THE CHINA STUDY QUICK & EASY COOKBOOK (22 page)

Tarragon, one of my favorite herbs with an almost licorice-like flavor, goes nicely with the earthy sweet toasted pecan. I am always looking for ways to combine the two flavors. But other nuts like walnuts or cashews work too.

12 ounces whole grain penne

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup fresh tarragon, chopped

1 large tomato, diced

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

sea salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup toasted chopped pecans

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

2.
While the pasta cooks, sauté the onion in a large saucepan over medium heat for 8 minutes. Add water, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, as needed, to keep the onions from sticking.

3.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tarragon, tomato, cannellini beans, and some of the pasta cooking liquid. Season with sea salt and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

4.
Add the cooked pasta and enough of the remaining pasta cooking liquid to make a sauce. Cook for 1 minute to allow the sauce to thicken a little.

5.
Serve garnished with the chopped pecans.

TIP

If you want to leave the nuts out to reduce the fat, cook the onions with a package of sliced mushrooms instead and continue with the recipe as written.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS    

Using a bean spread for a sauce is unusual, but it works well when you thin the sauce with a little vegetable stock, and it tastes great.

1 pound whole grain penne

1 12-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables (about 3 cups)

1 recipe White Bean–Miso Spread (
p. 77
)

low-sodium vegetable stock to taste

1–2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, more or less to taste

8 green onions, thinly sliced

1.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, adding the frozen vegetables to the pot with the pasta in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

2.
While the pasta cooks, heat the White Bean–Miso Spread in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Thin the spread with a little vegetable stock to desired sauce consistency.

3.
When the pasta and vegetables have finished cooking, drain them and add them to the sauce and mix well.

4.
Serve garnished with red pepper flakes and the sliced green onions.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS    

I think of this sauce as a Thai ratatouille, a stewed eggplant dish popular in parts of the United States and parts of the Mediterranean, especially in the summer. The ginger, red curry paste, and coconut milk are classic Thai ingredients, but if you leave them out and add some fresh basil and chopped zucchini, you would have ratatouille.

1 pound whole grain penne

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 large eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes

4 large ripe tomatoes, diced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

1 14-ounce can light coconut milk

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Drain but do not rinse.

2.
Sauté the onion in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add water 1–2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking.

3.
Add the eggplant and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Add water 1–2 tablespoons at a time as needed to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan.

4.
Add the ginger, Thai red curry paste, and coconut milk to the pan with the vegetables.

5.
Mix well and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes to marry the flavors.

6.
Serve garnished with the chopped cilantro.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS    

I make this dish often for guests. They feel as if they are being treated to something special, and I don’t feel as if I spent all day in the kitchen.

12 ounces whole grain rotini

1½ cups frozen peas

1 recipe Saffron Cream (
p. 65
)

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Add the frozen peas in the last 4 minutes of cooking.

2.
While the pasta cooks, heat the Saffron Cream in a large saucepan (if made ahead of time and cooled).

3.
When the pasta and peas have finished cooking, drain them and add them to the pan, letting it simmer for a few minutes.

4.
Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.

MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS