Right now, the easy factor is the first thing on my mind when I contemplate cooking. Will it be easy to make? That's it. Eventually my taste buds will return, and someday I'll make complicated recipes again. Not now. With that in mind, I considered this an ideal recipe. It used up some sausage and collard greens waiting in my fridge. Oh--and it was EASY. All the prep was done as the water heated for the pasta. Then the collards were cooked along with the pasta. Bob said it was very good, but due to the taste bud situation, I had soup.
By the way, Kalyn the heart and soul (and creator) of Weekend Herb Blogging is kindly allowing me the honor of hosting it this weekend. So, I invite anyone who wants to take part to send their permalink to Rdfern(AT)sbcglobal(DOT)net. Or you can include your link in a comment to my blog. Send your link by 3:00 P.M. this Sunday (California time) and I'll include it in the Roundup on Monday. If you don't have a blog, send me your recipe and I'll include it too. Hope to see a big crowd of herb bloggers!
Now back to this recipe, which was quite simple. I cooked sausage, red pepper flakes, and
garlic while the water was coming to a boil. Mushrooms could substitute for the sausage.
I used sliced collard greens, but kale would work very well too.
The collards cook along with the pasta.
Then everything is tossed together, along with grated romano. Not counting the time it took to heat the water for the pasta, this took me less than 10 minutes to prepare and cook this dish.
Bob said the pasta was very good. But I had some leftover chicken and wild rice soup I made.
Spaghetti With Greens and Sausage (Adapted from The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook)
1 pound collard greens or kale
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 sausage links (I used Aidell's Andouille), cut into thin slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt
1 pound spaghetti
3/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
Start water to boil for the pasta.
Cut the tough rib and stems out of the collards. Stack the leaves on top of each other and slice into 1/2 inch wide ribbons. Set aside.
Put the oil and sausage in a heavy skillet and cook over medium heat until the sausage begins to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more
Cook the pasta in the boiling water and add the collards in the last 5 minutes as the pasta cooks. When done, drain both the pasta and collards and put back on the pasta pot. Add the contents from the skillet and toss well to separate the greens. Add salt and pepper and drizzle with a little heated olive oil is you wish. Add the cheese and toss again. Adjust seasoning and serve.
mmmm... instead of having the mushrooms stand in for the sausage, I'd toss them in and let them all play together.... sausages and mushrooms are yummmy! I hope your tastebuds come back soon!
Posted by: ann | October 11, 2006 at 05:42 AM
A use for KALE!! YAY!!
Posted by: Jeff | October 11, 2006 at 06:37 AM
Wait, there's a way to cook that doesn't involve easy? Hmmm... I should probably look into that. Hee-hee. This looks great, as all your recipies do.
Posted by: kristi | October 11, 2006 at 06:39 AM
Poor Sher! I hope you (and myself!) feel better soon!
Posted by: Shannon | October 11, 2006 at 08:25 AM
oh dear, you have been losing your tastebuds for weeks... get well soon!
about your pasta, I've done something very similar (but use arugla), very delicious indeed!
Posted by: gattina | October 11, 2006 at 11:18 AM
YUM YUM!!! By the way, the bean recipe I served was a hit!! It was great. Who would have thought 40 years ago, eating lunch at a nasty table at WHS that you would end up a Martha Stewart!!! I always thought I would see you on the big screen, not in the kitchen!! Ever thought of audition for the food network???? That would be a way of combining both of your talents!!! Go for it....
Posted by: Char Buckley | October 11, 2006 at 01:38 PM
oh sher, how nice of you to offer to coldpak the leftovers and overnight them to me! //what do you mean you didn't? course ya did!//
Posted by: aria | October 11, 2006 at 04:34 PM
Sounds wonderful. I love sausage and greens. I'm a bit behind because of jet-setting to St. Louis, but I'll be posting my WHB entry tomorrow.
Posted by: Kalyn | October 11, 2006 at 04:54 PM
A beautiful combination of ingredients...Happy Cooking
Posted by: latoilemaison@earthlink.net | October 11, 2006 at 07:47 PM
This is one of my favorite dishes. Especially when I need some good old fashioned comfort food.
Thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to your WHB roundup. Have fun with it.
Posted by: Ruth | October 12, 2006 at 10:58 AM
Ann,
Yes, I think some mushrooms tossed in would be pretty good!
Jeff,
Yes, I'm a huge fan of kale too.
Kristi,
Yes, I love quick and easy right now--and I can see where you certainly would too! Hugs to Ella!
Shannon,
Hope you're feeling a little better? I'm turning the corner--but have a horrible, scary (to other people) cough.
Gattina,
Yes, I was going to use arugula, but it was so darn expensive!
Char,
Now you know that we graduated from high school last year! What are you trying to pull? :):)
Aria,
Those leftovers didn't get to you??? Man! If you can't trust your UPS guy, who can you trust??
Kalyn,
That trip to St. Louis sounded great!!!!!!
travelingfoodlady,
Thanks for stopping by!
Ruth,
Thanks--you'll be a hard act to follow!!!!
Posted by: sher | October 12, 2006 at 12:47 PM
Oh Sher,
I just realized, your e-mail's address you mentioned in this post is Rdfern(AT) sbcglobal(DOT)com but Kalyn said rdfern(AT)sbcglobal(DOT)net. I don't know which one is correct... anyway, I've just e-mailed my submission to the first address.
Posted by: gattina | October 12, 2006 at 04:07 PM
Gattina!!
Glad you spotted that!! Kalyn is right, as usual!! I'll correct it--and I'll go to your site and get the link! Thanks. It's all Clyde's fault!
Posted by: sher | October 12, 2006 at 05:11 PM
That pasta looks so satisfying. That's my kind of meal.
Posted by: Julie | October 14, 2006 at 06:41 PM