I
love a good salad. Especially one that can be made ahead. And in this day and
age when my favorite lettuce (romaine) is one day OK to consume, the next day a
health threat, I welcome a recipe like this. And this salad is just plain easy
to prepare. A simple dressing preparation using every day ingredients, a bit of
vegetative hacking and slashing, a recommended time out for the whole mess in a
cold environment, and your dinner salad is ready to enjoy. And the best part, this
dish basically compliments almost any entrée.
And
I guess I should also mention that this salad is darned delicious. And pretty
to boot! And who doesn’t like a bright and cheerful dish to grace your table.
And might I also add, this dish contains a lot of healthy ingredients. So you
can fill up on this salad without feeling guilty.
So
do yourself and your family a favor. Serve this lovely salad sometime soon. Or whip up this dish next time you are asked
to bring a salad to someone’s home. (That’s why I invented this recipe to begin
with. Thanks again Paul and Vivianna for another lovely dinner at your home.) Serve
the salad in a beautiful bowl and prepare to receive a lot of flattery. Then if
there are any leftovers, bring them home and enjoy more of this delicious
conglomeration next day. This salad actually doesn’t suffer from a couple days lingering
in your refrigerator. The dressing almost marinates the veggies, so they keep
very well.
So
be brave. Be daring. Be Italian. Be safe! Someday romaine will once again be a
food that can be trusted. (At least I hope it will!) In the meantime, you now have
a new alternative for a mixed green salad that should satisfy even the most discerning
palate. And you can make it ahead of time. And you can make it ahead of time.
(Worth repeating – so I did!) Peace and love to all.
¼
c. extra virgin olive oil
1½
T. red wine vinegar
1½
tsp. Dijon mustard
1
garlic clove, finely minced
½
tsp. kosher salt
freshly
ground black pepper
scant
½ tsp. dried oregano leaves
1
T. chopped fresh parsley
2
lg. English cucumbers, partially peeled, cut in half lengthwise, de-seeded, and
sliced ⅓ -inch thick
¼
small red onion, thinly sliced
¼-⅓
c. peperoncini slices, roughly chopped (I use Jeff’s Naturals Sliced Golden
Greek Peperoncini)
12-14
pimento stuffed green olives, sliced
20
oz. (or so) mixed red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
In
a salad bowl, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic,
salt, pepper, dried oregano, and parsley together.
Add
the cucumbers, red onion, chopped pepperoncini, sliced green olives, and
tomatoes. Toss gently to coat. Best if refrigerated for at least a couple of hours
before serving. Toss again just before placing on the table.
In my last post (Lemon
and Caper Sautéed Halibut Cheeks), I mentioned that I sometimes used kind of a
formula for cooking seafood and chicken when I wanted to prepare a simple entrée
without giving it too much thought. (The older I get, the lazier I’ve become. I’m
actually OK with that!)
Anyway, this is
another one of those recipes that almost wrote itself since I have been making
a version of this for just about forever. (Or as I am fond of saying – since God
was a child!)
It uses
ingredients I have on hand about 99% of the time. Even the shrimp, since I can buy
frozen 1 pound packages of large uncooked shrimp from my local IGA. And
shallots and fresh garlic play such a large part in my every day cooking, I
almost break out in hives if my supply even starts to get low. Same with all
the other star ingredients in this dish. I mean really, can you even imagine
being without fresh lemons or Parmesan cheese?!?! It boggles the mind!
So the other day when I was contemplating a dinner I could quickly fix and serve because Mr. C. had only a short window of time in which to grab dinner between rehearsals, I came up with this recipe. At about the same time I realized that I had yet to write out how I prepared this dish and share it with you. So behold – a dish that is ever so easy to prepare, and tastes like a million dollars. And I’m sorry it took me so long to get this recipe out to you. Shame on me!
On a serious note: Please understand. I was being quite flip about having all my favorite ingredients always at the ready. But I do understand, and fully appreciate that I am in the minority when it comes to even having enough food to eat. Much less being able to buy and consume any type of food just for the effort of driving to my local grocery store. But please know. I care a great deal about what is happening around the world to those less fortunate than myself. But one way I remain sane during these difficult times, is to interject a bit of levity into my writing and hope that in doing so I lift your spirits a bit too. Keep praying for peace. My love to all.
