I believe the great Julia Child was known for two things: 1) for being a pioneer writer and cook; and 2) for her love of butter. She was quoted to have said, “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.”
I’ve always loved butter, and in cooking, it’s pretty hard to use short cuts to butter. It’s not exactly the most healthy ingredient on the planet, but if it’s eaten in moderation, why can’t we have it?
And then there are times when you just have to go all the way with it. Like this dish. I’ve always been curious about pasta dishes with browned butter. So I tried it out. The end result is this recipe, penne with butter, sage, and arugula. The dish has lemon juice and zest , which gives it a good tang, while the butter, sage, and arugula provide a good kick to counter the tang — not to cancel it out, but to fuse into a dish that is refreshingly delicious. It’s a great partner to my Roast Chicken with Chorizo and Apricot Stuffing
In these parts of the world, fresh sage is pretty hard to find (Hmmm…can someone send me some? Hehehe). I used ground sage, and the dish turned out great.
PENNE WITH BUTTER, SAGE AND ARUGULA
Ingredients
- Penne noodles, 300 grams
- Butter, 1 stick
- Sage, 2 tbsp.
- White Onion, half of a head, minced
- Garlic, 1/2 cup, minced
- Arugula, 1 cup, chopped
- Juice and zest from 1 lemon
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt and Pepper
1) Boil the noodles. When almost cooked, start with the noodles.
2) Over medium heat and using your pan, melt the butter. Add the white onion, garlic, and sage. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
3) Add the lemon juice.
4) Add the noodles. Then add the lemon zest, then add parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper.
5) Add the arugula and serve immediately. Add the arugula when you are ready to serve the dish so that the arugula doesn’t wilt.
Serves 3 to 4. Enjoy!