Food Tastes Good

Gnudi: Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

2008-11-18T10:00:00.009-05:00

Gnocchi, from the Italian for "little lump," are delicious dumplings cooked like fresh pasta and then served with sauce or added to soup. Despite the name, gnocchi should not be lumpish, but light and fluffy, with an airy, fresh texture. The most common gnocchi are made of potato but, while good, I love the less-common gnudi, which are made primarily of ricotta. How can you go wrong with a dumpling of cheese?

Gnudi: Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

This recipe is for dumplings of spinach and ricotta. Light, fluffy, and cheesy, this is as tasty as it is easy to make. You can knock the whole preparation out in minutes, yielding a product not even comparable to store-bought gnocchi.

Makes four servings worth of gnudi.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh spinach, stems trimmed and rinsed well
2 teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons freshly-ground white pepper
1 cup ricotta, di bufala if possible, drained of excess water
1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup freshly and finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, preferably stravecchio
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg

Rinse the spinach one more time. Do not dry. In a saute pan with a lid over medium heat, add the wet spinach, two teaspoons of sea salt, and white pepper. Cover and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the spinach. Once it is sufficiently cool to handle, squeeze out as much water as possible.

Chop well the spinach. Set aside on paper towels to further dry. Let cool to room temperature.

Combining and mixing the ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, and 1/4 cup of flour. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg yolks, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Stir together. Unless your immune system is weak, taste and adjust salt.

Forming the gnudi

Fill a small mixing bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Dust your hands in the flour. Form the mixture into small oblate spheroids (slightly-flatted balls), about 1/2 to 3/4 an inch across. You do not need to roll gnudi across a fork, as they are already rather absorbent.

Lightly dredging the gnudi

Lightly dredge the gnudi in the flour, shaking off excess, so that they have a thin coat.

To cook: Bring a stock pot of heavily-salted water to boil. Add the gnudi in batches, about a half dozen at a time. Cook, gently stirring, until the gnudi rise to and remain on the top, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a colander. Continue with the remaining gnudi.

Tomato Sauce with Cream and Onions

2008-11-18T09:30:00.004-05:00

This sauce builds on my basic tomato sauce to create a creamy pink sauce with sauteed sliced onions. A good alternative to the usual tomato sauce when pairing with gnocchi, gnudi, and fresh pastas.

Tomato Sauce with Cream and Onions

Makes 2-3 cups, sufficient for 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large Spanish yellow onion, sliced
2 cups basic tomato sauce (recipe)
1/2 cup heavy cream
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once hot and bubbling, add the sliced onions. Saute until soft and translucent and just starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Add the tomato sauce and heavy cream. Stir to integrate. Lower heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes, until warmed through and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If preparing with pasta, remove pasta from water and add to sauce about one minute before al dente. Cook the pasta in the sauce for 60 seconds. Serve immediately.

A Note on 'To Taste'

2008-11-17T10:00:00.005-05:00

When a recipe says to taste, and specifically when one of my recipes says to taste, the author does not mean add as much as you want. Instead, the recipe is calling on you to taste the food as it stands and add (more of) the ingredient until that ingredient is balanced and sufficient in the food.

What is the point of a recipe if not to specify quantities? Why do recipes say to taste? Generally, its for seasonings, most often salt, sometimes pepper, and the recipe author is not sure how much of the ingredient has already been added, or other details that effect the perception of the ingredient. For example, depending on the stock you used, or exactly how much you reduced down a liquid, or what type of salt you used, you may need more or less salt to finish a dish. Thus, to taste. In any case, the amount left unspecified is generally small—just a teaspoon or two.

Serving salt on our dinner tables has conditioned us to think of salt ratios as a preference, but there is an ideal, perfect balance with salt—as with all of the flavors in a dish. Most home cooks undoubtedly under-salt their food, although plenty of eaters then over-salt their food once it hits the table. Salt early, salt often, and remove the salt from your dinner table.

Bavette a L'échalotte: Bistro Steak with Shallots and Red Wine Jus

2008-11-13T10:00:00.013-05:00

Bavette a L'échalotte, occasionally called Bavette a la Bordelaise, is a bistro-style beef steak with carmelized shallots and a red wine reduction. Juicy, served barely medium rare, this dish is satisfying and savory, despite its rustic pedigree.

Bavette a L'echalotte: Bistro Steak with Shallots and Red Wine Jus

Like most steak dishes conceived in the French bistro, this one is pan-seared with butter, but only on one side. We then flip the steak, top it with the caramelized shallots, and finish it off in a hot oven. The steak is served with a red wine reduction alongside a salad and, traditionally, cornichons. Although Bavette a la Bordelaise seemingly demands to be consumed with Bordeaux, I like this dish with the bold, ripe profile of a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wagyu tri-tip

The bavette cut is traditionally a flank steak—bavette literally means bib or flap—but you should use your favorite pan searing steak. I prefer flank's close relative, the skirt steak, for this dish, but use what you like. In these photos, I am using a thinly-sliced Wagyu tri-tip.

Makes two servings, easily halved or doubled.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup red wine jus (recipe)
2 ten ounce skirt steaks, about 1 inch thick, trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
4 shallots, sliced whole into rings
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely-chopped
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Delicious

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Let the steaks rest at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

In a small saucepan, bring the red wine jus to a simmer. Keep warm.

Sauteing the shallot and garlic

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the shallots to the pan, stirring, and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and one tablespoon of butter. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until the shallots caramelize but aren't yet deep brown, about 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and seat aside.

Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add two tablespoons of grape seed oil and one tablespoon of butter. Once the butter is bubbling well, add the steaks and sear for 2 minutes, until browned on one side.

Seared, flipped, topped with caramelized shallot, and ready for the oven

Flip the steaks. Baste the steaks in the pan juices. Spread the shallots over the steaks. Place the skillet in the oven and cook until barely medium-rare, 6 minutes.

Plated with cornichons and salad and ready to serve

For each plating, spread a small amount of red wine reduction on the side of a plate. Using a slotted spoon, plate the steak over the reduction, covered in shallot, with red wine reduction spooned atop and around the plate. Serve with a salad of watercress or arugula. Pairs well with a big, ripe Cabernet Sauvignon from California's Napa Valley.

Red Wine Jus

2008-11-13T09:30:00.011-05:00

This red wine and beef stock reduction is wonderful over steaks and roasts. Unlike other recipes, this approach is simple, as I don't see the value in simmering more aromatics—your beef stock should already offer those flavors.

Makes about one cup.

Ingredients:

1 bottle (750 ml) Cabernet Sauvignon
4 cups beef stock
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
sea salt, to taste

Bringing the wine and stock to a boil

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the Cabernet Sauvignon, beef stock, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer until reduced to a syrup, about one cup.

Taste and adjust salt. Let cool. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Cauliflower Gratin with Prosciutto and Peas

2008-11-12T10:00:00.009-05:00

This recipe yields a beautiful, bubbly gratin, with a crisp cheesy top contrasted with the cooked cauliflower, bright green peas, and salty prosciutto. An excellent base for roast pork or fish, this dish also performs admirably as a main course, served with a small salad.

For a special treat, bake each serving individually in oven-safe bowls, such as the classic lion's head bowl.

Cauliflower Gratin with Prosciutto and Peas

Makes four larger or six smaller servings.

Ingredients:

two medium heads cauliflower (about two pounds total), cut into medium florets
2 cups Sauce Mornay (recipe)
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed and drained
3 ounces prosciutto di Parma, chiffonaded
1/2 cup Panko-style breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Gruyère
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
freshly-ground white pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Bring a large pot of heavily-salted water to boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until just tender, but still firm, about five minutes. Drain.

Reheating the Sauce Mornay

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the Sauce Mornay to just a simmer. Keep warm.

Gently mixing the ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower, green peas, and prosciutto di Parma. Add the Sauce Mornay in batches, gently folding together with a silicon spatula to incorporate. Add more sauce until the ingredients are heavily sauced, but not swimming.

Add the sauced ingredients to a medium gratin dish or individual oven-safe bowls. Knock the dish or bowl against the table to remove any air bubbles.

Ready for the oven

In a small mixing bowl, combine the Panko-style breadcrumbs and Gruyère. Add sea salt, white pepper, and ground cayenne pepper to taste. Sprinkle the breadcrumb-cheese mixture over the top of the gratin.

Bubbly and golden brown

Bake until bubbling and golden, about 30 minutes. Remove and let rest five minutes. Serve hot. If serving alone, pairs well with a full-bodied Californian Chardonnay.

