1 recipe Easy Red Pepper and Basil Pasta Sauce, a little fresh basil and parmesan cheese reserved for garnish
2 zucchini
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb large shrimp, de-veined and tails removed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 lb linguine pasta
Prepare pasta sauce according to directions. (This may be prepared the day before serving).
Marinate shrimp in 1 tablespoon olive oil, white wine, crushed red pepper and garlic.
Preheat oven to 400.
Heat large pot of salted water on high heat.
Wash zucchini. Slice in half lengthwise and cut each half into 4 chunks. Toss in 2 tablespoon olive oil and cook in oven 15 minutes, turning once. Turn oven to broil and cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are just beginning to char. When this happens, remove from oven.
While zucchini are roasting, boil linguine until al dente. Drain, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
At the same time that pasta and zucchini are cooking, heat up large saute pan over medium high heat. Cook shrimp for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until they turn pink. Remove from heat.
Heat up pasta sauce until simmering. Toss noodles in pasta sauce.
Place pasta with sauce onto 4 large dinner plates. Divide charred zucchini amongst plates and top with cooked shrimp.
Garnish with reserved fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Slow roasted tomatoes and a fresh basil dressing update this classic Italian salad.
Ingredients:
1 lb slow roasted tomatoes
1 lb fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Prepare slow roasted tomatoes 6 hours prior to serving this salad (preferably overnight). Drain liquid from tomatoes after cooking. Reserve olive oil.
Slice fresh mozzarella into circles about 1/3 inch thick. Arrange overlapping slices of mozzarella on serving plate.
Chop garlic clove. Blend with reserved olive oil from tomatoes, extra olive oil, vinegar and fresh basil leaves.
Place roasted tomatoes over mozzarella slices.
Drizzle salad with fresh basil dressing. Salt and pepper to taste.
One of the best drinks I have had was a strawberry basil martini served at 28 Degrees , in the South End of Boston. At first strawberries and basil seemed an unlikely combination, but after trying my friend's drink, I was hooked. Bursts of fresh basil and sweet strawberry flavor ensure this will be a staple on my balcony this summer.
To make:
3 fresh basil leaves
3 large fresh strawberries
2 ounces vodka
2 ounces seltzer
1 lemon wedge
1 teaspoon sugar + extra for glass rim
Ice
Muddle the basil and strawberries in the bottom of a shaker. Add the vodka, sugar and ice. Shake well. Rub rim of glass lemon wedge and dip in sugar. Pour cocktail into glass, top with seltzer and garnish with the lemon twist.
After spending 2 months bemoaning the lack of basil and Parmesan in Cuba, I discovered that the "albahaca" meant basil and was available in Havana's "super?markets", I went a bit overboard in making pasta (and was thus renamed "gordita," but that's another study). This remains one of my favorite sauces and is very easy to make.
Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 red bell peppers (if small, use 3)
1 tomato, seeds removed and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced (or use 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450.
Wash bell peppers and slice in half vertically. Remove stem, seeds and white stuff (I don't know what it is called-veins?). Place skin side up on cooking tray, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top and bake until tops are turning brown/black. Remove, let cool and remove skin from peppers and slice into smaller pieces.
In medium-large sauce pot, heat up remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and stir, turning heat down to medium to prevent browning. Let cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add bell pepper pieces, tomato, crushed red pepper and wine. Turn heat up to medium high so that liquid begins to simmer, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes.
Add chicken broth and bring pot to simmer and let cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If using dried basil, add now.
Carefully pour mixture into blender and mix until sauce is smooth. Return to sauce pot and stir in minced basil. Add Parmesan and cook over medium-low heat 10 minutes or until incorporated.
Serve with your favorite pasta (also great over grilled chicken breasts and linguine!).
P.S. "yerba buena," which literally translates to "the good herb," which is mint. Not my first guess, but I guess they would not sell the alternative at agromercados.
