I've been wanting to make some Indian food for awhile. I also was extremely tired, and didn't want to use a lot of dishes. I went to cookstr and did a search for chicken, one-pot meals, and easy skill level and found this recipe: Chicken Biryani
All I did differently was use 1/2 tsp of cinnamon instead of the cardamom because cardamom is EXPENSIVE!!!
Enjoy; it is delicious.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
No soup for you! (ok just kidding)
Perfect for a chilly evening. Chicken soup with a mexican twist! This is Williams-Sonoma's "Tortilla Soup with Chicken and Avocado" from their Soup cookbook.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup plus 2 tsp fresh chopped cilantro (it's worth it even if you're not a huge fan of cilantro)
1 cup drained canned plum (Roma) tomatoes
1/2 tsp cumin
4 cups of chicken stock or prepared broth
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, about 1/2 lb., cut into bite-sized strips
Salt and pepper
4 corn tortillas, preferably stale and dry
1 dried chile such as ancho, seeded (I couldn't find any in my store, so I used Hot Mexican Chili Powder)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced (mine rotted, but its fine without it if you can't find any good ones, although it's great with the avocado to be sure)
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used the Mexican 4-cheese blend)
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Prepare:
Do all required chopping. Start the tomatoes draining.
Cook:
In a frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and the 2 tsp of cilantro, and saute just until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
In a blender or food processor, combine the sauteed mixture and the tomatoes and process until smooth.
In the same frying pan over medium-high heat, warm another 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the tomato mixture and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and darkened, 5-6 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add the stock. Cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the soup is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the chicken strips and simmer until they are just opaque throughout, 2-3 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
While the soup is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the tortillas in half and slice each half into thin strips. Spread the tortilla strips evenly on a baking sheet along with the chile and bake until crisp and beginning to brown, 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Crumble the chile and set aside.
To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Divide the tortilla strips, crumbled chile (or sprinkle with the hot chili powder, a couple good shakes), 1/4 cup cilantro, avocado, cheese, and lime juice evenly among the bowls and serve immediately.
Muy delicioso!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup plus 2 tsp fresh chopped cilantro (it's worth it even if you're not a huge fan of cilantro)
1 cup drained canned plum (Roma) tomatoes
1/2 tsp cumin
4 cups of chicken stock or prepared broth
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, about 1/2 lb., cut into bite-sized strips
Salt and pepper
4 corn tortillas, preferably stale and dry
1 dried chile such as ancho, seeded (I couldn't find any in my store, so I used Hot Mexican Chili Powder)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced (mine rotted, but its fine without it if you can't find any good ones, although it's great with the avocado to be sure)
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used the Mexican 4-cheese blend)
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Prepare:
Do all required chopping. Start the tomatoes draining.
Cook:
In a frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and the 2 tsp of cilantro, and saute just until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
In a blender or food processor, combine the sauteed mixture and the tomatoes and process until smooth.
In the same frying pan over medium-high heat, warm another 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the tomato mixture and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and darkened, 5-6 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add the stock. Cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the soup is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the chicken strips and simmer until they are just opaque throughout, 2-3 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
While the soup is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the tortillas in half and slice each half into thin strips. Spread the tortilla strips evenly on a baking sheet along with the chile and bake until crisp and beginning to brown, 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Crumble the chile and set aside.
To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Divide the tortilla strips, crumbled chile (or sprinkle with the hot chili powder, a couple good shakes), 1/4 cup cilantro, avocado, cheese, and lime juice evenly among the bowls and serve immediately.
Muy delicioso!
A Recipe to Make Your House Smell Good
Seriously the easiest, best smelling, greatest tasting salmon recipe ever! This is from Bon Appetit's Every-Night Cooking. Serve with your favorite boxed cous cous and greens dressed with a simple balsamic vinaigrette (3 to 1 oil to vinegar ratio, season with salt and pepper).
Rosemary-roasted Salmon
Ingredients:
2 large bunches fresh rosemary (2 of those small plastic boxes they sell it in)
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 2-pound center-cut salmon fillet with skin
2 large lemons, thinly sliced
1/3 cup olive oil (I actually missed this somehow, and the salmon was not lacking at all)
Prepare:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Do all chopping.
Cook:
Arrange half of rosemary sprigs in a single layer in center of heavy baking sheet. Arrange sliced red onion atop rosemary. Place salmon, skin side down, atop red onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover salmon with remaining rosemary sprigs. Arrange lemon slices over rosemary. Drizzle oil over and sprinkle ahead with salt (this is the part I skipped, on accident). The previous can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Roast salmon until just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer salmon to plates. Serve immediately with roasted onions and lemon slices.
While the salmon is cooking, prepare the cous cous and salad. Fluff the cous cous just before serving.
Rosemary-roasted Salmon
Ingredients:
2 large bunches fresh rosemary (2 of those small plastic boxes they sell it in)
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 2-pound center-cut salmon fillet with skin
2 large lemons, thinly sliced
1/3 cup olive oil (I actually missed this somehow, and the salmon was not lacking at all)
Prepare:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Do all chopping.
