Meatless Monday - Whole Grain Linguine with Pesto, Roasted Artichokes, and Leeks

As part of an antipasti platter I put together for New Years*, I made roasted artichokes with pesto vinaigrette. The leftover artichokes made a great addition to this vegetarian pasta dish!

Roasted Artichokes

12 oz. frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. of salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the olive oil on a baking sheet and lay the artichokes on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then distribute artichokes evenly in one layer. Roast for 20-25 minutes until artichokes are soft and beginning to brown.

Pesto Vinaigrette

2 tbs. home made or store bought pesto 

Juice of one lemon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Sprinkle of salt 

Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a bowl, whisk together fresh squeezed lemon juice, garlic, mustard, and pesto. Drizzle in the oil slowly, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, add 1-2 tsp. of sugar or to taste. Serve vinaigrette over mixed greens, or continue to follow roasted artichoke recipe.

Drizzle desired amount of vinaigrette over roasted artichokes, tossing well to combine.

Whole Grain Linguine with Roasted Artichokes, Leeks, and Pesto

1/2 box of whole grain Linguine or Spaghetti cooked according to box directions (reserve about a cup of pasta water in case you need it)

About 2 cups roasted artichokes with pesto vinaigrette (you can use plain roasted artichokes if you don't feel like making the vinaigrette dressing)

1 large leek stalk, cleaned and chopped (Trader Joe's sells cleaned and trimmed leeks, 2 per package)

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tbs. home made or store bought pesto (I used Key Ingredient Market, but Bear Pond makes a delicious pesto as well)

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 to 1 1/2 cups Imagine No-Chicken Broth or vegetable broth

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 - 1/2 cup Parmesan or Parmesan blend (for a vegan version of this recipe, leave out the cheese or use a vegan Parmesan substitute)

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large, deep saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add the chopped leeks and a pinch of salt and saute 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add chopped garlic and continue to saute another minute until tender. Add roasted artichokes, about 2 tbs. of the Parmesan, pesto, and lemon juice. Mix well. Add wine and broth and season with a little salt and pepper to taste. Cook 3-4 minutes, then add cooked pasta and a bit more broth (or some leftover pasta water) if you want a thinner sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and toss everything together. Kick it up with a squeeze of lemon juice before serving if you'd like.

*Stay tuned for a list of my New Years party appetizers and recipes