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Pasta

Creamy Cauliflower, Spinach + Bok Choy Baked Penne

December 15, 2020 by zimmysnook 3 Comments

A skillet filled with a baked cauliflower penne pasta, with a salad and dressing in the background.

Winter Citrus & Baby Green Salad, served alongside Creamy Cauliflower with Spinach + Bok Choy Baked Penne

During the winter months, the two things I crave most are sunshine and cozy fires. This meal was inspired by those cravings to deliver a wonderful balance between the bright fresh flavours in the salad, and a ‘warm hug’ from the comforting baked pasta.

Packed full of flavour and loaded with goodness, Earthbound Farm Organic Greens & Vegetables ensure that you are not just making healthier choices for yourself, but for the world too!  Plus, the variety and convenience of Earthbound Farm products makes it so easy to eat and cook more whole, fresh, organic produce.

Ingredients
  • 1 large Earthbound Farms Organic Cauliflower (2+lbs/900g), cut into medium florets. (Alternatively, 27oz/765g, Earthbound Farms Organic Cauliflower Florets – 3 bags)
  • 3 small yellow potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1.1 lb (500g) penne pasta
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 10 oz (300ml) 2% milk (semi-skimmed)
  • 10 oz (300ml) mushroom stock
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 14 oz (400g) button mushrooms, halved
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp hot chilli flakes
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
  • 5 oz (142g) container of Earthbound Farms Organic Spinach+Bok Choy (or Spinach+Kale)
Toppings
  • 6 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs
  • 60 g Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
A top down view of ingredients for a cauliflower pasta.
Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and potato cubes. Return to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes until the cauliflower and potatoes are soft. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the cauliflower & potatoes from the water and place into a full-size blender.

Using the same pot and water, add the pasta and bring back up to a boil (adding more water if required). Lower the heat to simmer and cook the pasta for 2/3 of the package recommended time (do not cook fully). Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water. Strain and set aside. Return the pot to the stove.

While the pasta cooks, carefully place the lid on the blender and blend until cauliflower & potatoes are mostly smooth.

Combine the milk and stock together in a saucepan or microwaveable container and warm through.

In the drained pasta pot, add 3 tbsp of olive oil, along with the flour. Stir over a medium heat until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour the warmed liquid, 1/2 cup at a time, into the flour paste in the pot, stir until smooth before adding next portion of liquid. Once all the liquid has been added, simmer over medium-low heat for 2 minutes (mixture will remain relatively thin, not saucy).

Pour the hot contents of the pot into the blender with the cauliflower mixture and add the Dijon mustard. Ensure the lid stays on and blend until silky, smooth and thick. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 335°F convect bake (350°F regular bake).

In a 5 quart (12 inch) ovenproof skillet or sauté pan, heat the butter over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to shrink and release liquid (about 5 minutes). Next add the garlic, thyme, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt to the frying pan, turn the heat down to low and cook for 1 minute. Add the Spinach+Bok Choy to the pan, cover with a lid and steam for 3-5 minutes until the greens have wilted. Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Add the sauce and stir to fully combine sauce, pasta, mushrooms & greens.

Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the pasta. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is gently bubbling and the topping is slightly browned.

If desired, turn on the broiler for the last 3 or 4 minutes for a crispier top… but watch carefully and don’t let it burn!!

Divide between bowls and serve hot.

A table setting, top down of a  skillet filled with a baked cauliflower penne pasta, with a bright citrus salad.

Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Earthbound Farms.  Opinions in this post are my own.

Filed Under: Meatless, Pasta Tagged With: baked pasta, cauliflower pasta, cauliflower recipe, meatless recipe, organic greens & vegetables

Easy Basil Pesto Pasta

April 27, 2020 by zimmysnook Leave a Comment

Top down view of a skillet of pasta surrounded with a bowl of pasta, pesto,  cheese and a grater

At the beginning of March, we picked up a container of 3 fresh basil plants, and I am so glad we did! Almost 2 months later, it is still providing us it’s fragrant, flavourful leaves to finish sauces, flavour marinades, top pizzas or make a delicious and easy basil pesto pasta! 

Top down view of a bowl of green pesto and three basil plants.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves (stems removed)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
  • 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

Put the basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan and oil in a food processor, and blitz until smooth. Season to taste, with salt & pepper.

Add the pesto to your favourite pasta and enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this Easy Basil Pesto Pasta recipe! I would love to hear your feedback in the “comments” below!

Here are a few other recipes where I used an easy basil pesto recipe:

Cedar Plank Shrimp with Lemon-Lime Pesto
Stuffed Ontario Pork Tenderloin in Tomato Sauce

Filed Under: Pasta, Sauces & Marinades Tagged With: basil pesto, cavatelli, pasta, pesto

Orecchiette with Heirloom Tomatoes and Mozzarella

April 22, 2020 by zimmysnook 2 Comments

A large pan of Orecchiette with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mozzarella and basil. Surrounded by a dish of chili oil, a basil plant and an olive loaf.

Simple quality ingredients make best meals! This Italian inspired combination of pasta, basil, mozzarella, and fresh tomatoes is no exception. Delicious served hot or at room temperature as a pasta salad! If serving this orecchiette dish as a salad, try adding extra veggies, like corn, red onions and/or roasted red peppers.

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 pint ripe heirloom cherry tomatoes – cut in halves
  • 1 lb. dry orecchiette*
  • 170 g mozzarella cheese – cut into bite size pieces
  • 1/4 Fresh basil leaves – larger leaves roughly torn
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on med-low heat, add the garlic, chili flakes and salt. Cook slowly for 3-4 minutes until garlic just begins to turn golden. Add the tomatoes, stir and turn off the heat.

