20 April 2016 Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

April 20, 2016 By

This Roman dish was created in the middle of the 20th century using simple ingredients: pasta, eggs, pork jowls (think bacon) and cheese, typically Pecorino.

I’m all about simple pasta dishes, especially during the week, so this is one of my go-to recipes. I’ve made this decadent dish using a few variations, adding peas, morel mushrooms and shrimps…it’s delicious any ways. Note that garlic isn’t authentic to pasta carbonara, but it’s so darn tasty that I include it. Don’t like garlic – omit it! I used red pepper flakes too, which aren’t authentic either…sue me purists!

While the eggs do get warmed when tossed with the hot pasta, they aren’t fully cooked. If slightly cooked eggs aren’t your thing, this is likely not the dish for you. If you can get past that, you’ll get addicted, like I am, to the creamy “sauce” created by the eggs, pasta water and cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound good quality spaghetti, I use Delverde
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 8 ounces diced pancetta or slab bacon
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (or black pepper if you prefer)

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook 1 minute less than the cooking directions on the packaging recommend.
  2. While the pasta’s cooking, warm the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until browned, about three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Place the pancetta/garlic and the oil they cooked in, in a large, heat-proof bowl and set aside to cool.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, 1/2 cup of the cheese and pepper flakes. Whisk until well blended.
  4. When the pasta’s just al dente, scoop it out of the water using a pasta fork or tongs, and into the bowl with the pancetta – don’t drain the pasta water out of the pot! Toss the pasta until coated in the oil from the pancetta.
  5. Add the egg mixture to the pasta and toss quickly to ensure the eggs don’t scramble – you might need to give this method a couple tries to get it right – it’s worth it!
  6. Add ¼ cup of pasta cooking water to the pasta then the remaining cheese. Keep tossing to create a silky, creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Serve immediately.

Serves two for dinner or four as a starter.

Filed Under: Appetizers, Cheese, Eggs, Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , , ,
21 March 2016 Warm Brie with Honeyed Raspberries and Pistachios

Warm Brie with Honeyed Raspberries and Pistachios

March 21, 2016 By

This is an easy yet festive recipe I received from the folks at Driscoll’s Berries.

Original File Name: 4186-Rasp_Brie-014.tif

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shelled pistachios
  • 1 wheel (13.3 ounces) ripe Brie, box reserved, top rind sliced off, cheese chilled
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 package (6 ounces or 1 1/4 cups) Driscoll’s Raspberries
  • Water crackers or baguette slices for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˙F.
  2. Spread the pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Place Brie, in its box, on baking sheet. Bake until warm and the top is softened, but not until cheese is oozing, about 15 minutes. Transfer cheese in box to serving platter.
  4. Stir honey, vinegar, and rosemary in a medium skillet over medium heat just until warm. Add raspberries and pistachios and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Pour raspberry mixture over warm cheese. Serve at once, with the crackers for spreading.

Servings: 4 to 6

Filed Under: Appetizers, Cheese, Starters, Vegetarian Tagged With: , ,
11 January 2016 Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

January 11, 2016 By

This is a great recipe for those chilly winter days or for any day where you simply don’t feel like slaving over a hot stove. These stuffed cabbage are hearty and you won’t even miss the meat as the cremini mushrooms are earthy and meatlike. I use a Savoy cabbage for this recipe as I like the look of the frilly leaves and the fact that I can make smaller rolls for weekday lunches. A standard cabbage would be absolutely okay too.