1 T. unsalted butter
1 small shallot,
peeled and finely chopped
3 lg. cloves
garlic, finely minced
1 lb. lg. raw shrimp, peeled with tails removed
½ tsp. kosher
salt
freshly ground
black pepper
¼ tsp. crushed
red pepper flakes (optional if you can’t stand the heat)
¼ c. chicken or
fish stock
¼ c. dry white
wine
zest of 1 lg.
lemon
2 T. fresh
lemon juice
6 oz. pasta,
cooked al dente in salted water
1 T. chopped
fresh parsley
¼ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the butter
in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and sauté
for 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and
sprinkle with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the
shrimp are pink on both sides and no longer opaque.
Add the chicken
stock, wine, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let cook for a minute or two to allow
the sauce to boil down a bit. Remove from heat.
Stir in the
cooked pasta, adjust seasoning, and serve immediately topped with the parsley
and Parmesan cheese.
Lessons I have learned about cooking pasta: Perfectly cooked pasta is actually one of the most important parts of this or any other pasta dish. (And please don’t let the time directions on the pasta package be your only guide for cooking pasta to the al dente stage. Biting into the pasta is still the best way to tell if your pasta is done to your liking.)
So stir your lightly boiling pasta frequently and taste often. Then drain immediately and add the still hot pasta to your sauce. Or for cold pasta dishes, pour the pasta into a colander and run cold tap water over the colander until every bit of the pasta is cooled. Then let the pasta drain and use it immediately or refrigerate until needed.
When your dish calls for hot pasta:
Never make your al dente pasta (or molto al dente pasta if your pasta dish is not
going to be served almost immediately) sit in its cooking water or having been
drained, sit in a colander while you finish your sauce. If anything, make the
sauce wait for the pasta to become al dente. Then quickly drain the perfectly
cooked pasta and add it to your sauce. Or do like I do, and lift the pasta out
of the cooking water with a fine meshed strainer or pair of tongs and transfer
it directly to the sauce. Also, don’t forget to save at least a cup of the
pasta water. You might need some of the starchy water to thin your sauce to
desired thickness.
When your dish calls for cooled pasta:
(like for a pasta salad)
As soon as your
pasta is perfectly cooked, pour it into a colander in your sink. Turn on the
cold water, and let it flow until all of the pasta is cool to the touch. Then
either refrigerate the cooked pasta or use it immediately in whatever dish you
are preparing.
This is a low fat
recipe. Both the meatballs and the sauce are basically good for you. Now what
you serve them on can be a different story. But I’ll get to that later. For now
let’s just concern ourselves with the meatballs and sauce.
First the
meatballs. What can I say except I probably have never met a meatball I didn’t
like. OK, that’s not true. Let me re-state that. I have never met a homemade meatball I didn’t like. I have
unfortunately met quite a few mass produced meatballs that, well frankly, I
wouldn’t give to a dog. (And I’m not crazy about dogs.)
But homemade
meatballs. Ahhhhh. They are routinely delightful. And these ground turkey
meatballs are no exception. Thanks to the Culinary Hill web site for this
terrific meatball recipe.
Now on to the
marinara sauce. This is my “go to”, never fails me, always loved by one and
all, never to be changed, simple, always in style, Italian to the core, decades
old recipe for marinara sauce. (If that description doesn’t win you over, I
haven’t a ghost of a chance of converting you to my thinking, so leave this post
immediately.)
But if you are
still with me, this is the sauce for you.
Now onto what to
serve these delightful meatballs and this incredible sauce on. (And yes I know
not to ever, ever end a sentence with a dangling participle. But shucks, I only
minored in English in college, so cut me some slack!) Anyway…..
