Go meatless for dinner tonight with these three delicious summer pasta recipes from Makini Howell, culinary artist and owner of Plum Restaurants in Seattle.
Creamy avocado linguine with pan seared 'scallops'
- 8 oz. linguine
- 2 ripe avocados
- 2 king oyster mushrooms cut into 1-inch "scallops"
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- 1 giant handful of arugula
- 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Boil linguine in salted water and cook according to package directions. When Pasta is al dente, drain and place in a bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl, drizzle mushrooms with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. And lemon zest. Heat a medium sauté pan to medium high. Film the bottom with 1/4 cup olive oil. Place scallops in pan and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden brown and seared on each side. Remove from heat and set aside.
In food processor, combine remaining ingredients and blend until completely smooth. Toss pasta with avocado puree and a handful fresh arugula. Taste for salt. Top with scallop mushrooms and fresh cracked pepper. Serve immediately.
Artichokes with fresh herbs, white beans and spaghetti
- 1 1/2 cups frozen artichokes
- 1 cup Great Northern white beans, rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 small red chili, finely sliced
- A handful of Parsley, finely chopped
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 bundles spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Fill the bottom of a heavy pan with olive oil heat to medium heat. Once it's heated, add your artichokes. Fry on both sides for a few minutes ensuring they do not burn. Add your garlic white beans and chili and give everything a good toss and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the spaghetti and toss everything together. If the pasta is a little dry, add some more olive oil and a little pasta water to loosen it up a little. Serve spaghetti with beans and artichokes and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Spaghetti with sweet baby tomatoes, chives and fresh basil
- Sea salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
- 1 pint baby tomatoes (heirloom, cherry variety)
- 1/2 bunch of garlic chives, cut into 1-inch lengths
- 12 fresh basil leaves, sliced into tiny ribbons
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound spaghetti
1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a dash of olive oil to ensure the pasta does not stick together.
2.Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water according to package directions until it is tender yet al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
3. In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high and add the chopped garlic. Cook until softened and slightly browned about 2 minutes or so. Add the tomatoes, chives and basil. Turn the heat up to high and cook over until the tomatoes are just beginning to burst. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the cooked pasta in the pan gently incorporate over high heat for 1 minute remove from heat and serve.