Cooking in the Time of Drought

I think I bought this pasta pot when I moved into my first apartment, oh so long ago. It's followed me around ever since even though I rarely use it. A smaller pot suffices for pasta for one or two people.

However, I'm using it more in this time of drought because even though it takes a lot of water to fill it, the draining insert makes it really easy to save the pasta water to put on the plants.









The other night I pulled it out of the cupboard to cook tagliatelle with arugula (yes, our arugula patch keeps on giving!) and cherry tomatoes.

It took many kettles of water to fill the pot, but I persisted.

Then I added tagliatelle from Italy.



When it was cooked halfway through, I added the arugula to the pot, and cooked it all for another 5 minutes, until the pasta was al dente. I then lifted up the insert and let the water drain back into the pot.













Meanwhile, in a large skillet, I had fried cherry tomatoes and garlic in olive oil. I poured in the drained pasta and arugula, and tossed it all together.

Then we sat down to a simple meal.

While we ate, the pasta water in the big pot gradually cooled down. When it was at room temperature, we took it outside to water our little kumquat tree. I'm sure the extra vitamins from the arugula will be especially nourishing for it.

Noodle Salad

I love puttering in the garden in these long light summer evenings. I tend to lose track of time. Then Larry gets home around 7 p.m. and I rush to get dinner on the table.

The other night I made this quick salad of udon noodles, fried tofu and peanut dressing. The key to cooking it quickly is to multi-task. I stir together the peanut sauce while the noodles are boiling and the tofu is frying.

Vegetables are added depending on what I have in the fridge. This time was snap peas. Cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts and peppers have all made seasonal appearances.

I sprinkled it with leaves from Egyptian walking onions and flowers from the arugula in our garden. Isn't summer great?

Noodle Salad with Tamari Tofu and Spicy Peanut Dressing
1 lb firm tofu
2/3 packet (6 oz) udon noodles
oil and tamari
6 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp roasted sesame oil
1 tbsp grated ginger root
1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)
2 cups snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup chopped scallions (or chives, or leaves from Egyptian walking onions)
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Press tofu in a kitchen towel under a plate with a heavy jar of beans on it for 5 minutes or so. Then slice in 1/3 inch thick bite-size rectangles. Heat a heavy skillet with oil to just cover the bottom of the pan and add the tofu pieces. Sprinkle each piece with a little tamari. Flip and sprinkle the tamari on the other side. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until crispy.

Cook udon according to package directions. Drain.

Mash together peanut butter, water, rice vinegar, tamari, roasted sesame oil, ginger root and cayenne. Taste and add salt if desired. Set aside.

Steam snap peas 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and cut into thirds. (Or, if they're particularly tender, add them raw for an extra crunch.)

Toss together the noodles, tofu, snap peas, scallions, peanuts and cilantro. Stir in peanut sauce to taste and serve the rest on the side.

Serves 2-3

Fusilli with Arugula and Tomatoes and Feta

Our arugula is starting to flower, so I harvested a bunch of the leaves and flowers the other night to try to encourage it to get bushy again. Once I discarded the tough stems, I had about 3 cups of peppery leaves and flowers. I tossed them with hot pasta, tomatoes and feta for a quick flavorful dinner.

It's a simple dish that can be varied in many ways. Cherry or grape tomatoes can substitute for the plum tomatoes. I used leaves from our homegrown Egyptian walking onions, but scallions are a good substitute.

This is fresh fast food at its best.

Fusilli with Tomatoes and Feta
8 oz fusilli or other pasta
3 tbsp olive oil plus more to drizzle
1 shallot, peeled and diced
3 Egyptian walking onion leaves, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 3/4 lb roma tomatoes
3 cups chopped arugula leaves
4 oz feta, diced

Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until it's al dente.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shallot, onion leaves, garlic and tomatoes. Sauté about 7 minutes until the tomatoes soften. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta and return it to its pot. Stir in the tomato mixture and arugula. Drizzle in a little extra olive oil to make it all meld together. Stir in the feta and serve.

Serves 2-4

Whole Wheat Linguine with Broccoli and Chickpeas

We don't eat pasta very often, so I tend to buy organic Italian durum wheat (white flour) noodles. After all, if it's a splurge, we might as well go all out and eat white flour.

However, the other day I felt organic whole wheat linguine would be a better fit with the robust flavors of broccoli, chick peas, smoked chili peppers and lots of garlic. I was right — the whole wheat added a nuttiness that contributed beautifully to the overall dish.

