Pasta, Vegetarian

Pasta with Fried Lemons

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PASTA WITH FRIED LEMONSPasta with Fried Lemons

This is adapted from a Melissa Clark recipe in the New York Times. No garlic or onion – the lemon acts as an aromatic for this simple sauce.
PASTA WITH FRIED LEMONS
Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. linguini
  • 3 lemons
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • A pinch of sugar
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • Red pepper flakes to taste
  • ½ cup chopped parsley
  • 2/3 cup of grated Parmigiano cheese
Start a large pot of salted water for the pasta.
Finely zest one of the lemons and set aside. Cut the tops and bottoms off the remaining two lemons and stand on end. Cut them into four quarters and thinly slice each quarter into triangles. Blanch the lemon slices for two minutes in a small pot of boiling water. Set them aside on paper towels and blot dry.PASTA WITH FRIED LEMONS
Heat the oil in a large pan and add the dry lemon slices. Add salt, black pepper and a pinch of sugar. Cook for a few minutes until the edges brown and remove them.PASTA WITH FRIED LEMONS
Add the butter, lemon zest, red pepper and a half cup of pasta water to the pan. Mix in the drained pasta and coat with the sauce. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley, lemon wedges and cheese. Serve with additional cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
PASTA WITH FRIED LEMONS

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Miscellaneous

Pan Roasted Filet with Cherry Tomatoes

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Pan Roasted Filet with Cherry Tomatoes

I adapted this Lidey Heuck recipe from last Sunday’s New York Times. It’s one pan, simple ingredients and easy to put together. I’m using barramundi but any mild white fish will work.
Pan Roasted Filet with Cherry TomatoesIngredients:
  1. 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  2. ½ cup thinly sliced shallots
  3. 1 garlic clove, minced
  4. 2 tbsp. olive oil
  5. 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  6. 1 tsp. honey
  7. 1 tsp. kosher salt
  8. ½ tsp, black pepper
  9. 1 white fish filet
  10. 1 tsp. lemon zest
  11. Chopped fresh basil and mint for serving
Pre-heat the oven to 400o.
Place the first 8 ingredients in a bowl and toss until everything is mixed. Arrange it in a single layer in a small sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes.Pan Roasted Filet with Cherry Tomatoes
In the meantime, pat the filet dry, coat with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.Pan Roasted Filet with Cherry Tomatoes
Remove the tomatoes from the oven and clear a spot in the pan for the filet. Place the pan back in the oven with the filet and tomato mixture and roast for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle the entire dish with the zest, basil, and mint and serve.

Pan Roasted Filet with Cherry Tomatoes

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Condiments, Miscellaneous

Umami

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Umami

Everyone knows about the basic tastes – sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. There’s one you might not be familiar with – umami (oo ma me). In Japanese, that means ‘deliciousness.’ Even though it doesn’t necessarily contain meat, it’s savory and deepens the flavor of whatever you’re cooking by adding a meatiness to it. It comes in various forms and can be added to recipes in various ways. Umami occurs naturally in many different foods, including meat, fish, and vegetables.
 

Fish SauceUmami

Fish sauce, made from salted, fermented fish, comes in varied forms. There’s Vietnamese nước mắm pha and Italian coloratura di alici, which is based on the ancient Roman garum. It can be very intense but used judiciously, it adds complexity to many dishes.
 

AnchoviesUmami

Anchovies aren’t everyone’s favorite. Eating then straight can be too intense for some. But adding one or two to browning onions for beef stew or to the garlic and olive oil base for pasta sauce adds layers of flavor and no fishy taste.
 

Parmigiana CheeseUmami

Almost all cheeses are rich in umami, but Parmigiana is at the top of the list. You can grate it on a salad or various pasta and vegetable dishes, and some people even put the rind to soups, sauces, or stews to add complexity.
 

Beef StockUmami

Beef stock has a powerful umami flavor, and it gets that flavor from bones. It’s intense and is sometimes diluted. In a milder form, beef broth is good when served cold and mixed with vodka in a Bull Shot.
 

Soy SauceUmami

Soy sauce is standard umami for Asian cooking. It’s made from fermented and aged soybeans and grain. Keep in mind that it’s not just for Asian recipes.
 

Worcestershire SauceUmami

Lea and Perrins is the only brand of Worcestershire, and it’s been around since the 1800s. It’s made from malt vinegar, molasses, and some other secret ingredients. Worcestershire works perfectly with lots of seafood dishes, and you can’t make a Bloody Mary without it.
 

