Most decidedly not vegan, but very delicious, nonetheless.

Spaghetti with Spicy Sausage, Fennel 3 ways, and Mushrooms

1 lb spicy Italian bulk sausage (preferably local - I highly recomment 7 sons for those here in Indy)

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 

2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed in a pestle and mortar (or processor)  

1 fennel bulb, frondy tops intact

8 oz cremini mushrooms 

1/2 c half and half 

1 lb spaghetti (the best you can find)

1 c. finely grated parmesan, plus, more to serve if desired

1 c. reserved pasta cooking water 

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink, then mix in the fennel seed and garlic.  Cook a few minutes longer, or until the garlic smells perfect.  Remove the frondy tops from the fennel bulb and set aside.  Cut the stem off of the bottom of the bulb, slice in half vertically, remove the core, and then slice into think strips.  Add fennel bulb to the sausage mixture and stir to coat.  Remove stems, if desired, from the mushrooms and clean with a wet paper towel.  Slice thinly and add to the pan.  Stir again, sprinkle with salt, a generous amount of pepper, and add a bit of olive oil if the mixture looks dry (7 sons sausage is actually very lean), cover with a lid and continue to cook over medium heat for a while, stirring occasionally so as to prevent burning.  

Start your pasta water. 

While the water comes up to temp (do cover it with a lid to speed up this process), pick the frondy tops off of the fennel stalks.  Finely chop and set aside.  

Cook pasta according to package directions.  When pasta is just about done, add half and half and 1 c. cooking water to the sausage mixture.  Stir well and then remove from the heat.  Drain pasta and toss with sausage mixture and frondy tops in the pasta cooking pot.  Return to heat and stir, stir, stir, cooking until liquid dissolves.   Adjust as necessary with salt after stirring in 1 c. parmesan.  Top with additional cheese, if desired.

Just in time for the popular New Year's desire to eat more healthfully, a tasty, satisfying vegan pasta dish.  Even my husband (a committed carnivore) says 10/10 - fantastic.  In fact, he's the one that wanted me to write it up for this blog.

1 whole celery root, diced

1 medium sweet potato, julienned (about 1 c.)

2 yellow beets, julienned (about 1 c.)

4 medium carrots, julienned (about 1 c.) 

2 small parsnips, julienned (about 1/2 c.)

6 dried chile d'arbol, smashed in  a mortar and pestle 

1 lemon, zested and juiced 

1 c. shiitake, sliced 

2 T. oregano, minced

fresh beet greens from the two beets, washed and chopped

1 lb. short pasta

olive oil

kosher salt

black pepper 

Place celery root in a pan and cover with water.  Salt liberally and bring to a boil.  Cover tightly and cook until celery root is very soft.  Drain and then mash as you like (e.g. pass through a ricer, puree in a blender, mash by hand).  Whatever method you choose, be sure there are no chunks left over.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy pan over medium-high, heat a generous glug of olive oil.  Add potato, beet, parsnip, and carrot.  Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and stir to coat.  Cook for about 10 minutes until veg starts to soften.  Add zest of the lemon, chili, oregano, and shiitake.  Stir well again and continue to cook.  Partially cover with lid and cook until the veg is tender and nicely caramelized.  Mix in the beet greens and lemon juice, then cook another couple of minutes until greens are wilted.

While veg is cooking, prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.  Drain, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid.

Mix together pasta, celery root puree, and pan-roasted veg mixture.  Mix in a bit of the pasta cooking water as needed, until desired consistency is achieved.  

Serve in shallow bowls and top with additional olive oil.

Needing to use up a ton of Thai basil, I created this Asian "pesto" of sorts.  It's good warm, but we liked it even better at room temperature or slightly chilled.

 Asian "Pesto" with Noodles

1 c. dry roasted peanuts, plus additional for garnish

1 T. minced ginger

4 cloves garlic

2 fresh, ripe (e.g. red) cayenne peppers

2 c. (packed) thai basil

1/2 c. (packed) mint 

zest and juice of two limes 

1/3 - 1/2 c. soy sauce

2 - 3 T. fish sauce

1/2 c. canola oil

12 oz noodles of your choice (udon, soba, etc.)

In a food processor, chop first four ingredients into a fine mince.  Add herbs and, again, process well.  Add the zest and then, with the blade running, pour the juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, and finally oil through the chute.  Allow to run until the desired (for me, smooth) consistency is achieved.  Taste and adjust flavors as needed.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package and drain.  Return noodles to their pan and stir in pesto.  Serve in bowls with finely chopped peanuts as garnish.