linguine with white clam sauce

...or if we're being precise, that's thin wheat spaghetti in the picture. thin wheat spaghetti with white clam sauce doesn't quite have the same ring nor did it have the same taste or texture or joyousness.

it was all i could find in the pantry though.

i must try to be better prepared in the future.

i've gotten quite good at guessing which foods the geek will and will not like and i was quite certain this dish would fall on the dislike list. even the geek agreed with this prediction.

we were both surprised and amazed when he ended up eating an entire serving. i was shocked when he said he really liked it.

i'm still not sure how he came to eat a bowl of this in the first place. he must have been feeling adventurous - or really, really hungry. either way, it's now one of our go-to dinners.

linguine with lemon zest, creme fraiche & parmesan cheese

the first time i read this simple recipe, i knew i had to try it. i love pasta. i love lemon. i love creme fraiche. everything sounded perfect to me...except the arugula. i don't love arugula; in fact i'm still trying to like arugula. so instead, i substituted milder-tasting baby spinach here.

this dish is quick to make and tastes divine. the flavors meld to create a tart, sweet, and savory sauce that silkily coats the pasta. use meyer lemons when they are in season for a slightly sweeter and more subtle sauce. avoid using pre-grated cheese...i used it once in a pinch and the flavors didn't meld as well. 

somen salad

it's january. we're in the midst of winter. the average high for this time of year is 49 degrees F/9.5 degrees C. it's the least likely time to crave the cool deliciousness that is a somen salad.

i blame the recent emergence of spring-like weather for my somen salad craving. it's been sunny and warm, the perfect weather for a cool noodley salad. surely the cold weather will return, but for now, i think i'll put away my winter coat and enjoy me some somen salad.

if you're not familiar with somen salad, let me take a moment to introduce you. somen salad is made up of cold somen noodles, a variety of vegetables, usually one or more types of protein, and a sweet-soy-sesame dressing. in hawaii, it's popular as a side dish (especially at potlucks) or light meal but it can easily be elevated to entree status with the addition of more protein or vegetables.