Category: Entrees

Vegetarian Carbonara With Spinach

Servings: 4
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019816-vegetarian-carbonara-with-spinach?utm_source

This spinach-laden carbonara deviates from the standard by nixing two of its leading ingredients: custardy egg yolks, which create its silky texture, and cured meat, which delivers its salty punch. This egg-free version uses a combination of butter and starchy pasta cooking water to give the sauce body. A sprinkle of grated smoked Provolone or Gouda adds a bit of the earthy flavor that traditionally comes from guanciale or pancetta. The final coup? Adding greens: One entire pound of baby spinach may look like a gargantuan amount, but it wilts right into the pasta. Most importantly, don’t be shy with the black pepper: It adds a necessary dose of spice and heat.

Ingredients: 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound spaghetti
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh baby spinach
Red-pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
¾ cup grated Parmesan (2 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup grated smoked Provolone or Gouda (1 1/2 ounces)

Directions: 

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pot and heat over low. Add the butter and onion-garlic mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid is absorbed and sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt, plenty of pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using, and stir until spinach is wilted. Stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons smoked cheese. Finish with more black pepper, if desired.

Pasta Puttanesca

Servings: 4
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Source: https://www.davidlebovitz.com/recipe/pasta-puttanesca-recipe/

Use canned plum tomatoes if you can. Fresh tomatoes don’t lend the same flavor to this pasta. To get them to the right consistency for the tomato puree called for in the recipe, remove them from the can and crush them with a fork or by hand. Also note that the sliced garlic is added to the oil cold. If you add minced garlic to hot oil, it can burn very quickly.I always rinse capers, whether they are salt-packed or in brine. Then I squeeze them dry before using them. The brine has particular flavor that, to me, distracts from the capers. If using salt-packed anchovies, those should be rinsed as well. Anchovies packed in oil don’t need to be rinsed.You can start the pasta before you begin making the sauce, although if making this for the first time, it’s probably easier to make the sauce, set it aside, then rewarm it again before adding the warm pasta and a bit of the pasta water, until you get the rhythm down. Make sure to reserve some of the pasta water to finish the pasta in the tangy tomato sauce.

Ingredients: 

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
5-6 anchovy filets, minced
3 tablespoons capers, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup (40g) chopped, pitted black olives, preferably oil cured
1 3/4 cups (14oz can, 390g) tomato puree (see headnote)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
7 ounces (200g) dried pasta

Directions: 

1. Make the sauce by putting the olive oil, garlic, and minced anchovies in a large, wide skillet. Heat the pan over medium heat, cooking the garlic and anchovies, stirring frequently, until the garlic is lightly browned and the anchovies are very soft and almost melting, about 2 minutes.Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water to cook the pasta in.
2. Add the olives, capers, and red pepper flakes to the skillet, and stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Continue to cook, and stir, until the sauce is a deeper red color and the consistency of warm jam, which will take a couple of minutes. You want it wet and loose, but not watery. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. When the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook it until it’s al dente. Just before the pasta is ready, rewarm the sauce. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the water, and add the pasta to the sauce warming in the pan, as well as 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, stirring until the sauce coats the pasta and everything is heated through.

Serving: The pasta doesn’t really need any accompaniment so I don’t serve it with cheese or another else on top.

Storage: The sauce can be made 2-3 days in advance and refrigerated.

Variations: Some people add a bit of fresh, chopped parsley to the sauce, or dried oregano. I don’t, but you’re welcome to.

Chicken with Mustard

Servings: 4 to 6
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz

This one-pan meal is a perfect fit for your largest, most extravagant pot. This dish requires you to brown the thighs and legs. Unless you have a very large skillet or a Dutch oven, fry the chicken in batches—you want them to have room to brown, not steam, which overcrowding creates. This dish is best served with a tangle of Herbed fresh pasta, which is exactly the right vehicle for sopping up the delicious sauce, or celery root puree.

Ingredients: 

½ cup (135g), plus 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
4 chicken thighs and 4 legs (8 pieces, total)
1 cup (100g) diced smoked thick-cut bacon
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 cup (250ml) white wine
1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds or grainy mustard
2 to 3 tablespoons crème fraîche (page 327) or heavy cream
Warm water (optional)
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives, for garnish

Directions: 

Mix ½ cup (135g) of the Dijon mustard in a bowl with the paprika, a few generous grinds of the pepper mill, and the salt. Toss the chicken pieces in the mustard mixture, lifting the skin and rubbing some of it underneath.

Heat a wide skillet with a cover or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until it’s cooked through and just starting to brown. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan, discarding the rest. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the thyme, and let cook for another few minutes, and then scrape the cooked onion into a bowl.

Add a little bit of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and place the chicken pieces in the pan in a single layer. (If they don’t all fit, cook them in two batches.) Cook over medium-high heat, browning them well on one side, then flip them over and brown them on the other side. It’s important to get the chicken nicely colored as the coloring—as well as the darkened bits on the bottom of the pan, called the fond—will give the finished sauce its delicious flavor.

Remove the chicken pieces and put them in the bowl with the onions. Add the wine to the hot pan, scraping the darkened bits off the bottom with a sturdy flat utensil. Return the chicken pieces to the pan along with the bacon and onions. Cover and cook over low to medium heat, turning the chicken in the sauce a few times during cooking, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Check doneness by sticking a knife into the meat next to the thigh bone; if it’s red, continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, the mustard seeds, and the crème fraîche. If the sauce has reduced and is quite thick, you can thin it with a little warm water. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top and serve.

Spicy Tomato and Squid Pasta

Servings: 2 (recipe says 4, but it probably isn’t enough for 1 lb pasta)
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 45 min
Source: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/spicy-tomato-and-squid-pasta.html

I altered this recipe, and cooked the squid for 30 minutes *in the sauce*, so the flavor is preserved and it gets soft.

Note, there are variations on this at
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/calamari-fra-diavolo.html
and
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/linguine-with-spicy-calamari.html

Ingredients: 

3 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 tsp. anchovy paste or one filet
1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes with juice
Salt, to taste, plus 2 Tbs.
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. gemelli, fusilli or other spiral-shaped pasta
1 lb. cleaned squid, bodies cut into strips or rings

Directions: 

In a large fry pan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and 1 Tbs. of the parsley, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to color but not brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in the anchovy paste or filet and tomatoes and sauté until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper. Add squid and simmer for 30 minutes.

Gwyneth’s Chicken Burgers, Thai Style

Servings: 4
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Source: People Magazine, April 24, 2013

Ingredients: 

1 1b. ground chicken (preferably dark meat)
2 garlic cloves, very finely minced
½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 shallots, very finely minced
1 tsp. very finely minced red pepper, or red chili if you like it hot
2 tsp. fish sauce
½ tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. canola, grapeseed or safflower oil

Directions: 

1. Thoroughly mix the chicken with the garlic, cilantro, shallots, red chili, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 burgers, each about ¾-inch thick.

2. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Rub each burger on both sides with a bit of oil and grill for about 8 minutes on the first side and another 5 minutes on the second, or until nicely marked and firm to the touch.

Pasta with White Wine and Porcini Mushroom Sauce

Servings: 2
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 20 minutes,
Source: Spoon University, April 12, 2012

The “Pappardelle ai Funghi Porcini” is one of my favorite pasta dishes. It’s the perfect, elegant plate to present on a special occasion. The sauce is light and flavorful and the mushrooms add a wonderful, meaty texture. Though there are many variations to this dish, most add white wine to the mushroom sauce to compliment the porcini flavor perfectly. If available, try this recipe with a bit of truffle oil to add an amazing aroma and a unique flavor to an already incredible dish. Bring out the candles, and with this meal, it’ll be a night to remember.

Ingredients: 

7 oz of Pappardelle pasta or Tagliatelle
2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (equivalent to 1 packet found at Whole Foods)
2 tablespoons chopped shallots (or onions, if shallots are not available)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups Beef Broth
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley (optional)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. To rehydrate the mushrooms, place them in a bowl with two cups of water and let them soak for about 15 minutes.
Tip: They are ready when they are soft, have changed shape, and are moist2. Drain the water and wash mushrooms as you would with lettuce. (Since mushrooms grow in the ground, they can be very dirty. As you drain the water, you will see the dirt you are removing.)
2. Drain the water and wash mushrooms as you would with lettuce. (Since mushrooms grow in the ground, they can be very dirty. As you drain the water, you will see the dirt you are removing.).
3. In the microwave, heat the beef broth for about a minute.
4. Remove from microwave and add the mushrooms to the beef broth.
5. While the mushrooms are marinating, heat butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Lower heat if butter begins to boil or brown.
6. Once butter has melted, add the garlic and shallots.
7. When garlic begins to brown, add white wine to pan and bring to a simmer.
8. Add the beef broth (without the mushrooms!) into the pan and let simmer, stirring occasionally.
9. When the sauce has been reduced to half the original amount, add the mushrooms, and lower heat.
Tip: The sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat the pasta. If you feel like your sauce is too thick, add some water to the mixture.
10. While mushroom sauce is setting, boil a pot of water and add pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente.
11. Drain pasta and add it to the pan with the mushroom sauce. Toss pasta in pan, coating it in sauce. (Optional: add about 4 tbs of truffle oil to the pasta in this step)
12. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the parmesan and chopped parsley.

