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Monday, December 13, 2010

Seared Garlic, Artichoke & Sweet Pea Pasta

Artichoke Pasta 100

Oh Dearies, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful! I think the next line of this jingle goes on to talk about having no place to go, however, I have to go to the airport and pick up my mother in a moment. Which I must say is in and of itself quite frightful, as she has been a tyrant lately (smile but seriously) and she is getting off a plane that had to come through the very windy South Florida sky...

Yes, even this powerful witch is scared. I did want to quickly post this simple, yet delicious pasta I made the other day though. The combination of peas and artichokes seared with white wine, broth, and a hefty amount of garlic and parsley is one of my favorite combinations for any season being that this is made with organic frozen peas and canned artichokes. I did have a bit of a problem with doing said recipe this time around due to purchasing the most horrendous bottle of white wine-it was also quite frightful;-)!

My Sweet Artichoke helped me with the wine dilemma though, as I noticed she posted a pasta very similar to the one I love that did not include alcohol of any kind. So I based this sauce on her original recipe. Please note that my photos really don't do justice to this sauce or recipe in the sense that this pasta is luscious and not dry at all. It doesn't look that way my photos. Oh well...it's good. I promise!

-Artichoke, Green Pea & Garlic Pasta-
1/2 lb. pasta cooked al dente or to package instructions
1/2 14 oz. Can of Quartered Artichokes (drained)*
1/2 Cup Frozen, Organic Peas
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley (chopped)
1/2 Bouillon Cube
1/8 Tsp. Onion Powder
Pinch of dry, crushed Rosemary
1/8 Tsp. Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Butter
Squeeze of 1/2 Lemon
1 Cup of Pasta water

Boil your pasta according to package instructions.

In the last 5 minutes of your pasta boiling, place butter in a saute pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and allow to saute for at least 15 seconds. Add onion powder, rosemary, black pepper, and peas. Saute for another 30 seconds while taking 1 cup of the starchy pasta water from the pasta pot. Add the starchy water and the halved bouillon cube to the mix and bring to a high simmer. Allow to simmer for about 1 & 1/2 minutes before adding the artichokes. Your pasta may be ready at about this time, so go ahead and drain it and set it to the side.
Allow the artichokes to simmer for at least a minute before adding the pasta to the pan. Once the pasta is mixed in, squeeze some lemon juice in & allow the water to evaporate off just to where you have a good amount of sauce but not too much liquid. This did not take long for me, and remember you always remove it while still pretty saucy (the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce once removed from the heat).

Remove from heat, add the parsley, and salt to taste-not too much if you are going to use a salty Parmesan. Plate and serve with Parmesan, red pepper flakes, etc.

Enjoy!















Oh, and this is my very humble, yet delicious entry into The Quickies Challenge!

44 comments:

  1. Hi, Stella!
    I hope all goes well with you and your mother. Mom's seem to have a way of making us feel 13 instead of 30. ;) Besides, I'm sure you can smooth just about anything over with your cooking.

    This pasta looks so fresh and light! Such a nice change from all the heavy eating that goes on this time of year. Thank you!

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  2. Mmmm, my mouth is watering. Pasta, peas, artichoke and garlic - so delicious!

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  3. I love artichokes, I love peas, and I love garlic so I'm sure this recipe is divine!

    I wish we were having some frightful weather around here - instead it's 85 degree. Ridiculous. Again, I do NOT belong here in Los Angeles!!

    Enjoy your mama's visit Stella!

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  4. Stella, You don't have to assure me it tasted delicious, all of your recipes always look like they are scrumptious. If I had to go pick up my lovely Mom from the airport I'd be shacking in my boots :) hehe. Hope you are having a lovely visit with your Mom.

