Thursday, June 17, 2010

Onion soup avocado pasta


Yeah, yeah, another pasta dish. I got a bunch of shells and linguine on sale.

1 large onion
garlic to taste - I like a lot, about half a bulb
1 t turmeric
1 t toasted sesame oil
1 T olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
broth or stock or fond or bouillon
handful olives
half an avocado
a nice fat lemon wedge
parmesan cheese if desired
8 oz linguine

Slice the onion and smash and dice the garlic fine. Put the sesame and olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil starts to shimmer add the onion, garlic, turmeric, with a pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Let the onion cook down for a good forty minutes or an hour, tossing occasionally.

If you're the kind of person who keeps stock or fond in your freezer, well, good on you. Thaw half a cup or so. If not, dissolve a beef bouillon cube in however much water the instructions say, and reduce it down to half a cup or so. Then add it to the onions and let it simmer down further until it will coat a spoon.

Meanwhile cook half a pound of linguine. Chop the olives, whatever kind you prefer. I've got some mild black ones and some garlic-stuffed green ones. Scoop out half an avocado in one piece and slice it lengthwise.

Drain the pasta and toss together with the onions. Plate, sprinkle on the olives, arrange the avocado on top, squeeze lemon juice on to it and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese if desired.

The onions are piquant, the stock or fond gives you a darkness and together with the avocado you get a luscious mouth-feel, and the olives and lemon juice add a lovely bright note that rides on top of it all.

4 side dish or 2 entree servings.

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