FARFALLE WITH ZUCCHINI AND RICOTTA

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Last week, after one particularly hectic day in the lab, I had no desire to stop at the grocery store on my way home. Instead, I improvised, using a few things in the fridge leftover from past culinary adventures: one reasonably large zucchini, half a container of ricotta cheese, and a Meyer lemon abandoned inside the fruit drawer.

FARFALLE WITH ZUCCHINI AND RICOTTA
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

farfalle pasta (or other favorite shape, enough for two)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 large zuchinni, ends removed, shredded
zest of half a Meyer lemon
juice of Meyer lemon
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
salt
coarsely ground black pepper to taste (don’t be shy!)

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan, add the shallot, season with salt, and cook until translucent. Increase the heat to high, and add the zucchini in a single layer. Do not touch it, allow it to cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes. Add the lemon zest, and stir the zucchini around. Add the black pepper, the ricotta cheese, stirring gently to form a sauce. Add the lemon juice, keep warm until the pasta is cooked al dente.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, reserving some of the cooking water. If necessary, add some of it to the farfalle/zucchini mixture. Heat everything together in low heat for a minute. Serve, with the optional grating of good parmigiano-reggiano on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love zucchini and ricotta cheese together (and a Meyer lemon will always be welcome), but I must say what really made this dish was…. the cracked black pepper! Italians know a thing or two about cooking, and their “cacio e pepe” pasta is a classic for excellent reasons. This dish reminded me of it, even with the other components fighting for attention with the “Piper nigrum“. 😉

Use as much pepper as you’ll be able to enjoy, and keep it on the coarse side. The little bits of peppery heat will make this simple meal quite special.

ONE YEAR AGO: Anchovies, the final frontier!

TWO YEARS AGO: Miche Point-a-Calliere

20Apr2012

A SECOND TASTE OF HOME COOKING

Posted in Beef, Pasta & Noodles, Pork by sallybr

On my most recent adventure in The Secret Recipe Club, I had a hard time deciding between two recipes from my assigned blog, “A Taste of Home Cooking”. I went with Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, but couldn’t wait to make possibility number 2, a recipe that took me straight back to my California days.

This might surprise you, but when I arrived in the US for the first time in 1986, both me and my former husband had zero experience with frozen dinners, as they didn’t exist in Brazil back then. We were amazed! Those cute little boxes ready to warm up and enjoy, so many options, so convenient! We went TV-dinner-crazy, trying all sorts of brands and styles of cuisine. Once the thrill of the novelty passed, we went back to our regular approach of home-cooked meals, but I never lost a soft spot for “Swedish Meatballs with Noodles”. That little frozen box, and Velveeta (there, I said it!) are a bit disturbing for a food blogger to love, but… I am guilty on both counts. I’ve got nothing to say in my defense about Velveeta, but I’m redeeming myself on frozen dinners with this home-cooked version of a favorite classic.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS AND EGG NOODLES
( from A Taste of Home Cooking, original recipe from Rachael Ray)

for the meatballs:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped (I used 1 shallot)
A few drops Worcestershire sauce (I used 1 tsp)
Salt and pepper

for the sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 cup beef broth
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup sour cream (I reduced to 1/4 cup)

1 bag wide egg noodles (I used fettuccine)
1 tablespoon butter

Heat the oven to 400 F.

Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl, and form bite-size balls, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, turning them midway through cooking time.

As the meatballs bake, boil water for the pasta and start preparing the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat, sprinkle the flour over it, and cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly add sherry and whisk until the sauce reduces by half. Add beef broth in a slow stream and continue stirring until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Turn off heat and add salt and pepper to taste, Dijon mustard and sour cream.

Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and toss with butter. Turn a low heat under the sauce to gently warm it, add the baked meatballs to the sauce, stir to coat, and serve over pasta.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a delicious meal, quick and simple to prepare. Next time, I will make two small adjustments: bake the meatballs slightly less, so they will be lighter in color, and use the full amount of sour cream in the sauce.

