Pasta with Mackerel, Tomatoes, Olives and Herbed Breadcrumbs

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted (or ½ cup store-bought breadcrumbs)

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 box (16 ounces) whole wheat spaghetti

3 cans (4.05 ounces) King Oscar Royal Fillets Mackerel in Olive Oil with Lemon

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, left whole

1 jar (7 ounces) kalamata olives, drained

¼ cup fresh basil, finely cut

Pulse toasted bread in food processor until course crumbs.

Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan. Add half of garlic and bread crumbs. Cook breadcrumbs until golden brown over medium heat stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove breadcrumbs from saute pan to a paper towel and reserve. Wipe saute pan clean.

Fill a stockpot with four quarts of cold water and bring to a rapid boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to water. Add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions.

Add oil from mackerel containers to saute pan. Add remaining garlic and shallot and cook on medium heat until softened and fragrant (about 2 to 3 minutes).

Add tomatoes and olives to saute pan and cook for 2 minutes and turn off heat.

Chop mackerel into chunks and add to saute pan.

Drain pasta and combine with mackerel-garlic-shallot-tomatoe-olive mixture. Add basil. Gently mix to combine. The olives will add some saltiness to the recipe, but taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Using tongs, gently grab some pasta and twirl the pasta until the correct serving portion is achieved. Use a large spoon to help transfer the pasta and tongs to the left side of a rectangular plate. Pull the tongs up and out of the twirled pasta. Add more mackerel, tomatoes and olives if needed.

Garnish with the herbed breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Oven-Roasted Broccolini with Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing

Broccolini

1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and cleaned

¼ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Dressing

1 tablespoon of shelled hemp seeds

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 pinches kosher salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place broccolini in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss broccolini until coated with oil, season with salt and toss a few more times. Spread broccolini in a single layer on a sheet pan. Place in oven and roast until broccolini starts to get crunchy and has slightly browned, between 5 and 10 minutes.

Add hemp seeds to a saute pan over medium heat stirring continuously to gently toast for 5 minutes.

Add all dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.

Gently place and loosely stack the oven-roasted broccolini on the opposite side of the pasta. Drizzle the dressing over the broccolini. Serve immediately.

Servings 4-6

Plating Instructions: Pasta with Mackerel, Tomatoes, Olives and Herbed Breadcrumbs, served with Oven-Roasted Broccolini with Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing

Using tongs, gently grab some pasta and twirl the pasta until the correct serving portion is achieved. Use a large spoon to help transfer the pasta and tongs to the left side of a rectangular plate. Pull the tongs up and out of the twirled pasta. Add more mackerel, tomatoes and olives if needed. Garnish with the herbed breadcrumbs.

Gently place and loosely stack the oven-roasted broccolini on the opposite side of the pasta. Drizzle the dressing over the broccolini.

Serve immediately.

Rob Benes

Recipes are unedited