Brian Boitano’s simple summer meals

Olympic medalist shares his artichoke and spinach pasta dish

Video: A ‘gold medal’ summer meal

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>>> thing you want is something that weighs you down when the weather is hot. sorry, didn't mean to go into your shot there.

>> that's okay!

>> artichoke and spinach positive ta, host of the food network 's what would brian boitano make. good to see you.

>> you, too.

>> i think people are afraid of artichokes.

>> they are. they used a canned artichoke. i just like fresh. summer means fresh and light to me. i'm going to start off with roasting an artichoke. artichoke and spinach pasta, light and easy. i'll show you how to roast an artichoke. these are fresh artichokes, cleaned. just cut off an inch on the top.

>> right.

>> about half an inch on the bottom, spread these open. you're going to rub it with a little lemon juice so it doesn't turn brown. and then i'm going to pop a clove of garlic in each one.

>> interesting.

>> drizzle it with olive oil . salt and then i'm going to wrap it in foil and then i'm going to roast it in the oven for 25 minutes to half an hour until it's fork tender.

>> at what temperature?

>> 425. you peel all the leaves back and you're left with this. why don't you clean that out with the spoon?

>> scoop it out?

>> yes and i'll show you what else is in here. onion and garlic is sauteing. you're supposed to be more gentle with it than that. i've got some here.

>> thank goodness. so, this is all that you use out of the whole thing?

>> that's all you use. you cut it in half, slice it up. and then i'm going to add some vegetable stock, white wine .

>> right.

>> i'm going to add these really great heirloom, baby heirloom tomatoes . grape tomato , something like that. salt and pepper and then you're going to let this cook down, toss in little butter to finish it off. mix in artichoke hearts there. we'll put in a little basil, all right. this cooks down. we have pasta, hapasta. drain that.

>> you can use a whole grain pasta if you want?

>> yeah and you can leave the butter out. this is already healthy. if you want to leave the butter out, it's okay. it will be tasty.

>> don't leave me out!

>> don't forget me.

>> we love this.

>> yeah, natalie.

>> this is going to cook down a little bit. then we're going to add it --

>> just pour it on in?

>> yeah, just pour it on in. there's grated parmesan cheese there. add parmesan cheese . fresh spinach, handful of fresh spinach, toss it up. it's going to wilt and gives that fresh quality to it.

>> really health.

>> i really, really healthy. there it is.

>> right here. come on back.

>> of course we're out of time.

>> we'll garnish that with parmesan cheese and macerated strawberry vinaigrette.

>> brian boitano , thank you so much.

>> i almost made it, al.

>> you did.

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 6/7/2010 11:08:55 AM ET

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Now that it’s summer, the last thing you want to do is spend all of your time in the kitchen. Here, chef and Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano shares his quick and tasty recipes for artichoke and spinach pasta and mixed green salad with strawberry vinaigrette. These dishes will have you out of your kitchen fast, so you can get out there and enjoy the gorgeous weather.

Recipe: Artichoke and spinach pasta (on this page)

Recipe: Mixed green salad with basil and strawberry vinaigrette (on this page)

Recipe: Artichoke and spinach pasta

Brian Boitano

Ingredients

4 large artichokes
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
5 cloves garlic, 1 of those chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 handfuls fresh spinach
1/2 pint baby heirloom or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
Juice of a lemon, divided use
6 basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 pound spaghetti
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus a small block for ribbons
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chives

Preparation

For roasting the artichokes
Using a serrated knife, cut 1 inch off the top and 1/2 inch off the stem of each artichoke. Quickly rub each artichoke with a half a lemon so they don't discolor.

Tear off 4 large square pieces of heavy-duty foil. Place each artichoke into the center of each piece of foil. Stick a clove of garlic into the center of each artichoke and push down an inch or so. Sprinkle each with salt and drizzle olive oil over the top. Gather up the corners of the foil and press together on top to tightly seal the artichoke. You can wrap in a second piece of foil if you don't think you have a tight enough seal.

Place in a roasting pan and bake at 425 degrees F. for 30-45 minutes or until stem is fork tender. Let it cool down and then peel the leaves off to get to the heart. Clean the furry center out of heart with a knife or spoon and slice each heart first in half, then into strips about 1/4-inch thick. Set aside.

Pasta
Fill a stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling add a generous pinch of salt.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped garlic and onion until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, remaining juice of half lemon juice, vegetable stock and white wine. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

At this time, add pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 7 minutes or till al dente.

Let the tomato and wine mixture cook down for 5 minutes and then add in the artichoke hearts. Gently toss, being careful not to stir the artichokes too much as they may break down. If the mixture looks like it is getting too dry, you can add a little more stock. Add the basil and butter to the mixture.

When the pasta is done, drain and put back in the pot. Add tomato mixture to the pot along with the fresh spinach and Parmesan cheese. Mix together, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve in a large bowl or plate. Garnish with chives, ribbons of Parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Recipe: Mixed green salad with basil and strawberry vinaigrette

Brian Boitano

Ingredients

Vinaigrette
1 pint strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and sliced
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
Juice from the macerated strawberries
Salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
Salad
2 ounces mixed greens, about 4 cups
2 ounces arugula, about 4 cups
8 large basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/2 cup almond slivers, toasted
1/2 red onion, sliced
Reserved sliced strawberries from vinaigrette
4 ounces goat cheese, diced

Preparation

For vinaigrette: In a medium bowl combine sugar and strawberries. Let stand in refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Strain the juice and reserve for the vinaigrette and reserve the strawberries for the salad.

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a lid. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Screw on lid and shake until combined. Set aside.

For salad: In a dry skillet over medium heat, add the almonds and toast for about 4 to 5 minutes until they become fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl, dress with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette, gently toss and serve.

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