If you are truly
concerned about healthy eating, you can always serve these meatballs and this
sauce on spaghetti squash, quinoa, black beans, or shirataki noodles. (Haven’t tasted
shirataki noodles myself, but what I have read scares the heck out of me, so you
will have to venture into this uncharted territory with someone else as your
guide.) But if you are like me, and want to stick to the real reason meatballs
and sauce were invented in the first place, let’s talk pasta. (And yes I know,
pasta gets a lot of bad press.) But from everything I’ve read and heard, foods
we eat affect our blood sugar. And since pasta is a high carbohydrate food, diabetics
particularly need to watch portion sizes so their blood sugar levels don’t
spike.
But pasta itself
is a lower glycemic index food. And eating food with a lower glycemic index can
help keep blood sugars more stable than eating foods on the higher glycemic
index scale. So here’s the good news. Cooking pasta al dente, which I always
recommend, helps keep blood sugar in better control. Plus, when pasta is cooked
al dente, it remains firmer for better texture, mouth feel, and taste. So for
those of you who are especially concerned, but don’t want to entirely give up pasta,
always cook pasta al dente, if not
molto al dente, and reduce the quantity you normally consume.
For more
information, go on line. There is more information about pasta being OK (within
limits) than you can ever hope to read. Also there are some great articles on
how to cook pasta al dente. Actually molto al dente is best when you are adding
the pasta to a sauce. I recommend an article written by Alex Delany for Bon Appétit magazine – December 14, 2017. Good
information.
I hope you enjoy these recipes. Happy eating everyone.
Meatballs Recipe:
½ c. finely minced
onion
3 garlic cloves,
finely minced
1/3 c. minced
fresh parsley
2 lg. eggs
2 tsp.
Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. dried
basil
½ tsp. dried
oregano
1 tsp. seasoned
salt
freshly ground
black pepper
1 c. rolled oats
2 lbs. ground
turkey or chicken (93% lean)
extra virgin
olive oil
In a large bowl,
combine the onion, garlic, parsley, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano,
seasoned salt, and pepper.
Stir in the oats
and ground turkey. Mix well, but don’t over work the meat. Using a small ice
cream scoop, plop meatballs on a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. Using a
pastry brush, gently slather each meatball with olive oil.
Bake the meatballs
in a pre-heated 400 degree oven until browned and cooked through, about 15 to
20 minutes (an internal thermometer should read 155 degrees). Remove from oven
and use immediately, or allow to cool and refrigerate or freeze.
To freeze the meatballs:
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, not touching. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and store up to 1 month.
Marinara Sauce Recipe:
2 T. extra-virgin
olive oil
½ c. chopped
onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-oz.) can
chopped or diced tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)
1 bay leaf
pinch crushed red
pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried
oregano (I use Mexican oregano)
½ tsp. kosher
salt
freshly ground
black pepper
3 T. chopped
fresh basil leaves
1-2 T. butter,
opt.
In a large
covered sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté
until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an
additional minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt,
and pepper. Stir to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover,
and simmer for about 30 minutes. (Take the lid off part way if the sauce is too
thin or allow to gently burble away until the sauce reaches your desired
thickness.) Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, add the basil, and adjust
seasoning. If the sauce tastes acidic, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time to
round out the flavor.
OK, I know I am probably
alone here, but I actually like homemade pizza better than 90% of the pizza
found in restaurants. The 10% that I like better is baked in Italy but I simply
can’t afford to fly to Rome every time I get a pizza craving! No duh!!!! And I
have to admit; the part about actually being in Italy probably has something to
do with my feeling that the best pizza is made there. I do so love Italy!
Now of course, intrinsic
to my preference for homemade pizza I include the fact that I have friends who
make incredible pizza in and outside of their own homes. Our dear friends Chip
and Linda who own the Quillayute River Resort* in Forks, WA have an Italian
pizza oven in their home. And Chip is a master bread baker. So between the
amazing crust that he prepares from scratch and the oven that is designed for
the purpose, Chip’s pizzas are amazing. And our great friend Tim in Anacortes
also prepares fantastic pizzas. He actually bakes his creations on his grill.
Fabulous.
But I do neither.
