Mint is prized throughout the Mediterranean, used in honeyed desserts, sprinkled liberally on savory dishes and used to brew the sweetest tea. In Morocco, it's even used as an air freshener as locals stroll through thestreets of the market place and stuff leaves unto their nostrils to block out strong odors.
One of my favorite Mediterranean flavor combos is mint and tomato, tossed together in a light, savory sauce for summer.I think most Americans might think basil is the end all when it comes to tomato sauce, but in Southern Italian cooking mint is used liberally.I remember cooking swordfish in a fish basics class in culinary school.It had a perky tomato sauce with paper-thin slices of garlic, 'GoodFellas' style.We added a big fresh bunch of mint, chopped, to a sauce that had bubbling hot cherry tomatoes popping open in the skillet.
Get Jennifer's recipe for Spaghetti with Mint Leaves after the jump.
We've talkedbefore about meals that require minimal cooking to go from kitchen to table. How about a couple of dishes that only require a bit of chopping and a single pot of boiling water for the pasta? The first recipe comes from Nigella Lawson. She appeared on NPR's morning edition last week, and offered up a no-cook pasta sauce that marinates sliced mushrooms in a vinaigrette of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and thyme until they wilt. Then she tosses them with just-cooked linguine, some grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for an easy meal. You can get the recipe on the NPR website, but I recommend listening to the segment as well, as Nigella is always so nice to listen to.
The second no-cook recipe is my take on a recipe I've seen all over this summer. It's so easy that there's hardly even an actual recipe to share at all. Chop up two big summer tomatoes (it's really gorgeous if you use a combination of red and yellow tomatoes). Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and add a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Stir it up and push it to the back of the counter for half an hour. In the mean time, put a large pot of water on to boil. When the water is boiling, add some salt and pasta (any kind you like, I'm a fan of cappellini). While the pasta cooks, chop some basil and pull a ball of mozzarella cheese apart into shreds. Add the cheese and basil to the tomatoes. When the pasta is done, loosely drain it and add it to the tomato bowl. Toss and eat. The heat of the pasta melts the cheese a bit and gives the sauce a creamy, blushing color. It is so delicious.
There has been an overwhelming response to AOL's round up of America's Most Hated Foods. I mean, people are vomiting through their computers and damning foods to illegality (poor cooked carrots). I've gotta admit, I don't have any aversions that strong. Sure, I have foods I dislike (I'm lookin at you, Mr. Sun-Dried Tomato), but nothing that is going to make me weep into my dinner plate.
That said, I do have a pretty serious issue with seasonal food hatred. Certain foods that I enthusiastically eat all winter long just cannot cross my plate during the summer.
Mint-Chocolate. As stated in this M&M review, mint-chocolate means wintry warmth. Although there has been accusation that I got this association from Starbucks (damn you, Grande Soy Mint Mocha!), I maintain that this comes from Christmas' candy cane cataclysm.
Potato Soup. Obviously, it's hot. But what's worse, it's dense, and starchy, and thick, and kinda fuzzy. These are not acceptable adjectives for summer outerwear, let alone my internal organs.
Breakfast sausage. Now, I'm all about a sausage on a bun; toss on some spicy mustard and it's a par-tay. But a girthy link of meat just sitting on my plate first thing in the morning, waiting for a greasy, snappy bite to set it free? Hell no.
I can't remember the last time I had fish. I just don't eat fish, which means I'm probably incredibly unhealthy because I don't get all of the great things into my body that fish provide. I'm not a big seafood lover in general. I'll order chicken before I get fish, though I do love clams and scallops.
When I do eat fish, haddock is my favorite. My mom used to make it when I was a kid, and it was the only type of fish I could stand. I probably haven't had it in 25 years or so, but this recipe for Haddock Marinara from Kristimoo at AllRecipes might make me jump back into the fish world, at least once in a while. If you like your fish plain this might not be for you (it has a lot of stewed tomatoes and mozzarella cheese), but it sounds great.
Have you ever stood at your stove cooking pasta sauce and you realize it's too watery, and you don't have any tomato paste, flour, or corn starch? Here's how to thicken it.
I can't remember the last time I had fish. I just don't eat fish, which means I'm probably incredibly unhealthy because I don't get all of the great things into my body that fish provide. I'm not a big seafood lover in general. I'll order chicken before I get fish, though I do love clams and scallops.
Today might not be the best day to kiss your significant other, but it might just be the day to eat Italian.
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