CREAMY FUSILI SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES, PEAS & ARUGULA - SALADE DE FUSILI AUX TOMATES SÉCHÉS, POIS ET À LA ROQUETTE

Some people are so poor all they have is money.
- Source unknown

Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.
- Benjamin Franklin

Humans never cease to complain about the status of their bank account and their degree of brokedom, but they rarely realise that true wealth doesn’t come in the form of a banknote and that nobody can manufacture it – on another level, the same can be said about handsomeness, kindness, personality and intelligence. It is something you carry within yourself and it’s not easily quantifyable.

Certain people are poor regardless of how many luxury houses, fast cars, fine jewels and designer clothes they have or can buy. Others are rich even if they are bankrupt or living on the street. The first category of individuals are barren shells whose soul is so desert-like that they have to fill their lives with meaninglessly clutter and keep busy for the sake of averting from seeing the empty void they have inside. The second kind of folks only need cash to survive and eat, dress or have a roof over their heads, thus living on the strict minimum. But contrarily to the former group, their inner value doesn’t depend on earthly possessions as the flame that burns deep down within themselves is enough to animate their spirit, make them glow with happiness and give them the courage to face the harsh everyday reality.

As a rule, those who don’t have to rely on goods to exist are far more satisfied than those who need to be surrounded by excessive opulence in order to experience artificial bliss and whose morbidly fake world is dominated by illusion. Deception junkies are eternally on the quest for new means of furnishing their vacuity with yet more nothingness. They are addicted to their delusional sense of fulfillment and strive on their secure make-believe little Hollywoodesque environment. Without their precious elixir of beatitude, they'd be lost and fall into a deep depression since having to confront the senselessness of your own being is incredibly mind-boggling.

All folks ever seem to care about is wealth, but wealth is death. Blessed are the lame, the sick, the poor, lacking wealth, for wealth is death.
Never met a rich man whose grave I didn’t want to piss on. Never met a poor man whose grave I didn’t want to pray on. Wealth is death, life’s for living.
Why would I ever want a job? Waste my life, wealth is death. When I’m old and ready for the grave, I want memories to recall.
Never met a rich man whose grave I didn’t want to piss on. Never met a poor man whose grave I didn’t want to pray on. Wealth is death, life’s for living.
La, la, la. Wealth is death.
- Lyrics to the song “Wealth Is Death” by Those Poor Bastards

When you are not defined by your income or extravagance and you don’t depend on it to feel like somebody, then you are a lucky human being as no matter your situation, you’ll most likely be content, remember to stay humble, find pleasure in the little things, understand the real meaning of life, recognize the importance of being a spiritual entity and know peace of mind.

In the same way, when it comes to food, abundance and expensiveness aren’t always a guarantee for gratification. One doesn’t need to indulge on the most rare and high-priced staples in order to enjoy oneself. The market value of an ingredient is seldom an indicator of savoriness. In business, its worth is mainly fixed according to arbitrary ratings based on ephemeral fashions and its dream-selling factor - an invention of mankind. Scarcity and the amount of work put into generating a merchandise hardly come in play here.

Quality in a product or service is not what the supplier puts in. It is what the customer gets out and is willing to pay for. A product is not quality because it is hard to make and costs a lot of money, as manufacturers typically believe. This is incompetence. Customers pay only for what is of use to them and gives them value. Nothing else constitutes quality.
- Peter F. Drucker, American Management Guru

Consequently, I ask myself the following question: why are oysters* thought to be better than mussels or Champagne considered to be superior to Clairette De Die? Apart from the reasons I cited above, there is no other tangible and possible explanation for this consumerist behavior pattern. Tomorrow, the roles could very well be reversed if declared so by those who run the show and control popular opinion by creating novel fads and demands.

*A funny fact:
Oysters weren't always classified as a luxury item. Actually, in the Victorian era oysters were a regular food of the poor in Britain (learn more here).

In nature, comparison and grades are inexistent. There, each tree, animal, plant or mineral has a purpose and a quality of its own. The Universe doesn’t judge or make differences. In  opposition, we humans constantly have to classify and compare everything, and I find that so stupid, absurd and really useless. Our materialistic visions are dictating our thoughts and actions...
 
I’m somebody who is not presumptuous, superficial and who totally dislikes conventions or limitations, hence the price and reputation of a fare has absolutely no effect on me. As a matter of fact, they don't affect my perception of it as I develop my taste independently from absurd trends - though I do admit that I tend to shun what is in vogue as the word alone already infuriates me, gives me an allergic reaction and creeps me out (you might want to check out that other article I wrote on the subject). A potato will delight me as much as a truffle, and I’d still refuse to eat caviar even if it would be regarded similarly to liver paste and not be grub for the wealthy, aristocrats or jet-setters. In my opinion, although we all have our personal favorites, every comestible has to be cherished as it is earth’s gift to us and we should be thankful for it.

You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.
- Julia Child

Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.
- Gucci Family Slogan

At my place, "modest” dishes are consumed regularly, however I never feel ashamed or unsatisfied by what I cook as I regard them to be just as excellent as the ones that are said to be “noble”. If you select good raw materials and you prepare them with care, respect and devotion, then what you’ve paid for them has strictly no importance as the end result will simply be fabulous whether you have kept a tight budget or have totally blown it.