Cook:
Arrange half of rosemary sprigs in a single layer in center of heavy baking sheet. Arrange sliced red onion atop rosemary. Place salmon, skin side down, atop red onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover salmon with remaining rosemary sprigs. Arrange lemon slices over rosemary. Drizzle oil over and sprinkle ahead with salt (this is the part I skipped, on accident). The previous can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Roast salmon until just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer salmon to plates. Serve immediately with roasted onions and lemon slices.
While the salmon is cooking, prepare the cous cous and salad. Fluff the cous cous just before serving.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A Good Fall Meal
Fall reminds me of squash: butternut squash, acorn squash, and pumpkins, too. I made this recipe with my mom a couple of years ago, and it was delicious. This is Dave Lieberman's "Penne With Butternut Squash, Fresh Chorizo, and Thyme" from Dave's Dinners.
Ingredients:
1 pound penne rigate (I used rotini because I had it)
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. fresh chorizo, casing removed and meat chopped
1/2 lb. peeled butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (I don't know how much 1/2 a lb. is, but I used a whole squash before reading the 1/2 lb. part, and it was lovely)
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
About 10 thyme sprigs
15 grinds fresh black pepper
Prepare:
Get the water boiling for the pasta, and do all the chopping.
Cook:
In a large pot, cook the penne in the boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Brown the chopped sausage meat (cook through), then transfer to a plate but leave the fat in the pan. Add 2 tablespoons more oil to the pan.
Add the squash and cook 5 minutes, not stirring too often, so the squash gets some color. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic, thyme, pepper, and browned sausage, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, tossing often, until squash is fork-tender but not falling apart. Toss with the pasta and garnish with a thyme sprig or two from the pan.
Serves 6.
We had a pumpkin ale with this dish, and it was DELICIOUS. This would also pair nicely with a dry white wine, a sauvignon blanc, perhaps.
Ingredients:
1 pound penne rigate (I used rotini because I had it)
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. fresh chorizo, casing removed and meat chopped
1/2 lb. peeled butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (I don't know how much 1/2 a lb. is, but I used a whole squash before reading the 1/2 lb. part, and it was lovely)
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
About 10 thyme sprigs
15 grinds fresh black pepper
Prepare:
Get the water boiling for the pasta, and do all the chopping.
Cook:
In a large pot, cook the penne in the boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Brown the chopped sausage meat (cook through), then transfer to a plate but leave the fat in the pan. Add 2 tablespoons more oil to the pan.
Add the squash and cook 5 minutes, not stirring too often, so the squash gets some color. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic, thyme, pepper, and browned sausage, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, tossing often, until squash is fork-tender but not falling apart. Toss with the pasta and garnish with a thyme sprig or two from the pan.
Serves 6.
We had a pumpkin ale with this dish, and it was DELICIOUS. This would also pair nicely with a dry white wine, a sauvignon blanc, perhaps.
Finger Foods for Dinner!
I was just browsing through Dave's Dinners by Dave Lieberman and came across the hors d-oeuvre "Mini Flank Steak Tortillas With Chipotle-Lime Sour Cream". I had been looking for a way to use up the 10,000 limes my parents left us with, so we had Dave's friend Justin over and paired the steak tortillas with my mom's Sweet Potato fries recipe and Mojitos!!
Game Plan:
1. Preheat the oven to 375
2. Start the meat marinating
3. Get the fries in the oven
4. Prepare and cook steak tortillas.
Mini Flank Steak Tortillas With Chipotle-Lime Sour Cream
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, pressed
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotles below)
1/2 tsp salt
15 grinds fresh black pepper
1 1/2 lbs flank steak
1 cup sour cream
3/4 tsp salt
1 canned chipotle minced
Zest of 1/2 lime
1 large red pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
6 flour tortillas
1/2 bunch cilantro sprigs, tough stems removed (you can also use flat leaf parsley if you don't like cilantro, which I did)
Prepare:
Combine the olive oil, garlic, lime juice, Worcestershire, chili powder, adobo, salt, and pepper in a shallow baking dish and mix well. Add the steak and flip it several times to coat it well with the marinade. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the sour cream by stirrin together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Cook:
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Cook the flank steak about 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Return the pan to the heat. Add the sliced red pepper to the hot pan and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. (I don't know if I had too much Mojito or if I just lost track, but I didn't cook the red pepper; I just used them raw and fresh and it was delicious!)
Use a paper towel to rub the inside of the pan clean.
Toast the tortillas in the pan about 45 seconds to a minute on each side. Keep moist and pliable by sealing in a plastic bag. ( I just placed them on a plate between moist paper towels)
To assemble the tortillas, slice the meat across the grain into thin slices. Cut the tortillas in half. Put 3 to 4 slices of meat and some red pepper slices into the center. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a couple of cilantro sprigs. Fold up and serve warm.
Mom's Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients:
Three sweet potatoes ( the orange ones on the inside)
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin
Cook:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Slice potatoes like steak fries (peeled or not your choice).
In large bowl mix fries with oil and seasoning and put on a cookie sheet.
Roast until crispy, about 30 minutes. Watch that they don't burn. You might flip them half way through.
Game Plan:
1. Preheat the oven to 375
2. Start the meat marinating
3. Get the fries in the oven
4. Prepare and cook steak tortillas.
Mini Flank Steak Tortillas With Chipotle-Lime Sour Cream
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, pressed
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotles below)
1/2 tsp salt
15 grinds fresh black pepper
1 1/2 lbs flank steak
1 cup sour cream
3/4 tsp salt
1 canned chipotle minced
Zest of 1/2 lime
1 large red pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
6 flour tortillas
1/2 bunch cilantro sprigs, tough stems removed (you can also use flat leaf parsley if you don't like cilantro, which I did)
Prepare:
Combine the olive oil, garlic, lime juice, Worcestershire, chili powder, adobo, salt, and pepper in a shallow baking dish and mix well. Add the steak and flip it several times to coat it well with the marinade. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the sour cream by stirrin together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Cook:
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Cook the flank steak about 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Return the pan to the heat. Add the sliced red pepper to the hot pan and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. (I don't know if I had too much Mojito or if I just lost track, but I didn't cook the red pepper; I just used them raw and fresh and it was delicious!)
Use a paper towel to rub the inside of the pan clean.
Toast the tortillas in the pan about 45 seconds to a minute on each side. Keep moist and pliable by sealing in a plastic bag. ( I just placed them on a plate between moist paper towels)
To assemble the tortillas, slice the meat across the grain into thin slices. Cut the tortillas in half. Put 3 to 4 slices of meat and some red pepper slices into the center. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a couple of cilantro sprigs. Fold up and serve warm.
Mom's Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients:
Three sweet potatoes ( the orange ones on the inside)
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin
Cook:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Slice potatoes like steak fries (peeled or not your choice).
In large bowl mix fries with oil and seasoning and put on a cookie sheet.
Roast until crispy, about 30 minutes. Watch that they don't burn. You might flip them half way through.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Happy Halloween with a Cake O' Lantern
This is the result of a cake baking contest at work; I won "Most Original"!!! Enjoy.... we did! Really good cake!
Make 2 bundt cakes and 1 batch of cupcakes (comes out to like 20 cupcakes) using the following recipe
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Ingredients:
1 pkg. spice cake
1 small can pumpkin (or half a large one)
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup water
Bake:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients at medium speed for 5 minutes. Pour into greased and floured Bundt pan (or paper cupcake liners). Bake 40-45 minutes (17-22 minutes for cupcakes). Let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting (I made 2 batches of this and had lots leftover)
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 boxes of confectioners sugar, sifted
Red, yellow, and green food coloring
Mix:
Combine first 3 ingredients until smooth. Add sugar little by little and beat on low. After all the sugar has been added, beat on high until light and fluffy. Set aside enough frosting to frost the entire bottom of a cupcake, and color it green to your liking. Color the remaining frosting orange to your liking.
Construction:
Put one bundt cake top down. Cut out teeth as desired. Frost the “top” of this cake (the part in the air). Lay the other bundt cake on top, right side up. Cut out eyes as desired. Frost completely with the orange frosting. Place a turned on LED “candle” in the bottom (I do not advise using a real candle). Frost the entire bottom of a cupcake using the green frosting and place face down into the hole in the top.
Make 2 bundt cakes and 1 batch of cupcakes (comes out to like 20 cupcakes) using the following recipe
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Ingredients:
1 pkg. spice cake
1 small can pumpkin (or half a large one)
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup water
Bake:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients at medium speed for 5 minutes. Pour into greased and floured Bundt pan (or paper cupcake liners). Bake 40-45 minutes (17-22 minutes for cupcakes). Let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting (I made 2 batches of this and had lots leftover)
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 boxes of confectioners sugar, sifted
Red, yellow, and green food coloring
Mix:
Combine first 3 ingredients until smooth. Add sugar little by little and beat on low. After all the sugar has been added, beat on high until light and fluffy. Set aside enough frosting to frost the entire bottom of a cupcake, and color it green to your liking. Color the remaining frosting orange to your liking.
Construction:
Put one bundt cake top down. Cut out teeth as desired. Frost the “top” of this cake (the part in the air). Lay the other bundt cake on top, right side up. Cut out eyes as desired. Frost completely with the orange frosting. Place a turned on LED “candle” in the bottom (I do not advise using a real candle). Frost the entire bottom of a cupcake using the green frosting and place face down into the hole in the top.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Quick and Easy Scallops
This is one of my own creations. It is inspired by a few different recipes that I had browsed through online at work. It is easy and delicious! I call it...
Pesto Pasta with Scallops, Mushrooms, and Zucchini (haha so original I know)
Ingredients
1/2 a store bought container of pesto (or you could use two heaping soup spoons of your own, my favorite recipe is included below for your enjoyment)
1/2 package of frozen bay scallops (I like the little guys better!)
1 package of sliced cremini mushrooms (baby bellas)
1 zucchini, halved long way and sliced
tbsp of olive oil, once around the pan
salt and pepper
1/2 lb (1/2 a package) of pasta (I used whole grain thin spaghetti)
Cook:
Start the pasta water boiling. When it is boiling add the pasta and a handful of salt (like if you were to grab a handful of salt out of a bowl) and cook as directed. Drain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, thaw the scallops. Slice the zucchini.
