Spring pastas
Hummus, succotash, and grilled chicken
The kids’ grandparents arrive tonight from California and I’ve spent the past few days running around doing all the errands. Stocking the fridge. Cleaning the house. We’re hosting a birthday party and there’s Easter and we have big plans for the marathon this year. It’s a lot!
I have flour mixes ready to go for cinnamon rolls and brioche cheesecake buns. Those, with a spanakopita egg casserole and a yogurt bar make up the birthday brunch. Easter will be porchetta. Green beans. An arugula salad. And lemon meringue pie.
But we have to get there first.
This week we LOVED a new recipe that I’d been putting off because it sounded weird… hummus pasta. Chris and I mixed in some sauteed spinach and topped ours with grilled shrimp from Whole Foods. It was so good.
There was grilled chicken with quick succotash. Decent enough on it’s on, but I loved tossing leftovers with some pasta, a heavy splash of heavy cream, and a generous dusting of Parmesan. Now that was a lunch.
We rounded out the week with mung bean soup.
No newsletter next week… we’re going to be busy hosting. My father-in-law is helping me build some outdoor furniture. I’ve sanded and stained 22 2x4x10s. Pictures promised when it’s done!
Lemony Hummus Pasta
Gluten free, Dairy free
Salt
12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini (gluten free)
¼ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 cup plain hummus
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Tender herb leaves of your choice, for serving
Toasted sesame seeds, optional
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium and add the garlic, shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly softened, about 2 minutes, then add the hummus and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir until the hummus becomes a looser, smoother sauce. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Turn heat down to medium-low.
Add the pasta to the pan, toss very well to coat, season with salt to taste, and toss again, adding more reserved pasta water if needed to create desired consistency. Transfer to serving bowls or plates. Drizzle with more olive oil, if desired, and top with the herbs and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.
From NYT Cooking.
Grilled Chicken and Succotash
Gluten free option
Marinate two large chicken breasts in a ziplock bag or covered bowl with a squeeze of dijon, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, some olive oil, and some dried rosemary. Grill over medium heat until done.
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Add two garlic cloves, chopped. When garlic is fragrant, add one cup frozen corn and one cup frozen lima beans. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are cooked through. Add a splash of heavy cream, a pinch of salt, and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Cook until cream is reduced.
Ad Hoc Pasta Primavera
Gluten free option
Cook (gluten free) pasta in salted water. While pasta cooks, dice up leftover chicken. Once pasta is slightly tender, strain it, and mix in chicken, leftover succotash, and a splash or two of heavy cream. Cook over medium heat until pasta is fully al dente, adding additional cream if needed. Top with grated parmesan.