Thanks to being cooked very slowly for a long period of time, the meat in this ragu is fork tender and soaks up all the tomato sauce around it. Serve over pasta with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for a delicious meal.
Sweet, pungent basil has a reputation for being an herb of romance. Pair it with a touch of hot pepper to help ignite the fire, and you're in for a fun evening. Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their sweetness and flavour, even if they're out of season. If you prefer a mild pasta, use only a pinch of the hot pepper flakes.
Homemade tomato sauce takes time to develop flavour, so it's smart to use prepared sauce on weeknights. To check your mussels for freshness, tap the shells to make sure they close, and discard any that don't. Once cooked, the shells should open; discard any that remain closed. Serve with a crusty baguette for soaking up the fragrant broth.
If fresh spinach is available at your market, you can use it instead of baby spinach. Make sure to submerge it in cold water several times to remove any grit. There is a variety of colours and shapes of cherry tomatoes from which to choose, such as yellow, orange, heirloom, grape and teardrop.
Traditionally served before an Italian meal, an antipasto platter is a stunning (and easy) way to showcase seasonal vegetables. A quick tomato relish, vaccented with tart vinegar, adds contrast when served over top. This recipe also makes a healthful side dish for grilled poultry and steak.
Charring the cherry tomatoes adds flavour, and they still hold their shape. If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you can marinate the chicken overnight. Serve sprinkled with cilantro if desired, along with grilled naan or Greek-style pita bread.
Cost: $3.33/serving
The delicious combination of green beans with sun-dried and fresh tomatoes is colourful and has lots of crunchy texture to contrast with the pasta. Instead of the beans, you can use asparagus or broccoli.
Short cut noodles make for an easy-to-share pasta dish. Simple to prep and effortless to make, this recipe features fresh ingredients like sweet cherry tomatoes, baby arugula and Brussels sprouts, along with locally sourced West Coast halibut and Ontario pancetta making it a bright and flavourful meal.
Simple and straight forward, these light-tasting cannelloni celebrate the sweet dairy flavour of fresh ricotta cheese and intensely ripe harvest time tomatoes. We call for fresh lasagna noodle sheets instead of dried cannelloni for two reasons: they taste far better and they're much easier to stuff. Depending on the type and size of the fresh lasagna noodle sheets, and the consistency of the ricotta, this recipe can make 10 to 12 cannelloni.