Canned chickpeas are a time-saver, but I so prefer home cooked beans. The flavor and texture are nuttier, and there's no need to rinse off the tinniness. Fortunately, they cook in 22 minutes in the pressure cooker — no pre-soaking needed. I cooked the chickpeas a couple of hours ahead, drained them, and left them on the counter until it was time to throw dinner together. They were great.

The smoked chili flakes add another dimension of flavor. (Probably carnivores would add bacon instead.) I buy mine from Mountain Rose Herbs. You can substitute un-smoked chili flakes if that's what you have. It will still be an awesome dish.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Broccoli and Chickpeas

1/3 cup chickpeas (or 1 can, drained)

1 1/4 lbs broccoli

4 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup chopped garlic (8-10 cloves)

1/2 tsp smoked chili flakes

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 lb whole wheat linguine

Pick over the chickpeas to remove any stones or debris. Rinse. Either cook in plenty of water until tender, 2-3 hours, or cook in a pressure cooker covered by at least 2 inches of water and time for 22 minutes once pressure is reached. Let the pressure cooker cool by opening the vent — keep away from the steam! — then carefully open and check the texture of the chickpeas. If they're tender, drain them and set aside. If they're not quite cooked, replace the lid and simmer another 5 minutes before testing again. Drain the chickpeas and set aside.

Cut the broccoli florets into large bite-size pieces. Peel the tough stems down to the pale green center and cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about a minute. Add the broccoli and salt, stir well, add a couple of tablespoons of water and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until they are warm.

Meanwhile, cook the linguine in lots of salted water according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the linguine to the broccoli. Toss well, adding the reserved water if needed. Keep tossing over medium heat until all is warm and well-mixed.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle on some grated parmesan if desired.

Serves 3-4

Penne with Broccoli, Mushrooms, Rosemary and Thyme

I ventured out between the rain showers the other day to pick some rosemary and thyme to add vigor to this simple pasta dish. The aroma of the fresh herbs elevated this easy supper to another level, yet it was still quick to prepare.

One of the pleasures of living in Southern California is the ability to grow herbs outside year round. While they may not be at their most fragrant after all this cold rain, they still add pungency and freshness to a meal.

The broccoli and mushrooms cook while the pasta boils, and the dish is ready in under half an hour.

There is no real sauce per se, so save a couple of ladlefuls of pasta cooking water to add at the end to loosen it up if necessary.

Penne with Broccoli, Mushrooms, Rosemary and Thyme
1 (10 oz) head broccoli
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 dried chili pepper, crushed into pieces
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
parmesan to serve (optional)
1/2 lb penne pasta

Cut the florets off the broccoli stems and set aside. Peel any tough skin off the broccoli stems and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Sauté the onion in the olive oil until it's browned around the edges. Add the chopped broccoli stems and stir for a minute. Add the mushrooms, salt, rosemary, thyme, chili pepper and sunflower seeds. Stir another minute or so. Add 1/4 cup water to the pan. Place the broccoli florets on top of the vegetables, cover the pan, reduce the heat and let it all steam, covered, 13-15 minutes until the stems are soft and the florets are cooked but still have some bite.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water, following the directions on the package. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.

When the sauce is cooked, stir in the pasta along with a little pasta water if desired.

Serve sprinkled with parmesan if desired. (If you're not using parmesan, a little extra salt might be necessary.)

Serves 4

Pasta with Beet Greens

The beets I'm growing in our vegetable patch have many more leaves than the ones I buy at the farmers market. In fact,  each beet has as many greens as I would usually get in a bunch of three beets.

So we've been eating a lot of beet greens. This isn't a hardship because they are sweet and versatile. I like them combined with chard or kale in a side dish of wilted greens. I've also stirred them into cooked brown rice for a simple casserole.

The other day I stirred them into pasta with garlic and olives for a quick but tasty meal.

In the past I've made this dish with chard and other greens. The beets were particularly yummy, I thought.

I used my large pasta pot with a strainer insert to cook the pasta. It took a lot of water, but it was easy to lift out the pasta and reserve the water - turned pink by the beet leaves - for watering my plants. I'm sure they appreciated the extra minerals.

Pasta with Beet Greens
1 lb beet greens (cut stems at bottom of leaves before weighing)
1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped green olives
2 dried red hot chiles, crushed (or 1/2 tsp hot chile flakes)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Wash the beet leaves, cut coarsely and set aside.