I use my oven. I crank the sucker up to 475 degrees, bake the pizza on the
bottom rack, and use the convection setting. That’s as far as I am willing to
go to insure tasty pizza. I simply can’t foresee a real pizza oven in my
future. And if I tried baking pizza on our grill, I would either burn myself or
worse yet, burn down the house. (I am not a grill queen. And I don’t want to
task Mr. C. with a grill assignment I am unwilling to try myself. We have our
positive attributes, but mechanical aptitude is not one of them! Two spatulas,
hot flames. Not going to happen!) So we are stuck with pizza ala Chez Carr.
In my opinion, the
first thing about any good pizza is the crust. And I happen to like thin crust.
I want it to have flavor, but not so much that it detracts from the rest of the
ingredients. The second thing I think is essential to the overall appeal of a
pizza is the sauce. For years I would make a tiny bit of sauce and spread it on
very lightly. Wrong! The sauce is important. It should be very flavorful and should
not be used sparingly.
The next
ingredient that is super important – cheese. Gotta have plenty of cheese or why
bother?
And then
pepperoni, Italian sausage, chopped onion, black olives, mushrooms, and bell
pepper. What is not to like in this combination? For me it is the very definition
of pizza. But I live with a guy who likes pesto sauce or a white pizza sauce,
so I am going to be trying out recipes with more contemporary ingredients in
the next few months. If you have a favorite I would love to hear from you.
But in the meantime, give this recipe a try. Your kids will love it. They won’t even notice the whole grain flour in the crust. They might not like the extra onions or bell pepper pieces. But the great thing about pizza is that you can add ingredients to one part of the pizza, and leave them off the other side. Everyone gets what they want and everyone is happy. Now how often does that happen with any other dish? Bon appetito!
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust:
¾ c. + 1 T.
lukewarm water
1 pkg. or
1 scant T. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. whole-wheat
pastry flour
1 c. bread flour
½ tsp. kosher
salt
extra virgin
olive oil
Place water,
yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir with your bread hook. Let
stand until the yeast has dissolved and starts to look bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Stir in whole-wheat flour, most of the 1 cup of the bread flour, and the salt
until the dough begins to come together. Add enough remaining flour to make a smooth,
elastic ball of dough that pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl, about
4 to 5 minutes.
Pour a small
amount of olive oil over the dough and turn to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen
tea towel or plastic wrap. Let sit for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Punch down. While the dough rises, prepare the pizza sauce and get the topping
ingredients ready.
When the dough is ready, punch it down. Spread it out on a lightly greased large pizza pan or baking sheet. Spread the dough as thin as possible. Form a small rim by pinching edge of dough.
Stir all ingredients together until thick and smooth.
Pizza Toppings: (my favorite)
sliced
or shredded mozzarella cheese (about ¾ lb.)
1
lb. crumbled cooked bulk Italian sausage
1
lb. pepperoni slices
½
c. chopped onion
¾
c. halved black olives
1
c. sliced mushrooms
½
of a bell pepper, chopped
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
Pizza Assembly:
Spread
the pizza crust with a nice thick layer of pizza sauce. (Lots of sauce is best!
If you don’t use it all, put the rest in the freezer for the next time you get
a pizza craving or make marinara sauce.)
Spread
about a third of the mozzarella over the sauce, then add the other topping
ingredients. Finish with the rest of the mozzarella and the grated Parmesan.
Bake
in a pre-heated 475 degree oven on the lowest rack for 12-14 minutes or until
the cheese is bubbly and the crust is browned. Let sit for 3-4 minutes before
slicing.
And of course you can change topping amounts, add or delete toppings, do whatever you want to your hearts content. Other topping ingredients we enjoy – sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and anchovy fillets (when we are feeling worthy).
*Quillayute River Resort
Nestled in a secluded forest by the Quillayute River, this relaxed, all-suite resort is 7 miles from La Push Beach and 16 miles from Bogachiel State Park.
The cozy 1-bedroom suites feature full kitchens with vintage-style appliances, as well as living areas with fireplaces and pull-out sofas. All have satellite TV, free Wi-Fi and heated bathroom floors, plus covered porches with river views and BBQ grills.
Each of the five riverside housekeeping suites have a comprehensively-equipped kitchen with charming, completely refurbished 1950s era appliances, and new pots, pans, dishes, and utensils – everything you need. Kitchens also come equipped with toasters, blenders, electric hand mixers, microwaves, coffee makers, coffee, salt, and pepper.