Rigatoni with Sauteed Parsnips and Pancetta

2008-11-11T10:00:00.007-05:00

Often the simplest pastas are the best. When parsnips are fresh—generally winter, after the first frost, in someone's hemisphere—buy a couple and you have a delicious and quick dish.

Rigatoni with Sauteed Parsnips and Pancetta

Makes four servings.

Ingredients:

1 pound rigatoni
1 teaspoon grape seed oil
1/3 pound pancetta, batoned into small lardons
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 pound parsnips, peeled, ends trimmed, halved, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup freshly and finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, preferably stravecchio, plus more to garnish
2 tablespoons chive, chopped
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

A Parsnip, ends trimmed

Bring a large pot of heavily-salted water to boil. Add the rigatoni to the pot and cook until a minute before al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Pancetta Arrotolata

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the grape seed oil. Once hot, add the pancetta and cook until brown and rendered, about six minutes. Add the garlic slices and saute for 60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, reserve the pancetta and garlic to a paper towel-lined plate.

Sauteing the Parsnips

Lower heat to medium-low. Add the butter and stir to combine with the rendered pancetta fat. Add the parsnips and cook, stirring only occasionally to develop a good crisp, until golden brown, about six minutes. Season with salt and a lot of black pepper.

Combine the ingredients, toss to coat, and cook for 60 seconds

Add the reserved pancetta and garlic, parsley, pasta, and 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. Toss to coat. Cook for 60 seconds.

Remove from heat. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir to coat, adding more cooking liquid, a tablespoon at a time, if necessary to help everything incorporate and stick to the pasta.

Plated, garnished, and ready to serve

Plate into warm bowls, garnished with chopped chive and more Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pairs well with an Erste Lage Riesling from Germany's Mosel region.

More Updated Recipes

2008-11-10T10:00:00.003-05:00

More revised and updated recipes:

Bon Appétit!

Lobster and Sweet Corn Chowder with Truffled Potato Chips

2008-11-06T10:00:00.006-05:00

This chowder does not have any potatoes—the corn has plenty of starch, plus we make a roux. Nonetheless, to make up for it, we garnish with truffled potato chips. They go so well with the corn and lobster that you have to wonder why this is not the norm.

Lobster and Sweet Corn Chowder with Truffled Potato Chips

Makes four to six servings.

Ingredients:

2 one-and-a-half pound Maine lobsters
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
1/2 pound pancetta, diced
1 large sweet yellow onion, diced
2 medium-sized leaks, white part only, diced
3 ribs celery, finely-chopped
2 jalapeños, diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 ears sweet corn, shucked, kernels and milk reserved to a bowl
4 cups lobster and corn stock (recipe)
4 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1.5 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons chive, chopped, for garnish
12-18 truffled potato chips (recipe), to garnish
gray salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Corn kernels and milk

To cook the lobster: Bring a large pot of heavily-salted water, 2/3rds full, to boil. Once boiling, drop the lobsters into the pot headfirst. Cook, covered, for seven minutes. Using tongs, transfer the lobster to an ice bath. Once cool, place the lobsters in a large mixing bowl and crack open with a mallet, reserving the juices in the bowl. Remove the meat from the tail and claw. Reserve the shells, any roe (bright red stuff), and other innards with the juice in the mixing bowl. Discard the tomalley (gross green stuff). Use the reserved shell and other bits for the stock.

Roughly chop the meat—it is not supposed to be fully cooked yet—and reserve.

Mise en Place

In a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the grape seed oil. Once hot, add the pancetta and cook until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is golden brown, about six minutes. Using a slotted spoon, reserve the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate.

Sauteing the vegetables

Lower heat to medium. Discard all but three tablespoons of the rendered fat. If you have less than three tablespoons, add butter as needed. Add the onion, leeks, celery, jalapeños, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Saute, stirring, until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about four minutes.

Cooking the roux

Add the cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and thyme, stirring to coat. Add the all-purpose flour to make a roux. Cook, stirring, until the roux is starting to brown and bubble, 3-4 minutes.

Mixing in the corn

Add the corn, stirring to mix. Cook for 60 seconds.

