Boring Mondays: Linguine w/ Lemon, Kale & Walnuts

I found this recipe in Food & Wine last month.

I tore it out and decided to make it when I had nothing much else to make (usually Monday nights).

I have an abundance of kale in the garden right now, and always have lemon and walnuts....so it was a no brainer (don't you like my pretty purple basil?).

Recipes should be used as inspiration (except maybe for baking), nothing is set in stone (except for Curtis, here). You can substitute or change ingredients to how and what you like.

Here, Curtis Stone uses 2/3 cup of olive oil in the original recipe. Really? That's a lot of oil for my taste, so I cut it to 1/4 cup.

This recipe is a good idea.
Greens, garlic, lemon and nuts.
Choose your own nuts and bitter greens if you don't like walnuts or kale.

This was a delicious dinner on an otherwise boring Monday night.

Linguine w/ Lemon, Kale & Walnuts: adapted from Curtis Stone (serves 4)

1 lb. linguine
1/2 cup of walnuts, toasted
1 lb. kale, center rib cut out and leaves sliced
zest and juice of a lemon
sea salt & pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup of olive oil
reserved pasta water
1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup of basil leaves, shredded

Blanch the kale leaves for 1-2 minutes in the boiling water. Remove with tongs.
In the same pot of boiling water, cook the linguine until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on low heat and cook the minced garlic with the kale for a minute or two until fragrant.
Add in the walnuts to coat w/ the oil.

Add in the lemon juice and zest and cook another minute.

When the pasta is done, add it to the skillet w/ the kale and walnuts.

Add in some reserved pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce. Add in the cheese and mix together with tongs.

Season w/ sea salt & pepper and garnish w/ basil chiffonade.

Serve immediately.

Delish.

Makes Mondays not so boring!