Just as I expected, this meal brought memories of my first few months in the US, when I could barely communicate in English, and struggled to adjust to a new environment. I had no idea that 26 years later I’d be writing a blog about it, especially because the term blog didn’t exist. 😉

If A Taste of Home Cooking is not on your list of blogs to visit, jump right over, she’s got a ton of great recipes to share!

ONE YEAR AGO: Italian Easter Pie

TWO YEARS AGO: Black Olive Bialy

22Feb2012

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Pasta & Noodles, Seafood by sallybr

A while ago I blogged about a special, romantic dinner for no particular reason other than…. it was Wednesday! This is another example of a meal to brighten up any frantic week, and make the evening feel unique and special. Phil was busy doing some carpentry work while I cooked, so he had no idea what would be on our menu. When I announced (as casually as I could) that dinner was served, he was in complete awe…
SCALLOPS AND BLACK PASTA IN ORANGE CREAM SAUCE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

10 sea scallops, preferably “dry”
salt and pepper
sugar
black spaghetti (squid ink)
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 minced shallot
zest of 1 orange
1 to 2 Tbs orange juice
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
dash of nutmeg
fresh parsley leaves, minced

Put a large pot of salted water to boil. Pat the scallops dry, and place them over paper towels to make sure any excess moisture is blotted out. Reserve.

On a medium size skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the shallots, seasoning lightly with salt and black pepper. When they are soft and getting a light color, add the orange zest. Saute for 1 minute, turn the heat off and close the pan.

Start cooking the black spaghetti, the amount you would normally make for you and your lucky partner. Depending on the thickness of the pasta and the brand, it should take about 8 minutes. While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet on high heat, add a smidgen of olive oil, and once the oil is very hot, pat dry the scallops once more, season them with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of sugar. Sear the scallops about 2 minutes per side, making sure the pan is not too crowded. Don’t touch them as they cook, they will release from the pan once a nice golden crust is formed. Reserve (or place in a very low oven – 200 F) to keep them warm).

As the scallops cook, finish the sauce. Heat the orange/shallot mixture, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream, season with a dash of nutmeg. Add 1/8 cup of orange juice and warm the sauce swirling the pan gently over medium low heat.

Once the pasta is cooked, remove a small amount of the cooking liquid, add the pasta to the orange-cream sauce, add some of the pasta water if necessary to thin the sauce. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the dish, and serve with the cooked scallops on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Black pasta is made by incorporating squid ink in the dough, so I like to serve it with seafood. It can be a bit tricky to pair with a sauce, but I opted for a mild, creamy sauce with a citric component. It worked very well.

This is a quick meal to put together, but it could seem a little rushed, as everything must come to a glorious end at the same time. If you feel insecure about multi-tasking, consider making the orange cream sauce before you do anything else. Start boiling the pasta, and sear the scallops when the pasta is midway through cooking. All you have to do is re-warm the orange sauce quickly, incorporate with the pasta and dinner is served! A salad to round out the meal, and you are ready to celebrate the fact that it’s Wednesday, and you love the person sitting across from you… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Stir-fried Chicken with Creamed Corn

TWO YEARS AGO: Potato, Cheddar and Chive Torpedo (this bread is a complete winner!)

13Feb2012

DAN DAN NOODLES

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Pork by sallybr

This is comfort food, Asian style. Udon noodles have a slightly denser and more chewy texture than regular pasta, or even buckwheat (soba) noodles, so a small portion should satisfy you. The recipe, published in Bon Appetit a few months ago, is very traditional in Szechuan cuisine. Its Chinese name, dan dan mian (担担面) comes from street vendors carrying baskets of noodles (mian), hanging from those long poles that balance on their shoulders (dan). The authentic version is quite spicy, so reduce the amount of chili oil if you prefer a fire a little tamer… 😉

DAN DAN NOODLES
(from Peter Chang, published in Bon Appetit, October 2011)

8 ounces udon noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces ground pork
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped peeled ginger
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons or less chili oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoon tahini
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
Pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons sliced scallions

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water until just tender (follow instructions on the package). Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again, and place in a large serving bowl (or divide the mixture in two for individual servings).

Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pork, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a couple of minutes (no need to fully cook the meat at this point). Add ginger; cook until pork gets lightly browned, about 2 minutes more. Stir in chicken stock, then add the chili oil, red vinegar, soy sauce, tahini, peppercorns, and a pinch of sugar.

Simmer everything together until the sauce thickens, about 7 minutes. Pour pork mixture over noodles; garnish with peanuts and scallions.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: If you don’t have Chinese peppercorns, simply omit them. I am the lucky owner of a bag of these peppercorns brought from China by a former graduate student in our lab. But, it’s also available online from many sources, including one of my favorite stores, The Spice House.

Usually, Phil and I agree on our assessment of a recipe. This time we didn’t. I loved it, he felt it was a tad too heavy and oily. Next time I might reduce the amount of oil used to saute the pork, and use peanut butter instead of tahini, dissolving it well in the other components of the sauce before adding to the pan.

The recipe made enough for our dinner, and I had leftovers for a light lunch a couple of days later. It is quite filling, but I still found myself glued to my chopsticks, going back to the serving bowl for one more taste…. and another…. and another…

ONE YEAR AGO: Sophie Grigson’s Parmesan Cake

TWO YEARS AGO: Antibiotics and Food

17Jan2012

EVERYDAY FOOD TO THE RESCUE

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Pork, Side dishes by sallybr

Last week, on a very busy day in which I had zero inspiration for cooking dinner, the daily email from Martha Stweart’s Everyday Food was a life saver. It arrived mid-morning as usual, and featured a grilled pork tenderloin with a simple soy-citrus marinade. I had a tenderloin in the fridge, and all ingredients needed for the marinade. Side dish? Orzo sounded great, so I searched for recipes on the same website, and one of the top choices was “Toasted Orzo with Olives and Lemon”. The clouds left the horizon, blue skies announced that my dinner blues were gone. And you’ll get both recipes in a single post! 😉

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SOY, GINGER, AND LIME
(adapted from Everyday Food)

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used grapeseed)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), trimmed of excess fat and silver skin

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, oil, and ginger. Add pork to the marinade, turning to coat well on all sides. Marinate in the fridge for several hours to overnight.

Remove meat from marinade, and pat it dry. Season it very lightly with salt, and grill for 7 minutes on a hot grill. Turn the meat to grill the opposite side, and grill for 6 minutes more. Without opening the grill, turn the heat off and let the meat stay inside for 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the grill, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

to print the recipe, click here

TOASTED ORZO WITH OLIVES AND LEMON
(adapted from Everyday Food)

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound orzo (1 + 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup slivered black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the orzo and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add 2 cups of water and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover, and simmer until orzo is al dente and liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in olives, parsley, lemon juice, and remaining tablespoons of olive oil, if desired (I omitted this step).

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: What a great dinner this was! Ready in less than 30 minutes, all I had to do was make the marinade at lunch time (but you can do it in the morning, if you don’t go home for lunch), and by the time we came home from work, dinner was a cinch to make.

I used the 7-6-5 grilling method for the pork tenderloin, because it works well with pretty much any type of marinade or dry rub. It is easy to take care of the rest of the meal when all you have to do is set a timer and move the meat around when it goes off.

Toasting the orzo is what makes this side dish so special. I’ve used a similar method before in one of the simplest and greatest recipes I’ve made last year, the “Carrot Nib Orzo”. If until now you’ve only treated orzo as a normal pasta, boiling in salted water, please try either of these recipes, you will be more than pleasantly surprised by the improvement in taste and texture.

ONE YEAR AGO: Weekend Pita Project

TWO YEARS AGO: Mandioca Frita 101 – Fried Yucca Root (Brazilian Food at its best!)