Simmering the soup

Add the lobster and corn stock. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Folding in the heavy cream

Add the reserved pancetta, chopped lobster meat, and Italian parsley. Fold in the heavy cream. Simmer, stirring, until the ingredients are integrated and the lobster meat is fully cooked, about six minutes.

Plated, Garnished, and Ready to Serve

Serve in warm soup bowls, garnished with two or three truffled potato chips and a sprinkling of chopped chive. Pairs well with an oaked Chardonnay from California's Napa Valley.

Variation: To make a lobsterless chowder—also delicious, just different—ditch the lobster, replace the lobster stock with chicken stock, and use only one cup of heavy cream.

Lobster and Corn Stock

2008-11-06T09:30:00.005-05:00

This is a subtle, sweet stock, with wonderful corn and lobster notes. My recipe calls for lobster shells and corn cobs, which you should have on hand from the corn chowder or whatever other dish with which you use this stock.

Makes 5 cups.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grape seed oil
2 shells of Maine lobster
1 large sweet whine onion, roughly-chopped
2 ribs celery, roughly-chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly-chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
2 teaspoons gray salt
1 cup dry white wine
6 corncobs
reserved lobster juices
8 cups water, fitered or spring

Heat a large, heavy stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the grape seed oil. Once hot, add the lobster shells and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Saute, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the thyme, bay leaves, black & white peppercorns, and gray salt. Continue sauteing, stirring, for 2 more minutes.

Add the white wine and, scrapping the bottom of the pot, deglaze.

Add the corncobs, reserved lobster juices, and water to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Skim off any foam that raises to the top.

Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until reduced by half, to 5 cups, about 90 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain twice, discarding the solids and reserving the stock.

Truffled Potato Chips

2008-11-05T10:00:00.004-05:00

Pretty darn delicious. Even a lone chip is epicurean, making an excellent garnish.

Truffled Potato Chips

Makes a bowl of chips.

Ingredients:

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and dried
about 8 cups grape seed oil, for frying
fleur de sel, to taste
4 teaspoons white truffle oil
chopped chive, to garnish

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.

Heat the grape seed oil in a large, heavy pot, filled no more than halfway, over medium-high heat. Using a deep fry thermometer attached to the pot, continue, adjusting the heat as needed, until the oil reaches 350°F.

While the oil heats, use a mandoline to slice the potatoes as thin as possible. Pat the potatoes dry.

In batches, carefully add the slices to the oil one at a time. Using a spider, constantly and carefully stir and turn the potatoes. Fry until golden brown, about two minutes. With the spider, reserve the potatoes to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes.

Incredible

Move the chips to a large mixing bowl. Toss with fleur de sel and white truffle oil. Garnish with chopped chive. Serve.

Pomegranate Poached Pear with Pomegranate Seeds and Cocoa Nibs

2008-11-04T10:30:00.013-05:00

With the success of my Moscato d'Asti and Vanilla Bean Poached Pear recipe instilling a new found love for poached pear, I worked diligently to come up with a second such dessert. Although Moscato d'Asti is a tough, if not impossible, act to beat, this dish is great—more than anything, pomegranate seeds and cocoa nibs are a perfect pair. Enjoy.

Pomegranate Poached Pear with Pomegranate Seeds and Cocoa Nibs

This recipe requires a half cup of pomegranate molasses. You can make that from the leftover poaching liquid—no need to use another four cups of juice. Once the pears are poached, just raise the heat and reduce per that recipe.

Makes two servings, each sharable.

Ingredients:

1 medium-large lemon, juiced
4 cups fresh pomegranate juice
1/2 cup turbinado (raw) sugar
2 European Pears, preferably Anjou, but Bartlett or Bosc fine, slightly firmer than you would eat
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses (see recipe)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (see How to De-Seed Pomegranate)
1/2 cup cocoa nibs

Using a small pairing knife, peal the skin off of the pears, keeping them as round looking as possible and leaving the top stem on. Core the pears from the bottom. Slice off the bottom 1/8-1/4", creating a base.

Combine the lemon and pomegranate juice in a three quart saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the sugar and cook, stirring to dissolve, for 60 seconds.

Poaching the pears

Gently add the pears on their side to the liquid. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, until the pears are tender. Several times while simmering, turn the pears over and stir the poaching liquid.

Using a slotted spoon, reserve the pears to an airtight container. Let cool and then place in the refrigerator.

