Kale Pasta

Keenie is back in the kitchen, and just in time for the summer solstice.

Freshly stocked with amazing farm share food I had bountiful greens, but not some much in the way of "other" vegetables.  I picked up my feet and scooted over to the local grocer and picked a nice bunch of fresh carrots.  The carrots were so bright and vibrant they couldn't be passed over. 

These bright orange veggies added a delightful sweetness to the pasta dish and cannot be omitted. I had the luck of getting amazing garlic on a long stem, I was instructed it had to be chilled for preservation, like nothing I've had before, delicious! (But, it can be substituted for regular garlic, it's just not as sweet)

Enjoy! this bright summer pasta:

Shopping List:

• 1 bunch of carrots julienned
• 1 bunch of hardy kale with the hard stems removed
• 2 minced cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• S&P
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 - 1/3 box of pasta
• 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Putting it Together:

1. Prepare the vegetables, remove the hard stems of the kale by folding it in half and slicing out the spine. Julienne the carrots, mince the garlic.
2. Start boiling water for the kale and pasta. Salt it.
3. Add your peanut oil to a stir fry skillet and start to saute on a medium heat. Add S&P, red pepper flakes, and parsley is optional. As it starts to sizzle for a minute or two add the garlic, then after one minute add a splash of water and cover (check through out that carrots aren't getting dry and add a splash or two of water when necessary).
4. After the carrots are going, the water should be boiling in a few minutes, when it is, add the kale. Make sure the kale gets covered and sinks into the water. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the kale is tender but not soggy.
5. Remove the kale from the water, keep the kale-water in the pot and on the heat.
6. Add the pasta to the kale water and cook until Al dente
7. Meanwhile strain the kale and roughly chop, then add the kale and butter to the carrots and let it cook on a medium heat until the pasta finishes (about 6 minutes). Make sure you incorporate all the ingredients so they all develop the flavor.
8. Add the cooked pasta.
9. Add the cheese RIGHT before serving.
10. Chow down!