On an unsettling day of seemingly indefinite school closings and empty shelves at the grocery store, we found comfort in this shared meal, a simple pasta dinner with frozen peas and lima beans, the only "green" that I could find, with the exception of leeks, which are what make this dish. It does taste like spring, and we have found our first green shoots growing upwards from the earth.
Wash each leek and cut in half lengthwise. Then, finely chop moon-shaped crescents. You will end up with nearly two cups of leeks, but it cooks down quickly and is the star of this dish.
Heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a heavy saucepan and sautee the leeks in olive oil until soft and aromatic. Add salt and any dried herbs at this time.
When the leeks are fragrant, add the frozen lima beans and stir to coat them in the leek mixture for 3-4 minutes. Then, add your frozen peas, a generous pinch of salt and a half teaspoon or so of herbs. Sautee, then cover on medium heat for another 6-8 minutes and taste to ensure that those sweet peas have some bite to them and that the lima beans are soft.
Add cream to taste.
Add to boiled pasta and serve with fresh herbs and parmesan. Scallops are really a bonus here!
Ingredients
Directions
Wash each leek and cut in half lengthwise. Then, finely chop moon-shaped crescents. You will end up with nearly two cups of leeks, but it cooks down quickly and is the star of this dish.
Heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a heavy saucepan and sautee the leeks in olive oil until soft and aromatic. Add salt and any dried herbs at this time.
When the leeks are fragrant, add the frozen lima beans and stir to coat them in the leek mixture for 3-4 minutes. Then, add your frozen peas, a generous pinch of salt and a half teaspoon or so of herbs. Sautee, then cover on medium heat for another 6-8 minutes and taste to ensure that those sweet peas have some bite to them and that the lima beans are soft.
Add cream to taste.
Add to boiled pasta and serve with fresh herbs and parmesan. Scallops are really a bonus here!