Cook pasta in a lot of well-salted boiling water until almost tender. Add the beet leaves and cook another 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup water.

Meanwhile, warm olive oil in large saucepan. Fry garlic, olives, chiles, and salt and pepper to taste, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes.

Add drained pasta with beet leaves and 1/3 cup pasta water. Cook, stirring, until well mixed and the liquid is absorbed. Add a few extra spoonfuls of cooking water if needed to make it moist and a little saucy.

Stir in the parmesan and serve.

Serves 4-6

The Joy of Leftovers

One of the great things about cooking a big meal is having leftovers.

And a great leftover to have is grilled eggplant slices. We had some left over from Saturday night dinner, so on Sunday I stirred them up into a tomato sauce that we ate on penne. That was a great break from healthy eating. The next night we were back to beans and greens.

If you don't have leftover grilled eggplant, then start by slicing an eggplant and grilling or frying it. I recommend using a grill pan because the eggplant can't absorb as much oil as it can in a fry pan.

This recipe is based on one in Anna Thomas' classic 1972 book The Vegetarian Epicure. This was one of my first vegetarian cookbooks, and I still turn to it regularly for basics like this sauce. Although, 40 years on, I find I automatically reduce the amount of oil and dairy products in the recipes. I'm sure she does now too.

Eggplant Pasta Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 - 1/2 lb grilled eggplant slices
1 green pepper
28 oz can whole tomatoes
2 tbsp sliced black olives
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp dried basil
6 oz tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and let it warm.

Chop the eggplant slices in chunks. Seed and dice the green pepper. Drain the tomatoes and chop them coarsely. Add all to the pan along with the olives and capers. Stir well, coating all the vegetables in oil. Add the basil, tomato paste and wine, stir again, and cover the skillet. Let simmer gently over low heat for about 1 hour until it is rich and dark. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking, and add extra wine or water if it gets too thick.

Makes about 1 quart of sauce, enough for pasta for 4-6 people. It freezes well too.

Simple Sunday Supper

After a long day of digging in the garden, it's nice to have a simple supper.

Last night I boiled up some penne and tossed it with stemmed and chopped arugula, goat cheese, and enough of the pasta cooking water to make a sauce. Plenty of black pepper, and we had a meal worthy of a good Italian restaurant. But we were able to eat it at home, on our patio, enjoying the garden.

New Year's Eve Pasta

I recently found the most interesting pasta at my local independent grocery store.

It's organic artisan pasta made in Puglia, Italy, and while I shudder at the fuel dollars that were spent shipping the pasta halfway around the world, I feel good supporting organic farmers and artisan pasta makers in Italy.

It was the form of the pasta that caught my eye - it was called sagne torte, and looked like long twisted fettucine. I felt it would be an excellent match with a rich mushroom sauce on New Year's Eve.

And it was. It was thick and chewy and tasty, and it absorbed the cream sauce well. It even retained some of its twists after cooking. Larry found it a little too long - it turns out it was folded in half in the package, so each strand was about 2 feet long - but I felt that made it more entertaining.

The green beans were young tender beans from McGrath farms. I used brown cremini mushrooms, but the white kind would be okay too. Make sure to use organic whipping cream. One of our basil plants is still going, and the fresh basil made a great flavor pop, but the dish will still be good without it.

This is not a health food recipe. However, it is delicious, so save it for a special occasion and drink a glass of red wine with it to help your arteries.

Happy New Year!

Creamy Pasta with Mushrooms and Green Beans
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup vegetable stock
8 oz green beans, trimmed and cut in two-inch pieces
12 oz fettucine
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 egg
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
shaved parmesan to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, another minute. Add the wine, cream and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the green beans a couple of minutes into the cooking time.

Cook the fettucine according to package directions. If the sun-dried tomatoes are in oil, cut them in thin strips. If they're dry, pour hot water over them and let them soften a few minutes, then drain and cut in strips.

Turn the heat under the skillet to low. Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl. Whisk in a little of the hot creamy liquid, stirring constantly. This warms the egg so it doesn't curdle when you add it to the skillet. Pour the egg mixture slowly into the skillet, stirring constantly for about a minute. Keep the heat low so it doesn't boil. Add the basil and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir gently until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir sauce over the warm pasta. Garnish with shavings of parmesan.

Serves 3-4

Saturday Night Pasta

At the end of a long week, a big bowl of pasta hits the spot.

On Saturday Larry and I made a tomato eggplant sauce for our pasta that was pretty sensational, if we do say so ourselves.

