Spring is here...I can feel it! It's the time to meet with friends and enjoy some sunshine-catalyzed conversations. I've been glancing at the recipes in this 30 Minute Suppers magazine ever since I picked it up from Barnes & Noble. The '30 Minutes' in the title and the large, gorgeous pictures were what really caught my eye. The issue has 64 recipes, and they all seem pretty doable (which means something because it comes from me--someone with almost negligible cooking experience). I think if you were very at ease in a kitchen, you could probably make these dishes in 30 minutes. However, I took around 45.
The most interesting part of this particular recipe was the endives, which is related to escarole and radicchio. It has a very bitter taste when raw; grilling it tames the flavor slightly, but the endive still gives some punch. The dish is aesthetically pleasing too, with the pretty bow ties framed by specks of bright green and some hearty chips of bacon.
Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen--30 Minute Suppers, Spring 2011 issue
Ingredients:
- 8 slices of bacon
- 4 heads of Belgian Endive, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- The juice of 1 lemon
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
1. Bring 4 qts water to boil in a large pot
2. Add olive oil + bacon to large skillet over medium high heat. Cook until crisp (about 2-3 minutes for each side). Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
3. Clean skillet of lard (towel drying should suffice).
4. Add some olive oil to skillet. Place the endive (the flat side of the half down on the pan) on skillet. Cook on medium high heat for about 4 minutes. Flip endive to other side, and cook for another 4 minutes. While waiting, coarsely chop up the bacon. Set aside.
5. Place on cutting board and let it cool.
6. Clean skillet (towel drying should suffice).
7. Add the chicken broth and peas to the skillet. Put on medium high heat; let it simmer for about 4 minutes until the peas are tender bright and green.
8. While the peas and broth are heating up, prepare the endives. Cut each half-endive lengthwise into two pieces. Proceed to cut the pieces into 1 inch segments. Add the endive pieces to the skillet.
9. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to boiling water and the dried pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain and return pasta to pot. Keep the pot on medium heat.
10. Pour broth/peas/endive mixture into the pot with the pasta.
11. Add sour cream, mint, bacon, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the pot. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
