Black Beans and Tomatoes v2

Modified this recipe (and seriously lessened the cayenne - and a good thing too, since one full teaspoon would have been inedible for me) to make a quick, easy weekday lunch staple. No need to be super-exact with the recipe, either.

2 T olive oil
1/4 large onion, diced (about 2/3 cup)
5 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
2 t cumin powder
1/4 t cayenne powder (might do a bit less next time)
1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 scallions, chopped, for garnish

Put the oil in a pan over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the onion and saute till soft, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook till slightly softened, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the cumin and cayenne powder to the pan. Wait several seconds till the aroma of the spices blooms, then mix well with the onion and garlic.

Add the beans to the pan, and mix well to combine with the onion, garlic and spice mixture.

Add the diced tomatoes and their juice to the pan. Turn the heat to high till the mixture starts to bubble, then turn the heat to low. Simmer till the liquid becomes saucy, about 5-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with chopped scallions and serve with rice.

Take Two: Chicken, Leeks and Tomatoes

When the local Harris Teeter restocked after the blizzard, the first thing I went for was chicken thighs. The second was the bunches of leeks that had been waiting patiently in the vegetable drawer of the fridge.

2 T olive oil
2.5 c leeks, chopped (about 5 small-to-medium ones)
2 t anchovy paste
2 t tomato paste
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained - reserve juice
2 pinches salt, plus more to taste
1/2 c juice from can of tomatoes
1/2 c hot water
2 small bunches thyme (maybe 5-10 stalks each)

In a flat-bottomed pan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken till the skin colors slightly, turning once. Remove from pan and reserve on plate. (As you can see from the pic above, I was a bit lazy with this step.)

Add the leeks, sauteing till they begin to soften.

Add the anchovy paste and tomato paste, then stir till they coat the leeks thoroughly.

Add the tomatoes. Saute for a few minutes, then add the salt, juice, and water. Return the chicken to the pot. Turn the heat to high, bring to a boil, then lower to simmering and cook till the chicken is done (25-30 minutes).

Remove thyme stalks. Serve with rice.

Blizzard Fare: Baked Lamb Shanks

The Tuesday after Snowzilla 2016, the meat shelves had been picked nearly bare. Happily, I found a couple of lamb shanks - not quite large enough for a Roald Dahl story, but sizeable nonetheless. A few variations on this New York Times recipe resulted in a hearty, delicious meal that was perfect for a snowbound day.

2 T olive oil
2 large lamb shanks (about 3 lbs. total)
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 t ground allspice
1/4 t ground cloves
1 t salt, plus more to taste
1/2 t ground pepper
28 oz can whole tomatoes, chopped
1 t oregano
2 c hot water
14.5 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Put oil in a large baking dish. Add the lamb shanks, turning them to coat them evenly with oil. Bake 30 minutes, turning once.

Combine the onions, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper. Mix well, then spoon the mixture on top of the lamb shanks.

Combine the tomatoes with the oregano. Mix well, then spoon on top of the onion mixture.

Pour the water around the lamb shanks.

Turn the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 1-1/2 hours, or till tender (1-1/2 hours was fine, though it could have gone longer for that falling-off-the-bone texture). If the dish begins to dry out, add more hot water.

Add beans to the juices 10 minutes before the end of cooking time. Mix everything and spoon some sauce over each shank before serving.

Pasta with Sausage and Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Sausage and Tomato Sauce, originally uploaded by essgee51.

[yet another disclaimer about lack of recent posts]

The lesson I learned yesterday was that I'd been undercooking my pasta sauces. This time, I waited an extra 10 or so minutes till the sauce was thick and, well, saucy, pretty much all the fluid evaporated and bits of crust were starting to form on the bottom of the pan. Level up! The scads of fresh herbs in the garden helped as well.

This recipe makes enough to very generously sauce 1/2 lb. of pasta, or barely sauce 1 lb.

• 2 T olive oil (will reduce amount and render the sausages first next time)
• 1 c onion, chopped
• red pepper flakes to taste (used about 1 t)
• 1/2 package turkey kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1" rounds (about 2-1/2 regular links or one long one)
• 2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 3-4 long chive stalks, chopped, plus more for garnish

Boil water and cook pasta. Reserve about a cup of pasta water, just in case.

Meanwhile, put oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the red pepper flakes and onions. Cook for 3-5 minutes, till onions begin to soften.

Add sausage. Cook till meat begins to brown, flipping halfway through, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Add tomatoes and some of their juice. Turn heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, till mixture is thick and saucy, 20-30 minutes.

Turn off heat. Stir herbs into sauce. If it's too thick, add some of the pasta water and mix well. Adjust seasoning then serve over pasta.

