Mibuna + Pea Pasta

We had our third CSA pick-up this week and received two ingredients that we haven't tried before. One was mibuna -- and Dave was told that this is not mizuna. Both are oriental greens in the mustard family but with different leaf shapes -- mizuna has a serrated leaf and mibuna has a straight leaf with a stronger flavor. We also received icicle radishes which are white both inside and out. They also have a slightly more elongated shape.

This recipe features several of our CSA ingredients from this week along with several things that we had on hand. The sauteed mibuna added a nice flavor to the dish, slightly bitter and pretty similar to a mustard green. Although rigatoni may not have been the best pasta for this dish, it was what we already had on hand. Dave ate the leftovers and said it was nice and mustardy -- but he wished that we had chopped the mibuna more finely before adding it to the pasta.

Recipe adapted from Oh My Veggies.

We Received: Kohlrabi, mibuna, romaine, English peas, garlic scapes, mixed greens, icicle radishes, hakurei turnips.

Ingredients

-8 ounces pasta, cooked to package directions

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-6 tablespoons chives, minced

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1/2 cup shelled English peas 

-3 cups mibuna, lightly packed

-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

-1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

-1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese, plus more for topping
-4 balls of ciliegine mozzarella, quartered

-Salt and pepper to taste

-3 radishes, thinly sliced (I used a blend of icicle radishes and radishes)
-Crispy fried onions, optional

Cook the pasta according to package directions and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and peas and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the chives and saute for approximately 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the cooked pasta along with the 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add the mibuna, crushed red pepper flakes, and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until mibuna begins to wilt, 1-2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve with sliced radishes, fresh mozzarella, a sprinkle of goat cheese, and crispy fried onion toppers.