A Twist for Chimichuri - Pasta with Mushrooms

Sometimes, like today, I really love how my brain works.  This pasta dish started out at least a week ago or maybe more, by pinning a delicious looking pasta dish created by Nigella Lawson and shared on Food52.   I mean, lemon, mushrooms, thyme and garlic - what's not to love?  Then life - and other recipes got in the way, but I've been obsessing about it ever since.

Spices, Spices & More Lovely Spices

It's true that I hadn't finished off my stash of Epices de Cru Curries & Masalas that I wrote about here, before I started craving more spicy goodness from them... and I finally picked some up at the market last week...

My Aleppo Seven Spice Blend from Epices de Cru

I did use up the last of the Sri Lankan Black Curry & the Singapore Curry blends to make my own curry blend and a variation of a Mark Bittman recipe from my brand new app for my brand new iPad.

Mellow Lamb Curry

As for the Aleppo Spices... we all know that spice blends are great to flavor soups and stews, but I ground them up and dusted two excellent strip loin steaks from Getaway Farm and grilled them ... indoors on a grill pan rather than brave the snow to do it outside. Served with a tasty Caesar Salad - a perfect dinner.

And now I'm off to the market again to see what else I can find...

Roasted Cauliflower - The Little Black Dress

There is nothing like roasted vegetables in the dead of winter and cauliflower is probably my all time favorite. In fact, it's my little black dress... you can dress it up to match any ethnic mood you happen to be in. Toss the florets it with olive oil and what ever else your heart desires... some minced garlic... some smoked paprika... a pinch of red chili pepper flakes... some dried herbs... the list is only as limited as your imagination. Then roast it in a 400F/200C oven on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet for 15-20 minutes. Nothing easier, and much lower in carbs than potatoes.

The above is tossed with a Singapore Curry Blend of Spices from Epices de Cru/The Spice Hunters and distributed here in Halifax every Saturday at the Old Brewery Farmers Market by Costas and his lovely crew. Check out what I had to say.
I used it as a side dish for a very tasty Grilled Ginger Lime Steak. If you look closelyat the upper left corner, you can just get a peek of my wonderful box of Curries & Masalas from the Islands.

What's your favorite way to dress up a veg?