Everything Tastes Better With Bacon!

Because I am a bit selective about which veggies I'll eat, incorporating enough vegetables into my family's diet has been quite a challenge. As such, I have been on a mission to try new vegetables and experiment with different ways of cooking them. Tonight's new dish was a beans & greens pasta inspired by a recipe I saw on the Rachael Ray Show. The star of the dish is the leafy green escarole, which I've read is high in folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin K, and fiber. Having tried and hated collard greens, I was a little nervous about trying to cook escarole, but it's actually very different-- much milder and less bitter in flavor.

Beans & Greens Pasta

Ingredients:
Large head of escarole
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Zest of one lemon
1/4 c. pine nuts
1/2 lb. or so of thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
1 box (roughly a pound) of linguine or fettucine
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 cloves (about 1 1/2 tsp.) minced garlic
1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
about 3/4 c. shredded Parmigiano Reggiano

Prep:
1. Prep the escarole and give it a rough chop.
2. Zest the lemon.
3. Cut the bacon up into small pieces.
4. Boil pasta in salted water. Cook to al dente. Reserve 1 c. of the water and then drain the pasta.

Directions:
1. Coat a large skillet with nonstick spray and toast the pine nuts. Remove and set aside.
2. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and heat on medium. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon to paper-towel-lined plate and set aside.
3. Turn heat to low. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic to the bacon drippings that remain in the skillet. Cook until the garlic turns golden (doesn't take long!), then add the escarole to the skillet. Toss until wilted.
4. Add the cannellini beans and the water reserved from cooking the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add the pasta, lemon zest, and cheese; toss.
6. Plate the pasta and top with toasted pine nuts and bacon. Serve with breadsticks if desired.

---

Unfortunately, I cannot share Aaron's feedback on the dish because he was stuck in surgery when I made it. However, I thought it was quite delicious and will be adding it to my repertoire.

Review of Café El Paso, a Mexican Restaurant in Colorado Springs

I’ve lived in southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico, and my husband grew up within 30 miles of the Mexican border, so we consider ourselves—at least to some degree—to be connoisseurs of Mexican cuisine. And since having moved to Colorado Springs recently, we’ve been somewhat discouraged by what seems to be a lack of “mom and pop” style, non-chain Mexican restaurants in the area. Chowhound user Ruth Lafler has gone so far as to describe Colorado Springs as a “gastronomic wasteland.” So when I drove by the unpretentious, distinctive-looking Café El Paso, a Mexican restaurant nestled on a tiny lot between what looked to be two dumpy motels or apartment buildings, I was intrigued. And when I came across an advertisement in which the restaurant boldly declared itself as “simply the best,” I just had to see for myself.

In the same ad, Café El Paso described its food as “Mexican cuisine of Old El Paso, Texas,” which alludes to a combination of Texan, New Mexican, and “Old Mexican” influences—border food, so to speak. “El Paso style” cooking combines the practical simplicity of the agricultural community in Chihuahua, Mexico, with Texas indulgence and the New Mexican obsession with green and red chile. Or at least it is supposed to.

Early on a Friday evening, we headed toward Café El Paso’s central Colorado Springs location at 3840 North Nevada Ave. Though the parking lot is small, we found a spot easily and proceeded inside. The décor inside is much cuter than you might guess from the outside and surrounding neighborhood, and the restaurant looked very clean. We were seated promptly. Our server was friendly but seemed a little awkward or nervous—I’m not sure which. The complimentary salsa was kind of a mango relish with a spicy jalapeño flavor. It was definitely different, and we were impressed that it actually had some “bite” to it. The corn chips were unimpressive and tasted a bit stale.

For starters, we decided on a spinach and artichoke dip served with fried flour tortilla wedges. Prior to ordering, my husband pointed out that the menu described the artichoke hearts as pickled. Though skeptical, we decided to try the dip anyway. The concoction was thick with stretchy white Mexican cheese and served so hot that I nearly burned the roof of my mouth. Then my husband, who probably thought I was being overly dramatic, nearly did the same. The pickling of the artichoke hearts gave the dip an odd flavor that I could have done without, but my husband enjoyed the extra acidity.

For entrées, my husband ordered Café El Paso’s Friday special—carnitas (pork) tacos with green chile potato soup, rice, and refried beans—and I ordered a two-item lunch combination plate including a chile relleno, shredded beef taco, refried black beans, and rice. Even though I am only in my mid-twenties, I was not asked for ID when I requested a pomegranate margarita. I volunteered it, and he just shrugged, said that I looked old enough, and glanced at it quickly to humor me. (As I said earlier, awkward!) When the margarita arrived, it was served in a glass tumbler with sugar, rather than salt, on the rim. It was unique, but the sweetness of the pomegranate, and perhaps the sugar on the rim, kind of overpowered the tequila. Café El Paso also offers a black raspberry margarita, which I did not try.

The food was served on very hot plates. Highlights were the green chile potato soup, the carnitas, and the shredded beef taco. The green chile potato soup tasted like a traditional potato soup with a subtle, smooth hint of green chile. The carnitas, accompanied by an onion and mango garnish, were tender and well-seasoned. The taco was also tasty; the shredded beef inside was flavorful, and the taco shell was freshly fried. The chile relleno, however, was a disappointment. It lacked flavor, and its fried batter was thick and fluffy rather than crispy.

In short, we were impressed by most of the food at Café El Paso, enjoyed the atmosphere, and found the prices—around $10 a plate—to be reasonable. Café El Paso Mexican restaurant is a comfortable environment for a casual dinner with family or friends. Though we will continue scouring Colorado Springs for tasty, authentic Mexican food, I anticipate that we will be returning to Café El Paso for its carnitas, tacos, and green chile potato soup. If you have never been to Café El Paso, it is definitely worth a try.

---

Please note: This is a reprint; my review was originally published on Associated Content.