The first day of Spring is finally here! I must say Spring is my favorite season. My favorite color is the bright green of new leaves and grass. We’re all welcoming the warmer weather, longer days, and blooming flowers with open arms (if you’re not… I have major questions). I’m getting excited for the Salem Farmers market and the ability to walk out the door without a coat on.
Even though I love my soups, stews, and casseroles, I am ready for some fresh veggies. In the 1980’s the trend in cooking was to use seasonal vegetables. I love the idea of seasonal eating, and I like to think I’m aware of a fruit or veggie’s season. It’s so easy to forget, and the grocery stores can make it confusing. We can find most vegetables year-round now.
I saw cherries the other day at Kroger. While it’s not cherry season yet, that’s typically mid-May to the end of June, I looked closely at the label and saw that these were grown in Chile – yep, still being flown in from the other hemisphere.
Each spring my “for you” page on social media is filled with recipes for pasta primavera, an Italian-sounding dish based around a sauce of spring vegetables (primavera is Italian for ‘spring’). The recipe has an interesting history. In 1975, Sirio Maccioni, was a private chef from New York who worked for an Italian aristocrat at his vacation home in Nova Scotia. The guests wanted some lighter fare than what he had been cooking. So, he whipped up pasta with vegetables and so Pasta Primavera was born. When he came back home, he introduced it to the NY food scene through his restaurant Le Cirque and it became the talk of the town. The New York Times published the recipe a few years later, which helped to make the dish popular. With its comforting guise of creamy pasta, primavera took the U.S. by storm. It quickly moved from fine dining to casual to all over.
So ironically pasta primavera is more of an American dish than an Italian one. Although the words pasta primavera are Italian and the dish was invented by an Italian chef who happened to be in Canada at the pivotal moment, pasta primavera has become a true American classic.
Pasta primavera is a pasta dish that’s made with vegetables in a creamy sauce. The dish is often made with penne pasta but can also be made with spaghetti. The vegetables are usually fresh, but frozen vegetables can also be used. You can use any spring vegetables you like in pasta primavera. You can also add hardier vegetables by blanching them first while the pasta cooks. These two recipes are easier and lighter than the cream-based recipes.
Pasta Primavera with Fresh Tomatoes and Spinach Recipe
Ingredients
8 oz pasta (use your favorite type, I like spaghetti)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 cups fresh spinach
1/4 cup vegetable broth or white wine
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes until it wilts. Pour the vegetable broth or white wine into the skillet and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until the liquid has reduced slightly. Season the vegetable mixture with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine. Garnish the pasta with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese (if using). Serve hot.
Easy Chicken Primavera
This chicken Primavera is easy to make with seasoned chicken breasts, mixed veggies, tomatoes, and pesto. I add canned artichoke hearts to mine.
Ingredients
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock, or to taste
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 bunch green onions, diagonally sliced
1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Whisk flour, parsley, and basil together in a medium bowl. Add chicken strips and toss well until coated. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on the outside and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic. Add chicken stock, mixed vegetables, grape tomatoes, green onions, zucchini, and pesto. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
