When Ocean Meets Grain

Pasta on its' own is a treat. Pair it with seafood, from tuna to shrimp and it becomes a special meal. It's a simple no brainer match. The flavors complement each other, with the strong brininess mellowing thanks to the grain's mild flavor.

Master chef and cookbook writer Yotem Ottolenghi wrote about this pairing in yesterday's New York Times Food section. He was inspired by his latest cookbook, Ottolenghi Simple published last week.It features recipes that are multilayered yet comforting along with tasting good.It's  easy cooking yet sophisticated enough to serve it for a dinner party.One such dish is pearl couscous with shrimp and clams. He combines seafood with such aromatic herbs and vegetables like tarragon and fennel. cherry tomatoes are added as is tomato paste. The grain is pearl or Israeli couscous. The grains are bigger in size than the regular one but cooks up the same way. Its' mild taste is a perfect foil for the variety of flavors and it balances out the shrimp and aromatics.Chef Ottolenghi stirs it into the mix of  charred cherry tomatoes,  lemon ,cooked fennel, and chili flakes Pernod, an anise flavored liqueur is added.As he describes it ,it 's sort of like a paella made with barley grains instead of rice. Could a home chef make this with rice or orzo?What about regular couscous? I don't see why not . Cook it separately and add it later as with any grain dish.

Chef Ottolenghi also offers up a more traditional pasta and seafood recipe.His is a shrimp Bolognese, a riff on the classic Italian meat sauce.It's first mixing the peeling king prawns -you can use shrimp - since their flavors are the same - with fennel, onion, garlic and chili flakes.All of this are pulsed in a food processor until the fish are chunks As with the other recipe, tarragon leaves and lemon are fried with the spiced, cut shrimp.Tomato paste, cherry tomatoes and Pernod are also added for flavor.wait until the tomato paste is brown and stick before pouring in the alcohol Again be careful with the Pernod ,carefully pouring it in. It may flame so be careful. Chicken or vegetable stock is added ( this is a personal preference but vegetable stock is more in line flavor wise with the other ingredients) Chef Ottolenghi uses tagliatelli, a thickly cut ribbon pasta but you could use fettuccine or the drinking straw like bucatini.

Mix seafood with grains for a great flavor combination. The brininess is tamed by the couscous and pasta's mildness. The result is an interesting flavor, heightened by tomatoes , herbs and Pernod liqueur.

A Spring-y Take On Pasta

This is the time of early harvests. One of those is peas. Their , fresh, green flavor is a harbinger
 of the bounties to come. They are good on their own. Paired with pasta,they become almost magical, bursting with a sweet earthiness.

David Tanis knows this and wrote about the pairing in his column A City Kitchen in yesterday's New York Times Food section,.Right now peas in pods are finally making an appearance in farmer's markets, here on the East Coast. (the West Coast have been enjoying them for the past few weeks). Peas have always gone well with pasta.They add color and zing to a cream sauce, while giving it a fresh, garden-y taste. The addition of pancetta gives Mr. Tanis'  sauce a salty smokiness, another perfect foil  that adds an interesting note.Pancetta , especially the unsmoked kind should be found at your local grocery but if you can't then just add in regular smoked bacon. Pancetta is usually sold in cubes or lardons and Mr. Tanis recommends simmering them in water for a minute or two. Doing this tomes down the smokiness and renders the fat. He also adds mustard green which were also found at his outdoor market. as for the pasta, any would do but papperdelle is the best. The sauce clings to the ribbon like pasta Either buy it fresh made or the imported dried version in boxes. if you're
adventurous enough, use your pasta maker and create those silky ribbons.

Making the sauce is easy.Everything is cooked in one skillet and afterwards the pasta is added to it.
The sauce  is bursting with not just the peas but also with the flavors of fresh basil,mint and parsley leaves. These three have to be put in either a mortar or mini food processor and mashed into a coarse pesto like paste. Mr. Tanis also adds green garlic shoots , also found in farmer's markets right now. Both the green and white parts should be used and finely chopped. As for the peas , four cups should do it. They and the garlic shoots are added to olive oil and should be sizzled but without turning brown. The pancetta is then tossed in   along with half a cup of water. Add the mustard greens
, then the herb paste along with a cup of fresh ricotta and the zest of one lemon. Boil the pasta, drain
mix into the sauce.. Transfer to a platter or individual bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan.If you want to change it up, use fettucini or tagliatelli.instead of the papperdelle.

Take advantage of the harvest that come with Spring. Right now it's peas. Try them in a creamy sauce that pair well with robust pastas.