YIELD: 4 SMALL-PLATE SERVINGS
4 oz. rotini (preferably multigrain with added protein, fiber and Omega-3s)
2 Tbsps. olive oil
2 oz. pearl onions, blanched
2 oz. shelled edamame
2 oz. morel or other wild mushrooms, quartered
2 oz. porcini or other wild mushrooms, sliced
1 oz. diced red bell pepper
1 oz. diced Vidalia onion
1 tsp. fresh tarragon
¼ tsp. minced garlic
¼ cup champagne or other sparking wine
¾ cup heavy cream
1 oz. Asiago cheese, grated
Cook pasta until just short of al dente. Drain pasta and drizzle with some olive oil to prevent sticking. Place pasta flat on sheet trays or hotel pans and cool in a blast-chiller or walk-in fridge.
Store in zipper bags or sealed plastic container; refrigerate and use within several hours.
Heat a sauté pan with 1 Tbsp. of oil, then caramelize the pearl onions. Add the edamame, mushrooms and red pepper. Stir and sauté until the mushrooms are soft.
Heat another sauté pan with the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Cook the onion and tarragon until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and stir.
Add the champagne and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the cream, pasta (2 cups cooked), and pearl onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the sauce thickens.
Plate and garnish with the asiago.
Recipe: Herlan Manurung, Café & Market @ Crossroads, Rochester Institute of Technology