BURLINGTON, Vt. -
Valentine's Day recipes and gift ideas with a garden twist. Garden expert Charlie Nardozzi shares some fun ways to celebrate the holiday. Watch the video for more.
Red Pepper, Tahini and Walnut Dip
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups canned roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- salt and black pepper
- pita chips, for serving
In a food processor, combine the red peppers, walnuts, tahini, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and cayenne and puree until smooth. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Serve with the pita chips.
Penne and Red Beet Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves cloves garlic, smashed
- A large pinch of dried thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large or 6 small-to-medium beets, about 1 pound, peeled and grated
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 pound penne or other cut pasta
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Put the butter or oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, thyme, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. When the onion softens, add the beets and the wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, then add about 1/2 cup water; continue to cook and stir, adding water a bit at a time if necessary, until the beets are quite tender, about 15 minutes total. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste; fish out the garlic cloves.
- When the beets are nearly done, add the pasta to the boiling water in a separate pot. When it's tender but not mushy, drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss together the pasta and beets, adding a little of the cooking water if the mixture is dry. Toss with the Parmesan and serve.
