THE CHINA STUDY QUICK & EASY COOKBOOK (21 page)

2 cloves garlic, minced

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2.
Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, adding the sun-dried tomatoes in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse until cooled to room temperature.

3.
Place the pasta and sun-dried tomatoes in a large bowl and add the beans, cilantro, mint, cumin, lemon juice, and garlic. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

4.
Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry before serving.

TIP

If you are not a fan of mint, you can leave it out of this recipe. Use fresh, not bottled lemon juice. It makes all the difference in the flavor. You can also use fresh tomatoes in place of the sun-dried tomatoes, if they are in season.

MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS    

Everywhere I go people try to give me their extra tomatoes, zucchini, and basil from their garden. I always say yes to the zucchini, but I have more basil than I can use from my own garden. I use these ingredients in any number of dishes, but inevitably they end up in this recipe as well.

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

4 cloves garlic, minced

12 large basil leaves, torn

12 ounces whole grain penne

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining it.

2.
Sauté the onion and red bell pepper for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add water 1–2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking.

3.
Add the zucchini and cherry tomatoes, and cook for 3 minutes more.

4.
Add the garlic, basil, and pasta cooking water, and cook for another minute.

5.
Add the cooked pasta and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

MAKE IT EASY

Use whatever vegetable you want for this dish, but remember that some vegetables take longer to cook than others, so you will want to cook those first and then add the quicker-cooking vegetables. If you want to use a bag of frozen vegetables instead of the zucchini, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes, add them after you have cooked the onion for 5 minutes, and remember not to overcook them (frozen vegetables are usually partially cooked and only need about 5 minutes of cooking).

MAKES 4 SERVINGS    

Quick-cooking red lentils have a creamy texture and savory taste without much effort. They go well with the mild-flavored chard—also a quick cooker. Make this dish with quick-cooking spinach or arugula for a change. The arugula adds a nice peppery bite.

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup red lentils

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

12 ounces whole grain penne

1 large bunch chard, chopped

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.
Combine the vegetable stock, red lentils, garlic, and thyme in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the lentils for 20 minutes or until they are tender.

2.
While the lentils are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the penne. Cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside while you finish the sauce.

3.
When the lentils are tender, add the chard and cook for another 5 minutes.

4.
Add the cooked pasta to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS