When Marc and I were at Presidio we new an instructor that went out every weekend mushrooming. He must have been pretty good at it, he was only hospitalized once.
When I think of Monterey I think of a lot of fresh foods. I haven’t been back there in over 25 years but back then it had a great small town feel, lots of fresh produce and sea food, and some wonderful memories.
This dish is named Pasta Monterey because it has mushrooms and lots of fresh produce, as well as Monterey Jack cheese. The sauce is creamy and delicate….and the flavors are perfectly, in my opinion, combined.
I served it with a Blueberry Walnut Salad with Lemon, Lavender and Ginger Dressing, and Mexican Chocolate pudding. I will try to get those recipes posted soon.
Use any type of pasta you want in the salad, I used Da Vinci organic penne and it was perfect.
This is my submission for Presto Pasta! Michelle at Greedy Gourmet is hosting and you know she is going to do an amazing job! Check out the site for more Presto Pasta dishes…and..if you need a good wine recommendation, you know, Cathy is brilliant at that.
Pasta Monterey
1 lb cooked pasta
2 cups chopped mixed mushrooms: portabella, button, enoki, morels, whatever…
2 green peppers chopped
2 red peppers chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 onion chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 bunch green onion for garnish
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
Saute the peppers, onions, garlic, and mushrooms in the olive oil until soft. Stir often.Add the cream and simmer until mixture is reduced by 1/4 and slightly thickened. Add the butter, taste and adjust seasonings. Add to the penne and toss to coat the pasta. sprinkle cheese and chopped green onion over all and toss just before serving.
Serves 8
Image: Marye Audet
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