Plated and ready to serve

To serve, place a poached pear upright on a chilled plate along with a large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Spoon the pomegranate molasses over the pear and around the plate. Sprinkle a handful each of pomegranate seeds and cocoa nibs over the pear and around the plate, letting them stick to the pomegranate molasses. Serve. Pairs well with fortified Muscat from Southern Australia.

Pomegranate Syrup: Homemade Grenadine

2008-11-04T10:00:00.009-05:00

Grenadine, from the French word for pomegranate, grenade, is a red syrup traditionally made from those grenade-shared fruit. Today, even quality brands contain no actual pomegranate, yielding their color and flavor from ingredients even more alien than the oddball pomegranate.

A key ingredient in Roy Rogers, Shirley Temples, and Tequila Sunrises, Grenadine's most common use is to lend its deep red color to drinks, but it also has a wonderfully strong dark cherry taste.

Grenadine has a syrupy consistency, but you can also reduce pomegranate juice down to a very thick syrup, called pomegranate molasses, and use it as an ingredient in Syria's muhammara, a garnish over dessert, or a syrup atop ice cream.

While I would generally suggest juicing fruit yourself, de-seeding pomegranate is hard enough, and you will need about eight pomegranates to yield enough juice for this recipe. Just buy the best juice you can find.

Pomegranate

Makes 1-2 cups, depending on desired thickness.

Ingredients:

1 medium-large lemon, juiced
4 cups fresh pomegranate juice
1/2 cup turbinado (raw) sugar

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the lemon and pomegranate juice. Bring to a boil. Add the sugar. Cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, about 90 seconds.

Reducing the liquid

Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces down to the desired consistency. It will appear thinner in the saucepan than it will be once it cools. For grenadine, reduce to 1.5 cups, about 45 minutes. For molasses—a very thick syrup—reduce to one cup, about 60 minutes. For a thin sauce, reduce to two cups, about 30 minutes.

Pomegranate molasses

Remove from heat and let cool in saucepan. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

How to De-Seed Pomegranate

2008-11-03T10:00:00.006-05:00

Pomegranates, alien superfruit, have a long culinary history, with rich religious symbolism. Truly odd, the only edible part of the fruit is the arils, translucent casings around the fruit's seed and juice, of which nearly a thousand are packed into the orb's waxy white flesh. The arils are slightly sweet and provide a satisfying crunch and lusty flavor. The juice, which ranges from sweet to sour depending on the tannin levels, is delicious and highly concentrated.

The seeds make a surprisingly wonderful snack, but are also a great garnish on salads, desserts, and soups, such as Iran's ash-e anar.

When: Pomegranates are best late October through early November, but are generally available from some hemisphere's late summer through early winter.

Selecting pomegranates: Pomegranates are picked ripe, so everything in your market should be ready to eat. The fruit should be heavy for its size, with thin, yet durable skin. The exterior, while it will always have some blemishes, should be deep red, relatively clear, and free of deep pocks. The crown-like top should be intact and free of mold.

Storage: Pomegranates will keep for up to two weeks in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. In the refrigerator, they will last 1-2 months.

Yield: Each pomegranate has about 800 arils, yielding 3/4 a cup. Those arils in turn provide only about 1/2 a cup of juice.

Pomegranate juice stains, and cutting open the fruit and extracting the arils is nontrivial. The following steps minimize the mess and simplify the stress by working with the fruit submerged in water—no juice explosion, and the seeds conveniently sink while the flesh floats.

To start, cut off the crown end—the crown-like top—of the pomegranate and discard.

Score the rind of the pomegranate vertically, 6-8 cuts, cutting into but not through the pomegranate's flesh.

Fill a bowl with cold water. Place the pomegranate crown-side (cut-side) down in the cold water and let soak for five minutes.

Submerged, break open the pomegranate along the score lines, splitting the flesh into several chunks. Some of the seeds will fall out and sink to the bottom. To remove the remaining seeds, again submerged, further break apart the chunks of flesh, pushing and popping out the stuck seeds. Be gentle as the seeds puncture easy.

