Tag Archives: make ahead dishes

Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Asiago and Pine Nuts

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If you are of a certain age, you may recall when sun-dried tomatoes were ubiquitous. This was way back in the last century, mid 80’s to mid 90’s. They became so mainstream that they found their way into bagels and cream cheese, wheat thin crackers, flour tortillas and potato chips. They got abused and ultimately there was backlash and they disappeared from our pantries.

I’m on a mission to bring them back. They are little flavour bombs, packed with umami and during most of the year, when tomatoes are sadly lacking in flavour, sun dried tomatoes have a place at the table.

I learned a version of this recipe at one of my very first professional cooking jobs. I was working in an upscale take-out food shop in Toronto’s Yorkville area called Dinah’s Cupboard. I learned so much from Dinah Koo, the shop’s owner. She demanded perfection and precision. She cooked with big flavours and was a master at presentation. I am forever grateful to her for teaching me so much.

It was my job to make a vat of this cold pasta salad every morning. The original recipe called for angel hair pasta, and there were no fresh tomatoes or olives in it. It was one of the most popular items in the shop and sold out every single day. Unlike most pasta salads, which are insipid in seasoning, this salad is an umami flavour bomb, owing to the sun-dried tomatoes and asiago cheese.

My mom, all my sisters and my sister-in-law made and served this at every family get together during this era. Eventually, we all got sick of this salad and it was retired from the rotation. I made it again, last summer, for the first time in 25 years, and everyone was so excited to taste it again.

It’s a perfect dish to make ahead for entertaining. I would suggest adding the fresh basil and pine nuts just before serving, but the rest of the salad keeps very well in the fridge for several days.

Tips for success:

  • Cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes less than the package recommends. The spaghetti will continue to soften as it sits in the sun dried tomato pesto.
  • Use oil packed sun dried tomatoes for the best flavour.
  • Try to seek out asiago cheese. It is widely available now and has a pungent flavour that is hard to replicate.
  • Please, toast your pine nuts!! Untoasted nuts have the texture of sawdust and will ruin the dish.
  • Add fresh basil and pine nuts just before serving.

Click here to print recipe for Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Asiago and Pine Nuts.

Chicken Marbella Reboot

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Last week I had a craving for Chicken Marbella. If you are of a certain vintage, you will know exactly the dish I am talking about. Created, in 1982, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, of The Silver Palate fame, Chicken Marbella appeared at every dinner party I ever attended in the 80’s. Chockful of prunes, olives and capers, it was considered very “gourmet” and a bit exotic for the times.

I pulled out my well-worn cookbook, and read through the recipe, to make sure I had all the ingredients. I was shocked to disover that it called for adding a 1/2 cup of brown sugar to the marinade! Clearly my tastebuds (as well as my skin) have matured since the 80’s. I would never consider adding that much sugar to a chicken marinade today. This dish clearly needed a reboot.

I ditched the brown sugar for a modest amount of honey, just 2 Tablespoons. Instead of dried prunes, I opted for dried apricots for their vibrant colour and dried cherries, for their tart flavour. I kept the olives and capers, and, while I was searching for the capers, I saw a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, another blast from my past, lurking in the back of my fridge. Sun-dried tomatoes were ubiquitous in the 80’s and 90’s. We overused them and they became shunned by chefs everywhere. But, in defense of sun-dried tomatoes, when used sparingly, they can add a certain savory sweetness that is welcome in many braised dishes.

To boost the flavour profile further, I added anchovy paste (an umami bomb) and a generous pinch of Aleppo pepper for some heat.

This reboot did not disappoint. Packed with flavour and not too sweet, it satisfied my craving. Sometimes you can go back again!

Click here to print recipe for Chicken Marbella Reboot.


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