Monday, June 24, 2013

Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Bitter Greens

One thing I really hate is when I buy fancy produce from the farmer's market and it goes bad in the fridge. Somehow if regular produce goes bad I usually just shrug and throw it away, but seeing fancy produce all brown and rotten... it gets me. SO today we had a bunch of mustard greens that needed to be used up. I found this recipe from my pal Martha Stewart and decided to give it a try.

I don't believe I have ever caramelized onions before today. It isn't that difficult and the result is so delicious! This recipe tasted sort of like onion soup pasta. Next time I might try to add some kind of herb or something to it for a bit more complicated flavor. But definitely a recipe to save and try again.

Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Bitter Greens 




Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 medium onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 4 cups chicken broth, veggie broth, or water
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound fettuccine (I used farfalle and it was fine)
  • 1 head chicory (curly endive), mustard greens, kale, or arugula, washed, with tough ribs removed and leaves torn into pieces

    Directions

  • Step 1

    Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sugar and cook, stirring once or twice, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to low; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes.
  • Step 2

    Remove half the onions and set aside. Add broth or water to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, scraping bottom of pan, for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Step 3

    Cook pasta in boiling salted water until a little underdone, and drain. Add to broth; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add greens; cook, covered, until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in additional tablespoon of butter, if desired. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, garnish with reserved onions, and serve
Next time it might be nice to try adding in bay leaves and thyme....

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