The seeds will fall to the bottom of the bowl and the waxy flesh will float to the top. Using a slotted spoon, skim the top of the water and remove the flesh. Drain. Rinse and pick through the seeds, removing any remaining flesh. Dry. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

2008-10-31T10:00:00.002-04:00

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, the classic ragù alla Bolognese recipe, is a better marriage than the Americanized pairing of spaghetti with meat sauce. The fresh, eggy tagliatelle and bold, meaty ragù yield an absolutely delicious dish.

The traditional plating would be a lot less ragù for a given amount of pasta than you expect, with just a light sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano. But traditions are for the elderly; do as you wish.

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

Makes four servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups ragù alla bolognese (recipe)
1 lb fresh tagliatelle
1/2 cup freshly and finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, preferably Stravecchio or Riserva
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper

Simmering the Ragu Bolognese

In a saute pan, bring the two cups of ragù alla bolognese to a simmer. Keep warm.

Cooking the Tagliatelle

Bring a large pot of heavily-salted water to boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook until just tender, only 60-90 seconds. Drain.

Tossing the Tagliatelle to Coat in the Sauce Bolognaise

Add the tagliatelle to the saute pan and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Plated, Garnished, and Ready to Serve

Plate, topped with a little Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pairs well with a Cabernet Sauvignon blend from one of Italy's so-called Super Tuscans.

Ragù alla Bolognese

2008-10-30T10:00:00.020-04:00

I'm not Italian, but your sweet nonna is. Of course her ragù bolognese is the world's best. I bet it is decadent and delicious. Also, not as good as mine. Life is tough, nonna.

Ragù, Italian from the French ragoût, is a meat sauce used as a pasta condimento. Veal, pork, liver, and even horse meat is simmered for hours with soffritto and perhaps a little milk and tomato, until deliciously thick.

The most common ragù, if not also the tastiest, is ragù bolognese, often called bolognese sauce in North America. Originating from Bologna, capital of Emilia-Romagna, the dish is onions, carrots, and celery sauteed in rendered pancetta, and then combined with beef and pork, deglazed with white wine, and finally slow cooked with milk and a little tomato. Almost universally a tomato-based sauce in the states, the authentic recipe is a ragoût of meat, with minimal tomato.

Recipes differ. Some swap beef for veal or white for red wine. Others add chicken or goose liver, mushrooms, or sausage. This is my recipe, but its faithful to the dish's history. I use veal instead of beef, light cream in lieu of milk, and add chicken liver, but otherwise adhere closely to tradition. Note: Even if liver is not your thing, do not skip it. I promise it is the key to beating your nonna's recipe.

Ragù alla Bolognese

Mise en Place

Makes 2-3 cups, generally sufficient for 4-6 servings as a pasta condimento.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, batoned into lardons
5 shallots, diced
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound chicken livers, chopped well
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons (about half a tube) tomato paste
1 cup light cream
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Browning the Pancetta

In a heavy stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the pancetta and cook until brown and rendered, about five minutes.

Cooking the Mirepoix

Add the shallot, celery ribs, and carrot. Cook for two minutes and then add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about three more minutes. Do not brown the vegetables.

Raise heat to high. Add the pork, veal, and chicken livers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned but not yet fully cooked.

Add the thyme and stir to infuse.

Add the white wine and deglaze, scrapping the bottom of the pan.

Folding in the Light Cream and Tomato Paste

Add the tomato paste and light cream. Bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to just a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for two hours.

Simmering for Hours

You will have to try hard to overcook the ragù: The longer you simmer, the better. You want the liquid to slowly reduce and the fat to slowly render out, until the remaining ragù is thick, brown, and meaty, with even less liquid than these pictures.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let rest. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Qing Chao Dou Miao: Sauteed Pea Shoots

2008-10-29T10:00:00.008-04:00

A Chinese dish, qing chao dou miao, sauteed pea shoots are as delicious as they are simple. Pea shoots are the tips of the pea plant: a fibrous stalk with the leaves (pea greens) and threadlike climbing appendages (pea tendrils) attached. Pea sprouts are the new, tender shoots of the pea plant, with no tendrils and only the smallest of leaves. Pea sprouts have a subtle, green flavor, with a hint of pea. Pea shoots, befitting their maturity, are stronger and sweeter, although still quite delicate.

Pea shoots, with mature greens

Shoot and sprout are often used interchangeable—dou miao without modifier refers to either—but as both are delicious, you cannot go wrong. If what you have looks like alfalfa sprouts, only greener, then you have pea sprouts. This recipe works with sprouts or shoots, yielding a delicate pea-like sauteed green in either case.

