Simply Seasonal Pasta

You all know how much I love pea shoots, and contributor Jim Dixon of RealGoodFood has my full attention with this simple pasta dish.

I’d planned to make pasta with sugar snap peas and mint this weekend, but I didn’t get to the farmers market and there were no peas at the store. I did see a nice bundle of pea shoots, so I made this instead.

Pasta with Pea Shoots, Mint and Shiitakes

Chop a shallot, leek, and some garlic and cook them in extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes. Trim the stems from some shiitakes (they’re tough and don’t really get tender), then slice the caps into quarter inch strips. Add them to the pan. Slice a bundle of pea shoots into roughly 2 inch pieces; add to the mushrooms. Tear the leaves from 7 to 8 stalks of mint; add. Cook for about 5 minutes, toss with just-cooked pasta (and a bit of the pasta water) and serve with grated Parmigiano.

In Season: Mmmmmmint!

I was out in the garden the other day, moving pots around to take advantage of the sun that bakes our patio and was suddenly struck by the urge to have a mojito. The reason wasn't heat or thirst, so I looked down and realized I'd just jostled a pot of mint that had perfumed the air around me.

Mint is one of those plants, like bamboo or bishop's weed, that requires containment. I've tried burying it in a pot in the ground, but it always escapes. So it's relegated to above-ground cultivation only, and it seems to thrive anyway. Every spring it pops up and begs to be made into those frosty cool drinks, mixed into dips and tossed with salads and dressings.

You'll find tons at the farmers' markets now, so get out there and get yourself a bunch or two. Here's Dave's favorite mojito recipe to get you started.

Mojito
From Williams Sonoma's The Bar Guide

6 fresh mint leaves
1-1/2 Tbsp. simple syrup
1 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice
Crushed ice
2 oz. light rum
2 oz. club soda
Lime wedge for garnish

Put mint leaves into a highball glass. Add simple syrup and lime juice. Muddle gently (try to leave the leaves whole rather than tearing them up too much...that way you won't have to strain them through your teeth when you drink it). Fill glass with crushed ice and add rum and soda. Garnish with lime wedge.