Basil, Kale and Heirloom Tomato Linguini

I love a good saucy bowl of pasta, but sometimes you want something lighter. I love tossing lightly cooked veg with some olive oil and noodles. I love the dimensions of the fresh basil (or herb of choice), naked in the olive oil, bringing out the flavors of Farmers Market-fresh tomatoes. Now Nikki, before you gasp at the little amount of garlic in this dish, feel free to add in as much as you like. However, I designed this dish for the basil to be the star and you don?t want to step in a star?s spotlight – it never goes over well. The backup dancers are there to make the star shine, not drown her out and step on her cues. This is a great dish to make for a weeknight dinner, since the noodles cook while you?re doing the veg..and by the time the noodles are done, so are the veg ready to top it… This recipe makes about 4 servings, served alongside soup or salad.

Ingredients:

1/2 shallot, minced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch kale, roughly chopped but with big stems removed

2-3 large tomatoes

fresh basil, chopped – as much as you can stand: perhaps 1/4C – 1C, plus a few sprigs for garnish

a few TBSP olive oil, plus more for drizzling

oregano, fresh (2 TBSP) or dried (2 tsp)

salt and pepper to taste

1 pack linguini

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of unsalted water to boil. Once boiling, add in about 1 tsp or so of salt and  a package of linguini, and cook according to package directions.

2. In a medium-sized skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Mince the shallot and garlic, and saute about 3 minutes, when they begin to soften. Add in kale and oregano (if using dried) with salt and pepper, and continue to saute about 5-10 minutes - depending on how you like your kale. I like mine cooked longer rather than shorter to help it soften and become less chewy.

3. Meanwhile, chop fresh basil, oregano (if using fresh) and tomatoes. Add to kale mixture, and cook about 2-3 minutes, just to warm through the tomatoes.

4. Drain the noodles and plate out 4 equal servings. Top with veg, and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper and, if you?re a basil fanatic like me, sprinkle with more fresh chopped basil.

**Serve alongside a Pasta e Fagioli (without pasta in the soup, unless you just can’t get enough pasta) or Chickpea Dinner salad, followed by a light dessert like French Martini Frozen Yogurt.



Note: If you?re like Jo and not a fan of basil, try another distinct-flavor herb like cilantro and give a squeeze of fresh lime juice in step 4, just before serving.

Happy Cooking!