Tonight I was inspired to put together a dish by items on hand and the fresh herbs I recently planted. The result turned out so good I felt compelled to do something Spence always asked me to do. He would compliment me on a dinner I’d prepared then say “are you going to write it down so you can make it again?” Of course, I would say “I’ll remember”.
This was delicious enough to make me write down exactly how I made tonight‘s dinner if for no other reason than I want to have this meal again.
Pancetta and Fresh Herb Spaghetti
1-2 servings
1/2 lb spaghetti
5 oz diced pancetta
1 shallot, sliced
1/4 c chopped green onions
1 diced tomato
Chopped fresh herbs – I chose Basil, Thyme and Flat Leaf Parsley
Toasted Pine Nuts and Sliced Almonds
Olive Oil
Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt, Garlic Powder and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Bring salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook for 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, drizzle olive oil over top and set aside.
In a sauté pan, cook the pancetta over medium heat until browned, remove from pan onto a paper towel to drain. Pour off and retain the rendered pancetta fat.
In the same sauté pan, add the sliced shallots and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, adding 1-2 teaspoons of the rendered pancetta fat. Remove from heat.
In the bottom of a large bowl, place the shallots, green onions, thyme and a drizzle of olive oil. Place spaghetti over top then toss until mixed. Add the pancetta, tomato, basil, parsley, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Toss to mix. Drizzle a bit more olive oil and 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, toss again.
Serve in bowls and top with the toasted nuts. Pour yourself a glass of Prosecco and enjoy!
Many years ago I tried morels after Spence returned from a visit to Charlevoix (in northern Michigan) with a paper lunch bag chock full of them. They grew on private wooded property belonging to his friend Don. I’d only heard of morels but knew they were not to be squandered. I proceeded to prepare scrumptious meals over the following days with this “gift”; we were in foodie heaven.
And I was hooked.
On very rare, random occasions I’ve come across morels since then and always succumb to their allure. A dear, lifelong friend was coming this past Wednesday for a visit and I was grocery shopping when my eyes locked on two boxes. They were perfect and they were mine. There was no price – I didn’t care! I now knew what the menu for the following night would be. After I’d purchased them I texted Jerene to ask “do you like Morels?“. Almost instantly she replied “I love them” (not a surprise as she is a fellow foodie).
My herb garden is bursting and I went foraging to find those which would complement the “recipe” I was formulating. “Which pasta?” I pondered. I recalled during my recent visit with her in Grand Rapids, I’d purchased a box of artisan Butternut Sage Pappardelle made at this amazing market that we’d visited. “Perfect!” I thought since I’d already planned to use the gorgeous sage growing on my patio. Funny how a plan comes together right? Here’s how I prepared it:
Morels with Herbed Butternut Sage Pappardelle serves 4-6
It is important to soak the morels in salted water for at least twenty minutes (per Pinterest morels have all these little crevices and tiny insects could be lurking…). Drain and rinse them thoroughly and place on paper towels in a single layer and let them air dry.
Morels, one of nature’s special treats
While the morels are drying, all the herbs should be given a fine chop. I kept them seperated so that I could add pinches as I went along, saving some for garnishing.
Heat a deep skillet, adding the butter and enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the shallots and saute for about 2 minutes.
Raise the heat to medium high. Toss the mushrooms with that little bit of flour, they’ll be coated very lightly. Add them to the skillet with the shallots. Move them around as you want them to cook for about six minutes, browning a bit. Start adding pinches of the various herbs to taste.
While they are cooking, prepare the pasta per the package instructions, drain and drizzle with olive oil, toss in some of the herbs. Add the morels to the pasta, tossing gently. Garnish with any herbs that remain. As a special treat, I fried 10 velvety sage leaves in a bit of butter till they begin to crisp and topped the pasta with them. Serve immediately and bon appetit!
OMG – so delicious!
I served this meal with a salad of baby spinach, sliced strawberries, dried cherry covered goat cheese, toasted pecans, slivered red onion and avocado chunks, dressed with a White Peach & Strawberry Vinegar, EVOO and a pinch of sea salt.
As a side dish, I wrapped bundles of 4 asparagus spears with a slice of prosciutto, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon zest and cracked black pepper, roasted at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.
With the bounty of fresh produce from farmer’s markets and gardens, veggies are plentiful this summer. Recently, using a summer squash, zucchini and some imagination, I came up with this recipe and may I say – it was fabulous. The combination of fresh herbs, grilled squash, sweet sautéed onion, creamy goat cheese and a burst of fresh lemon make this a new favorite for Spence and I.
Grilled Zucchini & Summer Squash with Goat Cheese
Weight Watchers Smart Points 3*
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Seasoning (I love Melting Pot’s Garlic & Wine Seasoning)
Coconut Oil
Step One: Slice the squash into 1/2-inch “planks” (on the diagonal). Lay the planks on a paper towel, season with salt, pepper and garlic seasoning on one side. Brush a grill pan generously with coconut oil and bring to a searing heat. Place the planks on the grill pan, flipping only one time after 2-3 minutes (you’ll see grill marks). Allow another 2-3 minutes of grill time, remove and place the planks into a baking dish in a single layer.
Diced Sweet Onion
Butter
Step Two: Saute the onion in butter on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Top the squash with the onions.
Step 3: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Top the squash with chopped herbs, followed by crumbled goat cheese. Squeeze fresh lemon over the top. Bake for 10 minutes – just to soften the goat cheese. Top with red pepper flakes and serve.
Note from Spence’s Girl: I purposely left the recipe without quantities as you can adjust based on how many servings you’d like. If you don’t have access to these exact herbs, use what you have – basil, oregano, tarragon – have fun with it. While not vegan, this would be a lovely vegetarian entree.
* To calculate the Weight Watchers Smart Points, I used 1 oz of goat cheese and 1/2 tablespoon of butter, based on 2 servings.
