Spaghetti Squash with Mixed Herb Pesto and Green Vegetables

Serves 4

Not to be mean or sound too bitchy, but I really don’t care much for Rachel Ray. She is way too peppy and positive for my pessimistic sensibilities. However, since finding a vegetarian cooking show on mainstream TV is a bit like coming across a unicorn with a leprechaun holding a pot of gold riding on its back, when I saw that Rachel was doing a vegetarian themed episode of her “30 Minute Meals,” I flipped it on.

She was making a penne and pesto dish. I really liked the sound of her pesto using a few different types of herbs, not just basil. Since her recipe was basically an expanded version of my own (adding in two more herbs and swapping out lemon juice for lemon zest), it brought to mind a delicious dish I had made awhile back using spaghetti squash, pesto, and peas. I decided to combine aspects of Rachel’s recipe, with parts of my own to create this new dish.

Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. It is very simple to make, with little hands on time (the spaghetti squash takes awhile to cook, but unless you are inclined to stare into the oven, you can go about your business while it does its thing). As a bonus, a great trick about homemade pesto is that while it is super easy to make, it tastes like you’ve really got your fancy pants on! Feel free to make the pesto the day before the rest of the dish. It is also fine to use regular Parmesan cheese if you want to save a few bucks, just know that it is not quite as robust as Parmigiano-Reggiano. I always used regular Parmesan when I was making pesto on my broke student budget.

INGREDIENTS

Pesto

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 cup basil, 20 leaves

1/2 cup chopped tarragon leaves (10 to 12 stems)

Handful flat-leaf parsley

1 lemon, zested

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus some shaved for serving

Pinch of kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Squash

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 1 lb.)

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed of tough ends

1 small zucchini

1/4 pound, haricots verts (thin green beans) trimmed of stem ends

1/2 cup high quality frozen organic peas, thawed (or fresh if they are in season)

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: For the pesto, add ingredients through black pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Turn the processor on and gradually stream in the extra-virgin olive oil. Pulse until combined well. The mixture should be thick and smooth in texture. Refrigerate at least one hour prior to using, or overnight.

Step Two: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Place squash flesh down in a shallow baking pan large enough that both halves lay flush. Add 2 inches of water, cover, and bake until squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 50 minutes.

Step Three: About 15 minutes prior to squash being ready, cut asparagus spears into 2 inch pieces on an angle. Cut zucchini into matchstick shapes. Cut haricots verts or green beans into 2-inch pieces on an angle. In a large pot, add the appropriate amount of water to accommodate a steamer basket. Bring water to a boil. Place vegetables into steamer basket, place in pot and cover. Allow vegetables to steam until bright green and fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove steamer basket and drain water from pot. Place steamed veggies into the pot.

Step Four: Using oven mitts and handling carefully, use a fork to separate spaghetti squash strands into the pot with the vegetables. Over medium-low heat, add pesto and peas and cook until warmed through, stirring continually. Remove from heat, top with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from “Three Vegetable Penne with Tarragon-Basil Pesto” from “30 Minute Meals” and “Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Peas” from Robot Heart Recipes. View first recipe on FoodNetwork.com, view second recipe on RobotHeartRecipes.Tumblr.com.