Let the Hunger Begin-- Lettuce and Peas Pasta

I assume we are all familiar with the hungry-angry motivational state, the one we blame for everything: "I was starving! I never eat Double-Double's!". Having pushed you to the point of no return with an oder of Animal Style Fries. But in my experience being hangry can be a good thing, forcing you down a path of creativity and reward; particularly when you are standing in your own kitchen. For me, it's always the same. The hunger is past due and the exclamations begin: there is nothing to eat, there is never anything to eat(!). Followed by the question: why in Hades is there nothing to eat??? With the answer: I am too hangry to care or even think about it... These are the moments when the nearby taco stand feels a million light years out of reach.

Thankfully, a light curse-session is enough to get me in an apron to cook myself something, anything. And wouldn't you know it, that is when the inspiration strikes. Mysteriously, my kitchen transforms into a Top Chef pantry. Open the cupboard and there wait a variety of dried pastas. Pull open the fridge and look beyond the half bottle of vino verde, and a hunk of cheese, and you see a farmers market stash of vegetables bored to death. Crack open the freezer, in the hopes of unearthing the piece de resistance, and a frozen-world of roasted pork ribs, duck fat, Callebaut chocolate bars, hazelnuts, thick-cut bacon, puff pastry, chicken stock, girl scout cookies and of course peas, are ready and waiting. There are no more excuses. Even when there are only frozen peas.

So, on my most recent kitchen adventure I was pretty hangry, and after a small curse-out I re-discovered a meal that would send Colombus into a jealous fit. A bag of frozen peas, a heart of romaine, a handful of frozen leeks from TJ's, an onion, a garlic clove, a brick of rich chicken stock, a pat of goat butter, a bay leaf, and some dried pasta, were my ingredients. Saute' the last sentence in a large skillet and shower with shaved parmigiano reggiano; and my hanger-pains were over.

Check it out:

'Hangry' Pasta

Lettuce and Peas pasta

a brick of chicken stock from the freezer...

frozen leeks, an onion, a clove of garlic with olive oil, and a hunk of chicken stock

the heart of a head of romaine and frozen peas

a perfect side dish for a roasted chicken??? yes!

with pasta and "parmesan"