Cooking from Cans: Pasta with Tomato-Clam Sauce

[insert disclaimer regarding lack of updates and backlog of posts]

One of the things I enjoy most about at-home comp days is making a quick lunch. This one consists primarily of stuff in boxes, bottles and cans, but benefits from the addition of a generous handful of fresh parsley. Our two plants have not only survived the admittedly gentle winter, but have managed to reproduce. The larger one produced several offspring, which are almost big enough to use themselves. Makes me even more hopeful than usual for spring.

• 1 c whole wheat pasta of your choice (used rigatoni this time)
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 c)
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1.5 T)
• 1/4 t red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 6.5 can minced clams, drained (reserve some juice if you like)
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 T parsley, chopped

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in sit till al dente. Drain pasta and reserve.

Meanwhile, put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook till translucent, 3-5 minutes.

Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook till garlic begins to turn gold, 2-5 minutes.

Add clams and stir well. Add tomatoes and some of the clam or tomato juice, whichever suits you. Turn heat to medium-high and cook till tomatoes begin to break down and become saucy, 10-15 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning. When done, mix pasta into sauce. Serve garnished with parsley.

The Wonderful Winter Leek

One of the things I love about winter is that it's prime leek season. The gorgeous specimen pictured above was nearly two feet long, and so wonderfully sweet. This basic recipe went perfectly with a cup of rice and some sardines in tomato sauce.

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 large, lovely leek, trimmed, washed and cut into 3-4 in. sections
• salt and pepper
• 1 T vermouth, more if needed
• 1 T water, more if needed
• lemon juice to taste

In a pan, heat oil over medium. Add the leeks. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Brown, turning occasionally (5 or so minutes).

Add liquid. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low. Cover and cook till easily pierced by a fork, about 20-25 minutes.

Drizzle with lemon juice and enjoy!

Garlic Scape Pesto

Garlic Scape Pesto, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Loosely based on this recipe by Dorie Greenspan, this has been dubbed, alternately, "the devil's pesto" or "dragonbreath pesto." It's certainly tangy and garlicky, and it does linger. I love it, but just have to remember not to schedule meetings right after lunch.

• 10-14 garlic scapes, chopped (I also used a couple of the white blooms, which may have contributed to the intense garlic flavor)
• 1/3 c walnuts, chopped
• 1/3 c Parmesan cheese, grated
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil, more if you like

Put the scapes, walnuts, half of the cheese, a pinch of salt and half the olive oil in a food processer. Whir till blended, and until desired consistency is reached. Add more oil or cheese as necessary.

Oregano Tomato Sauce

Flowerful Lunch, originally uploaded by essgee51.

An embarrassment of riches led to this delicious, simple thing: we let our herbs flower for too long. Though we will have to get new seedlings, at least our meals in the near future will be flavorful and pretty. This makes enough sauce for two hearty servings of pasta (about 1/2 box of whole wheat).

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 c onion,minced (1/2 onion)
• 1 T garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
• 1/8-1/4 t red pepper flakes
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 T minced oregano, plus 1-2T blossoms (or just more leaves)

Put oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, then cook till softening, about 2-3 minutes.

Add garlic and red pepper flakes; saute till fragrant (1-2 min).

Add tomatoes and liquid from can; bring to a healthy simmer and cook till the mixture reaches desired, saucy consistency (anywhere from 10-25 minutes, depending on your tastes - I tend to like some body left in the tomatoes). Add salt and pepper.

Add herbs, then cook a minute or two more. Serve over pasta with additional herbs for garnish and some oil/pasta water if needed for extra body.

Salad Nicoise

Salad Nicoise, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Though we still have plenty of delicious navy bean stew in the slow cooker (more recipe backlog for me to catch up on), I was in the mood for a cold, composed salad. This will definitely become a summer staple - filling without being heavy, flavorful without being overly rich, and easy to prepare. Next time, though, I may arrange in individual portions - John and I had a bit of a fun but messy time transferring the food to our plates.

Recipe variant notes: I'm glad I didn't skip the potatoes - they added a new bit of texture and soaked up the dressing well. Alas, John couldn't find any green beans nearby, but we'll definitely add them in next time. Our version (fed two very heartily, and could probably feed one more below):

• 1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
• 1 pound green beans, cooked and refreshed (skipped but definitely happening next time)
• 2-3 T minced shallots 
• 1 large ripe red tomato, cut into wedges 
• 2 potatoes, sliced and cooked 
• 1 5 oz. can chunk tuna, preferably oil-packed 
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved (all we had)
• 1 freshly opened can of flat anchovy fillets 
• 1/3 cup small black Niçoise-type olives 
• 2 T capers 
• 3 T minced fresh parsley
• 1/3-1/2 c vinaigrette (see below)
• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 t Dijon mustard 
• 1/4 t salt 
• 2-3 t freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 1-2 T red wine vinegar 
• 1/2 T minced shallots 
• freshly-ground pepper to taste

Arrange the lettuce leaves in a large, shallow bowl or platter. Toss the green beans with a few spoonfuls of dressing, then arrange on platter.