I think the key was that I cooked the eggplant on my cast iron grill pan. I brushed it with oil, but because the eggplant wasn't sitting in the oil as it would have been in a fry pan, it developed a smoky flavor that shone through in the pasta sauce.

We used a red jalapeno pepper and a green long Italian pepper. I could have sautéed them with the onions, but I forgot. So I stirred them raw into the sauce to cook, and they did a good job of flavoring it.

This sauce would also be good stirred into cooked white beans.

Tomato Eggplant Pasta Sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed
1/3 cup diced onion
1 tbsp olive oil
14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno
1 Italian pepper
1/2 lb eggplant
parmesan to taste (optional)
1/2 lb penne

Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil until golden. Add the tomatoes and their juice. Stir well, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 10-15 minutes, adding water if necessary so it doesn't get too thick. Stir in the chopped peppers.

Meanwhile, warm a grill pan over medium heat. Slice the eggplant 3/4 inch thick. Brush the pan with oil and cook the eggplant until soft, 10-15 minutes, turning as needed. (You could also do this on a barbecue.)

Dice the eggplant into 1-inch pieces and stir into the tomato sauce. Add water as necessary to the sauce to keep a good consistency, and let it simmer 5-10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Cook penne according to package directions. Drain and stir into sauce. Let simmer a couple of minutes to let the pasta absorb some of the sauce, then serve with parmesan on the side if desired.

Serves 3-4

Eggplant Pasta

Larry was out one evening last week, so I took the opportunity to indulge in arugula and eggplant.

Actually, I think he would have enjoyed this too.

I had leftover grilled eggplant, which I diced and stirred into some crumbled goat cheese. I cooked some penne, stirred in the eggplant goat cheese mixture, and then tossed in some chopped arugula. I covered the pot and let the residual heat cook the arugula and warm the eggplant.

A good grating of black pepper, and I had a simple feast.

Saying good-bye to 2012

I could think of no better New Year's Eve dinner than a feisty dish of wild arugula and gorgonzola.

The arugula is lightly sautéed with mushrooms and diced tomatoes. The gorgonzola melts when tossed with hot pasta, and the ingredients meld together to create a dish that is even better than the sum of its parts.

It was a great way to see 2012 out with gusto.

Penne with Arugula and Gorgonzola
16-oz package penne
3 tbsp olive oil
6 oz crimini mushrooms
14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 bunch arugula
6-8 oz gorgonzola

Cook penne in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package.

Cut the mushrooms in quarters (or sixths if they're large). Wash the arugula, remove the bigger stems, and tear it in large pieces. Sauté the mushrooms in the olive oil for five minutes. Drain the tomatoes, saving the juice for another use, and add them along with the arugula. Sauté another couple of minutes. Spoon into a large serving bowl. Cut the gorgonzola in large dice and stir it into the vegetables.

Drain the pasta well and add it to the bowl. Add freshly-ground pepper and toss well.

Serves 4-6.

It even looks like health food (before the pasta and cheese are added).

Simple Summer Supper

I came home from work pretty tired Saturday. Plus it was hot.

So a simple supper was in order.

I picked some basil and cherry tomatoes in the garden, and whipped up this simple pasta with pesto.

(Click here for my favorite pesto recipe.)

I would have made a salad too, but it was hot, and I was tired. Does pesto count as a green vegetable?

Pasta with Arugula

Flora Bella Farms had the most beautiful young arugula last week, and I knew exactly what to do with it.

I picked up a 6oz container of crimini mushrooms (the brown ones that turn into portabellos if they get big), and a 5oz container of crumbled gorgonzola, picked a couple of tomatoes from the garden, and made a meal which I think comes pretty darned close to heaven.

(My body does too. Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable, so it has the cancer-fighting properties of broccoli. It's high in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. And in this dish the arugula is lightly cooked in a little olive oil, which helps the body absorb the nutrients. Healthy and heavenly. Aren't vegetables great?)

The kick of the arugula comes through in this dish, but is tamed by the richness of the mushrooms and cheese. A few grindings of pepper, and you have a vigorous pasta dish that is not for the faint of heart. But boy, it's hard to stop at one serving.

Pasta with Arugula and Gorgonzola
8 oz penne
2 tbsp olive oil
6 oz mushrooms
2 tomatoes, diced
1 bunch arugula
5 oz crumbled gorgonzola
freshly-ground pepper

Cook the penne according to the directions on the packet. (You are using organic pasta, right?)