5. While the mushrooms are marinating, heat butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Lower heat if butter begins to boil or brown.
6. Once butter has melted, add the garlic and shallots.
7. When garlic begins to brown, add white wine to pan and bring to a simmer.

Cod Cakes

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Servings: 4 to 6 servings as a main course, 6 to 8 servings as an appetizer
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 1 hour, plus chilling
Source: Sam Sifton https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017976-cod-cakes

Cod cakes are terrific with cod, but can be made with any white-fleshed fish. Poach the fillets in bay-leaf-scented water, then flake the cooled meat into a New Englandish mirepoix of sautéed onions and celery. Eggs and cracker crumbs will help bind everything together below a drift of spice. Make sure to leave some time to chill the resulting patties in the refrigerator – the cold will help them set up so they don’t fall apart in the sauté pan. A light smear of mayonnaise on the exterior of the cakes before you fry them will encourage the most glorious crust. Serve with a thatch of green salad, a bowl of chowder or a neat pile of slaw.

Ingredients: 

4 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 lemon, cut into eighths
1 pound cod fillets, or other white flaky fish
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ribs celery, trimmed, peeled and diced
1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, Lawry’s Seasoned Salt or 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste
1 ‘‘sleeve’’ unsalted saltine crackers, crushed, or 1 heaping cup panko bread crumbs
½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
¼ cup neutral oil, like canola

Directions: 

Fill a shallow, wide pan with high sides with about an inch of water, and set it over high heat. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and 1 section of the lemon to the water, and allow it to come to a bare simmer. Place the fish into this poaching liquid, and cook, barely simmering, until the flesh has just begun to whiten all the way through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Using a wide spatula, carefully remove the fish from the water, and set aside to cool.

Empty the pan, and return it to the stove, over medium-high heat. Add the butter, and allow it to melt, swirling it around the pan. When the butter foams, add the celery, onions and garlic, and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent, then transfer them to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, salt, pepper and seasoning salt (or paprika and hot-pepper flakes), then add this mixture to the bowl with the sautéed vegetables, pour the crushed saltines or bread crumbs over them and stir to combine. Add the parsley, and stir again.

Flake the cooked fish into the binding sauce carefully, keeping the flakes as whole as you can manage, then gather them into small balls, and form them into patties, 4-6 for a main course, 6-8 for an appetizer. Place them on a sheet pan or platter, cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer them to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.

Set a large sauté pan over high heat, and add to it the neutral oil. When the oil is shimmering, remove the fish cakes from the refrigerator, and carefully sauté the patties until they are golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes a side. Work in batches if necessary. (A small smear of mayonnaise on the exterior of the patties will give them a crisp crust.) Serve them alone, or with greens dressed in a lemony vinaigrette, with the remaining wedges of lemon.

Broccoli Rabe and Potato Pizza

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Servings: 6 to 8
Preheat: 450
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Source: Fine Cooking Issue 145

Broccoli rabe and potatoes, a classic Italian combination, is even better topped with creamy, smoky mozzarella.

Ingredients: 

1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 1 cup)
2-1/2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary 12 oz. broccoli rabe, trimmed and finely chopped (about 7-1/2 cups)
All-purpose flour, for the pizza peel
1 lb. store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature
6 oz. coarsely grated mozzarella
4 oz. coarsely grated smoked mozzarella
4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 oz. finely grated Grana Padano (1/2 cup)

Directions: 

Position a pizza stone on a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 450°F.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the potato slices for 1 minute. Rinse under cold water, gently pat dry with paper towels, and set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat 2 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat. add the rosemary and cook, stirring often, until crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the broccoli rabe to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the stalks are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Generously flour a pizza peel or a large cookie sheet. Stretch the pizza dough on the peel to a 14-inch circle. Evenly distribute half of both mozzarellas over the dough, then half of the potatoes, half of the broccoli rabe, and all of the garlic, covering most of the surface. Crumble the fried rosemary leaves over the pizza. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, broccoli rabe, and mozzarella. Season with a pinch of salt and a few generous grinds of pepper, and carefully slide onto the pizza stone.

