Artichoke And Cholla Bud Linguine
Cholla buds are harvested just before the cholla cactus flowers in the spring. The buds are hand-picked, cleaned, and dried. I find mine at Native Seeds/SEARCH in Tucson. If your local market doesn’t have cholla buds, they are also available online. They taste like asparagus and are extremely rich in calcium. Soak them the night before.
Place the dry cholla buds in a bowl and cover with at least 2 cups of water. Let rest overnight. The next day, drain and rinse the cholla buds.
Place buds in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Cover pan and bring water to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, adding more water if necessary. Drain and set aside.
Cook the linguine until just before al dente, according to the package directions, and drain, reserving 1⁄2 cup of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until soft but not browned, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove the leeks and set aside. Add the artichokes to the skillet and cook for 3–5 minutes, until golden brown. Return the leeks to the skillet and toss with the artichokes and cholla buds. Stir in the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Turn the heat up to high and add the linguine to the skillet. Add the reserved cooking water, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and pasta finishes cooking, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately, topped with cashew parmesan.
To make Cashew Parmesan – Place ingredients in a small jar. Mix until combined. Store in a jar in the freezer for up to 3 months.
LINGUINE
- 1⁄4 cup dried cholla buds
- 1 lb linguine
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
- 1 12-oz package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped (should be about 2 cups)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
CASHEW PARMESAN
- 1 cup cashew meal
- ¼ cup nutrional yeast
- 1 tsp sea salt