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  5. Helloooooo Stella,

    Yes, it looks like someone sure did enjoy their dish. Now it's just going to come down to who can finish their bowl faster ;-). I'm sorry, you may be a witch with magical powers, but when it comes to great looking dishes like this, I'm an eating machine with magical powers...teehee. I love the use of artichokes in your dish, another one of my childhood faces. My grandma used to use whole artichokes to make (clear) soup with carrots and pork or beef. I sat there happily eating each leaf one by one until I got to the best part, the heart. May be the only type of heart I'm willing to eat :-P. Your dish is quite different. Other than the fact that it's not a soup, I'm sure it tastes just as great as my Grandma's artichoke soup.

    Now try to be nice to your Mom, deary. Any cute old woman who compliments my hubby on his looks already has a special place in my heart. Okie dokie artichokey? ;-) Enjoy spending family time together!

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  6. Argh...faces = favorites. Sorry.

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  7. Well, I think your photos are lovely and the pasta looks divine. I love a good pasta dish that can be whipped up quickly. It's the best-- especially with tons of garlic!

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  8. The pasta sounds delicious even without the wine. The weather has been really frightful, especially up north here.

    Thank you so much for your kind comment on my pear pie :)

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  9. Stella - good luck with mom! Moms can make the most powerful witches knees shake with terror :) I think you will have a great time with her though.
    Thanks for this recipe! Eric got me a pasta maker for christmas... He wasn't going to let me open it but since I was able to guess what it was i got to :) Can't wait to use it!

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  10. Hey Stella, Have fun with Mom and say Hi for me:)
    Time passes by so quickly, it's nice to enjoy the holidays with family. Now on to your pasta dish, Is it simple? Yes and in my book that is a good thing, not to rip off Martha Stewart or anything like that. I love the artichokes and peas in the pasta, I would finish it off in a minute:)

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  11. Oh boy! I love this sort of pasta dish. The only problem is, I would go back for just a little more...and just a little more...until it was all gone!

    Have a great visit with your mother!

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  12. I love that you didn't include the wine in your sauce. I try not to cook with alcohol, something about the taste I just do not like. This pasta sounds very fresh. I usually make pasta on the weekends, I will try this next weekend!

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  13. Hi Stella
    Love your recipe! we are having some frightful weather here - it's really cold. Really makes for the holiday cheer. We even got a light dusting of snow which was fun too. Wishing you the best!

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  14. mmmmmm this sound so yummy i may have to give it a try out! sound to good not to :)

    Zoe

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  15. It sounds delicious. I like the fresh green look of it too, like a bit of spring in winter somehow.

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  16. Lovely combination of healthy ingredients for this pasta sauce. Love the idea of adding pasta water to the sauce. We are also in a deep freeze and blowing snow. Enjoy mom's visit.

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  17. Hi Stella - I'm beginning to feel more human at last, after that ridiculously long and uncomfy flight home :)

    I love pasta in any form and even more so, when there is no tomato sauce - this is right up my street and I am sure it would taste absolutely delicious with or without the wine.

    Hope you have a wonderful time with your mother dear, and thank you again for your wonderful support of all our challenges!

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  18. maybe it is something in the sir..my mom has been rather troublesome latley, but it's the holidays so I smile and just nod..lol
    I love your pasta, and I see nothing worng with your pics, delsih as always..i have been craving pasta lately since we are on a soup frenzy latley..thanks for the wonderful recipe and I have had many horrible bottles of wine, ugh, how dreadful..
    take care and have fun with your mom!
    sweetlife

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  19. Your pasta looks delicious to me! It's a nice break from all of the sweet recipes I've been baking up lately. :)Stay warm!

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  20. A wonderful pasta dish! Delicious.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  21. Stella, what a tasty pasta, specially with artichoke and garlic...yummie!

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  22. I do like this recipe, but I would substitute broccoli for the artichoke (not a choke fan). It's certainly a nice quick dish! Hope your mother arrived safely and the weather's not too frightful. Florida must be like Sydney - any fire in this weather would be a bushfire!

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  23. The flavours of this pasta are so fresh! Love it.