Heat the olive oil in a deep saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Place the mushrooms and zucchini in the pan and season with salt and pepper. Saute until the mushrooms turn brown and vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes (more if not cooked). Pat scallops dry and add to the pan. Cook until just opaque, about 1-2 minutes. Turn the heat to low. Put half the amount (1 heaping soup spoon full) of pesto into pan. Add the pasta to the pan. Put the rest of the pesto into the pan and toss everything together (tongs work really well).
Serves 4 or so.
dee-Lish!
My favorite pesto recipe (so far) is the one from Giada de Laurentis' Everyday Italian cookbook.
Basil Pesto (makes 1 cup)
Ingredients:
2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (toss nuts around in a dry pan over medium high heat until they begin to turn golden and become more fragrant)
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt, more to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
About 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare:
In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency (I like to say, add oil until it looks like pesto). Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste (I have never had to do this). Serve at room temperature. The pesto can be made 2 days in ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Pesto Pasta with Scallops, Mushrooms, and Zucchini (haha so original I know)
Ingredients
1/2 a store bought container of pesto (or you could use two heaping soup spoons of your own, my favorite recipe is included below for your enjoyment)
1/2 package of frozen bay scallops (I like the little guys better!)
1 package of sliced cremini mushrooms (baby bellas)
1 zucchini, halved long way and sliced
tbsp of olive oil, once around the pan
salt and pepper
1/2 lb (1/2 a package) of pasta (I used whole grain thin spaghetti)
Cook:
Start the pasta water boiling. When it is boiling add the pasta and a handful of salt (like if you were to grab a handful of salt out of a bowl) and cook as directed. Drain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, thaw the scallops. Slice the zucchini.
Heat the olive oil in a deep saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Place the mushrooms and zucchini in the pan and season with salt and pepper. Saute until the mushrooms turn brown and vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes (more if not cooked). Pat scallops dry and add to the pan. Cook until just opaque, about 1-2 minutes. Turn the heat to low. Put half the amount (1 heaping soup spoon full) of pesto into pan. Add the pasta to the pan. Put the rest of the pesto into the pan and toss everything together (tongs work really well).
Serves 4 or so.
dee-Lish!
My favorite pesto recipe (so far) is the one from Giada de Laurentis' Everyday Italian cookbook.
Basil Pesto (makes 1 cup)
Ingredients:
2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (toss nuts around in a dry pan over medium high heat until they begin to turn golden and become more fragrant)
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt, more to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
About 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare:
In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency (I like to say, add oil until it looks like pesto). Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste (I have never had to do this). Serve at room temperature. The pesto can be made 2 days in ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
My parents came to visit all the way from California! The second day they were here, we saw the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and did a TON of walking (they thought I was trying to kill them). The second day also happened to be my dad's birthday! So, my mom and I planned a meal with his approval of chicken piccata, cous cous, and asparagus. This is a meal that my mom and I made on one of our trips to the cabin together, and I've been making it ever since! This is Giada de Laurentis' recipe for "Chicken Piccata" from her Everyday Italian cook book paired with boxed cous cous and my mom's recipe for roasted asparagus.
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise (we bought thin cutlets to save work)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour for dredging
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (we used a dry white wine instead, a chardonnay or pinot grigio would be nice)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup drained capers, rinsed
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 box of ready to make cous cous (your favorite Near East brand, for example)
1 lb asparagus
1 lemon, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 400. Cut off the ends of the asparagus; they can get woody. Peel below the spears if you want. Lay the asparagus on a cookie sheet, drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss it all together and then rearrange so they are flat. Lay the lemon slices over the asparagus. Place the asparagus in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes depending on how thick the spears are and how tender you like your asparagus.
Start the boiling for the cous cous according to the box.
Halve the breasts if you didn't buy cutlets.
Cook:
As soon as the water for the cous cous is boiling, throw in the cous cous, cover and let sit.
Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly (put flour in a shallow dish and coat lightly with flour). In a large saute pan, melt 2 tbsp of the butter with the 2 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate.
Add the broth (wine), lemon juice, and capers to the same pan. Bring the broth mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor (this is also called deglazing the pan). Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp of butter into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
Fluff the cous cous and scoop into a serving bowl. Place the asparagus into a serving bowl.
Serves 4.
So good!!!
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise (we bought thin cutlets to save work)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour for dredging
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (we used a dry white wine instead, a chardonnay or pinot grigio would be nice)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup drained capers, rinsed
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 box of ready to make cous cous (your favorite Near East brand, for example)
1 lb asparagus
1 lemon, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 400. Cut off the ends of the asparagus; they can get woody. Peel below the spears if you want. Lay the asparagus on a cookie sheet, drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss it all together and then rearrange so they are flat. Lay the lemon slices over the asparagus. Place the asparagus in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes depending on how thick the spears are and how tender you like your asparagus.
Start the boiling for the cous cous according to the box.
Halve the breasts if you didn't buy cutlets.
Cook:
As soon as the water for the cous cous is boiling, throw in the cous cous, cover and let sit.
Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly (put flour in a shallow dish and coat lightly with flour). In a large saute pan, melt 2 tbsp of the butter with the 2 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate.
Add the broth (wine), lemon juice, and capers to the same pan. Bring the broth mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor (this is also called deglazing the pan). Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp of butter into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
Fluff the cous cous and scoop into a serving bowl. Place the asparagus into a serving bowl.