Add tomatoes and potatoes, drizzling with more dressing.

Arrange the rest of the ingredients in desired position, draping a half- or full fillet of anchovy over each egg.

Season to taste. Garnish, add more dressing, then serve with extra dressing on the side.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic 2: Nigella-Style

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, originally uploaded by essgee51.

While I'm quite happy with Bittman's parsley- and allspice-laden take on this recipe, Nigella's version tempted me with its reliance on two of my favorite things: scallions and thyme. Though the browning step didn't go very well (left lots of skin sticking to the base of the pot for some reason, which led to a charred bottom and far less liquid than I wanted at the end stage), the chicken was still tasty: falling-off-the-bone and flavorful. Will definitely try this one again. Original here, and my very slightly tweaked version below.

• 2 T olive oil
  
• 8 chicken thighs (around 3 lbs.)
  
• 1 bunch scallions (8-10), finely chopped
  
• 10-12 sprigs thyme, half stripped from the stem
  
• 40 cloves garlic, unpeeled but with excess papery covering removed
  
• 2 T white wine or dry vermouth
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat olive oil in a a wide, shallow Duch oven over high heat. Briefly sear chicken thighs, skin-side down, working in batches if necessary. Place thighs in bowl and set aside.

Briefly stir-fry scallions and thyme leaves from about half the sprigs.

Place half the garlic in the bottom of the pan. Put chicken on top. Spread remaining garlic and thyme sprigs around chicken. Add salt and pepper.

Stir white wine or vermouth into chicken juices left in bowl. Add liquid to pot. Cover, place in oven and cook at 350 for 1-1/2 hours.

Uncover and let rest briefly. Serve.

Lengua Estofada

Lengua was always one of my favorite childhood dishes - my lola used to put extra button mushrooms in it for me. Finally I decided to try my own version of it - not a recreation of the beefy richness I remember, but something to tweak and turn into an occasional indulgence. I started from a recipe in Let's Cook with Nora, and made several changes - most notably trebling the amount of mushrooms (what? I love them). It turned out wonderfully - the meat was tender, the sauce (more of a broth by thickness) rich and tangy but sweet from the carrots and leeks. I may try a more umami-laden version in the future, but this recipe is a keeper.

Since this is the first time I've ever tried this (and since I had an epic, 20-minute battle with the leathery outer coating of the tongue), I've felt obliged to document (and share said documentation of) the process.

• 1 beef tongue (2.6 lbs. or so)
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1-2 T salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and crushed
• 1 t peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove
• 2 carrots, cut into rough chunks
• 3 leeks, cleaned and sliced
• 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including juice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 to 1-1/2 cup water
• 3-4 cups mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed (used a mix of white and cremini)

Here are most of the assembled ingredients.

Rub tongue with salt and vinegar (pre-boiled tongue below - doesn't look very different after this step). Rinse, then boil for 10 minutes.

Scrape off leathery coating on surface. (Mind, this took me 20 minutes with three different knives. It got pretty gnarly in the end, but I triumphed. It probably would have been much easier if I'd boiled the tongue for the whole time first, but I wanted it to braise with the sauce.)

Brown tongue in oil (5-10 minutes.)

Transfer to plate, then brown the onions and the garlic.

Return tongue to pot, then add everything but the mushrooms. (I may try adding less water next time.) Bring to a boil then simmer gently till the tongue is tender (recipes say three hours, it took me more like four).

Slice tongue into pieces and set aside (when I gave John a taste at this point, he said it was just like brisket or pot roast).

Strain sauce (skipped this step). Add mushrooms; turn heat to medium or high and cook for a few minutes, till sauce is reduced and mushrooms are done. Return tongue to pot and warm through. 

Serve with rice and garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks and Navy Beans

Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks and Navy Beans, originally uploaded by essgee51.

The slow cooker is my new favorite thing. We prepped and started this last night, went out, came back, slept and woke to this savory, meaty richness. We used this recipe as a jumping-off point. Our version (below) completely filled the cooker (thankfully, I decided to buy only two shanks at the last minute!) and produced at least four cups of spare liquid/fat. Now that we have a solid base recipe, next time, we may try a bit less liquid, more seasoning (it's too rich and savory to be bland, but could perhaps use a bit of zing), some herbs and perhaps more vegetables.

