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Spaghetti ala Carbonara is so simple to make and you probably have all of the ingredients on hand. I have been thinking about my Dad a lot lately. He used to make Carbonara all the time. He wasn't a super experienced cook but he loved a good pasta dish to go with his nightly glass (or two or three) of wine. I too, love the flavors of the smokey bacon and pungent garlic with the tangy parmesan and the creaminess of the eggs. The freshness of the parsley and the spicy pepper are the perfect finishing touch. A hand held bowl of Carbonara on a cold winter evening is just right for the couch, a fire, a friend and a fond memory.. .1 lb dry spaghetti (or any pasta shape that you have in the pantry)
2 T extra virgin olive oil 1/4 lb bacon, cut into strips 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely 4 large eggs 1 c freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving freshly ground black pepper 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped sea salt Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm. While the pasta is cooking, get your sauce ready. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and sauté until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for just a minute to soften then turn off the heat and wait for the pasta to be done. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if needed. Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss briefly to coat the spaghetti in the bacon fat then pour the egg and cheese mixture into the pasta, tossing quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (remember your heat is OFF). Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, if needed, until it reaches desired consistency (mine didn't need any water but yours might). Season the carbonara with freshly ground black pepper and add salt to taste. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass the cheese please! For a spicier version add some red chile flakes. I paired mine with a beautiful glass of my favorite Sauvignon Blanc from Hatcher Winery, a local fave. Mexico has a colorful and delicious national dish called Chiles en Nogada. The colors of red, white and green mimic the Mexican flag and symbolizes faith, hope and charity. I think it could be the perfect dish for this holiday season! Easier than it looks and so beautifully presented, your friends and family will be delighted and their taste buds, joyous! 'Tis the season! Chiles en Nogada
6-8 poblano chiles,* roasted, seeded and deveined (easier than you think!) 1 lb ground pork 2-3 T olive oil 1 T butter 1/2 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 1/2 c crushed tomatoes 1/2 apple, diced (fuji or johnagold) 3 T dried fruits chopped coarsely (I used raisins, dried cranberries, and dried apricots; dried mangoes or dried peaches would be yummy, too, whatever is on hand) 1/4 c sliced, toasted almonds, crumbled 1/2 t cinnamon pinch of cloves salt and pepper One large pomegranate, seeded ** Heat 1 T olive oil in a frying pan and add the pork. Cook until browned and crumbly. Remove from heat, drain off any fat and set aside. In the same pan put in 2 T olive oil and the butter and saute the onions and garlic until soft, seasoning with 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper. Add the cooked pork, tomatoes, apple, dried fruits, almonds, cinnamon and cloves. Cook for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Taste for seasonings and set aside to cool. If the mixture seems too thick add a couple of tablespoons of water. Prepare the chiles (see below) and stuff with the filling. Just before serving, place the chiles on a sheet pan, cover with foil and heat at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. The sauce can be at room temperature or heat in microwave for 15-30 seconds until barely warm (traditionally it is served at room temp). Top a chile with the walnut sauce and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. YUM! Walnut Sauce 1 c shelled walnuts (supplied by my friend Nanette, I shelled mine but please buy, easier!) 3/4 c half & half 1/4 c sliced, toasted almonds (Trader Joe's has some already toasted lightly) 1/2 c mild goat cheese 2 T dry sherry 1/2 t salt 1/4 t cinnamon 1 t sugar Puree all ingredients in a blender. Add more half and half if the sauce is too thick. Set aside. *To roast the chiles: Open flame method: Place chiles directly over the gas flame or on a medium hot charcoal or gas grill. Roast, turning occasionally, until blistered and blackened on all sides but not soft, about 5 minutes. The broiler method: Lay chiles on a baking sheet set about 4 inches below a preheated broiler. Roast, turning occasionally until blistered and blackened on all sides but not soft, about 10 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to steam for about 10 minutes. Peel the charred skin off the chiles and rinse them if necessary. Make a long slit in the side of each chile and carefully remove the seeds and veins. Now they are ready to stuff! **Pomegranates are easy to seed, just split open by inserting a knife in the top and twisting. Put the whole thing in a bowl of water and separate the seeds underwater then pour off the water through a strainer. I love this method, it keeps you and your counter from all those red splatters! I am back from my time in Mexico but I have one last post from my travels to share with you. This is by far the best 'macaroni and cheese style' bake I have ever eaten. Who knew that if you add a serrano pepper and spinach to the mix that it would elevate it beyond the average attempt? Well, I guess Frida Kahlo did! Spicy Penne Pasta Bake 1 lb fresh baby spinach leaves 1 serrano chile, chopped coarsely salt + pepper, to taste 2 T unsalted butter 2 T flour 1 c hot milk 1 1/2 c heavy cream 1 lb macaroni (I used penne) 3/4 - 1 c grated parmesan Cook the macaroni in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain throughly. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook washed spinach (with the water that clings to the leaves) and the chile with a pinch of salt until limp. Cool for a minute and then pureé in a food processor. Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes without browning. Add the milk and cream, a bit of salt and pepper, stirring with a whisk to keep it smooth. Cook until thickened and then add the spinach pureé. Pour some of the sauce on the bottom of a buttered casserole dish. Add the macaroni and the remaining sauce. Top with the parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the top is brown and the casserole bubbly. Serves 6-8. I have been making this polenta recipe for over 35 years, the entire life of my catering career. My one time partner, Julie Girard Miller, swore me to secrecy when she gave up this rendition way back when we were cooking out of her Lafayette, California kitchen. I have never given the recipe out, until now. Forgive me Julie but it's just too good to keep quiet about any longer. It is easy to make for a few or a crowd and I have never come across anyone who does not love it. It is not the normal stand over the stove and stir for hours, kind of polenta, it cooks up in only a few minutes! In my catering, I typically pour the polenta into individual ramekins to form timbales, removing them when they firm up and then re-heating them for the event. Cooked in milk with a bit of butter, cream and cheese, well you get the picture...this polenta is warm, creamy and delicious. Served as a side dish in timbale form or in a large, wide bowl covered with homemade meatballs in Marinara, this recipe is going to be your new favorite comfort food dish. Creamy Polenta 2 c whole milk 4 T unsalted butter 1/2 c yellow cornmeal or polenta 1/4 c heavy cream 3 oz grated jack cheese 1/2 t salt 1/4 t pepper Have everything ready to add before you start to heat the milk. You won't have time later. I told you this was fast! Heat milk and butter until butter has melted. Add the cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking to avoid lumps. Stir for a few minutes until the cornmeal starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the cream, cheese and salt and pepper. Pour into buttered ramekins to un-mold and serve later, serve immediately or keep warm over a pot of simmering water until ready to serve. (you will need to add a bit more milk or a little water to smooth out the polenta if you let it cool in the pan. Just whisk in either until warm and smooth.) Roasted Meatballs in (store bought) Marinara 1 lb ground turkey (or beef sirloin) 1/2 lb ground pork 1/2 lb ground pork sausage (such as Jimmy Dean's) 1 3/4 c dry seasoned bread crumbs 1/2 c freshly ground Asiago cheese (2 ounces) 1/2 c freshly ground Italian Parmesan cheese (2 ounces), plus extra for serving 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 t Kosher salt 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 c dry red wine, Chianti is good 1/4 c good olive oil 2 (32-ounce) jars good marinara sauce, such as Rao's Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Place the turkey, pork and sausage in a large mixing bowl and lightly break up the meats with a fork. Add the bread crumbs, Asiago, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the eggs, wine and 1/4 c water, combine lightly but thoroughly. Measure out 2 oz portions of the mixture (a 1/4 c dry measure works great) and roll each lightly into a ball. Place one inch apart on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with the olive oil. Bake the meatballs for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly browned. Pour the marinara into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Carefully add the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes, until heated through. Spoon a puddle of creamy polenta to one side of a shallow pasta bowl then top with a few meatballs and tomato sauce. These meatballs are great over spaghetti too, just toss cooked spaghetti with olive oil, salt and pepper, put in a shallow pasta bowl and spoon the meatballs and sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan and serve hot. Serves 8 I have had it with the grainy, pasty tasting store bought ricotta! It is SO simple to make and the taste simply can’t compare. I will always make ricotta from scratch from now on and you should too! Spread it on crackers, use it for your lasagna, it’s simply fresh and delicious! Fresh Lemon Ricotta Cheese makes 2 1/2 cups 8 cups (1/2 gallon) best-quality whole milk 1 1/2 cups best-quality heavy cream 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons), strained to remove pulp zest of one lemon, optional Combine milk, cream, and salt in a 4- to 5-quart pot, and warm mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching, until mixture registers 195 degrees on a candy thermometer. It should take about 15 minutes. Add lemon juice, gently stirring until just combined. Remove pot from heat and let stand 5 minutes. The combination of the acid and the residual heat in the mixture will cause it to coagulate, or curdle — separating into a soft mass (curds) and a cloudy liquid (whey). After lining a mesh colander with a triple layer of cheesecloth and placing it inside a deeper, slightly larger bowl, gently pour curds and whey into colander. Let mixture stand, pouring off whey occasionally, until most of whey has drained from still-wet curds, 20 minutes. Gather up ricotta in cheesecloth and turn it out into a bowl. Add the lemon zest. Serve within a few hours, or refrigerate up to 4 days. For a denser ricotta, which can be preferable for baking, hang it to drain for another hour. Repurpose whey or discard it. (You can freeze the whey in ice cube trays and then add to your smoothies for extra protein!) Serve with crackers or sliced baguette topped with good olive oil and fresh thyme leaves or use it to make for this tasty, seasonal tart! Fresh Lemon Ricotta Asparagus TartSpring has finally arrived in the form of asparagus stalks in my garden. Well… it's not really MY garden but when there is an abundance of something growing, my neighbor and gardener friend Annie shares!!!! A handful of home grown asparagus was my inspiration for this seasonal and beautiful tart. Fresh Lemon Ricotta Asparagus Tart 1 puff pastry sheet 1/2 c ricotta, fresh if possible 1 egg, beaten 14-16 stalks of fresh, raw asparagus, trimmed 2 t grated lemon zest, omit if you added in above recipe 2 T pine nuts 1 t fresh thyme salt & pepper olive oil for drizzling Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay out one sheet of defrosted puff pastry on a greased pan and pinch the edges a bit to make a crust. Spread ricotta over the surface. Pour the egg evenly over the top of the cheese layer. Lay the asparagus over the egg. Sprinkle with pine nuts, fresh thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve with a green salad for a light lunch or add a poached egg on top for an elegant brunch dish. |
Cheers!As a caterer for over 30 years, I have established a reputation for consistently creating original menus inspired by the occasion and the season, presenting them with an ease and elegance uniquely my own. Fresh, locally-sourced ingredients are the basis of my creative “from scratch” menus, which range from the classically elegant to rustic and whimsical. Categories
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"Love your recipes! Pat made your avocado toast a few weeks ago, delish! I'm taking them to a party in a few weeks, although the mushroom crostata looks pretty darn good!"
—Thanks, Melody Archives
September 2020
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