Le Cirques Spatti Primavera Recipes

LE CIRQUE'S SPA'TTI PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Trim broccoli and break it into bite-size florets. Set aside.
• Trim off and discard the ends of zucchini. Do not peel the zucchini. Cut zucchini into quarters. Cut each quarter into 1-inch lengths. There should be about 1 1/2 cups, no more. Set aside.
• Cut each asparagus spear into thirds. Set aside.
• Cook each of the green vegetables separately in boiling salted water to cover. It is essential to cook each vegetable so that it remains crisp but tender. Cook broccoli, zucchini, asparagus and green beans about 5 minutes. Drain well, run under cold water to chill and drain. Combine in a mixing bowl.
• Cook peas and pea pods 1 minute if fresh, 30 seconds if frozen. Drain, chill and drain again. Combine all vegetables in mixing bowl.
• Heat oil in a skillet and add mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste, shaking the skillet and stirring. Cook about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms to the vegetables. Add chopped chilies and parsley.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan and add half the garlic, all the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 4 minutes, stirring gently so as not to break up the tomatoes more than necessary. Add basil, stir and set aside.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet and add remaining garlic along with vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring gently, just to heat through.
• Drop the spaghetti into boiling salted water. Cook until al dente. Drain well. Return spaghetti to pot.
• Select utensil large enough to hold drained spaghetti and vegetables. To this, add butter. When it melts, add chicken broth, 1/2 cup cream and cheese, stirring constantly. Cook gently on and off heat until smooth. Add spaghetti and toss quickly to blend. Add half the vegetables and pour in liquid from the tomatoes, tossing over very low heat.
• Add remaining vegetables and, if sauce seems too dry, add about 1/4 cup more cream. Sauce should not be soupy. Add pine nuts and give mixture final tossing
• Serve equal portions of the spaghetti mixture in 4-to-8 soup or spaghetti bowls, depending on whether spaghetti is being served as main course or appetizer. Spoon equal amounts of tomatoes over each serving. Serve immediately.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Trim broccoli and break into florets. Trim off ends of the zucchini. Cut into quarters, then cut into 1-inch or slightly longer lengths (about 1 1/2 cups). Cut each asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Trim beans and cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Cook each of the green vegetables separately in boiling salted water to cover until crisp but tender. Drain well, then run under cold water to chill, and drain again thoroughly. Combine the cooked vegetables in a bowl.
• Cook the peas and pods; about 1 minute if fresh; 30 seconds if frozen. Drain, chill with cold water and drain again. Combine with the vegetables.
• In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the peanut oil and add the mushrooms. Season to taste. Cook about 2 minutes, shaking the skillet and stirring. Add the mushrooms, chili and parsley to the vegetables.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan and add half the garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook about 4 minutes. Add the basil.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and add the remaining garlic and the vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring gently, until heated through.
• Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until almost (but not quite) tender, retaining a slight resilience in the center. Drain well.
• In a pot large enough to hold the spaghetti and vegetables, add the butter and melt over medium-low heat. Then add the chicken broth and half a cup each of cream and cheese, stirring constantly. Cook gently until smooth. Add the spaghetti and toss quickly to blend. Add half the vegetables and pour in the liquid from the tomatoes, tossing over very low heat.
• Add the remaining vegetables. If the sauce seems dry, add 3 to 4 tablespoons more cream. Add the pine nuts and give the mixture a final tossing.
• Serve equal portions of the spaghetti mixture in hot soup or spaghetti bowls. Spoon equal amounts of the tomatoes over each serving. Serve immediately.

LE CIRQUE'S SPAGHETTI PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Trim broccoli and break into small florets (reserve stems for another use).
• Trim the ends of the zucchini but do not peel.
• Cut each zucchini into quarters lengthwise and then cut each quarter into 1" pieces--you should have 1 and 1/2 cups of zucchini, not more.
• Cut each asparagus spear into thirds.
• Cook each of the green vegetables separately in boiling salted water to cover, just long so that each vegetable remains crisp but tender (Broccoli, zucchini, asparagus and green beans about 5 minutes, peas and pea pods about one minute if fresh, 30 seconds if frozen).
• Drain well then rinse in cold water, drain again, and combine the vegetables in a mixing bowl.
• Heat the canola oil in a skillet and add the mushrooms, season to taste with salt and pepper and cook about two minutes.
• Add mushrooms to the bowl of mixed vegetables.
• Add the chopped chiles and the parsley to the mixed vegetables.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and add half the garlic, all the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring gently so as not to break up the tomatoes.
• Add the basil, stir and remove from heat, keeping it covered.
• Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente; drain and return to the pot.
• Heat the other 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and add the remaining garlic and all the vegetable mixture.
• Cook stirring gently, just to heat through.
• In a pan large enough to hold the pasta and the vegetables, melt the butter.
• Once melted, add the chicken broth, the cream, and the parmesan, cooking gently on and off heat till smooth.
• Add the spaghetti and toss quickly to blend.
• Add half the vegetable mixture and the reserved liquid from the tomatoes, tossing over very low heat.
• Add the remaining vegetables, and, if the suace seems too dry, about 1/4 cup more cream--but the sauce should not be soupy.
• Add the pine nuts and give the mixture a final toss.
• Place equal amounts of the pasta mixture in 4 or 8 shallow soup bowls, depending on whether this is to be an appetizer or a main dish.
• Spoon equal amounts of the tomato mixture over each portion.
• Serve immediately.