Serves 4.
So good!!!
A Feel Good (and Feel Better) Meal
Dave was really sick a few weeks ago, and we all know what the doctor says about chicken soup as a cure for the common cold. This recipe is so easy that I've made it for myself when I've been barely able to stand. This is Rachael Ray's "Quick Chick and Noodle" from her first book, 30-Minute Meals.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
A few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped from the stem (I used about a tsp of dried thyme)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cans (15 oz each) low-sodium, no-fat chicken broth (I used vegetable stock, because that's what I had)
1/2 lb (half a bag) extra-wide egg noodles or no-yolks egg noodles (I used whole grain and they were delicious)
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (be careful not to get cilantro in the store, they are right next to each other usually and look the same)
Preparation:
Chop all vegetables and set aside. Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Cook:
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep pot. Add chicken breast pieces to the pot and brown (cook through until just getting brown on the edges). Add vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (it's called sweating because as the vegetables cook, they release their water which in turn helps them cook more). Add broth. Bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook 10 minutes*, or until the noodles are just ender. Throw in parsley and serve immediately.
Feeds up to 6.
*If you are not going to eat a whole pot in one sitting, cook noodles separately and add half a cup to each bowl of soup as you eat through the pot.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
A few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped from the stem (I used about a tsp of dried thyme)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cans (15 oz each) low-sodium, no-fat chicken broth (I used vegetable stock, because that's what I had)
1/2 lb (half a bag) extra-wide egg noodles or no-yolks egg noodles (I used whole grain and they were delicious)
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (be careful not to get cilantro in the store, they are right next to each other usually and look the same)
Preparation:
Chop all vegetables and set aside. Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Cook:
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep pot. Add chicken breast pieces to the pot and brown (cook through until just getting brown on the edges). Add vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (it's called sweating because as the vegetables cook, they release their water which in turn helps them cook more). Add broth. Bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook 10 minutes*, or until the noodles are just ender. Throw in parsley and serve immediately.
Feeds up to 6.
*If you are not going to eat a whole pot in one sitting, cook noodles separately and add half a cup to each bowl of soup as you eat through the pot.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Meat Loaf a la Dave Lieberman
I had already planned on making meatloaf (with potatoes and green beans) when we decided to have 2 of Dave's friends over (Doug and Justin) for the vice presidential debate. While I will post the entire recipe, I'd like to note here that I probably wouldn't make this the same way again. I would probably just make the meatloaf and potatoes separately as the potatoes still were not cooked after twice the amount of cooking time. Maybe it's because I used a roasting pan instead of a large ceramic casserole (as shown in the picture though not mentioned in the recipe).
Bubby's Meat Loaf With Red Pepper Sauce and Tangy Green Beans from Dave's Dinners by Dave Lieberman
Ingredients:
Meat loaf:
2 eggs
3 oz. tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
15 grinds fresh black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 pounds ground beef, 85-90% lean (again I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
(2 Davers' hands... for mixing!!)
Red Pepper Sauce:
3 oz tomato oz.
1 small onion roughly chopped (like inch cubes)
1 garlic clove
1 small red pepper, seeded, cored, roughly chopped (like inch cubes)
1.5 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
15 grinds fresh black pepper
1.5 pounds small red potatoes, halved (or smaller if they are bigger, which I did)
Green Beans:
1 lb green beans, trimmed (just snap off the gross end)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Prepare:
Preheat oven to 350.
Chop the onions (for a fun tip, see the prepare section of the Pasta Matriciana post).
Prepare the red pepper.
Cook:
Whisk together the eggs, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl (make sure to crack the eggs into the bowl first in case one is bad). Add the remaining meat loaf ingredients and work together completely until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Place the meat mixture into a baking pan (large casserole dish???) and shape into a loaf about 11 inches long and 4 inches wide. The loaf should be in the middle of the pan.
Make the red pepper sauce by placing all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pureeing until smooth. Cover the meat loaf with red pepper sauce and allow the excess sauce to pool around the meat loaf. Cover the pan with aluminum foil but avoid contact with the meat loaf by leaving at least a couple of inches of space between the top of the meat loaf and the foil.
Bake 45 minutes, then uncover, scatter, and submerge the potatoes in the pan juices, and bake 45 minutes longer, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
More Prep:
After placing the meat loaf in the oven, prepare the green beans and potatoes for cooking.
After placing the potatoes in the oven, make the green beans.
More Cooking:
Bring a pot of water to boil. Salt the water and add the green beans and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the beans turn bright green. Strain them and run under cold water to stop them from cooking further.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a few pinches of salt and the vinegar and let cook down for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and toss in the beans to coat them thoroughly and evenly with the dressing. (NOTE: let the oil mixture cool for a bit first, I tossed the beans in right away and ended up with hot oil spatter on my shirt, my arms and the stove. OUCH!!)
Serves 4-6 (recipe says 8 but NO WAY)
Now, since my potatoes didn't cook, I eventually fished them out, put them in a casserole dish, and nuked them in the microwave for like 10 minutes. They were...
DELICIOUS!!!
