Subject: Pasta with Fennel Pesto
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Wed Feb 06 2002 - 22:22:54 EST
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F O O D F U N N Y
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Reader Cindy of Norfolk, Virginia writes:
Dear Chef,
I thought your readers might like to hear of a cooking disaster
perpetrated by my then inexperienced husband. I was working late one
Friday night and stopped at the seafood market on my way home to buy
flounder filets. Upon arriving home, I handed the package to my
husband who had offered to prepare them. I was somewhat anxious about
this but I desperately wanted a warm bath and a cold glass of wine so
after giving him instructions, I disappeared. Some time later I heard
a distressed cry from the area of the kitchen. Rushing in, I saw my
beloved holding a casserole dish that appeared to contain nothing but
a pale liquid. What had I done with the fish?, he said. Errrr...
excuse me? No fish was to be found. It seems that the silly man had
gone a bit overboard. He knew that lemon on fish tasted good so he
dumped about two cups of the artificial lemon juice he found in the
refrigerator on top of the filets. Putting them under the broiler
only completed the chemical reaction, dissolving them into
nothingness!
The good news is that I was treated to an exquisite dinner out at my
favorite restaurant. I still tease him from time to time about the
"Case of the Disappearing Flounder!" A little knowledge is a
dangerous thing.
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T O D A Y ' S R E C I P E
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Pine nuts have been reputed to have aphrodisiac properties since the
time of the ancient Greeks, and to this date no one has been able to
prove otherwise. Rather than questioning the wisdom of the ages, try
serving this dish to your lover on Valentine's Day while quoting
Homer.
All recipes this week are adapted from "InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac
Cookbook" by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge (Terrace
Publishing, 1997), available from Amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0965327507/worldwiderecipes
Pasta with Fennel Pesto
For the pesto:
1 cup (250 ml) sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
1/2 small bulb fennel (anise), thinly sliced
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup (60 ml) pine nuts (pignoli), lightly toasted
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh basil leaves
2 Tbs (30 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 oz (170 g) angel hair or pasta of your choice, cooked
according to package directions
Additional lightly toasted pine nuts for garnish
Chopped fresh basil for garnish
Combine the tomatoes and boiling water in a small bowl and allow to
steep for 10 minutes. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the liquid.
Combine the tomatoes and the remaining pesto ingredients in an
electric blender or food processor. Process until a smooth paste is
formed, adding as much of the reserved water as necessary. Toss with
the hot pasta and serve garnished with pine nuts and basil. Serves 2.
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