The New Noodle: Beet Pasta with Goat Cheese, Toasted Walnuts and Chicken
The beet goes on, as they say. But have you ever considered beets beyond pickled or sliced or boiled? This recipe uses a spiral slicer, and while I start many of my demonstrations with telling my attendants I am not a gadget guy, this is a bit of an exception.
Yes, I try to keep the number of accoutrements in my kitchen down to a minimum. That being said I am not opposed to a gadget when they truly are brilliant. I recently did an in-home lesson for a friend of mine who is trying to minimize the carbohydrates in her family’s diet. She requested I do a lesson using a spiral slicer to make “pastas”–long-cut vegetables, in most cases. I created a menu and we went to town on a wide variety of flavors. There are many brands of spiral slicers out there available at most stores that sell kitchen goods.
My friend had just purchased a Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer. I have to say, of the many I have used, this was easily the best one at the price point. I thought, aside from the blade chamber collecting shavings during use, it was a very well thought out and easy to use spiral slicer. Whichever brand you choose, this is a tool that can open up many vistas on your culinary horizon.
Beet Pasta with Goat Cheese, Toasted Walnuts and Chicken
- 2 beets, spiral sliced on ribbon cutter
- 1 c vegetable stock, plus more as needed
- 1 Tbs Sugar
- ½ c toasted walnuts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 8 oz. chicken breast, grilled, cut into ½” dice
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once it is hot add enough oil to the pan to coat the bottom. Add the beets and sauté to caramelize the beets. Don’t move them around too much at the beginning and let the color happen. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Add one cup of vegetable stock or water to the pan then reduce the heat to medium low.
Allow the beets to cook until done. You may need to add more stock or water as necessary to make sure the pan doesn’t dry out. Once the beets are cooked, divide them between two bowls. Divide the chicken, walnuts and goat cheese between the two bowls and enjoy.
