Thursday, February 21, 2008

Suppah Time

The Birthday Children get to pick what they want for dinner on their birthday. It only seems fair really; that way the Anti-Mushroom Child doesn't end up with Fungus Amungus a la chantorelle or something. So last weekend it was steak and salad, with just one instant of trouble when The Friend clapped its hand to its mouth and blurted "oops! It's Lent!" This weekend it's going to be Dad Pasta.

We used to make a pretty big deal out of cooking dinner every night. There is something deeply satisfying in taking a mixed group of ingredients from raw form to finished product, and we loved every step. We wrangled (nicely) over who got to have the fun of Wielding The Knives. We asked for and received appreciation from each other as various stages were achieved ("oooh, look how nicely that scallop is caramelizing!" yes, it was fascinating being us!) and once the food was actually served it was assumed that voluble reaction would be made - preferably positive.

I was usually the chef since I worked from home and didn't have to wrestle with the various commutes Kirk had, but when we were living in California he had much more time in the evenings and he began experimenting with some recipes of his own. His tilapia was a favorite, for example, and he had a potato/pasta dish that was delicious. I left those to him, and unlike me he never bothered to write down his inspirations so this Sunday I'm going to be working off of memory.

Dad Pasta:

Fetuccini - enough to serve five (one or two of whom are Male and voracious)
fresh spinach - about... maybe 2 cups raw?
sun-dried tomatoes - in oil, to taste (what? I go by how it looks! Put 'em in until there are enough)
Kalamata olives - not so many as tomatoes but enough so you get one with each bite (there, was that more specific?)
feta cheese - a handful. Or so.
olive oil

Cook the pasta, toss with remaining ingredients. Serve with flair.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Any of the little ingredients? (Salt & pepper, basil, etc) I think I'm getting hungry...

Anonymous said...

Sounds delicious.

Anonymous said...

The thing is when you manage by the power of serendipity to make up a dish that is particularly yummy it is nearly always impossible to remember how to reproduce it later....Pah!

Megan said...

Tell you what, I'll post a follow-on when I actually make the dish complete with (slightly more accurate) measurements and all the little bits and bobs like salt and pepper. When shopping for ingredients it struck me that garlic was probably one of them... I'll let you know how we measure up!

Anonymous said...

how about a post for Childs 1 and 2 a la Child 3's birthday post? i.e. -- they are both FABULOUS!!! Not that you probably hadn't already though of that ....

Megan said...

Ahem. Yes... I had... but... YES! I shall post! I shall indeed. I was just a leeeetle birthday'd out. Also had the flu. And I might be able to find another excuse in my back pocket along with the lint...