Over the years, I have occasionally visited Sara Forte’s blog, Sprouted Kitchen, but I always wrote it off as one of those blogs. You know, the ones so obsessed with making everything wholesome, nutrient-packed and healthy that I assumed recipes like Deconstructed Beet Stacks and Shiitake Mushroom and Lentil Asian Tacos would never mesh with my love for cheese and meat. I thought the same when Forte’s cookbook, The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon, crossed my desk. I was wrong.
To be fair, many of the recipes in Forte’s cookbook are focused on healthful eating. They’re mostly vegetarian with only a few lean animal proteins like salmon and ground turkey tossed into a few of the heartier recipes. What did hook me, though, was the book’s concept: Every dish is meant to be served in a bowl. I love assembling bowls for any meal – breakfast hash with a sunny egg, lentils or rice with roasted vegetables and shrimp, a gooey helping of mac-n-cheese or a big scoop of meaty chili. Everything is better in a bowl.
The nearly 100 recipes in The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon, which range from side dishes to desserts, are all meant to be served in my favorite eating vessel. And while some recipes sounded entirely too hippie for me (there actually is a recipe for a Hippie Bowl), others like Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce and Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Frizzled Leeks appealed to my shared love of Midwestern comfort food and fresh vegetables.
Forte’s bowl of Spring Noodles with Artichokes, Pecorino and Charred Lemons bowl delivered a powerful punch of spring produce – endive, artichokes and great heaping handfuls of peppery arugula – all wrapped in a luxurious cream sauce. Yes, cream sauce, made with a whopping half-cup of creme fraiche, a half-stick of butter and an unholy amount of grated cheese.
What really makes this dish sing, though, is the hit of charred lemon. Unable to find Meyer lemons at my local supermarket, I opted for two small organic lemons instead. I made quick work of them in my cast-iron skillet, then chopped them up and tossed them into the sauce while the pasta cooked. A word of advice: taste your lemons first. Forte prescribed two teaspoons sugar to sweeten them, but they were still a bit too bitter. Another half teaspoon will do the trick next time.
And there will be a next time. While my gluttonous side indulged in the rich sauce, I still felt slightly virtuous thanks to the plethora of vegetables swimming around my pasta shells. I may never add flaxseed meal to my falafel and my chili will always contain meat, but if this dish is any indication, plenty of Forte’s recipes will hit the balance of satisfying and healthy – especially when served in a bowl.
Spring Noodles with Artichokes, Pecorino and Charred Lemons 4 servings
2 small Meyer lemons
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. natural cane sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
2 endives, trimmed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can, 1 (12 oz.) frozen package, or 3 large, fresh steamed artichoke hearts, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. creme fraiche
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. dried Italian herbs
12 oz. (¾ lb.) fusilli or shell pasta
1 egg, at room temperature
1¼ cups coarsely grated pecorino cheese
2 to 3 cups arugula
Fresh parsley, for garnish
Fresh dill, for garnish
• Slice the lemons crosswise into ¼-inch rings and remove the seeds with a small knife. Toss the slices with the olive oil and sugar. Grill or broil the slices, flipping halfway through, until char marks appear on the lemons and they begin to soften. Set aside.
• Bring a stockpot of salted water to a boil.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter. Slice the endive lengthwise, discarding the tough core, and then into ½-inch half moons. Add the garlic and endives to the warm butter and saute for 1 minute, just until softened. Add the artichoke hearts and a few pinches salt and sauté until warmed. Stir in the remaining butter, white balsamic, crème fraiche, nutmeg, cayenne and dried herbs. Chop the lemons into small pieces and add them to the pan as well. Keep the heat on low and cover.
• Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with ½ cup of the cheese and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Into the vegetable mixture, add the noodles and egg mixture and toss until everything is coated and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the arugula and a few more pinches salt and pepper to taste. Toss to mix, adding pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
• Serve each bowl warm with a generous sprinkle of cheese and the fresh herbs.
Reprinted with permission from 10 Speed Press What is your favorite food blog and why? Tell us in the comments below for a chance to win a copy of The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon.
This article appears in April 2015.