What We Eat When We Eat Alone - Deborah Madison [31]
1⁄3 CUP ALMONDS
1 LARGE GARLIC CLOVE, COARSELY CHOPPED
SALT AND PEPPER
2 OR 3 ANCHOVIES
3 CUPS ARUGULA, FAIRLY WELL PACKED, BUT NOT OBSESSIVELY
1⁄3 CUP OLIVE OIL
3 TO 4 OUNCES SPAGHETTI
PECORINO OR PARMESAN CHEESE FOR GRATING
1. Toast the almonds in a toaster oven or regular oven at about 325 degrees F until they smell good, 5 to 8 minutes. Pulse them in a food processor with the garlic and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt until finely ground.
2. Add the anchovies and arugula, and pulse again until smooth. With the motor running, add the olive oil. If needed, add more oil to loosen the mixture. Stop and scrape down the sides. Taste for salt and season with freshly ground pepper.
3. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water. Put half of the pesto in a bowl large enough to accommodate the pasta. When the pasta is done, lift it out and into the bowl, allowing some water to drip into it. Toss well. Taste for salt and season with freshly ground pepper. Grate the cheese over the hot, green spaghetti.
Short Pasta with Cauliflower, Pepper Flakes, and Parsley-Walnut Crumbs
Cauliflower can be surprisingly bland, so it takes some flavorful items to make this dish sing, which it does. I adore the crunchy bite that crisped breadcrumbs lend to pasta dishes like this one. One night, I used walnuts instead, chopped with garlic and parsley, an even tastier but still crunchy option.
1⁄4 TO 1⁄2 HEAD CAULIFLOWER, AS MUCH AS YOU WISH TO EAT, BY EYE
2 TO 4 OUNCES WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA SHAPES
SALT AND PEPPER
2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
A FEW HEALTHY PINCHES RED PEPPER FLAKES
A HANDFUL PARSLEY LEAVES
1 LARGE GARLIC CLOVE
1⁄4 CUP WALNUTS
ASIAGO OR PARMESAN CHEESE, FOR GRATING
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the cauliflower and pasta. While it’s heating, cut the cauliflower into small florets. Dice the core and use it too. When the water boils, add salt and then the cauliflower. Cook until tender-firm—you don’t want it mushy—scoop it out and set aside. Add the pasta to the boiling water.
2. While the pasta is cooking, warm the oil, butter, and pepper flakes over medium heat in a skillet large enough to contain the finished dish. Chop the parsley with the garlic and walnuts, then add them to the oil along with the cauliflower. Give a stir and season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Lower the heat.
3. When the pasta is done, drain, and then add it to the skillet. Turn to coat the pasta and cauliflower with the oil and parsley mixture. Spoon onto a warm pasta plate and grate the cheese over the top.
Tiny on the Couch
The couch is a place of solace and comfort for many women, but it can be a challenging choice when eating with animals. When Roz goes to the couch to have dinner while studying Roman antiquities via The History Channel, she says, “I set my food on the coffee table and eat around the cat, which is inevitably in my lap. This makes the eating part a bit tricky, especially if shrimp are involved. Then, it’s one for Tiny, two for me, one for Tiny, two for me.”
Men and Their Meat
“No steak sauce compares with whiskey.”
James Turrell, artist and rancher
“Lee Weedabahl’s hot corned beef sandwiches made him famous in horse parks across the nation,” Patrick reminisces. “The sandwiches were simple, gigantic, and delicious. Nothing more than slabs of corned beef pushing ovals of light Jewish rye into a structure resembling a miniature Bilbao. Big sandwiches hand carved by a diminutive smiling man. When I was eight years old, Lee and I were nearly the same size. This is documented in a photo of us wearing matching Coca-Cola patterned shirts. Did he shop in the boy’s department? In any case, those sandwiches stayed with me, and when I’m home alone, corned beef is what I make.”
These horse park meals have long filtered down into Patrick’s culinary repertoire. On numerous occasions I’ve come home from a trip, opened the door of the fridge, and found myself staring down at a big