My Valentine

Albany, New York, this seemingly remote and cold place in upstate New York, I almost made it my home.

I had flown in the night before for a job interview on a budget airline where I had to sit facing other passengers like in a bus. On the night of arrival, I had a dinner with my potential supervisor. I had no illusion that the interview started already at the dinner table. But I also felt so grown up. That was the first time that someone else in the world wanted to discuss professional matters with me! It was a daunting meal but I managed to maintain a calm voice and to rein back my supercharged heart beat. I even had a good night sleep before the official big day.

To be honest, the actual interview day went a bit blurred for me. All I could remember was that it went very well, so well that I was on the adrenalin high most of the time. I had good discussions with people I met. I found people friendly and sincere. I like my potential supervisor, a knowledgeable and very easy-going person, someone I thought I would have no problem working with. The job matched perfectly with what I had in mind and my profession. I just hoped that they would look beyond the fact that I was just finishing my graduate school and like me to be in a team.

During lunch break, I was taken to a nearby Italian restaurant. I remember how busy that small trattoria was during lunch time, how me and the other person had to be seated at a small table (or at the bar?) in a crammed space and how we both almost had to shout in order to hear one another. Quickly glancing through the menu, I ordered spinach and sausage penne. It was a cold January day but I was quickly warmed up by my hearty dish. The hardiness of spinach and the boldness of grilled sausage, both ingredients standing fiercely in their corners became incredibly mellowed up when dressed in the lightly creamed sauce. I thought it was the most wonderful thing I had ever tasted.

That was 12 years ago. How time flies.

Yes, I did get the offer and they even increased the sign-up bonus for me (you could call that beginner's luck). The prospect was good, the American dream, whatever it means and brings, how many people have chased and still follow. Any rational being thinking straight with a clear brain would stay and sign on the dotted line on the spot as soon as the contract arrives. But my heart was somewhere else, not in Albany, nor in America. It was across the Atlantic.

For the first time in my life, I followed my heart, and I have not looked back since.

But I did take the spinach and sausage pasta with me.

Spinach and sausage pasta

- 250-300 g baby spinach, blanched, squeezed dry
- 4 links of sausages, chopped into big chunks
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 150 g chestnut mushroom, quartered
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- pinch of dry chilli powder/flakes
- 1 leek, minced
- 1/2 cup whole milk (and some stock if the sauce seems dry to you)
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche/single cream
- your favorite pasta shape, cooked and drained
- salt and pepper to taste

Heat a non-stick pan and grill sausage chunks until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan.

In the same pan, put in oil and mushrooms. Saute for a couple of minutes and add in garlic and dry chilli flakes. Remove mushroom from the pan.

Now cook leek in the same pan. Cover the pan occasionally with a lid so that the mixture is steamed cooked. When the leek becomes soft (but not colored), add in milk. Cook the leek sauce on medium heat until it is reduced by a third. Add in creme fraiche or cream, cook for one minute. Return all the cooked sausage chunks and mushrooms back to the pan. Stir to combine the flavor. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta and spinach to the leek sauce. Bring the heat up to let the flavor mingle for a couple of minutes.

Serve two people gladly.

Happy Valentine's.