Summer excess in the garden

Here are some pictures from MB's garden in Santa Clara.  It's so beautiful right now!

Elderflowers and elderberries

the grape arbor 

the bean pole

twined bean poles

cilantro flowers - taste just like cilantro!

baby bell

hurry tomatoes!

Pasta with Morels and Peas

It's morel season!  The markets around Berkeley have had them for the past few weeks, and we've eaten three versions of this simple pasta.  The first time with asparagus, the second time with morels only, and today, with young peas.

What's wonderful about this recipe is that the vegetables cook for the same amount of time as the pasta!  So start the 'sauce' immediately after you put the pasta in the water.

Pasta with Morels and Peas

Makes 2 servings

Takes 1 hour

1/3 pound of pasta

2 cloves garlic sliced

1/4 cup shallot, minced

1.6 ounces of fresh morels (about 1/10 of a pound)

an equal amount of trimmed peas (about 1 cup)

salt

pepper

Heat salted water for pasta.  When it comes to a boil, add pasta.

In a large saute pan on medium high heat, saute garlic and shallot for 1 minute.  Add morels, spread them around the pan, and let sizzle for about 4 minutes.  Stir, and once they are evenly spread around the pan again, let sizzle for 4 minutes more.  Add 5 grinds of pepper and peas, and saute for 2 minutes.  Add 1/4 cup pasta water.

Drain pasta reserving 3/4 cup of pasta water.  Add pasta to the pan, stirring to combine.  Add 3/4 cup pasta water, and let cook a few minutes more.

We ate our pasta with roasted torpedo onions (425 degrees for about 20 minutes).  They were really sweet and delicious (if you cut a small x into one of the ends, they won't burst while cooking).

Hurry while there are still morels to be had!