The lunch dilemma

Often I am at a loss as to what to have for lunch. I have never been a sandwich type of girl, taking sympathy with my Latin American students who lament the loss of a hot meal for a leisurely two hours at lunchtime. They peer inside their brown bags from their homestay families with hope, dreaming of roast pork with beans and kale, only to yet again find a sandwich.  We even warn them about this at their orientation speech on their first day, although a lot of the home stay families are from shores further afield such as The Philippines or China and their students often have Tupperware containers full of interesting looking leftovers like chicken with cashew nuts or curry.

I have spoken before of the embarrassment and culture shock I felt in Barcelona asking for a lunch menu at 12pm, only to be told lunch began at 2. What made this blunder worse was what it highlighted. Britain may be geographically close to Spain, but we are oceans apart in cultural identity. 

I love the way most other countries eat lunch, countries other than where I have lived; Britain and Canada, who both adopt the quick bite between meetings or classes attitude. It seems that in Latin America and Europe, lunch is not only a chance to enjoy a good meal, (often the largest of the day), but also a time to meet with family and friends to chat and relax. 

I once taught a Swiss woman whose husband and both sons were ski instructors in the picturesque village where they lived. Every day, without fail, she would start cooking at 1pm, ready for the large 2 hour meal the whole family would enjoy at their home, sometimes with students, sometimes friends.

I get the impression that North America and the UK are terrified of standing still, even for a short time. All shops closed, all industry halted, (except the cooks, busily preparing feasts), school children sitting down next to grandparents, factories closed for a while. The governments would wring their hands at the loss of revenue, secretly whispering 'come on, get back to work'. Or, maybe they would be at home with their families, enjoying lunch also.

This pasta dish is my answer to the more leisurely lunch. I have often read romantic stories about the lunches in Italy, where pasta would be only one of many courses, but in truth, this probably took less time to prepare than a sandwich. The beet greens and Swiss chard remain slightly chewy which gives more texture and meatiness to the dish. Umami paste is an expensive and unusual ingredient, similar in taste to tomato paste or tapenade. It is said to be the ultimate blast of umami, the fifth taste, which is described as an intense savoury flavour, found in things like mushrooms, steak and blue cheese.

Recipe : Pasta with tomatoes, greens and a umami kick.

For one

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tsp butter

1/2 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced finely

1/2 white onion, peeled and diced

1 handful of mixed greens such as Swiss chard and beet leaves

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup dry Vermouth or white wine

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp umami paste (optional)  

or 1/4 tsp salt, (more to taste)

pasta for one

Parmesan, freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onion and yellow pepper. Fry for a few minutes, stirring frequently, to soften and then add the tomatoes and greens.

Stir and cook gently until the tomatoes start to soften and add the Vermouth. Let the mixture simmer quite gently for about 10 minutes to mellow the alcohol. Keep stirring and add a little water if it becomes too dry.

Add the sour cream and umami paste, if using or salt and stir well. Reduce the heat to very low while you cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until cooked. 

Drain the pasta, leaving a little water in the pan and add to the sauce in the frying pan. Add a small pat of butter and increase the heat to medium. Stir and cook for a few moments, ensuring the pasta is well coated with the sauce and serve, sprinkled with Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.