Spike and I do not eat a lot of pasta. It’s just one more food group that can contribute to expanding waistlines. But we found real pleasure in sampling the vegetarian fare in this cookbook. The Linguini with Spring Vegetables and Orange-Saffron Butter was our favorite followed by the Chinese Noodle Salad and Chinese Noodles with Green Curry. The latter was visually stunning on our large Mexican serving platter.
I’d never met a chanterelle mushroom before starting the Fields of Greens cooking challenge. Whole Foods obliged in making our acquaintance. Turns out these little darlings are a bit peculiar looking and somewhat spendy. They’re also “delicate” in that bits of dirt must be removed with a brush or damp cloth. (If washed, they soak up the water and lose their flavor.) Bless their hearts, they sacrificed their lives for the Linguine with Chanterelles and Leeks.
Cannelloni and lasagna preparation proved to be familiar territory. While I’ve been making those dishes for years, I reaped the benefit of an introduction to fresh pasta sheets. They provide a more subtle pasta flavor and are much easier with which to work than dried noodles. Raviolis represented a new frontier and proved far less difficult than I’d feared. Nonetheless, I could use a bit of practice to master the technique.
The “home runs” for this collection of recipes were the risottos. While I’d never made risotto, the cooking instructions yielded perfect dishes every time. Keys to success included use of fresh tomatoes in the Tomato-Mushroom Stock and serving the meal immediately after the Arborio rice finished cooking.
Pasta
 Fettuccine with Tomatoes, Fennel, Olives, and Walnuts |
 Linguine with Spring Vegetables and Orange-Saffron Butter |
 Linguini with Mushrooms, Red Onion, Capers, and Olives |
 Pasta and White Bean Stew with Summer Vegetables |
 Spinach Fettuccine with Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Capers |
 Fettucine with Broccoli, Roasted Peppers, and Olives |
 Spinach Fettuccine with Tomatoes, Crème Fraîche, and Basil |
 Buckwheat Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms, Bok Choy, Ginger, and Scallions |
 Fettuccine with Swiss Chard , Currants, Walnuts, and Brown Butter |
 Linguini with Onion Confit, Goat Cheese, and Walnuts |
 Linguine with Chanterelles and Leeks |
 Fettuccine with Spring Vegetables, Lemon, and Chives |
 Spinach Fettuccine with Shiitake Mushrooms, Spinach, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes |
 Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Golden Zucchini, and Basil |
 Penne with Marinated Tomatoes and Basil |
 Chinese Noodle Salad with Citrus and Spicy Peanuts |
 Chinese Noodles with Green Curry |
Cannelloni, Ravioli, and Lasagne
 Canneloni with Spinach, Goat Cheese, Walnuts, and Roasted-Garlic Tomato Sauce |
 Canneloni with Mushrooms and Fennel |
 Ravioli filled with Eggplant, Roasted Garlic, and Romano Cheese |
 Eggplant Lasagna with Basil |
 Artichoke-Leek Lasagna |
 Lasagna with Mushroom-Port Sauce |
Risotto
 Spring Risotto with Asparagus and Peas |
 Risotto with Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Basil |
 Fall Risotto with Chanterelles and Late Harvest Tomatoes |
 Mushroom Risotto with Leeks and Fennel |
 Risotto with Artichokes, Tomatoes, Spinach, and Thyme |