Cabbage leaves cooking method: To get perfectly-cooked cabbage leaves, get salted (1 tsp.) water boiling in a large and tall stockpot. Add the head of cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the cabbage head from the water with tongs and peel off about 10 leaves. Add the leaves to the boiling water and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the leaves and place on paper towels to drain. Stuffing Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups diced butternut squash
  • 2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½.tsp. each black pepper and dried thyme
  • 1 cup cooked long grain rice

Stuffing Directions:

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil then add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  2. Lower the heat to medium and add the butternut squash to the onion. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, until the squash has softened.
  3. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms to the onion/squash mixture, cook for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms have softened.
  4. Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper and thyme and stir to combine.
  5. Add the rice to the mixture and stir to combine. Take off the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Assembly Ingredients: 3 cups tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought Assembly Directions:

  1. Place a cooked leaf on a plate or cutting board and remove the hard core with scissors.
  2. Add ¼ cup of the filling to the base of the leaf and roll up like a burrito – start at the base, roll once, tuck the ends in the roll all the way to the edge of the leaf.
  3. Add 1 cup of tomato sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker them top with the cabbage rolls. Pack them as tightly as possible then top with the remaining 2 cups of tomato sauce.
  4. Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
  5. Serve the rolls with tomato sauce.

Serves 5 guests for a light dinner.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Entrees, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,
9 August 2015 Arugula, Pear, Gorgonzola and Prosciutto Salad Bundles

Arugula, Pear, Gorgonzola and Prosciutto Salad Bundles

August 9, 2015 By

Proscuitto RollsLast weekend, I was hosting a casual outdoor party and was looking for hors d’oeuvres that were easy to pick up and eat without utensils.  A salad I enjoy serving is a baby arugula salad with the traditional pear and blue cheese combo. I perused Pinterest for interesting salad serving ideas and ran into an idea where the salad is rolled in a slice of Prosciutto – brilliant and very portable.

After seeing the concept, I ran with the idea with my own ingredients and the results were pretty darn tasty.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper and oregano
  • 4 cups baby arugula
  • 8 slices Prosciutto
  • 4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola
  • 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and cut in thin slices
  • 2 Tbsp. good quality olive oil

Directions:

  1. In an airtight jar, add the mustard, half cup of oil, vinegar and salt, pepper and oregano. Shake well to combine and create a creamy dressing. This dressing is great on most things and can be stored in the sealed jar for a week.
  2. Within an hour of serving, place the arugula in a medium bowl and add 4 tablespoons of dressing. Toss to coat the greens.
  3. On a clean work surface or a plate, place the slices of Prosciutto. Divide the dressed arugula into 8 portions and place a portion to one end of a Prosciutto slice. Repeat with the rest of the arugula. Top each portion of arugula with a bit of blue cheese and with two slices of pear. Roll the Prosciutto over the salad in a tight bundle.
  4. Place the salad bundles on a serving platter and drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Makes 8 arugula salad bundles.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Sides, Starters Tagged With: , , , ,
17 August 2009 Hot Spinach, Artichoke and Cheese Dip

Hot Spinach, Artichoke and Cheese Dip

August 17, 2009 By

Who doesn’t love spinach and artichoke dip? Every time I serve this dish or see it served at parties, there are never any leftovers.

This version is cooked on the stove top without any baking time (unless you want a crusty top), so it’s not only delicious, it’s simple to prepare.

Ingredients:

  • 1-10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
  • 4 canned artichoke hearts, well drained
  • 5 Tbsp. butter
  • ¼ cup minced onions
  • 2 tsp. minced shallots
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • ¼ tsp. nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 ounces (1 cup) shredded Mozzarella
  • 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shredded Parmesan

Directions:

  1. Drain, then squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as possible. Break up the clumped spinach and place in a large bowl.
  2. Chop the artichoke coarsely and combine with spinach. Set aside.
  3. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté 3 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper and continue cooking 2 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the sautéed mixture. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes. Slowly add the cream, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, then let simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Add mozzarella, a little at a time, stirring until thoroughly melted. Add the Parmesan the same way. Simmer gently another 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. Remove from heat and let cool, 10 minutes.
  6. Stir the sauce into spinach mixture, mixing well.  Pour into ovenproof dish. Serve.

6 Servings.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Cheese, Starters, Vegetables Tagged With: , , ,
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