Recipes

They may not be magic, but they taste good!

By Wendy Gordon

With all the conflicting headlines, who knows the perfect way to eat? These recipes may not hold any magical powers, but they use healthful spring vegetables and they taste great. The first two recipes use arugula, which sprouts rapidly and happily in cool weather. If you're not harvesting it from a home garden, bunches or bags of arugula are usually readily available at the market in the spring.

WHOLE WHEAT NOODLES WITH ARUGULA, GARLIC & CHILIES

This first recipe cooks the arugula, reducing its bitterness but not totally eliminating its peppery bite:

• 1 pound whole wheat pasta
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• A big bowl or bag of arugula (it shrinks down to nothing)
• 1 T red pepper flakes
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Bring large pot of water to boil. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook it until it is al dente.
2. While the water is heating, warm the olive oil in a large skillet and add the garlic and red pepper. Cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add the arugula and cook until wilted.
3. When the pasta is cooked, combine it with the arugula mixture. Add a little of the cooking water to the pasta for a better texture.
4. Put in a serving bowl and garnish with parmesan cheese.

ARUGULA , AVOCADO & TOMATO SALAD

This salad uses the arugula in all its raw glory:

• 3 slices day-old Italian bread, cubed into 1-inch pieces
• 5 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 cups packed arugula leaves
• 1 small head radicchio
• 1 avocado, peeled and cubed
• 1 large tomato, cubed (and seeded if desired)
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the garlic, then the bread cubes. Slowly sauté the bread cubes until lightly browned. Remove and cool.
2. Tightly bunch the arugula leaves and cut them into strips about one-half inch wide. Shred the radicchio into similar strips. Toss together in a salad bowl.
3. Add the avocado and tomato.
4. In a jar add the remaining olive oil, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper and shake to combine.
5. Add the croutons to the salad bowl. Add vinaigrette to taste (don't make the salad soggy) and toss gently. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS WITH PARSLEY PEPPER SAUCE

This is an interesting take on that spring favorite, asparagus:

• 1 pound fresh asparagus
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp paprika Dash black pepper
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 T roasted peppers, finely chopped
• 1 T sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 T fresh parsley, minced

1. Break off asparagus stalks at the beginning of the woody section. Blanch or steam until tender-crisp (2-4 minutes). Plunge under cold water to stop cooking process, then dry on a tea towel. Set aside.
2. Purée the garlic, anchovies, vinegar, paprika and pepper. (An immersion blender would work perfectly in this situation but you can substitute a blender or food processor).
3. Stir in onion, roasted pepper, and parsley to mixture and adjust seasonings to taste.
4. Either drizzle the asparagus with some of the sauce, reserving the rest for future use, or serve as an appetizer, with asparagus stalks arranged around the bowl of sauce. Serve at room temperature.

Wendy Gordon is a writer and restaurant reviewer who lives in Portland, Oregon. She has a Masters Degree in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Chicago, and is on the Board of Directors of Food Front Grocery, a co-op in Portland.