it)
3. In a deep 12" cooker (or deep pan) heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan over a med heat, add Sea Salt (about a tea spoon (maybe a little more), add the minced garlic and minced shallot, and cook them until they are aromatic, careful not to let your garlic brown, it will absolutely ruin the flavours of this dish.
4, add your Brussels Sprouts cut side down in to the pan. let these cook for a bit, but again keep watching your garlic DO NOT LET IT BURN
5. Add the halved cherry tomatoes (the more colour the better), and the sliced and halved zucchini to the pan
6. after about a minute add enough of the clam juice to cover the bottom of the pan, and stir everything together really well. You want enough clam juice in the pan to create some steam to soften the veggies, because we will now put a lid on the pan. (check it and stir it from time to time as you continue on with the mushrooms)
At this point the noodles should be done, (they might have already been done at this point, and that's okay) drain them and shock them with cold water, and set them aside.
7. In your 12" pan heat some olive oil, sea salt (about a teaspoon or more), and a splash of lemon juice. Toss in your chopped or sliced mushrooms, you want the pieces kind of on the bigger size.
8. Season your mushrooms with black pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil. Stir really good to mix all of the flavours together.
9. Cook the mushrooms until soft (how soft depends on you and your preference, but they should start releasing their liquid at this point).
10. Add a handful of chopped parsley to the mushrooms and stir constantly until the mushrooms look done.
11. Check on your veggies, you want them tender but not mushy. Remove the lid if they are to your liking. Add a few shakes of dried red pepper flakes to taste, I went with just a hint of spice.
12. Add the mushrooms and their juices to the veggies and stir, at this point add in more of the clam juice, and just stir and let the flavours all mingle, and let the fluids cook down a little. When it looks good to you (go by how the veggies look and feel)
13. Add the noodles back to the pot, and add the more of the clam juice and toss the noodles.
14. Remove the pan with the veggies from the burner and put your noodle pot on the burner, then dump the veggies onto the noodles, and toss them together.
At this point I turned the heat to 4 and tossed the ingredients well, and then did all of the dishes that I had dirtied up to this point, and prepared the plates for serving
15. Check to make sure everything looks good, and remove the pot from the heat, and serve the plates, making sure everyone gets some of all of the ingredients. Top with parmesan and parsley, and serve.
This perfectly made 2 large servings, but if you are feeding more people, increase the amounts of everything, or serve with sides.
This was a great meal, and very satisfying. I loved the beautiful colours from the veggies, and the lightness of the sauce being based in olive oil, garlic, shallot, and clam juice. If you wanted you could definitely of added clams to this, or replaced the clam juice with some veggie stock if you want to go vegan with it, or some chicken stock if you don't like clams...really the possibilities are endless. The veggies that you use can be tailored to your tastes and what is in season in your area, so get creative and have fun, the pasta-bilities are only limited by your imagination! The kitchen is your art space to create, to have fun, and enjoy yourself. Cooking shouldn't be a chore, or a bore, cook for enjoyment, you deserve it. So put on your favourite music, dance and sing, and create your next culinary masterpiece, cook with your heart and your soul, your food will and your stomach will thank your for it!
1. Med-Small Zucchini sliced and cut in half
A large handful of Brussels Sprouts (I love these very small ones that I found), cut in half
1 Shallot (minced)
1 Bulb of Garlic (minced)
about a dozen cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 lb of mixed mushrooms (have fun and get a variety)
1 bunch of Parsley chopped
1/2 of a package of Linguini (enough for two people)
Clam Juice
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Oregano
Basil
A dash of Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Roasted Garlic Powder
Water (for cooking the noodles)
Olive Oil
A Splash of Lemon Juice
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Recipe:
Okay for this recipe I used a pot for my pasta, a deep pan for cooking the veggies, and a 12" frying pan for cooking the mushrooms, and I think cooking the mushrooms separate, so that they can take on their own flavours, and then add them to the veggies, and then add the that to the pot with your drained noodles, because at this point you will have out grown your pan and will need the pot.
1. Heat heavily salted water to a boil in a large wide pot (trust me a large wide pot will make the later stages of this meal much better)
2. Boil the noodles according to instructions on the package to cook your noodles al dente (if you made your own homemade noodles, then I trust you know how to cook them al dente, so just do it)
3. In a deep 12" cooker (or deep pan) heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan over a med heat, add Sea Salt (about a tea spoon (maybe a little more), add the minced garlic and minced shallot, and cook them until they are aromatic, careful not to let your garlic brown, it will absolutely ruin the flavours of this dish.
4, add your Brussels Sprouts cut side down in to the pan. let these cook for a bit, but again keep watching your garlic DO NOT LET IT BURN
5. Add the halved cherry tomatoes (the more colour the better), and the sliced and halved zucchini to the pan
6. after about a minute add enough of the clam juice to cover the bottom of the pan, and stir everything together really well. You want enough clam juice in the pan to create some steam to soften the veggies, because we will now put a lid on the pan. (check it and stir it from time to time as you continue on with the mushrooms)
At this point the noodles should be done, (they might have already been done at this point, and that's okay) drain them and shock them with cold water, and set them aside.
7. In your 12" pan heat some olive oil, sea salt (about a teaspoon or more), and a splash of lemon juice. Toss in your chopped or sliced mushrooms, you want the pieces kind of on the bigger size.
8. Season your mushrooms with black pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil. Stir really good to mix all of the flavours together.
9. Cook the mushrooms until soft (how soft depends on you and your preference, but they should start releasing their liquid at this point).
10. Add a handful of chopped parsley to the mushrooms and stir constantly until the mushrooms look done.
11. Check on your veggies, you want them tender but not mushy. Remove the lid if they are to your liking. Add a few shakes of dried red pepper flakes to taste, I went with just a hint of spice.
12. Add the mushrooms and their juices to the veggies and stir, at this point add in more of the clam juice, and just stir and let the flavours all mingle, and let the fluids cook down a little. When it looks good to you (go by how the veggies look and feel)
13. Add the noodles back to the pot, and add the more of the clam juice and toss the noodles.
14. Remove the pan with the veggies from the burner and put your noodle pot on the burner, then dump the veggies onto the noodles, and toss them together.
At this point I turned the heat to 4 and tossed the ingredients well, and then did all of the dishes that I had dirtied up to this point, and prepared the plates for serving
15. Check to make sure everything looks good, and remove the pot from the heat, and serve the plates, making sure everyone gets some of all of the ingredients. Top with parmesan and parsley, and serve.
This perfectly made 2 large servings, but if you are feeding more people, increase the amounts of everything, or serve with sides.
This was a great meal, and very satisfying. I loved the beautiful colours from the veggies, and the lightness of the sauce being based in olive oil, garlic, shallot, and clam juice. If you wanted you could definitely of added clams to this, or replaced the clam juice with some veggie stock if you want to go vegan with it, or some chicken stock if you don't like clams...really the possibilities are endless. The veggies that you use can be tailored to your tastes and what is in season in your area, so get creative and have fun, the pasta-bilities are only limited by your imagination! The kitchen is your art space to create, to have fun, and enjoy yourself. Cooking shouldn't be a chore, or a bore, cook for enjoyment, you deserve it. So put on your favourite music, dance and sing, and create your next culinary masterpiece, cook with your heart and your soul, your food will and your stomach will thank your for it!
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