Bubby's Meat Loaf With Red Pepper Sauce and Tangy Green Beans from Dave's Dinners by Dave Lieberman
Ingredients:
Meat loaf:
2 eggs
3 oz. tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
15 grinds fresh black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 pounds ground beef, 85-90% lean (again I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
(2 Davers' hands... for mixing!!)
Red Pepper Sauce:
3 oz tomato oz.
1 small onion roughly chopped (like inch cubes)
1 garlic clove
1 small red pepper, seeded, cored, roughly chopped (like inch cubes)
1.5 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
15 grinds fresh black pepper
1.5 pounds small red potatoes, halved (or smaller if they are bigger, which I did)
Green Beans:
1 lb green beans, trimmed (just snap off the gross end)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Prepare:
Preheat oven to 350.
Chop the onions (for a fun tip, see the prepare section of the Pasta Matriciana post).
Prepare the red pepper.
Cook:
Whisk together the eggs, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl (make sure to crack the eggs into the bowl first in case one is bad). Add the remaining meat loaf ingredients and work together completely until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Place the meat mixture into a baking pan (large casserole dish???) and shape into a loaf about 11 inches long and 4 inches wide. The loaf should be in the middle of the pan.
Make the red pepper sauce by placing all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pureeing until smooth. Cover the meat loaf with red pepper sauce and allow the excess sauce to pool around the meat loaf. Cover the pan with aluminum foil but avoid contact with the meat loaf by leaving at least a couple of inches of space between the top of the meat loaf and the foil.
Bake 45 minutes, then uncover, scatter, and submerge the potatoes in the pan juices, and bake 45 minutes longer, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
More Prep:
After placing the meat loaf in the oven, prepare the green beans and potatoes for cooking.
After placing the potatoes in the oven, make the green beans.
More Cooking:
Bring a pot of water to boil. Salt the water and add the green beans and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the beans turn bright green. Strain them and run under cold water to stop them from cooking further.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a few pinches of salt and the vinegar and let cook down for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and toss in the beans to coat them thoroughly and evenly with the dressing. (NOTE: let the oil mixture cool for a bit first, I tossed the beans in right away and ended up with hot oil spatter on my shirt, my arms and the stove. OUCH!!)
Serves 4-6 (recipe says 8 but NO WAY)
Now, since my potatoes didn't cook, I eventually fished them out, put them in a casserole dish, and nuked them in the microwave for like 10 minutes. They were...
DELICIOUS!!!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Delicious Eggs (aka Use Those Leftover Herbs!)
I always have a difficult time finding ways to use my leftover herbs. A delicious scramble is a great way to do it! I made this for Dave, Stephanie, and Michelle when the girls came for a surprise visit!!!
Use Up Things in the Fridge Eggs (from ME) serves 4
9 eggs
milk
fresh thyme (a handful of sprigs, 1/2 inch diameter or so, strip the leaves and rough chop)
fresh chives (a handful, 1/2 inch diameter or so)
handful of crumbled gorgonzola
2 tbsp olive oil
shallot, minced
6 frozen breakfast sausages, thawed and sliced
milk
salt and pepper
(sliced mushrooms would be a delicious addition, but I didn't have any)
Start the sausages thawing in the microwave. Crack each egg into a small bowl before putting into a large mixing bowl, in case one is rotten. Chop up the herbs and toss them, the gorgonzola, in the bowl. Mince the shallot. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and saute the sliced sausages and shallot until the shallot bits soften and the sausage begins brown, a few minutes. While the sausages and shallot cook, splash some milk in the eggs and whisk together. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and turn the heat down to medium or medium low. Keep folding and stirring the eggs until they are done to your liking.
Serve with toast and enjoy!
Use Up Things in the Fridge Eggs (from ME) serves 4
9 eggs
milk
fresh thyme (a handful of sprigs, 1/2 inch diameter or so, strip the leaves and rough chop)
fresh chives (a handful, 1/2 inch diameter or so)
handful of crumbled gorgonzola
2 tbsp olive oil
shallot, minced
6 frozen breakfast sausages, thawed and sliced
milk
salt and pepper
(sliced mushrooms would be a delicious addition, but I didn't have any)
Start the sausages thawing in the microwave. Crack each egg into a small bowl before putting into a large mixing bowl, in case one is rotten. Chop up the herbs and toss them, the gorgonzola, in the bowl. Mince the shallot. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and saute the sliced sausages and shallot until the shallot bits soften and the sausage begins brown, a few minutes. While the sausages and shallot cook, splash some milk in the eggs and whisk together. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and turn the heat down to medium or medium low. Keep folding and stirring the eggs until they are done to your liking.
Serve with toast and enjoy!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Steak and Potatoes!
Dave is a meat and potatoes guy! So I made him these recipes from The Wine Lover Cooks With Wine, by Sid Goldstein:
Gameplan:
Take the steaks out of the fridge.
Start the garlic for the potatoes.
Make the spice mixture.
Start boiling the potatoes.
Chop all ingredients for both dishes
Prepare and cook the steaks.
Make the steak sauce.
Finish up potatoes when the garlic is done.
Plate!