Bedrooms have either 2 double beds or 1 King size bed, DISH TV with ESPN, and DVD/CD players. Other amenities in all the suites include DSL Internet connections, clock radios, telephones, and a collection of books for the non-electronically inclined.
Relax in the comfort of your living room while you watch the river flow and cozy up next to the fireplace.
Bathrooms are equipped with heated tile floors, hair dryers, full-size bathtubs, and EO Products – Organic Skin and Hair Care Products soaps, bath gels, and lotions.
Each suite has its own set of deck chairs and a charcoal barbeque on the covered porch overlooking the river. Each suite is also separated from the next by an enclosed garage.
Yesterday morning when I asked Mr. C. what he would like for dinner his immediate response was pasta. Big surprise! And since it was Valentine’s Day and I was receptive to the idea, I decided to honor my dear husbands request and a pasta dish would be on our dinner table that evening. But what kind of pasta? Then I remembered that I had a package of smoked salmon in the refrigerator. So then – smoked salmon pasta seemed the likely choice with some grilled or baked asparagus on the side. But wait! How about adding asparagus to the pasta and serving a nice green salad on the side? So to the internet I proceeded.
And
what do you know! I was not the first person to think of adding asparagus to a
pasta dish. So taking hints from several posted recipes, and borrowing
ingredient ideas from a smoked salmon tortellini recipe I had on file, I came
up with this dish.
Now, the first thing I liked about this dish when I dug into it last evening was the creaminess. Then the little bit of tang from the lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine, and capers hit my palate. And finally, the smoky and savory flavor of the salmon caught up. The result was a quite complex and satisfying blend of yumminess.
So if you too love smoked salmon and like to feature it as an ingredient, I recommend that you give this recipe a try. It’s very easy to prepare and can easily be assembled even on a work night. And good enough for company? You bet. Serve it with a crunchy green salad and Garlic Toast (recipe on site) and your guests will forever thank you for all the effort you went to on their behalf. (You need not tell them the ease of preparation on this dish. That can just be our little secret.) Cheers!
2
T. olive oil
1
lg. shallot, finely chopped
10
asparagus spears, bottom ends trimmed off; top ends cut on the diagonal into
1-inch pieces
2
lg. cloves garlic, minced
¼
c. dry white wine
1
small lemon, zested and juiced
¼
tsp. kosher salt
freshly
ground black pepper
1
c. whole milk
8
oz. (lg. pkg.) cream cheese, room temp., cut into large chunks
2
T. drained capers
2
T. minced fresh parsley
8
oz. smoked salmon, roughly chopped or torn into bite sized pieces
8 oz. linguini, fettucine, or spaghetti cooked al dente (save some of the cooking water)
2 T. chopped fresh chives, opt.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the
shallot and asparagus; sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic
and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and cook until all the moisture is
evaporated. Add the lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper.
Stir in the milk and bring to a simmer. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Add the capers, parsley, and salmon. Bring to just under a boil. Add the cooked pasta and some of the pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency. (I used about a cup last evening.) Serve sprinkled with chives.
In
my humble opinion, there is absolutely nothing yummier than a big old tasty
salad. And this modified recipe from Grace Parisi via the Food and Wine
magazine is as close to a bowl of healthy heaven as I can get. And this recipe
has the added advantage of being easy to build and all components can be
prepared or cleaned and chopped ahead of time. So – perfect for a dinner party
or large gathering. Of course assembly required at the last minute. But if
everything is ready to go, tossing all the ingredients in a bowl is not that
big a deal.
Now
about the flavor. Oh gosh. It is so very delicious. There is crunch from the
romaine, celery, and red onion. The olives and peperoncini give the salad a
nice kick without being too hot or spicy. So all and all a delightful burst of
goodness with every bite.
So give this salad a try. You will not be disappointed.