OlivesUmami

Olives have a meaty texture and flavor that work great in adding umami to meatless dishes like Puttanesca.
 

Tomato PasteUmami

Tomatoes, in general, add savoriness to foods, so imagine what super concentrated tomato paste can do. Of course, it’s excellent in tomato sauce but try adding a tablespoon or two the next time you sauté onions.

 

MushroomsUmami

All mushrooms contain umami, but dried mushrooms deliver a bigger punch because they’re concentrated. They can make a plain tomato sauce taste as hearty as meat sauce.

 

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Sides, Vegetarian

Grilled Broccoli

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Grilled Broccoli

 

I got this grilled broccoli recipe from Julia and Bridget on America’s Test Kitchen. They came up with it for an outdoor grill, but it works just as well indoors. We live in an apartment building in Manhattan so no outdoor grill for us but a grill pan over two burners on a gas stove does the job.
Grilled Broccoli
Ingredients:
  • 2 heads broccoli
  • Salt & black pepper to taste
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves finely minced garlic
  • 1  lemon cut in half
Pre-heat the over to 375o.
Wash the broccoli and trim its stems. Put it in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with minced garlic, juice of ½ lemon and olive oil. Toss the broccoli until it’s thoroughly coated. Grilled Broccoli
Place the broccoli on a large sheet of aluminum foil, fold the sides up and add a ½ cup of water. Completely wrap the broccoli in the foil and tightly seal the edges. Reseal it in another piece of foil. Grilled Broccoli
Place it in the oven  for 30 minutes.
Place the ½ lemon cut side down on the grill alongside the broccoli on a grill and cook until the broccoli begins to sear. Grilled Broccoli
Place it in a serving dish and squeeze the grilled lemon half over it and serve. Grilled Broccoli

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Meat

Pork Chops with Pan Sauce

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Pork Chops with Pan Sauce

Here’s a simple method for making an elegant sauce. It’s perfect for pork chops but you should also try it with other types of meat.
Pork Chops with Pan Sauce
Ingredients:
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 pork chops
  • 1/3 cup meat stock or broth
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon or any brown mustard
  • 1/3 cup half & half
  • 2 pats of butter
Bring the chops to room temperature and season with salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the pork chops until done to your liking.Pork Chops with Pan Sauce
Pork Chops with Pan Sauce
Remove them to a warm dish, add the stock to the pan and deglaze. Add the mustard, half & half, and butter, and whisk for a few minutes. until the sauce is creamy. Pour it over the pork chops and serve.

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Poultry

Cajun Drumsticks

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Cajun Drumsticks

This is a great way to eat chicken. It’s a nice combination of spicy and sweet. 
Ingredients:

Cajun Drumsticks

Pre-heat the oven to 375o.
Start by Frenching the drumsticks. Cut through the skin and tendons about 1 ½ inch from the bottom. I use a serrated steak knife for this. Remove the skin from the lower end and scrape the meat upward with the edge of the knife
.Cajun Drumsticks
Wrap the bone end in aluminum foil and thoroughly coat the meat with Cajun spice mix. Place them on an oiled rack in a roasting pan.
Cajun Drumsticks
Roast for 40 minutes, turning the drumsticks after 20 minutes. Remove and brush the drumsticks with maple syrup and roast for another 10 minutes. Let them cool a bit and serve.
Cajun Drumsticks

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Desserts

Raspberry Corn Muffins

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Raspberry Corn Muffins

I got this recipe from our neighbor Kate’s Still Life with Menu cookbook. It’s a simple recipe, doesn’t take very long and makes a great breakfast.
Raspberry Corn Muffins
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup corn meal
  • 1 cup unbleached white flour
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 tbsp. melted butter
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ½ tsp. orange zest
  • 1 cup raspberries
Preheat the oven to 400o. Grease 12 muffin cups with butter.
Raspberry Corn Muffins
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl making sure to blend the baking powder and soda thoroughly.
Add the egg, butter, yogurt, and juice in another bowl and beat well.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and after they are mixed add that orange zest and raspberries. Mix gently.
Raspberry Corn Muffins
Distribute the batter in 12 muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes before removing.
Raspberry Corn Muffins

P.S.  Be sure to check the ‘sell-by’ date on the baking powder and soda. If it’s expired you’ll make bricks instead of muffins.