Seared Peppercorn and Spice Encrusted Rib-Eye
with Peppercorn and Walnuts
Ingredients
1 tbsp mixed peppercorns (I used black)
1 tbsp of cumin seed (I used about a tsp of ground cumin)
1 tbsp of mustard seed
1 tsp of kosher salt
4 boneless rib-eye steaks (2.5 lbs total or so) at room temperature
1 tsp of olive oil
Sauce:
1 shallot, minced (fine shop)
1 tbsp of tomato paste
3/4 dry red wine (something you would drink, either a syrah, shiraz, or zinfandel)
3/4 cup low sodium beef or chicken stock
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
Kosher salt
Garnish:
3 tbsp crumbled Roquefort (I used Gorgonzola, any bleu cheese will suffice)
3 tbsp coarsely chopped walnuts toasted (toss around in a pan over med high heat until you can smell them)
1 tbsp minced fresh chives
Cook:
In a mortar or spice grinder (coffee blade grinder or a pepper mill will work, too) combine the pepper corns, cumin seed, mustard seed, and salt and grind thoroughly. Coat the steaks thoroughly with oil, then rub with the spice mixture.
Heat a heavy saute pan or skillet over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the steaks to the dry pan, leaving some space between them. Reduce heat to medium-high and sear the steaks on one side for 4 minutes. Flip the steaks and cook for 3 minutes on the second side for medium-rare (recommended). Transfer the steaks to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
To make the sauce: In the same pan over high heat, saute the shallot and tomato paste for about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and gradually stir in the wine, stock, and balsamic vinegar. Cook to reduce the liquid by about a third, strain the sauce (why would you do this?!?! I didn't!!!) and whisk in the butter and salt (just a dash).
To serve, divide the sauce evenly among 4 warmed plates and place the steaks on top. Sprinkle the cheese over the steaks and top with walnuts and chives.
Roasted-Garlic and Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
3.5 lbs of yukon golds or red potatoes (I did reds, cut them into 1-2 inch cubes)
1 garlic head roasted (cut off the top fourth or third of a garlic bulb, place in foil, drizzle with olive oil, and salt and pepper it and bake at 350 for an hour. To get the garlic, just squeeze)
2 tbsp horseradish sauce (found in the condiments section)
2 tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1 tbsp dried
1/2 cup of whole milk (I used nonfat and it was fine)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
chicken stock as needed (we didn't need any)
salt and pepper
Cook (these are not the recipe instructions, they sucked, so these are my instructions):
Put the potatoes in the large pot of water, salt, and boil for 30 minutes. Drain. Add the garlic, horseradish, and thyme and mash till ingredients are distributed. Add milk, butter and season and mash. Add stock if you need to. Serve or keep warm for up to 30 minutes.
Serve with some greens (spinach, arugula, baby lettuces) drizzled with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sprinkled with salt and pepper.
De LISH ous
Gameplan:
Take the steaks out of the fridge.
Start the garlic for the potatoes.
Make the spice mixture.
Start boiling the potatoes.
Chop all ingredients for both dishes
Prepare and cook the steaks.
Make the steak sauce.
Finish up potatoes when the garlic is done.
Plate!
Seared Peppercorn and Spice Encrusted Rib-Eye
with Peppercorn and Walnuts
Ingredients
1 tbsp mixed peppercorns (I used black)
1 tbsp of cumin seed (I used about a tsp of ground cumin)
1 tbsp of mustard seed
1 tsp of kosher salt
4 boneless rib-eye steaks (2.5 lbs total or so) at room temperature
1 tsp of olive oil
Sauce:
1 shallot, minced (fine shop)
1 tbsp of tomato paste
3/4 dry red wine (something you would drink, either a syrah, shiraz, or zinfandel)
3/4 cup low sodium beef or chicken stock
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
Kosher salt
Garnish:
3 tbsp crumbled Roquefort (I used Gorgonzola, any bleu cheese will suffice)
3 tbsp coarsely chopped walnuts toasted (toss around in a pan over med high heat until you can smell them)
1 tbsp minced fresh chives
Cook:
In a mortar or spice grinder (coffee blade grinder or a pepper mill will work, too) combine the pepper corns, cumin seed, mustard seed, and salt and grind thoroughly. Coat the steaks thoroughly with oil, then rub with the spice mixture.
Heat a heavy saute pan or skillet over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the steaks to the dry pan, leaving some space between them. Reduce heat to medium-high and sear the steaks on one side for 4 minutes. Flip the steaks and cook for 3 minutes on the second side for medium-rare (recommended). Transfer the steaks to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
To make the sauce: In the same pan over high heat, saute the shallot and tomato paste for about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and gradually stir in the wine, stock, and balsamic vinegar. Cook to reduce the liquid by about a third, strain the sauce (why would you do this?!?! I didn't!!!) and whisk in the butter and salt (just a dash).
To serve, divide the sauce evenly among 4 warmed plates and place the steaks on top. Sprinkle the cheese over the steaks and top with walnuts and chives.
Roasted-Garlic and Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
3.5 lbs of yukon golds or red potatoes (I did reds, cut them into 1-2 inch cubes)
1 garlic head roasted (cut off the top fourth or third of a garlic bulb, place in foil, drizzle with olive oil, and salt and pepper it and bake at 350 for an hour. To get the garlic, just squeeze)
2 tbsp horseradish sauce (found in the condiments section)
2 tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1 tbsp dried
1/2 cup of whole milk (I used nonfat and it was fine)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
chicken stock as needed (we didn't need any)
salt and pepper
Cook (these are not the recipe instructions, they sucked, so these are my instructions):
Put the potatoes in the large pot of water, salt, and boil for 30 minutes. Drain. Add the garlic, horseradish, and thyme and mash till ingredients are distributed. Add milk, butter and season and mash. Add stock if you need to. Serve or keep warm for up to 30 minutes.