1
garlic clove, finely minced
¼
tsp. kosher salt
2
T. mayonnaise
2
T. red wine vinegar
½
tsp. dried oregano
freshly
ground black pepper
¼
c. extra-virgin olive oil
1
lg. romaine heart, chopped
¼
head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1
lg. celery stalk, thinly sliced
¼
small red onion, thinly sliced
½
c. halved cherry tomatoes
1/3
c. canned green olive slices
1/3
c. peperoncini slices
¾ c. shaved or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Smash the minced garlic and salt together with the flat side of a knife. Place in a covered container and add the
mayonnaise, vinegar, oregano, and pepper. Add the olive oil and either whisk
together or shake well to combine. (If you are making ahead, cover container
and refrigerate until about half an hour before you plan to use.)
When ready to serve, toss the romaine, iceberg lettuce, celery, red
onion, cherry tomatoes, green olives, peperincini, and Parmesan together in a
large salad bowl. Pour on enough dressing to make the lettuce leaves shiny, but
not so much that the lettuce gets soggy when tossed. (In other words, less
dressing is better than too much.) Serve immediately.
So here I am at my local QFC (Quality Food Center) in front of the fresh seafood case contemplating buying some of the beautiful large fresh scallops. When next thing you know I hear the fellow next to me order some of the shrimp that are on sale. Wait – I know that voice! It’s Frank, one my neighbors who also happens to be a good friend. After we greet each other, our conversation immediately turns to his decision to buy some of the shrimp. If I remember correctly, he had previously purchased the same type of shrimp and was eager to buy more. So, never being one to not take a hint from someone who appreciates good food, I decided to buy some of the shrimp and still remain faithful to my first choice. So I bought a few of the scallops too. I figured I could decide how to prepare these beauties when I got home.
I remembered that
I already had 3 wonderful recipes for this glorious seafood combination (Shrimp
and Scallop Ceviche, Spicy Risotto with Scallops and Shrimp, and Seafood
and Fried Tofu Lo Mein) in my repertoire. But I was in the mood for a pasta
dish. (When am I not in the mood for a pasta dish?) So I did a little research,
took some bits and pieces from other creamy sauced pasta dishes that I prepare,
and came up with this recipe.
And oh my! The
pasta was delectable. We both loved it. In fact, we almost came to fisticuffs
over the leftovers the next day. (Not really of course, but the pasta was just
that good!)
So next time you pay a visit to your local fishmonger, buy some large shrimp and a few fresh scallops. Then make this pasta dish. Serve the pasta with a simple green salad, and if you are feeling terribly worthy, treat yourself to some garlic toast too. (See recipe below.) You may thank me later! Buon Appetito
2 T. unsalted butter, divided
1 T. vegetable oil
6-8 lg. sea scallops, patted dry with paper
towels
1 lb. lg. uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut in half
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
paprika
2 shallots, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 T. flour
1/3 c. dry white wine
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. whole milk
½ lb. spaghetti or fettuccini, cooked al dente (actually use any pasta shape you want)
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. finely chopped Italian parsley, garnish
Heat 1 tablespoon
of the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Add the scallops, making sure they
are not touching each other. Sear the scallops for 1½ minutes on each side. The
scallops should have about a ¼-inch golden crust on each side while still being
translucent in the center. Remove from pan and place in a bowl. Once the cooked
scallops have cooled a bit, cut them into the same sized pieces as the cooked
shrimp. (I use my cooking scissors.)
Add the shrimp to
the pan. Lightly
season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook 1-2 minutes or just until fully
cooked and no longer translucent. (They should be pink on the outside and
opaque white on the inside.) Don’t overcook or they will be tough. Remove
shrimp to another bowl or the same bowl with the scallops if they have been cut
to size.
In same pan, melt
the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté shallots until translucent. You
do not want them to get brown, so go easy. Stir in the garlic and sauté another
minute.
Whisk in the
flour and let cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the wine lifting all the bits on the
bottom of the pan during the process.
Whisk in the cream
and milk; simmer for 2 min. Remove pan from heat and stir in the grated
Parmesan cheese, cooked seafood, and hot, just cooked fettuccini noodles*. (I
lift the noodles right out of the boiling water with a pair of tongs and add
them to the sauce.) Toss until everything is combined, adjust seasoning, then
serve immediately sprinkled with fresh parsley.
