In early April, Mother Nature wakes from her long slumber, and markets start to fill with her most tender fruits: peas, asparagus, oranges, cherries and more. But while there is an abundance of fresh vegetables, the weather remains cold, and the challenge becomes how to use these tender vegetables in a warming, nourishing dish. This creamy, savory pasta dish is a one-pot meal that you can easily change up with different vegetables and proteins, and it will allow you to make the most out of these tender vegetables, and keep your family full and happy until the weather warms up.
The cream sauce in this recipe is extremely versatile, and allows you to sneak some of your kids’ less favorite ingredients into their dinner, be it fish or veggies. Feel free to use whatever vegetables and proteins you have laying around – some great combinations are peas, carrots and chicken with your favorite cheese, or corn, carrots and squash with sharp cheddar. This recipe just happens to be my personal favorite.
Ingredients 配料
1 box of your favorite pasta 你最喜欢的意大利面一盒
1 medium onion, chopped 中号洋葱一个，切碎
1 cup of green peppers, chopped 切碎的青椒一杯
1 cup of smoked salmon, chopped 切好的熏三文鱼一杯
4 garlic cloves, chopped 大蒜四瓣，切碎
1 tsp flour 面粉一汤匙
1 tsp butter 黄油一汤匙
1 can of vegetable stock 蔬菜高汤一罐
1 cup of milk 牛奶一杯
½ cup of mild white cheddar, shredded 切碎的淡车达奶酪半杯
Salt, pepper, nutmeg, and paprika, to taste 适量的盐，胡椒，肉豆蔻和红灯笼辣椒
1. In a large pot, boil your pasta until it’s cooked al dente. Drain and set aside.
在大锅中将意大利面煮熟，不要太久，有嚼劲即可。沥水，放置一旁。
2. In the same pot, sauté the onions and garlic until the garlic turns translucent. Add the additional vegetables and cook until almost tender. Set this aside on a plate.
在同一个锅中，放入洋葱和大蒜煎炒直至大蒜变透明。
3. Melt the butter and mix in the flour, and stir it until a paste forms, and add the vegetable stock and milk, whisking the whole time.
加入其它蔬菜至变软。放置一旁。
4. Once this has thickened, stir in the cheese, salmon, and vegetables, and cook for five minutes. Add pasta, cook until heated through, and serve!
将黄油加热融化，加入面粉搅拌直至变成糊状，再加入蔬菜高汤和牛奶，不断搅拌，直到变稠后，加入奶酪，三文鱼和蔬菜，煮五分钟。加入意大利面直到全部热透，完成！
This article is excerpted from beijingkids April 2012 issue. View it in PDF form here or contact distribution@beijing-kids.com to find out where you can pick up your free copy.