Serve with some greens (spinach, arugula, baby lettuces) drizzled with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sprinkled with salt and pepper.
De LISH ous
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Pasta Matriciana
I'm not very experienced at blogging, nor do I think I have a lot to blog about. So, I decided to make this a record of the delicious dishes I make for my husband, David Peters, and me.
On Friday, I made Pasta Matriciana, a recipe from Nick Stellino's Dine In! cookbook.
Ingredients:
1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil (I prefer extra-virgin olive oil, right now I'm using the 365 brand from Whole Foods)
6 garlic cloves, thickly sliced (like 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch)
6 oz. of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used turkey bacon)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used a white one, but a yellow one would work, too)
red pepper flakes (however hot you want it! I probably used 3/4 tsp, the recipe called for 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup good, dry red wine (something you would drink, this past time I used a Petit Verdot from Willowcroft winery in Leesburg, but a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel would work nicely, too)
4 tbsp chopped fresh basil (I used a heaping tbsp of dried basil because the Safeway by our apartment sucks. A good technique for chopping basil is to stack the leaves with the biggest one on the bottom, roll them up, and slice them into cross-sectional ribbons; this technique is also called chiffonade)
1 lb of pasta (I used wheat shells)
5 tbsp of grated romano (I used parmigiano reggiano)
Prepare:
Chop everything that needs chopping. Chop the bacon last so you don't have to wash the knife in between choppings. To remove the garlic clove from it's skin, smash it a little, using the flat side of the knife. If you are very sensitive to onions, put it in the freezer for about 5 minutes before chopping, it really works (or you can use lab goggles if you have some lying around)!
Cook:
Drain the chopped tomatoes, saving the juices to use in the sauce. In a large saucepan or deep skillet, heat the oil and garlic over medium-high heat until the garlic just starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes (toss it around a few times to cook evenly). Add the bacon, onion, red pepper flakes (and if using dried basil, add it here also. Dried herbs are best added early in the process; fresh herbs are best added later). Cook until the bacon begins to brown and the onion begins to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan and deglaze the pan (i.e. scrape up all the stuck on bits with your cooking spoon). Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the strained tomatoes and the basil (if fresh). Bring to a boil, stirring well. Add the reserved tomato juice, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Cook your pasta (make sure to salt the water, this is your only opportunity to flavor the pasta itself). While pasta and sauce are cooking, grate the cheese. Put the cooked pasta and the cheese in the sauce and stir over medium heat for a few minutes. Plate and serve (large, shallow bowls work really well for pasta). Be sure to have a small bowl of grated cheese for the dinner table.
deLICious!!
On Friday, I made Pasta Matriciana, a recipe from Nick Stellino's Dine In! cookbook.
Ingredients:
1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil (I prefer extra-virgin olive oil, right now I'm using the 365 brand from Whole Foods)
6 garlic cloves, thickly sliced (like 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch)
6 oz. of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used turkey bacon)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used a white one, but a yellow one would work, too)
red pepper flakes (however hot you want it! I probably used 3/4 tsp, the recipe called for 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup good, dry red wine (something you would drink, this past time I used a Petit Verdot from Willowcroft winery in Leesburg, but a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel would work nicely, too)
4 tbsp chopped fresh basil (I used a heaping tbsp of dried basil because the Safeway by our apartment sucks. A good technique for chopping basil is to stack the leaves with the biggest one on the bottom, roll them up, and slice them into cross-sectional ribbons; this technique is also called chiffonade)
1 lb of pasta (I used wheat shells)
5 tbsp of grated romano (I used parmigiano reggiano)
Prepare:
Chop everything that needs chopping. Chop the bacon last so you don't have to wash the knife in between choppings. To remove the garlic clove from it's skin, smash it a little, using the flat side of the knife. If you are very sensitive to onions, put it in the freezer for about 5 minutes before chopping, it really works (or you can use lab goggles if you have some lying around)!
Cook:
Drain the chopped tomatoes, saving the juices to use in the sauce. In a large saucepan or deep skillet, heat the oil and garlic over medium-high heat until the garlic just starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes (toss it around a few times to cook evenly). Add the bacon, onion, red pepper flakes (and if using dried basil, add it here also. Dried herbs are best added early in the process; fresh herbs are best added later). Cook until the bacon begins to brown and the onion begins to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan and deglaze the pan (i.e. scrape up all the stuck on bits with your cooking spoon). Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the strained tomatoes and the basil (if fresh). Bring to a boil, stirring well. Add the reserved tomato juice, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Cook your pasta (make sure to salt the water, this is your only opportunity to flavor the pasta itself). While pasta and sauce are cooking, grate the cheese. Put the cooked pasta and the cheese in the sauce and stir over medium heat for a few minutes. Plate and serve (large, shallow bowls work really well for pasta). Be sure to have a small bowl of grated cheese for the dinner table.
deLICious!!
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