I recently spent an evening at the home of John O (AKA Diamond Rings) and along with Paul from PS I Love You, we cooked up some vegetarian goodness. We started with John’s mom’s recipe for an addictive beet and carrot salad and then finished with Paul’s incredible veggie pasta.
Ingredients:
2 beets, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 scallions, julienned
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch of red lettuce
Directions:
Add the peeled and grated beets and carrots, julienned scallions (green onions) and chopped garlic in a bowl. Mix with olive oil and cider vinegar. Layer a serving bowl with red lettuce on the bottom and sides, and scoop the beet and carrot mixture in the centre of the bowl. Garnish with scallions.
PS I Love You’s Veggie Pasta
Ingredients:
5 cloves of garlic (2 cloves halved and 3 finely chopped)
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 bunch scallions (green onions), finely chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon butter
1 broccoli bunch, roughly chopped
1 bag baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 small can of tomato paste
1 bunch fresh basil, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoon hot chilli flakes
2 teaspoon brown sugar
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 bag of fusilli pasta
3lbs Roma tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
Directions:
In a saucepan on medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted add 2 cloves of garlic that have each been sliced in half. Let this simmer until the garlic is soft and golden brown. Add finely chopped onions and scallions.
Steam the tomatoes until the skin starts to break, then let them cool and remove the skin. Add the tomatoes into a bowl and whisk until saucey. Add this tomato mixture in the saucepan along with the can of tomato paste and white wine. Stir and add the thyme, chilli flakes, 3 cloves of chopped garlic, fennel seeds and chopped broccoli. Simmer for 2 minutes and add chopped baby spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer for 3 minutes and add cooked pasta and salt & pepper into the sauce pan. Stir and turn off the heat.
When serving the pasta, add grated Asiago and chopped basil on top!