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Lunch/Snacks, Sides, Vegetarian

Basilicata Frittata

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Basilicata Frittata

I had some leftover fresh horse radish from the Basilicata Style Pasta, so I used it for a frittata.
Basilicata Frittata
Ingredients:
  • About 12 oz./2 cups of potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
  • 8 eggs
  • 3 oz. grated Parmigiana cheese
  • 3 oz. grated fresh horseradish or more to taste
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Enough olive oil for frying
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the cheese, horse radish, parsley, and seasoning. Mix in the mashed potatoes and blend until you have a fairly smooth mixture. Don’t worry about a few little lumps. If you made the mashed potatoes fresh, make sure they cool off before you mix them so they don’t cook the eggs.

Basilicata Frittata

Basilicata Frittata
Heat the oil in an oven proof 10 inch pan, pour in the egg mixture and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Once the eggs begin to set, place the pan under your broiler for another 5 minutes to cook and brown the top of the frittata.Basilicata Frittata
 

Basilicata Frittata

Slice and serve either hot or at room temperature.

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Pasta, Vegetarian

Basilicata Style Pasta

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Basilicata Style Pasta

If you’ve been following my blog you’ll know that I encourage you to not limit yourself to using just grated Parmigiana or Loccatelli type cheese on your pasta. For this recipe it’s grated fresh horse radish. The use of ground walnuts and breadcrumbs in the sauce and a good sprinkle of grated horse radish is typical of Basilicata, where my paternal grandparents are from. Fresh horse radish is common in Basilicata but not so much in New York expect around Passover. It’s the bitter herb in the Seder meal that represents the bitterness of slavery.Basilicata Style Pasta
Basilicata Style PastaIngredients:
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 finely chopped onion
  • Salt, black pepper & red pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup toasted breadcrumbs
  • 1 lb. short pasta – fusilli, gameli, rotini, cavatappi,
  • Fresh horse radish
Start a pot of salted water for the pasta and lay out your ingredients.Basilicata Style Pasta
Basilicata Style PastaHeat the oil in a large pot and cook the onions on medium low. Add one tablespoon of tomato paste, salt, black, and red pepper. Cook low and slow until the onions are soft and translucent – don’t brown. The onions add a little sweetness to the sauce which is a nice counterpoint to the horse radish.
Basilicata Style PastaAdd the tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste to check for seasoning. If you want a meat sauce, now is the time to add some nicely browned sausage or braciole.
Cook the pasta until almost done, drain it and add it to the sauce where it will finish cooking. Add a few tablespoons of the pasta water if the sauce is too dry. Pour in the walnuts and breadcrumbs, stir to thoroughly combine and serve. This is still a very good sauce even if you don’t have fresh horse radish.
Basilicata Style PastaCut about an inch of the end of the horse radish and remove some of the bark with a potato peeler. Pass the horse radish and a grater at the table and top each dish with a good amount of horse radish. Sometimes when the horseradish hits the hot steamy pasta it can make your eyes tear. Don’t let it bother you.

Basilicata Style Pasta

Cover the cut end of the horse radish with some foil and refrigerate.  Basilicata Style Pasta

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Meat

Teresa’s Sicilian Steak

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Teresa’s Sicilian Steak

Teresa Giudice is one of the Housewives of New Jersey and she can really cook. She’s published a few cook books and this steak recipe is adapted from Skinny Italian. The light coating adds a lot of flavor and yet doesn’t take away from the taste of the steak.
Teresa's Sicilian SteakIngredients:
  • 1 steak about 1 inch thick
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 minced garlic clove
  • 3 tbsp. breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp. grated Parmigiano cheese
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • Salt and black pepper
Place the oil and garlic in a shallow bowl. Place the steak in the bowl and let it stay at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning it after 15 minutes.

Teresa's Sicilian Steak

In the meantime, mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, oregano, salt and pepper. Remove the steak from the oil and dip it into the crumb mixture coating it evenly.
Teresa's Sicilian Steak
Let it stand on the baking rake for 10 minutes for the crumbs to set. Place a rack between 6 and 8 inches below the broiler preheat the oven.

Teresa's Sicilian Steak

Broil the steak for 3 – 4 minutes – until the crust is browned. Turn it over and do the same to the other side for medium-rare. Ovens may vary so move the rack closer or further away from the heat source so it browns and doesn’t burn. When it’s done let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing across the grain into one inch strips.

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Reveries and Recipes