*Reminder: Never make the cooked noodles wait for the sauce. The sauce can wait. Perfectly cooked pasta is always the number one priority. (At least in my book!)
GARLIC TOAST
4
T. unsalted butter (½ stick), room temperature
2
medium garlic cloves, minced
2
tsp. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
½
tsp. kosher salt
½
of a crusty Italian or French baguette, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut
into serving size pieces
Place
the butter, garlic, parsley, and salt in a small bowl and mix with a table fork
until well blended. Place the bread on a baking sheet, crust side down. Spread
the butter mixture evenly over all of the pieces.
Bake
the bread in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the top
is a nice golden brown.
Yesterday was devoted to stripping our trailer of our travel clothes, dirty towels, perishable items, cameras, binoculars, and other assorted “things” after our recent trailer trip to Yosemite National Park. (A couple of pictures at end of blog if you’re interested.)
By the time we had finished with the trailer, and gone to the grocery store for a few staple items, the last thing I wanted to do was spend a bunch of time in the kitchen preparing dinner. Plus Mr. C. had a homeowner’s board meeting last evening so I was under a time crunch.
While I was at the store, I happened to have picked up 4 beautiful Portobello mushrooms, a package of Italian sausage, and a fennel bulb. So while putting away the groceries when we got home, I decided to make something using these three ingredients. I already had a lovely recipe for stuffed Portobello mushrooms on this blog, (Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms) but when I looked it over, I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand. And I sure as heck wasn’t going back to the grocery store. So I sat down at my computer and came up with this version. We loved the mushrooms, so now you are up-to-date with not only our lives, but part of the reason this recipe is now being posted.
A couple other reasons this recipe made the cut, and believe me, about 30% of my culinary endeavors never get posted, is that the mushrooms were easy to prepare and only took me about 35 minutes to get them in the oven. That time even included getting the white rice going in the rice cooker. (And no, I don’t usually serve white rice, but I was in a hurry last evening. And steamed white rice takes less time and effort than almost any other side dish. Sometimes you just have to cut yourself some slack! And last night was one of those times.)
So I would recommend that you give this recipe a try. The filling is perfect with the delicious taste of the mushrooms. (Sweet Italian sausage and fresh fennel are simply a match made in heaven.) Add a little white wine, garlic, and Parmesan, and truly, what’s not to like? Buon Appetito
And for those of you who possess enquiring minds, the steamed white rice was ideal with the stuffed mushrooms. Of course it was!
4 lg. Portobello mushroom caps
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage
½ med. yellow onion, chopped
1 chopped fennel bulb
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 c. dry white wine
1 T. finely minced fresh parsley
4-6 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
non-stick cooking spray or butter, for greasing the baking pan
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
Using a slightly damp paper towel, wipe the mushroom caps removing any dirt. Cut the stems off and finely chop. Set aside. Use a spoon to remove the dark gills on the underside of the mushroom caps. Discard gills and set mushroom caps aside.
In a large fry pan, heat the olive oil, break up the sausage, and cook until only a small bit of pink remains. Add the chopped mushroom stems, onion, and fennel. Cook until both the onion and fennel are starting to soften. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, wine, and parsley; cook for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in the cream cheese.
Place the mushrooms in a greased baking dish. Evenly divide the sausage mixture as you stuff the mushrooms. Top each stuffed mushroom with Parmesan cheese.
Place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the Parmesan cheese is crisp on top. Serve immediately.
Yosemite – Half Dome from Glacier Point
Interesting “fossil” in front of interesting rock formation
OK, I know you can’t find castelvetrano olives just anywhere. But, if you have a Costco near you, Costco is your best bet. Of course if you live in the Seattle area, you can almost always find these little green gems at PFI. Don’t know about PFI, well you are about to learn about a great resource for all things delicious.
How best to describe how to get to PFI (Pacific Food Importers) from here. Since I am writing this post from Castle Rock State Park in Almo, Idaho (southern Idaho near the City of Rocks National Reserve and the Utah border) finding an address right now without internet access is impossible. So I am going to postpone any further writing until I get to a park with internet access.