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet. Wipe the mushrooms clean and cut them in quarters or sixths depending on the size. Add to the skillet and cook about 5 minutes. Wash the arugula, discarding any yellowed leaves. Cut off the long stems at the bottom if they are tough. Chop the leaves coarsely (no need to rip out the stems if they're soft).

Add the tomatoes and arugula to the skillet, turn in the olive oil and let cook a couple of minutes until the arugula is wilted. Tip into a serving bowl. Stir in the gorgonzola.

Drain the pasta and add to the bowl. The tomatoes and mushrooms should have released enough juice that it is a moist dish, but add some of the pasta cooking water if needed.

Season with lots of pepper.

Toss well and serve hot.

Serves 4 in theory.

Almost healthy comfort food

I came home from work the other day wanting comfort food.

But we had a cabbage in the fridge - an ace food for preventing colon cancer and balancing hormones. How could I turn health food into comfort food?

Well, I cooked it and stirred it into pasta with tomato sauce and baked it in the oven. Like baked ziti but with cabbage added. And to make it healthier, I used organic brown rice pasta spirals.

While it tasted and looked like comfort food, I felt good knowing that we were getting the health-protective nutrients of cabbage.

If your family is reluctant to eat cabbage, this is a great way to sneak it into their diets.

Pasta Cabbage Casserole
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
1 1/2 lbs green cabbage
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
14-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 lb brown rice spirals
4 oz cheddar, sliced thin

Peel and quarter the onion, then slice thinly. Sauté in olive oil over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Wedge the cabbage and slice it thinly. Discard the hard core.

Stir cabbage into onion, cover and cook about 10 minutes until the cabbage is soft. Stir occasionally. Stir in tomato sauce and red wine vinegar. Cook another 10 minutes, covered partially, until cabbage is very tender.

Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package. Cook until still slightly chewy - it will continue to cook in the oven. Drain the pasta and add it to the cabbage. Season with lots of salt and pepper to taste.

Grease a shallow 7x12 casserole. Pour in the cabbage mixture. Place thin slices of cheddar over the top. Cover the casserole and bake 15 minutes. Uncover and bake another few minutes to toast the cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 6. Makes great leftovers.

Penne with Spinach and Feta

We worked hard in the garden Sunday, planting the winter vegetable garden, painting the fence, generally enjoying the fall day.

All the fresh air and sunshine gave us healthy appetites, so I whipped up this hearty pasta for dinner.

Boy was it good. The warmth of the chiles, the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes, and the healthy glow from the spinach made it a great ending to a busy day.

Penne with Spinach and Feta
1 bunch spinach
6 oz penne (1/2 packet)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot or 2 spring onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 oz feta, diced

Wash the spinach, discarding any big stems. Put it in a large pot with the water still on its leaves. Cover and cook over medium heat until wilted but still green, about 5 minutes. Drain and chop the spinach.

Cook the pasta according to packet directions. Drain.

Warm the olive oil in the same pot, and sauté shallot, garlic, and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes 1-2 minutes to soften a little. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the pot along with the pasta and spinach. Stir well and cook about 2 minutes until heated through.

Turn off the heat. Stir in feta and let it sit, covered, 1-2 minutes to soften the cheese.

Serves 3-4

Gorgonzola and Arugula Pasta

I planted some wild arugula a few years ago, and now it seeds itself around the garden in a most agreeable way. I picked some the other day to make this delicious pasta.

The dish is lively on the palate and quick to make, making it a good choice on these warm summer evenings when you don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

Gorgonzola and Arugula Pasta
1/2 lb pasta, whatever shape you like
1 generous tbsp olive oil
3 oz crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 bunch arugula, about 2 inches across at the stems, or a 2oz bag
1/4 lb gorgonzola, cut into large dice, about 3/4 cup
pepper

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente.

Warm olive oil and sauté mushrooms 5 minutes. Wash the arugula and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Add the tomatoes and arugula to the pan and sauté until the arugula is wilted, about 2 minutes. Pour into a large pasta bowl and stir in the gorgonzola.

Drain pasta well and add to bowl. Season with plenty of pepper. Taste before adding salt - the amount needed will depend on the saltiness of the gorgonzola.

Toss well and serve.

Serves 2-3

Emptying the fridge

Last week our fridge was bulging at the seams.

I figured that most of it was Thanksgiving food, and that after Thursday, things would calm down.

Not so.

