Spaghetti with Caramelized Lemon, Capers, and Black Olives

Sometimes all I need is a big bowl of spaghetti.  It's the twirling of the strands, the tender mouthfeel of perfectly cooked pasta, and the luxury of eating pure carbs for dinner.  Spaghetti, more than any other shape, is one of my ultimate comfort foods and I crave a heaping portion more often than my digestive tract would like.  No regrets!

Last night was one of those occasions, and when combined with that gnawing feeling of being poor, it makes for a satisfying and affordable weekday dinner.

If you have lemons and olive oil you can transform anything into a solid meal, but kick it up with other pantry staples like cured olives, capers, and parsley and now you have a dish to be proud of.  This meal couldn't be simpler, and any good cook can throw together a pasta dish, but this one is so balanced and flavorful that it guarantees to leave an impression.

To sip with our spaghetti we stayed frugal and opened a bottle of Franz Etz Gruner Veltliner from Austria.  Gruner, as I've mentioned before, is an under-appreciated grape that is a wonderful pairing with most of the foods I eat on a regular basis.  Think vegetables, salads, and fish.  It has a green, grassy flavor that is bolstered by notes of just under-ripe pear, honeydew melon, and chamomile.  The 2013 bottling from Franz Etz is particularly delightful and still tasty the next day when the acid has mellowed just a touch.  It paired perfectly with the sweet, tangy flavor of the caramelized lemons and held its own against the savory olives and capers, lightening up their pungency.  Also, like the M. Hofer Gruner I've written about, the Etz comes in a full liter at the exceptional price of $10 per bottle.  You cannot go wrong here. 

*Full disclosure: this whole post is totally inspired by Melissa Clark's genius recipe in the New York Times.  Apparently this recipe was the NYTimes' most popular in all of 2014, no surprise there.  Hers is a bit simpler and a perfect springboard into mine, which is a touch more savory and complicated.

SPAGHETTI with CARAMELIZED LEMON, CAPERS, and BLACK OLIVES
serves 4

4 lemons
1 pound spaghetti 
4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp capers
pinch of sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp red chili flakes
handful cured black olives
2 /3 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
2/3 cup chopped parsley, plus more for serving
salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Meanwhile, zest 2 of the lemons and set aside.  Trim the tops and bottoms off the other two lemons and cut into quarters; remove seeds.  Cut them crosswise into small triangles.  Blanch the lemon pieces in the boiling water.  This helps to break down the pith and rind and removes their bitterness.  Using a slotted spoon, remove them and set aside to dry on a paper towel. 

In the boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente.  Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. 

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat up 1 tbsp olive oil.  When shimmering, fry the capers until just crispy - only about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a paper towel to drain. 

In the same skillet, heat another tbsp of olive oil.  Add the dried lemon pieces with a pinch of sugar and salt.  Cook the lemons until caramelized on both sides, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate. 

Melt the butter and remaining olive oil.  Add the lemon zest, chili flakes, and cured olives, cooking until fragrant.  Whisk in 1/2 cup pasta water, stirring until combined and just starting to thicken.  Toss in pasta, juice of one lemon, cheese, salt and pepper.  Add more pasta water if necessary.  Using tongs, toss pasta until it is well coated.  Add caramelized lemon slices, parsley and capers.  

Serve immediately with more cheese and parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.  

Roasted Roots with Toasted Fennel Seed Vinaigrette

I eat a lot of salads.  And I love them.  Almost every lunch of mine is comprised of some combination of vegetables, nuts, grains, cheese, and avocado, all tossed with a dressing and then thrown over greens.  Avocado is important.  Some might think this would become boring and tiresome, but I find the possibilities endless and delicious, especially when I start playing around with new dressings.

Really, it is the dressing that makes the salad.  Often, if I want something light and refreshing it is as simple as good olive oil and lemon juice.  For something more substantial, perhaps tahini or miso will make their ways into my dressing jar.  Yogurt is a new favorite.  Herbs are ever-present and you can't go wrong with rice vinegar and sesame oil.  A splash of white wine adds an unusual tang that makes a nicoise salad even more perfect.

I came across this dressing and was intrigued by the toasted fennel seeds (one of my favorite ingredients ever - delicious and high in antioxidants and fiber!), but really was most interested in an excuse to use my sexy new mortar and pestle.  I stayed fairly traditional with the components of the salad - beets and fennel are dear friends - but have also found that it does wonders for raw celery and fresh tomatoes.  The fennel oil itself is tasty enough to be a simple dip for bread, enjoyed before dinner with a glass of Gruner Veltliner (grew-ner velt-LEAN-er) or any other snappy white wine.

For me, Gruner was an obvious choice for this meal.  Traditionally this varietal is full of savory herbs, lemon, honeydew melon, some spice and a welcome streak of minerality.  I wanted something dry and perky to pair with the sweetness of the beets and yams, and I knew that the herbal notes would compliment and enhance the toasted fennel seeds.  Additionally, this 2012 bottling from M Hofer is a full liter (!), making it an exceptional price for the quality.  It comes playfully sealed with soda pop cap - perfect for a picnic.  Don't worry, you'll finish the whole bottle - no need to re-cork.  At just over $12 it will have a permanent place in our fridge and there will always be plenty to share!

ROASTED ROOTS with TOASTED FENNEL SEED VINAIGRETTE
Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen
Serves 2-3

Salad: 
2 medium sized beets
1 sweet potato
1 carrot
olive oil
3/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
parlsey
fennel fronds
cooked grains of your choices (quinoa, farro, brown rice, barley - all fantastic)

Dressing: 
3 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 large shallot, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 

Drizzle the beets with oil and wrap in aluminum foil.  Roast in oven until cooked through - easiest to test with a sharp knife.  This will take about 45 minutes.  When roasted, let cool slightly and peel off the skin (this should be very easy to do).  Slice into rounds.

Meanwhile, slice the sweet potato and carrot into rounds.  Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast alongside the beets until cooked through and slightly brown, about 30 minutes.  Combine all roasted vegetables in a bowl.  

Make the dressing: toast the fennel seeds in a dry sauté pan until starting to brown and all of the sudden it smells like fennel!  Grind seeds in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder until ground, but not totally powdery.  Some seedy texture is really nice.  Stir in olive oil and let it infuse for at least 15 minutes. 

Whisk together the shallot, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, salt and sugar, and then add fennel oil in a slow stream, whisking continuously.  

While vegetables are still warm, toss with the fennel vinaigrette.  Serve over your cooked grain and garnish with a healthy handful of parsley and fennel fronds.  Adjust seasoning as needed.  Top with crumbled cotija.  

Oh yeah, AND I've changed the look of this website thing.  It is far from perfect, so expect a lot of tinkering in the next few weeks.  Honestly, I really don't know what I'm doing so a lot of the aesthetics are trial and error.  But I did want something that looked a little....cleaner?  Meh.