Pasta Giardiniera

Oh, what to do when all you have is frozen corn and lima beans in the freezer? Pasta, of course! Pasta is such a great, versatile ingredient that one can experiment and create tons of different sauces. I came up with this recipe just last night. It super fast, just make sure your pasta is cooked al dente. Also, par boil your Lima beans before sautéing them.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2, maybe 3)

• 1/2 pound Barilla penne pasta
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/3 cup frozen lima beans, par boiled for 5 minutes then drain
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. butter, unsalted
• 2 garlic cloves, passed through a garlic press
• 1 tbsp. fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

In a large pot bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions or "al dente." Reserve about 1 cup pasta water.

In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet on medium. Add your minced garlic and fresh tarragon. Reduce heat to low and cook until garlic lightly browns and tarragon becomes fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Next, add the thawed corn and par boiled lima beans. Raise the heat back to medium. Add the tomato sauce, red wine vinegar and a few grinds of fresh black pepper and 1/2 cup pasta water. Cover skillet and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add more pasta water if sauce dries out.

Now that your pasta is ready, drain it and toss it into the skillet with the corn and lima beans. Add the last tablespoon of butter and toss to combine. Turn off the heat and add the grated cheese. Toss pasta again and serve immediately. A nice glass of Pinot Grigio compliments this dish.