ILSL August 2006: Summery Pasta Salads

Welcome back for another edition of I Loathe Sandra Lee.    Here's how all this started, for those new to game.

Sandra Lee is hack, we all know that.

 

But at least we can put her unfortunate recipes featuring processed food to good use.

This month's theme is pasta salads.  Semi-Processed Sandra wisely guides us to use canned pineapple and a tub of sour cream as key ingredients for a summer pasta salad.  In protest of this horrendous, unwholesome approach to cooking, we've decided to create our own versions of a summer pasta salad without canned food or processed crap. 

The result - colorful, healthy, vibrant, creative pasta salads that utilize the seasonal summer ingredients we all love. 

Ann from A Chicken in Every Granny Cart

Pasta Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Basil, Asagio, Blue Cheese and Capers

Ann created a colorful pasta salad for lunch after being reminded how loathsome Sandra Lee can be on the Food Network. Sure, there are times when it's easier to call delivery.  But as Ann says, it's easy to be inspired by Sandra.  No cans, no tubs o' sour cream.  Just what looks and sounds like a flavorful, delicious pasta salad.  Blue cheese and capers sound like a great combo, Ann!

For my recipe, I decided to experiment with fresh fruit, inspired by Sandy's canned pineapple debacle. I created a recipe for Peach Penne with Corn, Jalapeno and Scallions. 

I think the essence of peaches can work well with a pasta salad, mainly because I think they can provide a fresh, sweet accent to a pasta salad without overwhelming the dish with sweetness.  I created a puree from the fresh peaches and folded it into the pasta.  The crunchy corn adds texture to the dish, while the jalapeno adds a spicy zip that balances the fresh fruit.  Scallions add much needed color but their gentle onion flavor rings through and rounds out the dish nicely. 

See below for my full recipe.....and down with Sandra Lee!

Recipe serves 2-3 people

4 ripe medium sized peaches
1/2 pound penne pasta, cooked to al dente
1 teaspoon of finely chopped jalapeno

handful of thinly sliced scallion

2 ears of corn, kernel removed

extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper

1 tablespoon of chopped lemo zest
parmigiano reggiano (optional)

Wash your peaches.  Slice them into large chunks. Transfer them to a food processor, adding a pinch of salt, a touch of olive oil and ground pepper. Puree the peaches until smooth, some chunks are OK. Have your corn, jalapeno and scallions prepped and ready to go.

Add a glug of olive oil to a pan.  When warm, add the jalapeno and the corn.   Season with salt and saute slowly for a few minutes.  You are looking to infuse the heat of the jalapeno into the olive oil and the corn.  After two or three minutes, set aside. 

Place the pasta that had been cooked to al dente into a large bowl.  Fold the peach puree into the pasta a little bit at a time.  You want the peach puree to coat the pasta but not swim in it or get covered in a gloopy sauce.  I used virtually all of the peach puree for just a touch over 1/2 lb of pasta but you should eyeball it and taste along the way.  Put in the corn/jalapeno mixture, the chopped scallions and the lemon zest and toss with the pasta. Season pasta with salt, pepper and serve.  You can add parmigiano reggiano before you serve as well.  I chose not to add an herb in order to accentuate the peach flavor, but feel free.

Comments

[JordanBaker]

I'm so sad I missed out on this again--I actually even had a plan for a "dessert pasta salad" (sweetened ravioli filled with something like canoli filling, toppedwith mixed berries and a balsamic syrup), but the toe-breakage has meant that both my grocery trips and the time I can stand to stand up while cooking has been drastically shortened. Maybe next time around. . .

[joe]

cmon. cooking while standing is so overated. heh. sorry about the toe!

[mike]

joe, your pasta dish looks amazing!

[Anastasia]

I tune in just to see what the cocktail will be. I love watching this lush pour gallons of alcohol into everything she drinks. Hilarious!

[maman]

I love this! I thought that I was the only person who loathed that tacky bobblehead doll! If you are going to cook... COOK already.. otherwise hire a freaking caterer and shut up.

[Sinjin von Hoogstraaten]

She's a babe, though! Most women despise her 'cause they're too lazy to exercise enough (or at all) in order to have Sandra Lee's figure. That's generally the female basis of hating her. Why would men care enough to hate her is beyond me. Who cares what she cooks, just enjoy looking at her!!!!

[Cyn]

Get over your loathing already! Happy people don't slave hours over cooking, they get in and out! Sandra Lee-you go girl!

[tracy]

Your recipes sound fantastic and I look forward to trying them! However I am sadden that you take such pleasure in bashing a talented woman who is (albeit making money)- just trying to come up with an easier way for us working women to manage a family and career. Seems to me that when you attack a persons "akward looking body" and name call, its because ya might just be a bit jealous and insecure. How bitter you sound...