It seems I was a little over-inspired at the farmers market, and we had a plentitude of kohlrabi, rutabagas, parsnips and greens.

I was leaving for a week with my mum, and knew that Larry would eat bachelor food while I was away. So I did my best to empty the fridge.

I roasted the parsnips and cooked the kohlrabi to eat with Thanksgiving leftovers.

I cooked the greens from the kohlrabi with lacinato and red kales. I froze some, and we ate the rest for dinner with potato cakes made from leftover mashed potatoes. (Is there anything better than mashed potatoes patted into cakes and lightly browned in a little olive oil?)

The lettuce was washed and wrapped in paper towels for Larry to make into salads. (Or feed to the compost heap.)

Finally, I found three bunches of cilantro. I picked out the freshest leaves and found I had enough to make a double-batch of this spicy cilantro pesto, which I stashed in the freezer. I'll serve it as a dip with raw vegetables, toss it with pasta, or drizzle it over vegetables and rice.

The recipe comes from A Celebration of Herbs, a lovely book published by the Huntington Library and Gardens in Pasadena, and given to me by my friends Lisa and Sally. It has old botanical prints from the library and modern recipes inspired by the Huntington herb garden and the diverse cultures of southern California. It would make a nice gift for any cook on your list.

There is more space in the fridge now, and I feel good knowing that my freezer is well-stocked for when I return.

Spicy Cliantro Pesto
2 1/2 cups fresh cilantro, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup walnuts
1 1/2 heads (yes heads, not cloves) of garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried crushed red chiles
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup olive oil

Put all but the olive oil in the food processor. Whir until minced. With the machine running, gradually pour the oil through the feed tube. Blend smooth. Season to taste. Refrigerate for 1 week, or freeze for 1 month.

Update: I defrosted this pesto for supper on Christmas Eve. I tossed it with hot rotini and halved grape tomatoes, and served parmesan on the side. It was spicy and garlicky and delicious, although the saltiness had increased in the freezer. If I make it to freeze again, I will cut the salt by half. Also, I think it would be a little intense as a dip.

Keeping Healthy in Flu Season

During flu season, it is important to listen to your body: rest when needed, consume lots of vegetables and very little sugar, and eat a large amount of garlic.

Garlic has been known for centuries for its healing ability. Science documents its anti-biotic and anti-viral activity. This means it can kill not only flu bugs but also those cold viruses that don't respond to antibiotics.

I knew someone in Montreal who swallowed a peeled clove of garlic every night during winter. He never got sick.

But that's a little intense for me. I prefer to eat my garlic for dinner, and share it with my loved ones. (Garlic has to be shared.)

The other night we had this wonderful garlicky pasta. I've written before that different nutrients are absorbed in different ways. Some are better for us to consume raw. Others need to be broken down for our bodies to use, and others need to be cooked with a little fat. This recipe includes garlic in all these forms so we can absorb the wide variety of beneficial compounds that it contains.

There's also a good amount of barely-wilted spinach for vitamin C and minerals. I used the Malabar spinach from Finley Farms at the Hollywood Farmers Market, which holds its crispness but is sweeter than regular spinach. You could substitute bagged baby spinach. Don't forget the thyme -- it soothes inflammation of the respiratory system.

See Roasting Peppers for instructions on roasting and peeling the orange peppers. If this is too much work, use them raw but cook them a little longer. The chickpeas add some protein to help your body stay strong. Skip the parmesan for a vegan dish - but add more salt to taste.

Despite this nutritional analysis, this pasta dish tastes like comfort food, not health food.

Garlicky Pasta with Spinach
1 head of garlic (about 13 cloves)
1/2 tsp salt
2 orange or red bell peppers, roasted and peeled
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/4 lb spinach, washed and dried
1/2 bag penne
3 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup dry chickpeas, cooked (or 1 can drained)
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp parmesan

Separate and peel the cloves of garlic. Keep three aside and put the rest in a small pan with 1 cup cold water. Simmer, covered, until garlic is very soft, about 30 minutes. Purée the garlic and liquid in a blender with 1/2 tsp salt until smooth.

With a large knife, chop 1 reserved garlic clove with the thyme and 1/4 tsp salt. Place in a large serving bowl and put the spinach on top.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Chop last 2 garlic cloves and cook in 3 tsp olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, 3-5 minutes. Add peppers, diced in 1/2 inch pieces, and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add chickpeas and garlic purée and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and add to serving bowl with chickpea sauce, vinegar and parmesan. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4