• 1 lb. navy beans, rinsed and picked over
• 2 lamb shanks (about 4 lbs.), cut in thirds
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil (will probably omit this next time - there's more than enough fat in the finished product)
• 1 huge carrot (about 1 lb.), roughly chopped (will add more next time)
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion (about 1 cup), chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups liquid (hot water or stock)
• salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans. We forgot to soak them overnight, so we followed the quick soak method on the bag:

• boil for two minutes
• remove from heat
• cover and let stand for an hour
• rinse.

Boil the beans (in new water) for a half-hour. We may skip this step next time and just adjust slow cooking time accordingly.

Drain the beans and place them in the slow cooker. Add all the other ingredients, then season (we started with about a tsp. of freshly ground black pepper and a tbsp. of salt). Cook on high for an hour (we had to leave, so it was more like half an hour), turn the slow cooker to low, and let cook for 8-10 hours (more like 12 in our case, because we slept in).

Adjust seasoning and enjoy!

Backlog: Braised Pork Chops With Tomatoes, Anchovies and Rosemary

Tomato Sauce, originally uploaded by essgee51.

(The above is an in-progress shot, obviously.)

Made this in Dec. 2010, following this NYT recipe pretty much to the letter, save for doubling the amount of garlic. Turned out very well - rich and tasty, with the anchovies adding savory depth to the always-winning combo of rosemary, pork and tomatoes. Sans pork chops, the sauce itself would probably go well over pasta - maybe even whole-wheat, if I added some heat to counteract the additional body.

Variation: Leek and Tomato Braise

Leek and Tomato Braise, originally uploaded by essgee51.

I've cooked this before, but now I have a picture - and enough variation in the recipe to make this repeat worthwhile, for me at least. Unfortunately, this version didn't make nearly enough liquid to put on the rice; I may add some juice from canned tomatoes or broth next time.

• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 4-6 leeks, cleaned and halved
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice or more, to taste

In a pot large enough to hold the leeks in a single layer (I had too many and thus worked in batches), heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the leeks till they begin to brown, 5-7 minutes; salt and pepper them as they cook, turning them once or twice.

Add tomatoes (and some of their liquid or some broth if you like). Adjust heat till mixture bubbles, then cover and cook till the leeks are tender, 15-25 minutes.

Add lemon juice to taste and serve over rice (good hot, warm or cold).

Curried Split Peas and Carrots

Curried Split Peas and Carrots, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Alas, no ham hocks handy, but I still wanted some split pea goodness. Followed a base recipe for Kenyan curried split peas from Extending the Table, added standard mirepoix portions of celery and carrots (my fridge contains a softening surplus of both), and cooked till the peas were mushy. Very good with rice and sausage - sort-of roasting the spices gave it a wonderfully warm tang.

• 1 cup split peas
• 2 tbsp. oil (used olive)
• 2 medium onions, chopped (around 2 cups)
• 2 celery stalks, chopped (around 1 cup)
• 2 medium carrots, chopped (around 1 cup)
• 6-8 cloves garlic, chopped (about 2 tbsp.)
• 2 tbsp. curry powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt

Soak the peas or pre-heat if you're into that (I was lazy and didn't). Put the peas in a pot with 3-1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer. Cook till the peas are mushy (recipe claimed 45 minutes with pre-soaked peas, took me more like 1-1/2 hours with unsoaked ones), adding the celery and carrot about halfway through (I like to keep a bit of firmness in both).

Meanwhile, put oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook till they're translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook till it's aromatic, about 1-3 minutes.

Add the curry powder, cumin and salt and stir to coat thoroughly (the bottom of the pan was pretty dry by then, so the spices got semi-toasted, which added a nice pop to the flavors). Cook for another minute or two.

Combine the spice mixture with the peas and stir thoroughly. Adjust seasoning then serve over rice.

Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil

Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes Sauteeing, originally uploaded by essgee51.

The usual "after" picture was nice, but I figured this one was more interesting. This dish, again courtesy of Signore Bittman, was quick, strong and delicious with sausages and a chopped scallion on the side. Thanks to John's family for the fancy extra-virgin olive oil! My take on the recipe below.

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 14-oz. package pasta - spaghetti in this case (original calls for 1 lb. fettucini, but all I had was the smaller packages of whole wheat)
• lots of salt and pepper to taste
• parsley for garnish (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta in it according to directions.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt in a small pot over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, till the garlic is golden - about 3-7 minutes, depending on your burner. Turn off the heat if the pasta isn't ready yet.

