Amazing yummy recipe to boost your immune system this spring

So anyone who knows me, knows about my pretty serious love of garlic. As a herb, I love the flavour and the pungency. As a medicine, I love how good it is for my heart (and blood pressure) and how it boosts my immune system against things like the common cold and the flu. It has even been tied to stronger bones and improved memory! In my opinion, this food has it all: power, potency, and pretty amazing flavour.

Needless to say, I use a LOT of garlic in my cooking (good thing I am dating an Italian...). So naturally, when I came across this recipe, I HAD to share it with all of you, just because it is incredible. The fact that one of the vendors in the Hamilton Farmer's Market usually has baskets with discounted garlic because it is slightly sprouted marked at usually 6 or 8 bulbs for a buck might play a part in how much I love it (hey, if all it takes to make me happy is easy access to garlic and delicious food? Right on!).

This recipe is totally happening this weekend, alongside some crusty garlic-cheese bread and a huge Greek salad. It's going to be a yummy weekend.

San Francisco-Style Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles:

· 4 tbsp. unsalted butter

· 20 medium garlic cloves, minced or smashed in a mortar and pestle

· 4 tsp. oyster sauce (fish sauce works here as an alternate, just use 3 tsp. fish sauce total for the recipe)

· 2 tsp. light soy sauce

· 2 tsp. fish sauce

· 1 lb. dry spaghetti

· 2-oz. grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (roughly a heaping ½ cup)

· A small handful of thinly sliced green onions (optional)

1) Over medium heat, melt the butter in a wok or saucepan. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned (about 2 minutes). Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and fish sauce, and stir to combine. Remove from the heat

2) Meanwhile, bring 1½” of water to a boil in a 12” skillet or sauté pan over high heat. Add the pasta and stir a few times to make sure it’s not clumping. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente (about 2 minutes short of the recommended cook time on the package)

3) Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta to the garlic sauce, along with whatever water clings to it (reserve the pasta water in the skillet)

4) Increase the heat to high, add the cheese to the wok, and stir with a wooden spatula or spoon and toss vigorously until the sauce is creamy and emulsified, (about 30 seconds). If the sauce looks too watery, allow it to keep reducing for another minute or two. If it looks greasy, splash some more cooking water into it and let it re-​emulsify

5) Stir in the scallions (if using)

6) Serve immediately with a side of crusty bread

Source: San Francisco-Style Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles Recipe - NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)