Wells, finally – internet at my disposal. (Now writing from Wells, Nevada. Home of some of the most scenic mountain drives and hikes you could ever experience. Who knew?!?!) But back to PFI……
First thing you need to know is that PFI is not a fancy place. So don’t think you are going to a Central Market or Whole Foods type of store. Think absolute opposite! It’s a small hole-in-the-wall, warehouse type facility at the bottom of an alley just south of the International District, next to what used to be the Immigration Office (complete with a barbed wire fence) and just east of the railroad tracks and Safeco Field. Like I said, not a glamorous location. But, to me this place is mecca. The address is 1001 6th Ave So #B, Seattle 98134
But enough about PFI, and back to this recipe.
Whenever I want an appetizer that works with just about any type of food, I make a tapenade. First of all, tapenade is easy to make. Plus I almost always have the ingredients on hand. And of course the most important reason to serve this fabulous appetizer is that it is just plain delicious.
So get yourself some olives, and make this spread at your earliest convenience.
And sorry to those of you who have been waiting for this recipe. I’ve been seeing the wonderful states of Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon with Mr. C. and Pull-Winkle. (See picture of Pull-Winkle at bottom of post.)
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3-4 anchovy fillets
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
pinch dried thyme
1½ c. pitted castelvetrano olives
1 T. drained capers
In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil and garlic. Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic starts to soften. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Combine the cooled olive oil, garlic, anchovy fillets, lemon juice, a couple grinds of black pepper, and dried thyme in a food processor. Process until thoroughly pulverized. Add the olives and capers and pulse until they are coarsely ground. (Do not over process. You don’t want a paste.)Store in a lidded glass container. Refrigerate.
Well, sometimes the stars appear to be in proper alignment and events happen that turn out to be delightful. Mr. C. and several other wonderful musicians in the area were on the faculty of a jazz camp being held at nearby Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center.
And the day before yesterday, Mr. C. happened to be free from about 4:00 in the afternoon until 9:00 pm when he was to accompany 2 of the 3 student (average age 70+) ensembles. Happened our good friend Todd was playing the same gigs and free at the same time. So Mr. C. called me and asked if he could bring a friend home for dinner? Of course! Then I found out it was Todd. That made it even better!
I warned both guys that I was testing a new recipe, but they both agreed that being guinea pigs was just fine with them. (What good sports!)
Anyway, I lucked out. The pasta turned out to be very tasty. And even using 4 cloves of garlic, the over all flavor was subtle, delicate, and delicious.
I got the idea and bones for this recipe from the Recipe Critic site. I changed a few amounts, added a couple of ingredients, and the results were acclaimed by both guys.
So if you need a very simple, but guest-worthy dish to serve some evening when you don’t have a lot of time, I would offer this recipe as a happy solution. All you need to accompany this dish is a green veggie or a simple green salad. Although, garlic bread would always be a delectable addition. That, and a bottle of chilled dry white wine.
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
10-12 sliced button mushrooms
2 T. cognac or brandy, opt.
¼ c. unsalted butter
1 med. shallot, finely minced
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 T. all-purpose flour
½ c. chicken broth
1 c. heavy cream or half & half
¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for passing at table
1 c. chopped baby spinach, or more to taste
6 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked al dente
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy frying pan. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook just until done (no longer pink). Remove to a bowl. Set aside. Add the sliced mushrooms to the fry pan and cook for a few minutes until tender and slightly browned. Take off heat and add the cognac. Remove the mushrooms to the same bowl with the chicken. Set aside.
Melt the butter in the same pan in which you cooked the chicken and mushrooms. Add the shallot and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and keep stirring for 2 minutes.
Whisk in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the reserved chicken and mushrooms, including any juices at the bottom of the bowl.
Stir in the spinach and let the sauce simmer until the spinach wilts and all the ingredients are hot.
Add the freshly cooked al dente pasta. Serve immediately. Pass additional Parmesan cheese.
Note: This is one of those recipes where it is advisable to prep all your ingredients ahead of time. The actual cooking of this dish takes very little time. So being all prepped is the wise choice.