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  24. Your photos definitely do it enough justice because it looks delicious to me! Hope the pick-up duty of your mother went well, it's always dicey with airport arrivals this time of year.

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  25. Yum! I love simple recipes like this. Most of the time I use frozen artichokes, though, so I will let you know how they taste! can't wait to try this.

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  26. What a fresh warming concept. Nothing like a light springy pasta to warm the bones with the snow on the ground here in Ohio. Simple and healthy as always. Bravo.

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  27. A lovely pasta, sounds delicious with the combination of garlic, artichokes, and peas, a great comfort food for sure.

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  28. Oh deary me Stellarina..., there is nothing worse than having a house guest whose a touch frightful, sending you lots of calm thoughts. Your pasta looks wonderful and the ingredients sound even better. Take care lovely witch :)

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  29. My type of one dish lunch with a glass of red! I like pea(ce)s in my dishes. :-))
    Stay warm!
    Angie

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  30. Spending time in confined spaces with my mother always scares me (in the best way possible). Good luck!

    This pasta sounds delicious. I haven't had artichokes forever and I must say...it's been too long!

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  31. If all else fails, just slip some extra alcohol in your mother's cocktail. That always works ; )
    But seriously, this pasta looks yummy and I love all the garlic. Wish I had managed to do the noodles challenge!

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  32. yum! this looks amazing! anything with garlic makes it into the recipe book!

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  33. I just saw this over on the Quickie Challenge. GREAT dish, Stella! Your food is always so thoughtful and flavourful... and "pretty"!! I cannot wait to see all the meals you are going to be whipping up for your mother! What a treat that she is joining you (I assume) for the holidays.
    I love the last pic with the festive ribbon...
    "Tis definitely the season - and... YOUR weather outside is frightful? Ours is swirling with blinding white all day today - and I love it.
    :)
    valerie

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  34. Dear Stella - is there anythign better than speding time with Mum? This looks delish as do all your eats - you take a few ingredients and turn into mouthwatering delights.

    I love your food :)

    Ciao,DEVAKI @ weavethousandflavors

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  35. Hang in there, Stella. My mother always used to make me feel a child again too. (I wonder if my daughter feels the same way? I must ask.) This dish looks like a great start for the holidays. Easy and delicious!
    It's cold in sunny Florida too...

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  36. Looks delicious Stella! Have a great visit with your mom, and Happy Happy Holidays to everyone at the Hollow!

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  37. Isn't it usually expected for mom's to be sort of nightmarish during the holidays??

    This concoction of yours just reminded me that I haven't had any artichokes in 4 years now. They're always out of season during when I go home to visit. And no, sorry, I have an aversion to canned anything (except for pumpkin puree and tomatoes). But I'm sure I'm anti-canned food stance would be different if I had kids to attend to.

    Have a great time with your mom. :)

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  38. OMG, OMG, I am so late to visit you and what do I see?: Artichokes! Your artichoke & peas pasta sounds delicious! I am going to try it soon and would love to hear more about the recipe with the white wine!
    Wishing you a great weekend! Snowfall here :-)

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  39. You make me laugh because I put alcohol in everything!!! Bad Deana! This is a great recipe, M'darling and another great witchy ribbon shot... I do love them. The recipe feels like a little bit of spring in the cold of winter... how welcome is that!!!

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  40. I have my honey hooked on artichokes, he'd love this pasta. Any suggestions on a gluten free pasta? 'Til now, I've just been avoiding pasta and noodles, but it'd be nice to make this :)

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  41. What lovely flavors...I think the pictures look great :)

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  42. I'm hoping your visit with your mother went as well as it could. I know that can sometimes be very difficult for many of us. Why can't we all have moms like the romance movies show, eh? Ah well, life is better when it's more real I guess. Thanks for another great recipe!

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  43. Hi, Stella. I have a Friendship Award (in portuguese) to you in my blog.
    It's an award for anyone who likes to make friends in blog.

    Kiss,
    Talita Cristina

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Please do comment, Dearies!