Nicoise Pasta Salad

By Christine Leishman
Courtesy of DietWatch.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
Pinch of saffron
2 tablespoons white wine
1 pound penne rigate or other dry pasta
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup marinated artichokes, quartered*
3/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine or herb vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup parsley sprigs

*Marinated artichokes ideally are bottled rather than canned and should not be packed in oil. If you cannot find these use canned artichoke bottoms that have been rinsed and simmered briefly in a broth or water seasoned with lemon, bay, thyme and black pepper.

Method
Cook the saffron in the wine in a small pan until reduced to 2 teaspoons then set aside to cool.
Cook the pasta until al dente in a large quantity of lightly salted water.
Meanwhile whisk the saffron and liquid, anchovy paste, garlic, mustard, vinegar, juice and spices together until smooth. Whisk the oil in very slowly until emulsified.
Toss the vegetables and the dressing with the well-drained pasta.
If this salad is made ahead it may be necessary to add a little more acid and salt before serving.
The parsley sprigs should be tossed in at the last minute.

Yield: 6 servings

Per Serving (6 oz / 171g): Calories 200 / Kilojoules 836; Fat 5.4 g; Saturated Fat <1 g; Cholesterol <1 mg; Sodium 285 mg; Carbohydrate 34 g; Dietary Fiber 4.9 g; Sugar 3.1 g; Protein 4.4 g; Vitamin A 34 RE; Vitamin C 27 mg; Calcium 36 mg; Iron 2.4 mg. This recipe is 24% fat.

Chris Leishman began her cooking career at Greens Restaurant, the renowned vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco. Her interest in health and nutrition eventually led her to UCSF Medical Center where she was the Recipe Development Coordinator for both the patient and retail foodservice. She led cooking classes for the Outpatient Weight Management group, the Heart Disease Reversal Program, and Millberry Student Program. Her work for Dr. Dean Ornish's Heart Disease Reversal Program led to the publication of her cookbook Recipes From the Heart.