Penne Primavera with a Chocolate Balsamic Reduction and Celeriac-Coconut Cream

Fancy pasta time! 

Experimented with a Chocolate Balsamic Reduction that was super easy and has a really interesting flavor. Just combine 1 cup of balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup red wine, cabernet or someting like it, then bring to a low boil and add 1 and a half tablespoons of cocoa powder and a pinch of sucanat, or regular sugar of course.  Continue to simmer while stirring constantly until everything has reduced to half.  I suppose I fell victim to the contagious trend of Valentine's themed food, i.e. anything with chocolate.

To further the spirit of creativity, I made a celeriac-coconut cream sauce.  Boiled a small bulb of celeriac (celery root) and then pureed it with some coconut milk, salt and sugar.  Heat gently and add a slurry of arrowroot.  It will thicken and there ya go!

You can use either of these recipes for lots of different things! Serve with pasta, over veggies, on crusty bread, etc.  I bet the celeriac idea can be tweaked for a nice ricotta.  Mmm. I decided on a primavera with red and yellow peppers, mushrooms, olive oil, red pepper flakes, toasted almonds and some fresh mint and basil.  I can't wait until spring and summer so I can use all the veggies that we grow! YES!

No garden update quite yet.  The cold is paralyzing. Although I did watch a fantastic documentary called The Garden, which some of you may already have on the infamous Netflix queue.  If not, Add to Instant! It's about a huge urban farm in South Central L.A. that was run completely by Latino campesinos and their fight against the city to keep it going and feed their families.  Obviously I am even more psyched about this endeavor!

This weekend I will be making some V-day treats.  I celebrate love every day and surely do not need a holiday to remind me of baked goods, the miracle of chocolate or my hetero tendencies but let's be real.  Any occassion for food themes is a proper one indeed.  Can we say Red Velvet Cupcakes?! We'll see how it goes.