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Darlings, if you are anything like me, you came home from a weekend away to an empty fridge and a whole lotta 'catch-up!' La Diva had grand plans to ride her little bike to the grocery and pick up all the fixins for some summer salads but I left it too late and hence, the afternoon storms had already arrived, leaving me to use only what I had in the freezer or pantry!
Enter the Naples Pasta Company! La Diva scored some "lemon ginger fettuccine" from a dear friend who lives on Marco Island for my birthday and it's times like these I pull out "the good stuff!" According to the Naples Farmers Market website, the NPC "carries fresh pasta, 31 'flavors' of dried pasta, orzo, fresh mozzarella, fresh marinara and tomato vodka sauce, eight different kinds of fresh ravioli, gnocchi, and assorted desserts." When you only have ordinary ingredients to work with sometimes an extraordinary staple will enhance and uplift the entire dish!
Here's what I did for a quick weeknight dinner:
Click to see more detail darlings! La Diva's Quick Lemony Thai Pasta with Chicken and Vegetables
Serves 2-3
1/2 lb. lemon ginger fettuccine
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 box frozen thawed snap peas or 1 cup fresh
1 inch lemongrass sliced thin
1/2 inch knob ginger, grated
3 green onions, sliced thinly
7 grape tomatoes, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small carrot, julienned
Method:
Darlings, don't forget your mies en place! Dice and chop everything before you begin to cook!
Bring pasta water to boil and cook pasta al dente, add a bit of butter and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in wok. When smoking, add chicken and salt generously. Add the lemongrass and keep stirring. Add garlic and the peas with a ladle of the pasta water. Grate the ginger directly into the wok, stir. If it gets dry, add a bit more pasta water. Now add all the remaining ingredients and stir in the cooked pasta. Add a small knob of butter and serve immediately!
Bring pasta water to boil and cook pasta al dente, add a bit of butter and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in wok. When smoking, add chicken and salt generously. Add the lemongrass and keep stirring. Add garlic and the peas with a ladle of the pasta water. Grate the ginger directly into the wok, stir. If it gets dry, add a bit more pasta water. Now add all the remaining ingredients and stir in the cooked pasta. Add a small knob of butter and serve immediately!
Result: Quick, light and delicious! The lemongrass enhances the lemony flavor of the gourmet pasta and the carrots and green onions add that nice textural "crunch" that I crave. If I had a lemon, I would have zested some peel for a finishing touch but instead a knob of butter and a pinch of Maldon's salt crystals had to suffice!
La Diva is one of those people that manages to make something out of nothing and if you keep a well-stocked pantry, you can do the same. I usually keep a few frozen veggies for curries and the like and would have preferred fresh peas but hey, it was raining buckets so I lived with it! I also keep fresh ginger root and lemongrass stalks right in the freezer and use as needed. With the addition of the "fresh" ginger and the lemongrass to brighten up the dish, you get the lively flavor as if you had grown the herbs in your garden! Divine, darlings!
What do you whip up with pantry and freezer items in a pinch? La Diva would LOVE to know! Ta ta for now! cooking class, cocktails, parties, cocktail party, Miami, coral gables, events, bartending class, cocktail class, Laura Lafata, Miami Beach, miami cooking classes, bachelorette parties, bachelorette party
La Diva is one of those people that manages to make something out of nothing and if you keep a well-stocked pantry, you can do the same. I usually keep a few frozen veggies for curries and the like and would have preferred fresh peas but hey, it was raining buckets so I lived with it! I also keep fresh ginger root and lemongrass stalks right in the freezer and use as needed. With the addition of the "fresh" ginger and the lemongrass to brighten up the dish, you get the lively flavor as if you had grown the herbs in your garden! Divine, darlings!
Different ingredients, same concept for us tonight! Some nutty, grainy whole wheat pasta tossed with white beans and a saute of white onion, spinach, garlic, marinated aritchoke hearts from a jar, red pepper flakes, a tiny bit of crumbled bacon (from Gordon's Foods...spare no expense. haha) and some fresly grated parm. cheese. Tangy, spicy, filling & fresh. I have never used lemongrass! I'm going to get some & try it.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds simple and sooooo good!
ReplyDelete