Is it so amazing to me that when things are going well in life; work is a dream (it actually really truly is!), my relationship is so strong, friends are so positive and the sun seems to be shining on everything in life at this moment, I want to spend minimal time in the kitchen! Has this ever happened to you? Usually one of those key things were off and so I would find my catharsis in the kitchen. But I haven’t been feeling that recently. So this week I went simple and healthy. Almost a one pot dish. Although not quite. I think flavor is harder to develop fully with a true one pot dish. Im working on making one though!
Here was the really interesting thing to me with all of this. Life is pretty wonderful right now, I don’t need to cook my heart out and yet I’m craving songs that scream emotion. One song that starts off an album of emotion is The Family Crest’s Beneath the Brine. The album titled song feels like a siren song. I, in my currently wonderful Odyssian life, am being called back toward the tumultuous and unhappy moments via song. Perhaps thats why albums like Beneath the Brine call to me, a reminder to cherish and celebrate what I have now. I can still feel the anguish and emotion but can use this as my catharsis instead of elaborate dishes in the kitchen. Does that sound totally off the wall?
Vinyl: The Family Crest – Beneath the Brine
Pappardelle with Kale and Green Olives
Prep Time – 35 minutes
Total Time – 35 minutes
Servings: 3-4Ingredients:
· 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
· 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 1 bunch fresh kale, destemmed and roughly chopped
· 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets
· 2 garlic cloves
· ½ cup fresh basil
· ¾ cup of green olives, pitted
· 2 tbsp of capers, drained
· ¼ cup of olive oil
· Black pepper to taste
· 12 – 16 oz of fresh pappardelle (or other long noodle pasta)
· Zest of half of one lemon
· ½ cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
· 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
Instructions:
1. Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the kale and let it boil for no more than 2-3 minutes until the kale is bright green and still has a slightly chewiness to it. Strain the kale and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Take the same pot and fill with water. Place it back on the heat and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, pour the avocado oil into a skillet and add the breadcrumbs. Toast in the pan until golden brown, 5- 10 minutes. Remove from heat and place to the side.
3. Take a mortar and pestle or a knife and a cutting board and make a paste of the anchovies and garlic. Scrape this into a large bowl. Roughly chop the olives and capers. Add this and the kale into the bowl. Finely chop the basil, add to the bowl and pour the ¼ cup of olive oil over this. Mix well and add a generous sprinkle of black pepper.
4. When the water is boiling, add salt to the water and cook the pasta according to package directions. Strain once complete BUT save at least ½ cup of pasta water. (I have said this before, but) I usually place a measuring cup in the strainer so that I remember. Add the pasta back to the pot and pour the olive-caper mix on top. Add the Parmesan cheese, about half of the pasta water, lemon zest and toss well, coating the pasta. Season with salt, pepper and the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
5. Before serving, top with the toasted panko. Enjoy!
Notes:
Really any pasta may be used. I just really enjoy the broad noodles of papparedelle and fresh pasta.
I paired this with a deep red which went really well with the brace of kale and the acid of olives and capers. Perfect summer pasta dish!