Whole Wheat Penne with San Marzano Tomatoes

The Conscious Cook Cookbook Review

Nov 16, 2009 Liliana Tommasini

The Conscious Cook Cookbook by Chef Tal Ronnen is a collection of delicious seasonal meatless recipes for vegans and meat lovers alike.

The Conscious Cook Cookbook by Chef Tal Ronnen is a collection of hearty and healthy recipes for vegans that also appeal to meat lovers.

The seventy delicious, easy to prepare recipes, accompanied by beautiful full colour photos, are featured in the following chapters: starters & small plates, salads, soups, sandwiches, entreés, and desserts accompanied by stories from guest chefs. Chef Ronnen also invites you into his kitchen and pantry to view some of his tools and tricks and some of his favourite ingredients

Vegan versions of oysters Rockefeller, paella, cesar salad and corn chowder as well as new recipes such as gardein 'chicken' scaloppini, peppercorn-encrusted portobello fillets are low fat and healthy as well as flavourful and nutritional.

What is Gardein?

The name Gardein is a combination of 'garden' and 'protein'. It's a meat-like food made from veggies and grains that appeals to meat-lovers and veggie-lovers alike. For health-conscious people it's ideal - it's high in protein, low in fat, cholesterol-free, and contains no animal products, according to Yves Potvin, founder of Gardein from Garden Protein International, Inc., interviewed in the Conscious Cook Cookbook.

Chef Tal has demonstrated in the Conscious Cook that vegan recipes can be flavourful, hearty and delicious using meat alternatives and fresh ingredients. It's all about choosing healthy food choices.

Whole Wheat Penne with San Marzano Tomatoes Recipe

Permission to reprint recipe and photos granted by HarperCollins.

This is a quick, easy recipe that’s healthful and very bold in flavor. I like both white and whole wheat pasta, but there’s a nice depth to whole wheat that adds richness here. The sauce is tangy, thanks to the olives, wine, and fennel. You don’t have to be precise about the ingredients. Swap out anything you don’t like (or don’t have on hand) for whatever works for you—for instance, chard for kale or olives for capers. - Chef Tal Ronnel

Ingredients:

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 30 minutes

• Sea salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, quartered and sliced
• 2 fennel bulbs, halved and sliced
• 1 (28-ounce) can peeled Italian San Marzano tomatoes, drained
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup vegetable stock
• ½ cup white wine
• 4 cups roughly chopped Swiss chard
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¾ cup Manzanilla (green) olives, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 8 ounces whole wheat penne, cooked al dente according to package

Directions:

1. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute.
2. Add the oil and heat for 30 more seconds, being careful not to let it smoke.
3. This will create a nonstick effect.
4. Add the onions and fennel and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the tomatoes, crushing each with your hand, along with the garlic, stock, wine, and chard.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.Add the lemon juice and olives and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the olives are tender.
7. Fold in the tarragon, thyme, and parsley, along with the hot pasta.
8. Serve immediately.

Title : The Conscious Cook

Authors : Tal Ronnen

Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN: 978-0-06-187433-8

List price: $29.99US

The copyright of the article Whole Wheat Penne with San Marzano Tomatoes in Seasonal Cooking is owned by Liliana Tommasini. Permission to republish Whole Wheat Penne with San Marzano Tomatoes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Whole Wheat Penne with San Marzano Tomatoes

Conscious Cook