Broccoli Rabe and Abu Ghraib

Tonight I made my Broccoli Rabe and Sundried Tomato Pasta because we went on an unexpected gallery trip to nyc to see Fernando Botero's "Abu Ghraib" exhibit at the Marlborough Gallery on 57th street. By the time we got home and had a chance to go food shopping I had no time to make anything complex that I was planning of making today. This pasta dish is one of our favorites which we havn't had for a very long time. I've been trying to many new recipes that I just needed a break and went with this. I started making this a few years ago when Peter's family insisted on going to the same shit italian restaurant in Rutherford for family birthday's. I ordered this once thinking it wouldn't be gross but it was as gross as everything else i've ever had there so I just started making it myself and it's 100 times better. Here is my version of this dish:

1 bunch of broccoli rabe, chopped and washed real well
4-5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced marinated sundried tomatoes (use the best you can find)
olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
salt

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a preheated pan and then add the broccoli rabe.
Saute for a fews minutes until it starts to cook down over meduim heat.
Add garlic and continue to saute.
When the rabe and garlic are almost done add the sundried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
Give it a minute more to mix together and turn heat off.
Season with salt to taste.

While this is all being done cook 1/2 package of angel hair pasta according to package directions.
When pasta is done, drain and combine with the rabe.
Serve with a nice big glass of red wine!!


Now for the exhibit.

It was amazing and disturbing at the same time. It contained over 40 paintings, drawings and watercolors of Botero's work about what had happened at the prison between the american soldiers and the inmates. The paintings were beautiful but the subject matter was just horrifying. What I like about Botero's style of sculpture and paintings are how soft he makes everything look. There are Botero sculptures scattered thru out nyc that are so huge, fat and smooth I just want to hug them. But they are just cold and metal that on a cold incredibly windy day like today it wouldn't be pleasant.

You can go to the galleries website and see some of the paintings if you are interested.