Pasta with Broccoli and Salami

This is one of those "got home from work late, need to eat NOW" type of dinners.

And yet, it's also one of those "toss in whatever you find in the 'frig, and it comes out fabulously delicious" dinners.  Don't you just love when that happens???  There's no grand plan, you're essentially using up scraps and leftovers.  And yet, somehow the finished dish transcends its meager ingredients.

I had found broccoli on sale at the store that week, and of course it's a perfect complement to pasta.  I also had a few slices of salami waiting to be invited to the party.  And instead of fresh garlic, I used pre-purchased roasted garlic which had been calling to me at the store while I'd been shopping.  I don't usually buy it, preferring to make my own; but it just seemed to be a good thing to have on hand, and so I made excellent use of it in this dish.

Mangia bene!  [MAHN-juh BAY-nay]


Pasta with Broccoli and Salami

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 large scallion, chopped
• 6 cloves roasted garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup white wine
• pinch of kosher salt
• 5 thin slices of salami, finely chopped
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces farfalle (bow-tie pasta), prepared according to package directions
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli and saute for a few minutes, until turning bright green and just caramelizing in a few spots.

Add the scallion and garlic; saute 1 minute. Add the wine and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is becoming tender and the wine is mostly absorbed.

Add the salami and pepper; cook 3-4 minutes, until the salami crisps a bit.

Drain the pasta and divide among two plates. Top with the broccoli mixture, and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serves 2.

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Gorgonzola Polenta with Spicy Vegetables

This is a ridiculously easy dish to make, and very fast to prepare when there's not a lot of time to make dinner. It's rich, sophisticated and nutritious ... what a great reward at the end of a long day at work!

Polenta is actually supposed to be cooked slowly, like risotto; but this faster version is still great, especially with the Gorgonzola stirred into it to make it even creamier.

Bright both in color and in flavor, this is a great meal to serve to take the chill off an Autumn evening.

Gorgonzola Polenta with Spicy Vegetables

Vegetables:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pesto

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes until the onion is translucent. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Stir together the tomatoes, salt and pesto; pour over the broccoli and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Polenta:
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola

Meanwhile, bring the water and the salt to a boil. Turn the heat to low and slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Stir constantly until thickened and creamy, then remove from heat and stir in the Gorgonzola.

To serve: place 1 cup of polenta onto a serving dish, and top with one-quarter of the vegetables. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 4.