Cook the pasta, as per package directions until just al dente. When pasta is cooked reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta, then add to the tomato pan, add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and toss until well coated. (Add the rest of the pasta water if desired).

Sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the pasta, gently mix, then divide between bowls, scatter with plenty of basil leaves, season with pepper and serve.

*If you do not have orecchiette, try using fusilli, penne, or other small pasta.

A large pan of Orecchiette with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mozzarella and basil.

Hope you enjoy this recipe! I would love to hear your feedback in the “comments” below!

In addition to this Orecchiette with Heirloom Tomatoes and Mozzarella recipe, you can find more of my favourite pasta recipes here.

Cooked and served in my Hestan Culinary NanoBond 11″ Titanium Skillet

Proud Hestan Culinary Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

Filed Under: Mains, Meatless, Pasta Tagged With: basil, heirloom tomatoes, Italian inspired, orecchiette, pasta

Spicy Linguine with Clams and Shrimp

March 12, 2020 by zimmysnook Leave a Comment

Linguine with Clams and Shrimps in a two handled pan with lemon slices.  Bread, wine and chili flakes surround the pan.

Spicy Linguine with Clams and Shrimp. The combination of sweet live Manila clams, fresh wild shrimp, garlic, white wine, cilantro, pepper flakes & lemon wedges, creates a light, fresh and very flavourful pasta dish… ready in just 25 minutes! 

Ingredients
  • 1 pound linguine pasta
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or flat-leaf parsley)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Lemon wedges for serving
Clam Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup chopped onions
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup white wine (Pinot Grigio)
  • 1 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound Manila clams, scrubbed clean
Shrimp
  • 8-12, large wild shrimp, deveined, washed & dried
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite (8 to 10 minutes). Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the butter and cilantro and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Sauce

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, salt & pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half (2-3 minutes). Stir in the broth, red pepper flakes & clams. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened (5 to 8 minutes).

While the clams cook, heat a pan over medium high heat, add the oil and warm through. Add the garlic, peppers, s&p and cook for 30-60 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, flip and cook for 2 minutes more.

Discard any unopened clams.

Using tongs, remove the clams from the saucepan and add to the shrimp pan. Pour 1/2 the shellfish cooking liquid over the pasta and toss well. Pour the remaining liquid over the shrimp and clams. Arrange the reserved clams, shrimp & sauce on top of the pasta and serve.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Linguine with clams and shrimps in a copper sauteuse pan with a handle.

Hope you enjoy this recipe! I would love to hear your feedback in the “comments” below!

In addition to this Spicy Linguine with Clams and Shrimp recipe, you can find more of my favourite seafood recipes here.

Cooked and served in my Hestan Culinary CopperBond 3.5 qt. Sauteuse

Proud Hestan Culinary Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

Filed Under: Mains, Pasta, Seafood Tagged With: clams, linguine, littleneck clams, pasta, shrimp

Wild Shrimp Puttanesca

February 14, 2019 by zimmysnook Leave a Comment

A Valentine's day meal of wild shrimp puttenesca. The shrimps placed together as hearts.

Spice up Valentine’s Day (or any day) with Wild Shrimp Puttanesca! Score some points with your special someone, by showing that you are romantic, can cook, care about their health and respect the environment!
That’s how I got my wife!!! 😉

Wild Argentian Shrimp tastes great, is great for the heart (containing two omega-3 fatty acids, which benefit the cardiovascular system), better for the environment and much kinder to your wallet than a dinner out on Valentine’s Day! .

Ingredients

Serves 4 (divide in half for romantic dinner for two!)

  • 300 g (10.5 oz) Wild Caught Argentinian Shrimp (20/30 count)
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) divided, Chili Infused olive oil (or substitute with olive oil)
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) each – salt, freshly ground pepper, chili flakes
  • 454 g (16 oz) spaghetti or bucatini
  • 500 g (18 oz) peeled Italian tomatoes (canned)
  • 2 anchovy fillets (in oil)
  • 118 g (1/2 c) good quality olives, rinsed (black pitted, whole or chopped)
  • 59 g (1/4 c) capers, rinsed (if large, roughly chop)
  • 118 g (1/2 c) olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
  • 1 chilli (fresh or dried)
  • Chopped parsley
Preparation

Prepare shrimp: Remove shrimp from bag and soak in cold water for 10 minutes, rinse and leave in colander for 2 minutes, peel shrimp (leaving tails on), then pat dry with a paper towel. Mix salt, pepper, chili flakes and chili oil in a bowl, toss shrimp in mixture to coat well. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Boil large pot of salted water for pasta.

Gently fry the garlic, chilli and anchovy fillets in the oil. Mash the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they have completely dissolved.

Remove the garlic.Add the tomatoes, olives and capers. Mash the tomatoes thoroughly with a fork and cook over a medium high heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cook the pasta until slightly before al dente, add pasta to the pan with the sauce. Toss the pasta with the sauce and heat gently while you prepare the shrimp.

Heat skillet on medium high heat, add 1 tbsp of chili oil and sear shrimp until firm to the touch (about 2 minutes per side). Place pasta in large serving dish (or serve in skillet), pour shrimp over the pasta and place shrimp together in pairs, to form heart shapes.

Finish with a sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with crusty bread & chili oil for dipping.

Delicious paired with prosecco!

A Valentine's day meal of wild shrimp puttenesca with a box of chocolates and roses.

This recipe was created in partnership with Marina Del Rey  however, opinions in this post are my own.

In addition to this Wild Shrimp Puttanesca recipe, you can find more of my favourite seafood recipes here.

Filed Under: Mains, Pantry & Freezer Meals, Pasta, Seafood Tagged With: shrimp, valentines day

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