FLAVOR AND EYE APPEAL

Flavor and Eye Appeal

            The robin outside my kitchen window is engaged in a vigorous tug of war with his reluctant breakfast underneath our pink tulips. Yesterday, out resident woodchuck happily decimated the Italian parsley plant I had lovingly planted next to an emerging oregano plant. The selective grazing proved that oregano was apparently of no gustatory interest to this chubby person. Wildlife sometime can provide even unappreciated distraction, when it goes about it’s normal activities, while we find little relief from the tedium of self-isolation in our cool spring sunshine.

            Jazz may be a popular choice to stimulate cheer, but flavor and eye appeal in  food are likely to achieve the same result at mealtimes. Early spring is not the most conducive time to achieve such results, especially if you are still working from items in your pantry and limited forays into the grocery store. Fortunately, pasta dishes provide the cook with a wonderful palette to achieve a colorful presentation. They have the added advantage of being easy and quick to prepare.

                                    Rotini with Feta and kale

            Cook 6-8 oz rotini in salted water to al dente according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tblsp. olive oil in a large pan and sauté: 1 medium onion chopped with 1 ½ cups kale, deveined and cut in ribbons, for 4 minutes. Stir in 1 chopped clove of garlic, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes and continue to cook 1 minute. Stir in 3 cubed Roma tomatoes, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tblsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 tblsp. small capers, 1 tblsp. lemon juice, ½ cup pitted sliced Kalamata olives (optional), ¼ cup water and cook 6-8 minutes until tomatoes are soft, but not falling apart. Stir in ¾ cups cubed Feta cheese and the drained pasta. Serve hot with a light sprinkling of parsley.

            The beginning of May brings celebrations of Cinco de Mayo with colorful Mexican dishes. One of my favorite salads for this time of the year has been a Fiesta salad, which can be made with either corn or beans or the two together. The original recipe was for a corn salad, the provenance of which came from a graduate student at UCLA, where I spent a sabbatical many years ago. It requires no cooking, quite a bit of dicing and should be made ahead for the various flavors to blend.

                                    Fiesta black bean salad

            For best texture of the salad, soak black beans overnight and cook in salted water until firm. However, for expediency, this can be made with canned black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed. In a large bowl combine: 16 oz can drained black beans, 1 medium tomato diced, ½ each red and green diced bell peppers, 2 sliced scallions with tops, ¾ cup frozen corn thawed in the microwave, 1 small can drained sliced black olives. Dressing: ½ package taco seasoning mix, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup white vinegar, scant ¼ cup olive oil. Stir dressing until well blended, toss well with vegetables and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Toss well again before serving plain or on lettuce.

            Creative colorful dishes on our lunch or dinner tables can bring a smile even on a chilly cloudy day in May.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)