Recipes
WHAT WE’RE EATING
Pasta
Primavera
It’s finally spring here on the island!
We have put away our snow shovels and snow boots, and the weather report says temperatures will be in the low fifties for the next week.
Without knowing it, I’ve turned this pasta primavera into a spring tradition, making it routinely each spring for the past several years. It’s a cleaner version of a carbonara, and less heavy than an alfredo primavera.
The crispy pancetta, peas and sautéed zucchini balance nicely with the asparagus, making this warm pasta dish fresh, comforting and delicious. I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 yellow zucchini squash
1 green zucchini
1 bunch of asparagus
1 bag of frozen peas
4 oz of diced pancetta (if you have access to a good butcher, you can order 4 oz of pancetta and dice it yourself)
1 box of tagliatelle pasta
2 cups (yes, 2 cups) of fresh grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Fresh cracked pepper
Sea salt
How to—
Prep your veggies—
slice your squash and asparagus into thin, thin rounds. As thin as you can get them. They will crisp and brown nicely this way, as opposed to thicker slices that are often wetter
Cut your asparagus— trim the tips so that you have 2 inch pieces. If you’d like, you can also slice up and add the rest of the asparagus for the dish, but the tips are sweeter and more tender
If your pancetta is not already diced, dice it finely
Grate your parmesan. Fresh Parmesan is always just so, so much better tasting, I promise.
In one pan, heat a big glug of olive oil. Add your zucchini slices over medium high heat and stir occasionally, making sure to stir so they flip and both sides get crispy
In another pan heat olive oil over medium heat and add your pancetta. Turn on your fan or open a window for this. Let them cook until crispy. Stir regularly and take them off heat once they’re browned. Save all the fat and leave the crispy pancetta in your pan
While you’re cooking your zucchini and pancetta, bring a pot of well salted water to a boil
Once your zucchini is nicely browned, add your asparagus tips and peas into the pan. Mix well and cook until your asparagus is a vibrant green and just barely fork tender (3 minutes max). Your peas will steam almost immediately spot don’t over cook them. Take the pan off heat after 3 minutes
Once your pot is boiling, add your pasta and cook until done. Before draining your pasta, add 1/2 a cup of pasta water to the pan with your veggies
If there’s room in your pan, add the drained pasta into the veggie pan with the pasta water and mix well. Add your grated parmesan cheese and top with the crispy pancetta, mix well with tongs or fork and spoon to combine. If there isn’t room, that’s okay, transfer everything to a large bowl
Crack pepper on top, sprinkle with sea salt, drizzle with some extra olive oil, finish with a little more parmesan for flare, and ENJOY!
WHAT WE’RE DRINKING
Elderflower Spritz (The Hugo Spritz)
This drink tastes like Spring.
I am not a big drinker, it just doesn’t sit well with me, I get terrible hangovers. So when I do drink, I like something easy and delicious that ideally won’t have me relegated to bed the next day. This spritz check, check, checks all my boxes. Plus, I like the name, The Hugo Spritz.
Instead of using the traditional gin or Prosecco, we’re using rosé. The color is beautiful and I prefer the tase. Add mint or citrus if you’re feeling fancy. If you’re making this for a group pf people, mix the St. Germain liqueur and the rosé in a pitcher, serve, AND THEN top off the glass with club soda. The addition of bubbles should always be fresh and specific to each glass.
Ingredients
Chilled St-Germain Elderflower liqueur
Chilled dry rosé (I recommend 2023 W-O Nero d'Avola Rosato Sicilia or 2021 Domaine La Domitienne Rosé)
Chilled club soda
Mint or lime if you’re feeling fancy
How to (makes 1)
In a glass with ice add
2 oz of St-Germain
4 oz of rosé
Top off your glass with club soda (approximately 2 oz)
Turn on TSM’s Cocktail Hour Playlist and enjoy!
WHAT WE’RE EATING
Green Goddess GOODNESS
I love this salad so much. I often make something, eat it a lot, and then get sick of it. I have not gotten sick of this salad since I first made it in December (it’s April), and I still eat it several times a week.
It’s a funny combination of ingredients, but bear with me, I promise it works. Get ready for your new favorite salad.
Ingredients
Dressing (enough for several salads, store it in a jar in the fridge)
2 cups of full fat Green yogurt
1 bunch of parsley
1 bunch of cilantro
1 bunch of mint
1 bunch of dill
2 bunches of chives (or scallions)
1 tbs chopped garlic
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Salad
1 box of cornbread mix
1 bag of pumpkin seeds
Goat cheese (I like Meredith’s Dairy in oil)
1-2 carrots
Butter lettuce (I like Organic Girl’s Butter, Baby mix)
How To
Make the croutons— make the cornbread per the box instructions. Once it’s done, cut the cornbread up into cubes and crumble it with your fingers. put these crumbles back on a baking sheet and put it back in the oven until golden.
Roast the pumpkin seeds— the sunflower seeds can roast at the same temp at the same time as the cornbread. Spread the seeds out on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with olive oil and sea salt. Use your hands to coat the pumpkin seeds. If they’re toasting at 375, give them approximately 30 mins in the oven. You want them golden brown.
Make the dressing— put all of your ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add more olive oil if it’s too thick for you. Blend really well until it’s all green and beautiful. You are store this in the fridge for up to a week in an air tight container.
Assemble the salad— Start with the butter lettuce. A good rule of thumb a heaping handful of lettuce per person when making a salad.
Next use a peeler to peel thick, long strips of carrot into your salad. I love carrots, so I generally use a whole carrot per salad.
If using Meredith’s Dairy goat cheese, put several spoonfuls of the oil onto your lettuce and carrots. Add as much of the goat cheese as you’d like.
Sprinkle a handful of cornbread croutons and a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds on top.
Add as much of your green goddess dressing to the top.
Toss your salad and enjoy!