When pasta is done, drain it and reserve a bit of the cooking water in case. If necessary, reheat the garlic and olive oil - mix it with the pasta, seasoning with salt and pepper and garnishing with the parsley if you like.

Chickpeas and Baby Spinach

Chickpeas and Baby Spinach, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Easy and healthful. Based largely on this NYT recipe, with a couple of tweaks. Made us a delicious dinner over couscous with a generous squeezing of lemon and even more freshly-ground black pepper.

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and ground (lazily used cumin powder)
• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas
• 1 cup water or broth (I used beef bouillon)
• 1 7 oz. package baby spinach
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Over medium heat, saute the onions in the oil till they're soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin and salt. Stir and cook till the paste darkens.

Add the chickpeas, some cayenne and broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the spinach one handful at a time, stirring till the leaves wilt before adding the next batch and lightly salting. Once all the leaves are in, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, adjusting seasoning and adding lots of black pepper.

Remove from heat, adjust seasoning and serve over rice or couscous, with lemon slices.

Mirepoix Tuna-Tomato Sauce

Mirepoix Tuna-Tomato Sauce, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Testing out Flickr's blogging functionality and documenting this variant of this tuna-tomato sauce staple. Basically added a mirepoix for more vegetal goodness, a dash of cayenne pepper for zing, and a can of tomato sauce for added liquidity.

• 8-10 oz. pasta (used whole wheat penne)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped (about 1 cup in picture)
• 1/4 cup celery, diced (about 1/2 cup in picture)
• 1/4 cup carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup in picture)
• 1 5 oz. can chunk tuna, drained
• 1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
• 1 6 oz. can tomato sauce, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne powder, to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh herbs for garnish

Prepare pasta according to instructions.

Meanwhile, saute onion, celery and carrot in oil over medium heat till onion begins to soften, 3-5 minutes.

Add tuna and stir to mix thoroughly. Add tomatoes, turn heat to medium-high, then cook till mixture begins to become saucy (10-15 minutes), or less if you're impatient. If it gets dry, add some tomato sauce.

Season with cayenne powder, salt and pepper. When sauce is at desired consistency, remove from heat, adjust seasoning, garnish and serve over pasta.

Pasta with Tuna-Tomato Sauce

[insert usual "It's been a while..." + applicable excuses/commentary] Whether I catch up with old recipes or not, onwards.

The pleasures of being at home on a winter weekday and cooking for myself were redoubled by a handful of fresh parsley and chives from the garden. This simple, loose recipe is perfect for such days; next time (perhaps even tomorrow) I'll add some carrots and celery, maybe some red pepper flakes or cayenne powder.

• some pasta (I used enough penne to make 2 or so cups, cooked)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, diced (about 1/3 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 heaping tbsp.)
• 1 five oz. can of tuna, drained
• 1 12 oz. can of diced tomatoes, with their liquid.
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring salted water to a boil. Cook pasta till done; drain and reserve a bit of the pasta cooking water, just in case.

Meanwhile, saute the onion in oil over medium heat till soft. Add the garlic; cook for a minute or so, till it's fragrant.

Add the tuna. Stir to mix, then add the tomatoes. Cool several minutes more, till the sauce is to your liking (I was too impatient to wait for the tomatoes to break down, which was fine - it was sharper than it would have otherwise been). Season to taste.

Add pasta and stir to combine, adding some pasta water if needed. Garnish with herbs (in this case chopped parsley and chives).

Herby Chicken Salad

In honor of this year's Opera in the Outfield, I scoured the internet and my cookbooks for something picnicky. This salad, which uses olive oil instead of mayonnaise and put our little herb garden to good use, was perfect - bright and delicious. Thanks again, Mark Bittman! My variation below:

• 1.75 lb. chicken leg quarters (would be fine with pre-made chicken, too), cooked then meat shredded
• 3-4 shallots (about 4 tbsp.), minced
• 1/4 cup Kalamanta olives, chopped
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 2/3 heaping cup mixed herbs (used mostly basil, with some parsley, chives and thyme), chopped
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste (ended up using about 1/3 cup)
• salt and pepper to taste

If you aren't using pre-made chicken, cook the meat any way you please. (I poached the legs in about 5 cups of water with onions, garlic, celery, carrots, peppercorns, salt and pepper, then reserved the broth for other uses). Shred the meat.

Mix the chicken, shallots, olives, and lemon zest. Add the herbs, lemon juice and olive oil and mix, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate till cold, then serve either as-is or over a bed of salad greens. (The leftovers were excellent with couscous the next day, too.)