So next time you want to concoct a meal, remember to let go of your preconceptions and don’t let your choices be guided by how cheap or dear something is as you’ll miss out a lot. Instead, appreciate your vegetables, fruits, meat, cheese, spices, etc… for what they are as it is crucial that you only worry about the degree of joy they'll convey and not about their weight in gold.

This is my philosophy and I apply it on a daily basis. Thanks to my limitless curiosity and to my non-consumeristic approach, I have expanded my culinary knowledge drastically. Nothing stops me from discovering new specialities. One day, I’ll purchase pork livers and chicken hearts in order to make an accompaniment to my spaghetti and the next, if the state of my finances permits it, I’ll bring back home a lobe of foie gras or a few balls of Burrata to eat with fine homemade bread.

I'm not going to lie to you and say that I hate all produces which are labelled as "deluxe", but generally, I'd rather settle for those that are less posh and sometimes dispised or neglected because they are supposedly boring, crude and too ordinary. You see, one of my passions is to transform frugal eats into dazzling and surprising specialities and use my creativity to sublimate them. I have a lot of fun playing around in the kitchen and revamping those “ugly duckling” of gastronomy. Through, Rosa's Yummy Yums, my aim is to show others that even the most unpromising root veggie, innard or cereal can be worked into something appetizing, refined and extremely savory.

It is exactly what I did with the pasta salad I am presenting today. All components I employed are commonly found in a majority of pantries and fridges. There's nothing special about them, but the recipe I have put together is far from being average.

My "Creamy Fusili Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Peas & Arugula" is an ode to spring and to the warmer days. It is fresh like the young leaves that are budding, buoyant like the birds that are singing on the top of their lungs, zesty like the cool April breeze and lusciously creamy like the first ice cream of the sunny season... Bliss in a plate!

Creamy Fusili Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Peas & Arugula
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, April 2012

Serves 2 (2 medium servings each).

Ingredients For The "Lemony Cream Dressing":

The juice of 1/2 an organic lemon

5 Tbs Sour cream

3 Tbs Milk

The zest of 1 organic lemon

1/2 Tsp Onion powder

Red Tabasco, to taste

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Ingredients For The "Pasta Salad":

240g Raw fusili

100g Arugula

80g Preserved dried tomatoes (weigh drained), thinly sliced

60g Raw peas

Shaved parmesan, to taste

Method  For The "Lemony Cream Dressing":

1. In a big salad bowl, mix all the ingredients for the dressing together.

Method For The "Pasta Salad":

2. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Strain and let cool until lukewarm.

3. Toss the pasta, 1/4 of the arugula and the peas with the dressing.

4. Dress the plates with 1/4 of the remaining arugula and 1/4 of the pasta salad, then sprinkle with 1/4 of the tomatoes and top with the shaved parmesan.

5. Serve.

Remarks:

The fusili can be replaced by penne rigate, farfalle, gnocchetti sardi or conchigliette.

If you are calorie conscious, use light cream instead of sour cream.

Serving suggestions:

Serve for lunch or supper.
This salad can be accompanied by a Chardonnay, Chasselas, Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.

Salade De Fusili Aux Tomates Séchées, Pois Et A la Roquette
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Avril 2012.

Pour 2 personnes (2 portions moyennes par convive).

Ingrédients Pour La "Vinaigrette A La Crème":
Le jus d'un demi citron bio
5 CS de Crème aigre
3 CS de Lait
Le zeste d'un citron bio
1/2 CC de Poudre d'oignon
Tabasco rouge, selon goût
Sel de mer, selon goût
Poivre noir, fraîchement moulu, selon goût
Ingrédients Pour La "Salade De Pâtes":
240g de Fusili non cuites
100g de Roquette
80g de Tomates séchées à l'huile (pesées égouttés), coupées en fines lamelles
60g de Petits pois crus
Copeaux de parmesan, selon goût


Méthode Pour Le "Vinaigrette A La crème":
1. Dans un grand saladier, mélanger tous les ingrédients pour la vinaigrette ensemble.
Méthode Pour La "Salade De Pâtes":
2. Faire cuire les pâtes comme indiqué sur le paquet. Les égouttez et les laisser refroidir afin qu'elles soient tièdes.
3. Mettre les pâtes, 1/4 de la roquette et les petits pois dans le saladier et mélanger délicatement pour enrober.
4. Dresser les assiettes avec 1/4 de la roquette restante et 1/4 de la salade de pâtes, puis saupoudrez avec 1/4 des tomates séchés et garnir avec les copeaux de parmesan.
5. Servir.

Remarques:
Les fusili peuvent être remplacés par des penne rigate, farfalle, gnocchetti sardi ou des conchigliette.
Il est possible d'utiliser de la crème légère au lieu de la crème aigre. Cela limitera les calories ingérées.

Idées de présentation:
Servir pour le repas de midi ou du soir.

Accompagner cette salade d'un Chardonnay, Chasselas, Riesling ou Sauvignon Blanc.

Avec cette recette, je participe au concours "Cuisinez La Pasta Avec Garofalo" qu'Edda organise. Vous trouverez tous les détails sur son beau blog "Un déjeuner De Soleil".