greens macaroni salad. (and what to do with all that pasta).

it's common blog practice to offer the occasional post on pantry staples and standbys. i think it's common practice all around to keep a pantry stocked with some items that can be pulled out in dire culinary need or moments of un-inspiration.

the problem is that i tend to like to cook with mostly fresh produce. in case you haven't noticed, the majority of recipes here revolve around a bit of vegetables, complimented by more vegetables, and finished off with some fresh herbs. all of these things don't have the longest shelf lives. and with a fridge that doesn't always close fully, their refrigerator lives are often cut tragically too short as well. so i find myself going grocery shopping quite often and only very rarely relying on the assumption that we have backup ingredients at home.

still, if i had to mention the few items you can pretty consistently find lining the pantry shelves, it would be: lentils, chickpeas, rice, flour, sugar, (cookies), an old trader joe's rice noodle bowl that i can't bear to part with, corn kernels for popping, and: pasta. 

so. much. pasta. if we bought some other staple (canned tomatoes, quinoa, more cookies!) for every time we picked up a package of pasta, i'd be the most stocked blogger this side of the atlantic. but instead, we have about 15 packages of opened pasta at any given time, and i've turned into that sad person whose favorite monthly past time may just be organizing and grouping already opened packages...

which is why the following recipe is perfect for this household, one where short noodles flow off the shelves in their various fusilli, macaroni, and farfalle forms. any and all types of noodles can be thrown together in this green, refreshing, and slightly tangy pasta salad. i enjoyed it mildly warm on a summer evening, but chilled and at an outdoor potluck would be just as delicious.

assorted greens macaroni salad:

adapted from 101 cookbooks

300 g macaroni pasta (or a mix of short pasta noodles, as seen here!)

2 tbsp olive oil

3 bunches green onions, sliced

1 leek, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

juice of one lemon

3 handfuls greens (arugula, spinach, etc)

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

salt and pepper

10 large basil leaves, chopped roughly

1/3 cup grated parmesan, for topping

bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions. once al dente, reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.

heat the olive oil in a large pan. add green onions, leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt. cook about 5 minutes, until the onions and leeks are soft and the garlic is browned. remove from heat and let cool. 

add in the pasta, tomatoes, greens, lemon, reserved pasta water, basil, and salt and pepper. at this point, you can either stir in the parmesan, or let individuals top their dishes themselves.

summer squash and leek soup.

yesterday was the perfect summer day.

my friend holly stopped by bremen for a visit, and i did my best to prepare a day full of stereotypical activities associated with daily life in a small, historic european city. as you can imagine, there was a lot of quaintness to pack in.

we kicked things off with a morning trip to the farmer's market, which was not only excessively charming, but also led me to the discovery that portobello mushrooms do indeed exist in germany. a sale on summer squash also obviated having to make any decisions about what to prepare on what i knew would be a cool, breezy evening. after a stroll through the old town, we sat down to a quiche and fresh vegetable picnic in the park. the pond, lilly pads, birch trees, and countless families ducky families helped set the mood.

we rounded out the afternoon with chocolate marzipan gelato (what else?!) in the marketplace and a mandatory visit to the bremen city musician statue. i'm horrified by the number of times i've taken this absurd picture clutching this silly donkey's legs.

dropping holly off at the train station that evening, i felt a sense of accomplishment: i made bremen look cute!

granted, it wasn't just me. the weather was certainly a deal sealer. summers in bremen - when they aren't acting out of line with rain and wind and clouds - offer a nice mix of warm days complemented by cool, bright evenings. this soup is perfect for such a night. the spices add a bit of a kick without overpowering the squash, and the carrots add a much appreciated sweetness. you could also throw a potato (or a sweet potato!) in for a thicker base. personally, in the summer, i prefer a thinner soup and a hunk of ciabatta on the side for heartiness.

summer squash and leek soup

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 onion, diced

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 leek, cleaned (!!) and diced

2 carrots, chopped roughly

3 deliciously plump summer squash, chopped roughly

5 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp curry

1 tsp turmeric

salt and pepper to taste

garnish:

¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

¼ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped

start by making your vegetable broth. i let some old carrot stubs and hunks of garlic and ginger simmer for a half hour to make mine, but you can also use pre-made stock or a powder.

when the stock is ready, take a large pot and heat the olive oil. add the garlic, onion, cumin seeds, and a pinch of salt. sauté until soft and pungent (about 10 minutes). add squash, carrots, leeks and stock, and bring to a boil. reduce heat and let simmer partially covered for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and almost falling apart. remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes (depending on your patience level!).

work in batches to puree the soup in a blender until smooth or just slightly chunky. transfer the puree back to a pot and thin with water if you like. add the ground cumin, coriander, curry, and turmeric. season with salt and pepper. simmer for 3-5 minutes.

chop fresh herbs and mix together in a bowl for garnish. serve soup immediately a dusting of herbs (and a small swig of olive oil, if so desired).

start-the-week-out-right pasta.

i always look forward to cooking dinner on sunday. it's a nice way to both close out the prior week and prepare for the one to come. and given that my sundays often include lounging around, baking (!!), organizing, and not all too much physical activity, my stomach tends to crave something light and nutritious once evening rolls around.

i started making this dish some months ago when the weather turned warmer and the sun started to linger in the sky later and later. simply put, it's any fresh vegetables and herbs lying around paired with a short noodle and dressed lightly in some balsamic and a dash of oil. it's so easy to make and it leaves your belly in a satiated, wholesome state.

i'm a bit of a green freak, so my vegetables of choice almost always include one (or more realistically, all) of the following: spinach, asparagus, broccoli, leeks. however, i just made a variation of this dish this last sunday with cauliflower and a touch of cumin mixed it at the end, and it was far from disappointing.

secondly, while of course any pasta noodle will do, i choose a short one for this dish as you can eat it with just a fork. confession: i like one utensil dishes.

sunday (or any day!) noodles

300 g tricolor fusilli pasta (or any other short noodle)

1 leek, chopped

1 cup black or kalamata olives, halved

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

1 bunch asparagus, diced into 1 inch pieces

1 cup crimini mushrooms, diced

½ package basil tofu, chopped into ½ inch cubes

½ cup chives, ½ cup dill, ½ cup basil – all roughly chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

begin by heating a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. finely chop your onion and garlic and add them to the hot oil first. lightly fry until the onion begins to turn translucent.

add the asparagus, mushrooms, and leek to the pan. give it all a toss, and cover to let steam. when vegetables are almost ready, add the tofu and olives and keep warm by turning off the heat and covering.

meanwhile, cook your pasta in a pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.

when everything is ready, transfer however much pasta you want to the pan of vegetables and toss in the herbs. turn the heat back on briefly to stir everything around and make it’s at serving temperature.

remove from heat and add around 1-2 tablespoons (each) of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, depending on how you like it. salt and pepper, and serve immediately.