Pasta with Sautéed Spring Greens & Chevre
This incredibly-satisfying pasta is very versatile: Use any combination of your favorite hearty greens!
Ingredients:
1 pound pasta of your choice
6 cups mixed spring greens, such as a mix of this week’s micro broccoli, sunflower shoots, pea shoots
1 bunch Swiss chard, tough ribs removed and greens coarsely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup Chevre cheese, crumbled
¼ pine nuts, toasted
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in the skillet. Once warm, add the garlic and all the greens, tossing to coat with oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and sweat until greens are just wilted and tender and garlic is fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add drained pasta to the skillet, then toss everything together with the rest of the olive oil and butter. If pasta seems a little dry, mix in reserved pasta water. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with crumbled Chevre and pine nuts on top.
Spring Favorites Recipes
Leeks to radishes, peppery greens to beautiful chive blossoms, this week’s box celebrates some of our favorite flavors of spring, alongside such delicious accoutrements as fresh, creamy chevre cheese, sweet Challah bread and brown sugar-kissed Lummi Island smoked salmon. Also included in this springtime lineup are our own apricot preserves, a French red wine and a bevy of bright herbs ranging from salad burnet to mint, plus Skagit Valley tulips to brighten your home. Enjoy!
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Goat-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes with Chive Blossoms
This beautiful dish is sure to be a new spring favorite!
Oven-Roasted Cauliflower
Tossed with garlic, olive oil and lemon juice, this recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse is a snap to make.
Garlic Butter-Roasted Baby Shiitake Mushrooms
Roasted with capers and garlic, this simple mushroom dish is a real show-stopper.
Chive Blossom Vinegar
This punchy vinegar is fantastic incorporated into salad dressings.
Chive Blossom-Garlic Aioli
This flavorful aioli is wonderful served with freshly-roasted asparagus, or even with homemade French fries!
Mustard Greens Pesto
Brilliantly green, this mustard greens pesto packs a bit of a kick and pairs beautifully with grilled fingerling potatoes!
Golden Beet Salad with Shaved Fennel
Tossed with a blood orange vinaigrette, this showpiece salad boasts beautiful color.
Ingredients:
1 bunch golden beets, cleaned and trimmed
4 cups water
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
3 blood oranges*
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 baby fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly shaved crosswise, fronds reserved
4 cups loosely-packed butter lettuce greens
*If you can’t find blood oranges, you can substitute 2 Navel oranges.
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place beets in a large roasting pan and pour over water, red wine vinegar, sugar and 3 tablespoons salt. Cover with parchment and foil. Roast until just tender, they should be easily pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes.
2. Peel beets under cool water. Cut into quarters. Juice two of the blood oranges in a small pot and reduce by half. Add reduction to a blender with one beet and champagne vinegar and blend until smooth. While motor is running add oil and season with salt and pepper. Strain into a medium bowl.
3. Remove skin and sections from remaining orange. Toss the fennel, fronds, and greens in 2 tablespoons dressing. Plate dressed greens. Toss remaining beets and blood orange (peeled and cut into sections) in vinaigrette, season with more salt and pepper if necessary and arrange on top of greens.