Qing Chao Dou Miao: Sauteed Pea Shoots

A great little dish on its own, this is also a wonderful addition or garnish to non-Asian recipes, in which case you likely will want to skip the soy sauce.

Makes two large servings or four small.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grape seed oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
3/4 lb (about 6 cups) pea shoots, cleaned and rinsed and any tough bottoms trimmed
1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce, optional
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the grape seed oil. Once hot, add the minced garlic and saute until soft and infused in the oil, about 60 seconds.

Plated and Ready to Serve

Add the pea shoots and saute, stirring and flipping often, until just wilted, 45-60 seconds (30-45 seconds for pea sprouts). Optionally, add the soy sauce. Using a slotted spoon, reserve to a plate.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve or use immediately. If not using as part of a larger dish, pairs well with a Sauvignon blanc from Martinborough, in the South Wairarapa district, New Zealand.

Sherry-Glazed Chorizo and Brussels Sprouts

2008-10-28T10:00:00.004-04:00

One late night, with brussels sprouts the only fresh produce in the kitchen and Marlena threatening to order pizza, I threw this together, making it up as I went along.

Sherry-Glazed Chorizo and Brussels Sprouts

Surprisingly tasty and balanced, it works.

Dried, Spanish picante chorizo

Makes four small side servings or two larger.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 pound dried, Spanish, picante chorizo, sliced thin on a bias
3/4 pound fresh brussels sprouts, bottom trimmed and any tough or wilted outer leaves removed
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika (pimentón picante)
1/4 cup dry Spanish Sherry
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Sauteing the chorizo

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the chorizo. Cook, stirring and flipping often, until brown and just starting to crisp, about five minutes. Using a slotted spoon, reserve the chorizo to a paper towel-lined plate.

Sauteing the brussels sprouts

Add the brussels sprouts to the pan and stir to coat in the oil. Add more olive oil if necessary. Saute, stirring often, for four minutes, until the brussels sprouts start to brown.

Deglazing with Sherry

Add the hot paprika and stir to coat. Add the Sherry to deglaze, scrapping the bottom of pan.

Reducing the Sauce

Add the chicken stock. Raise heat to high. Once boiling, lower heat to medium and reduce the liquid, stirring occasionally, until only three tablespoons remain, about 10 minutes.

Add the butter. Cook, stirring, until fully incorporated and a thin sauce remains. Add the chorizo and stir to coat. Remove from heat.

Using a slotted spoon, plate the brussels sprouts. Cover them in the chorizo. Spoon some of the sauce over the sprouts and around the plate. Serve immediately. Pairs well with a semi-dry Alsatian Gewürztraminer.

Creamy Broccoli Soup with Sourdough Cheddar Croutons

2008-10-23T10:00:00.011-04:00

Creamy, with broccoli and cheddar cheese, this soup is a godsend on a cold night. Don't skimp and forgo the sourdough cheddar croutons, as they really bring the dish together.

Creamy Broccoli Soup with Sourdough Cheddar Croutons

Makes four soup course-sized servings.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large sweet white onion
1 medium celery rib, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
5 cups broccoli florets, about 4 small heads or 1-2 large
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons acetic hot sauce, plus more to garnish
1 cup aged English or Vermont cheddar cheese, grated
sourdough cheddar croutons (recipe), to garnish
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
gray salt, to taste
freshly-ground white pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Once bubbling, add the onions and celery and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.

Add the garlic, thyme, and nutmeg and cook 60 seconds. Season with salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add the broccoli and stir to infuse.

Simmering the Vegetables

Add the chicken stock. If the three cups do not fully cover the broccoli, add more as needed. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 8 minutes.

Puréeing with an Immersion Blender

Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup.

Incorporating the Heavy Cream

Add the heavy cream and hot sauce and return to a gentle simmer. Cook until reheated.

Folding in the Cheddar Cheese

Add the cheddar cheese. Cook, stirring, until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Plated, Garnished, and Ready to Serve

Serve, garnished with a couple sourdough cheddar croutons and a couple drops of hot sauce. Pairs well with a Viognier from France's Rhône Valley, such as one from the Condrieu AOC or Château-Grillet AOC.