Published by mel on July 8, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I live off of lentils. For someone who’s often too busy, too tired or too lazy to soak beans overnight, lentils are the perfect option. No overnight soaking and they cook up in just a half an hour. Not to mention that they’re some of the healthiest food around. Full good things like protein, fiber, iron and vitamins. They’re a veritable powerhouse of awesome.
And what better to pair this health food with than cured pork, aged cheese and flavored oil? Like bacon, everything is better with pancetta. It gives the lentils a subtle porky flavor. Onions and garlic add aroma. Lemon and sherry vinegar give the lentils a bite. Shaved Parmesan cheese and smoked paprika oil lend them a richness that balances everything out and makes this a meal. These lentils are hearty, deeply flavorful and delicious. One of my favorite quick lunches.
If your lentil experience is limited to soup, give these a try. You’ll be singing the praises of the lowly lentil in no time.
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Published by mel on June 16, 2009 in entree and recipe.
Now that is an alliterative title! Moving on…
I’m really not a big fan of store-bought or even most restaurant pesto. Something about it tastes stale or old…just not fresh. Maybe they make it too far in advance, maybe they heat it up too long before they use it. I’m not really sure – there’s just something off about it.
I’m lucky enough to live in a place where I can get fresh, local basil all year long. But most of you have likely been on a fresh basil hiatus for a few months. There’s no better way to welcome it’s arrival at the farmers market than fresh, homemade pesto.
Instead of the usual pasta, I dressed some garlic-sauteed shrimp in the fresh pesto. Nestled on creamy Parmesan polenta and topped with crisp pancetta, this is one of my new favorite recipes. It’s bright and fresh and summery, but still hearty. It’s like a fancy-pants shrimp and grits. I love it!
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Published by mel on February 9, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I’m a big fan of any kind of baked and bubbly casserole, especially one covered in melty, browned cheese. And even more if that cheese is an aged Gruyere. Last week I was craving lasagna, but didn’t have the traditional ingredients on hand. Don’t you hate when that happens? Not to be downtrodden, I used whatever I had around and made this mushroom, rainbow chard and Gruyere lasagna.
Portabllo and baby bella mushroom are sauteed with onions until browned and almost caramelized, then layered with whole wheat lasagna and Rainbow Chard, ricotta and Parmesan. Cover everything with shredded Gruyere cheese and bake. Definitely much simpler than a traditional lasagna, and much more weeknight-friendly.
While I loved the richness of the mushrooms, I think I used too many. Next time, I’ll use half the amount and add some spicy Italian sausage or ground beef. I’m posting the recipe as I made it below, but am asking you all for any recommendations. What do you think this lasagna needs?
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Published by mel on September 18, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
If you’re looking for a lovely Sunday afternoon meal for the Fall, these meatballs are for you. They simmer lazily in Parmesan Shitake broth while you read a book or take a nap. They’re great with a crusty piece of bread, on top of pasta or straight out of the pot if no one’s looking.
Adding ricotta to your meatballs will take them to a whole new level, making them soft and tender and almost creamy. They’re delicate and hearty at the same time. A quick sear and they go straight into a broth flavored with Parmesan rinds and sauteed Shitake mushrooms. The meatballs cook through in the broth, infusing it with meaty goodness. Cooking meatballs in broth may seem weird (where’s the marinara?), but they’re so flavorful that it would be a shame to cover them with sauce.
I served these with homemade gnocchi for an excellent Sunday Supper.
Related: Weeknight Meatballs for when time is short
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Published by mel on May 2, 2008 in entree and recipe.
A few weeks ago, I thought to myself “I really must start exploring a world beyond Spanish chorizo.” I didn’t say it out loud of course (my husband would file for divorce), but I had the thought. So, what was on the menu this week? Rigatoni with Portuguese chouico, which I’m pretty sure is the Portuguese version of Spanish chorizo. Just looked on Wikipedia, and yep, that’s what it is.
Here’s what really happened. I knew I had some scallops in the freezer and I knew I wanted use them in a pasta. So, I planned out a nice pancetta & scallop pasta with radicchio. While I’m sure that would have been lovely, my grocery store was out of pancetta. Sure, I could have used bacon, but they only had Oscar Meyer and I’m a snob. Right above that flabby Oscar Meyer bacon was a package of hot Portuguese chourico, so I grabbed that instead.
Since you can’t really go wrong with chorizo of any nationality, the pasta turned out really well. I especially liked the radicchio in this dish. It was browned and added a nice bitter contrast to the sweet tomatoes and scallops. It was also done in under 20 minutes. The only downside was all the dishes (cutting board, bowl, skillet, pot, colander, etc.), but really that’s more of my husband’s concern.
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Published by mel on April 28, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I learned a valuable lesson on Saturday night: Don’t start making ravioli 30 minutes before your guests arrive. Especially if you’re not dressed yet. Especially if your shopping bags are littered on the floor and counter top. Especially if your guests are punctual.
Thank God my guests were not very punctual. I pinched the last ravioli together 5 minutes after they were supposed to arrive and I still had time to throw on some clothes and makeup.
The ravioli in question were stuffed with a blend of peas, whole milk ricotta and a pinch of cardamom. I really wanted the creamy mixture to shine so instead of drenching them in sauce, I poached the ravioli in a concentrated Parmesan broth and served them in that. I think this is my new favorite method for serving ravioli. The chicken stock and Parmesan rinds had been simmering for about 3 hours by the time we ate and the stock turned a deep, nut brown color. The whole apartment smelled of Parmesan. It was wonderful!
And the ravioli were really good. Creamy and pea-y and a nice contrast to the tangy broth. The meal turned out great and I’ll definitely make it again. Though next time I hope to give myself a bit more of a head start.
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