Bake until the crust is browned and the cheese is just melted, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven, top with the grana Padano, and drizzle with the remaining oil. Cool briefly and serve.

Phat Thai

Servings: 1
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: Pok Pok by Andy Ricker

SERVES 1 AS A ONE-PLATE MEAL !!!
I edited ingredients slightly to facilitate purchasing of common items.
Note, the tamarind water and palm sugar syrup can/should be made ahead of time and frozen.

Ingredients: 

SHRIMP AND SAUCE
1 tablespoon medium-size dried shrimp, rinsed and patted dry
3 tablespoon Tamarind Water, page 275
2 tablespoons plus ¾ teaspoon palm sugar simple syrup, page 275
1 ½ tablespoons Thai fish sauce

STIR FRY
2 ¼ ounces (dried “phat thai” noodles, soaked in lukewarm water for about 10 minutes
2 tablespoons rendered pork fat or vegetable oil
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 ¼ ounces extra firm tofu, cut into small pieces about 1” X ½“ X ¼“, about ¼ cup
1 tablespoon shredded salted radish, soaked in water 10 minutes then drained
2 ounces bean sprouts (about 1 cup, lightly packed)
2 ounces medium shrimp (about 4), shelled and deveined
¼ cup very coarsely chopped (about 1-inch lengths) garlic chives or scallions, plus a pinch or two for finishing
2 generous tablespoons coarsely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

TO SERVE ALONGSIDE
2 small lime wedges
fish sauce
granulated sugar
Vinegar soaked chiles
Toasted chile powder

Directions: 

TOAST THE SHRIMP AND MAKE THE SAUCE

Heat a small dry pan or wok over medium heat, add the dried shrimp, and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re dry all the way through and slightly crispy, about 5 minutes. Set them aside in a small bowl. Covered at room temperature, they’ll keep for up to 1 week.

Combine the tamarind water, simple syrup, and fish sauce in a small bowl and stir well. Measure ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons, discarding the rest.

SOAK THE NOODLES AND STIR-FRY THE DISH

Soak the noodles in lukewarm water until they’re very pliable but not fully soft, about 20 minutes. Drain them well and snip them into approximately 8-inch lengths just before stir-frying.

Heat 3 large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat (or a wok over vary high heat), add the pork fat, and swirl it to coat the sides. When it begins to smoke lightly, crack the egg into the center of the pan (it should spit and sizzle violently and the whites should bubble and puff). Add the tofu, radish, and dried shrimp beside the egg. If you’re using a skillet, decrease the heat to medium; if you’re using a wok, keep the heat very high.

Cook, stirring everything but the egg, until the edges of the egg are light golden brown, about 1 minute, then flip the egg (it’s fine if the yolk breaks), break the egg into several pieces with the spatula, and stir everything together well.

Add the noodles and bean sprouts, and stir-fry (constantly stirring, scooping, and flipping) until the noodles and bean sprouts have softened slightly; about 1 minute.

Add the shrimp, then stir the tamarind mixture once more and add it to the pan. Stir—fry, making sure the shrimp get plenty of time on the hot surface, until they are cooked through, just about all the liquid has evaporated, and the noodles are fully tender and no longer look gloppy or clumpy, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the chives and 1 tablespoon of the peanuts. Stir-fry briefly, then transfer it all to a plate, sprinkle on the remaining peanuts and chives, and serve with the lime wedges. Season to taste with the fish sauce, sugar, vinegar—soaked chiles, and chile powder.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Servings: 4
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 1.5 hours
Source: http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/grilled_pork_tenderloin.aspx

Brining makes for an incredibly tender and moist meat. A light coating of the Birch Island rub is perfect for grilling.

Ingredients: 

Brine
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 quart water

2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds total)

Dry rub
http://www.danderecipes.com/2016/06/19/birch-island-pork-shoulder-rub-and-sauce/

Directions: 

Brine the tenderloins
In a medium bowl, mix salt and sugar with 1 quart cool water until dissolved. Trim the tenderloins of excess fat and silverskin and submerge them in the brine; let stand about 45 minutes. Remove the pork from the brine, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry.

Season and grill
Rub the brined tenderloins all over with the dry rub just before grilling. Set up coals for indirect grilling. Position the pork directly over the hot coals, and cook (covered), turning once, until nicely seared on both sides. Move the tenderloins to the coolest part of the grill (over no coals), close the lid, and cook for 5 minutes more.