A Change of Plans...{Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pappardelle}

For the past couple of weeks, I've been offering up some super simple sides and my plan was to continue on that path for the next several weeks. However, this meal just hustled its way into the schedule as another way to use those fabulous Brussels sprouts. 

A common pairing on all of the most fabulous menus is Brussels sprouts and bacon. And, while some of us may have thought that this pairing had jumped the shark, I think this dish might just change your mind. This was a dinner this week and there were plenty of leftovers for a second night's meal. Although, I had to fight off my sweet daughter and El Syd from packing the leftovers up for the next day's lunches. 

Brussels Sprouts & Bacon Pappardelle

• 1 lb pappardelle pasta (fettucine or spaghetti would be a good sub if you can't find pappardelle in your store)
• 1/2 lb thick sliced bacon, diced
• 1/4 C sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, root end trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 C white wine
• 1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; save 1 C of the pasta water & drain when finished.
2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the topping (not a true sauce, but loaded with amazing flavor.) In a large skillet, saute bacon and onion over medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook until the bacon is browned and starting to crisp up & the onions are browned and caramelized. (about 15 minutes)
3. Add sliced Brussels sprouts and garlic to the bacon and onions. Saute, stirring frequently until the leaves are bright green (about 3 minutes or so.)
4. Stir in white wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and stir well.
5. Add finished and drained pasta to the skillet and begin to toss with the cooked mixture. Add Parmesan cheese and about 1/2 C of the pasta water. Stir until creamy and well coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

The natural sweet and nutty flavor of the Brussels sprouts was fabulous with the saltiness of the bacon and the white wine added yet another layer of flavor to this dish. I'm not telling you what to do, but this just might be a nice way to say "I love you." for Valentine's Day. You can't go wrong with an impressive homemade meal!

Happy Cooking!

sld

Pasta Primavera

Ahhhh...the first day of Spring....the leaves are peeking out of every branch of our trees and the grass is starting that familiar change from dormant hay to vibrant green. It's calling to me. Over the weekend, I planted, or replanted I should say, my herb beds and am getting ready for a Spring and Summer filled with light, bright food where fresh, lush vegetables are the focus. I've turned the corner from the root vegetables and the heaviness of winter squashes to the succulent, light, vibrancy that is on its way - tomatoes, eggplant and corn won't be far off now.

So, what better way to signal Spring than with the eponymous dish. Primavera is Italian for Spring and while this dish isn't truly Italian at all, being invented at Le Cirque in the 1970's, it is still a delight. It makes frequent appearances in our home all Spring and Summer. This version, adapted from Giada DeLaurentis, cuts out the blanching of the original and instead features roasted vegetables (what else?!) The results are a sweet, caramelized showcase of the vegetables' natural flavors.

Pasta Primavera (adapted from Giada DeLaurentis)

• 1/2 lb carrots, peeled
• 1/2 lb summer squash (your choice - zucchini, yellow squash, a mixture)
• 2 ripe sweet peppers (your choice - red, yellow or orange, a mixture)
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb dried bow-tie pasta
• 20 cherry tomatoes (either halved, if large or left whole if small)
• 1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Cut carrots into 1 in rounds(on diagonal if you want to get "Fraunchy"); cut squash into 1/2 thick half circles; cut bell peppers into 2 in strips. On a large baking sheet, toss the vegetables (including onions) with the oil and dried herbs; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix until well coated. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another baking sheet. (I like to line my pans with foil to help cut down on the clean up mess.) Arrange the mixture evenly over both sheets and bake in the oven. Stir after first 10 minutes and continue cooking until the carrots are tender and the other vegetables begin to brown lightly (about another 10 minutes for a total of 20 minutes.)
2. While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bowties and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, but still firm (al dente), about 9-10 minutes. Drain, but reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot, toss in the roasted vegetables to combine. Add the cherry tomatoes and just enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten. 
3. Transfer to serving bowls; season with additional salt and pepper if you like. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Happy Cooking!

 sld

Pancetta & Leeks

This month has been foodie month. What with 3 family birthdays, The Super Bowl, Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, and the Oscars, there have been ample opportunities for cooking. This past weekend, we celebrated the birthdays of my son, and my mother and father. So, yes, a special meal was in order. I am a notorious planner and also have a penchant for regionally themed meals. Usually, everything flows from soup to nuts. However, along with all of these extravaganza events has come a certain level of excess. I discussed with El Syd (formerly referred to as The Husband - yes, a blog-worthy moniker has been agreed upon) all of my ideas and then discussed it more with Mama, and finally just decided on a simple pasta dish and a decadent dessert. No rhyme, no reason, no theme. The main dish, Pancetta and Leeks over Homemade Fettuccine (yes, I will discuss that whole process, soon - I promise.) was truly simple and mirrored the hint at Spring with which Mother Nature has been teasing us (Here, in Texas, that is.) The saltiness of the pancetta was the perfect foil for the natural sweetness and creaminess of the leeks. Leeks might just be my new favorite underutilized vegetable. They have just that hint of onion flavor without any of the strong and overpowering zing of onions. Due to their rather fibrous nature, when cooked thoroughly, they are silky and creamy. Just so wonderful.

Pancetta and Leeks over Fettuccine (inspired by bon appetit magazine)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 lb pancetta, thickly sliced and cut into ~1/2" pieces
• 2 medium leeks, white & pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into half circles (see note)
• 3/4 C heavy cream
• 2 Tsp. chopped thyme(fresh)
• 1 lb fettuccine
• 1 C finely grated Parmesan cheese 

Pancetta & Leeks in oil and butter

Following the addition of the cream

1. Before starting sauce, begin to cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid. While the pasta is getting going, you can start the sauce so that both are ready at about the same time.
2. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over med. heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is crispy (around 5-6 minutes.) 
3. Add leeks and season with salt. Increase heat and cook, stirring often. Continue until leeks begin to brown (another 5-6 minutes.)
4. Add the cream and thyme, and 1/2 C water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer/thicken about 5-8 minutes more. (Sauce should cling to your spoon a bit.)
5. Add sauce, parmesan, and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to pasta and stir to coat the pasta. Add more cooking liquid as needed to make sure the sauce coats the pasta. (Don't add too much of the cooking water - just until the pasta is well coated. I only needed 1 cup)
6. Serve and enjoy.

Note: Leeks tend to be very good at hiding tiny bits of dirt and sand in their tight layers. For best results, split lengthwise, then cut cross-wise into half-circles or "c's" and then use a colander or sieve to hold the leek pieces while you rinse well with water- making sure to clean all of the sand/dirt off.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Swiss Chard & Mushrooms with Fettuccine

By now, you've probably seen the photo of the recent birthday dinner, and you've read about the poor results on that batch of homemade pasta. Regardless of the bumps in the road that I encountered, this dish is still worth making and will stand on its own even without the scallops.

About Swiss Chard: While the name is puzzling, since there is nothing Swiss about this vegetable, don't be puzzled by how to use it in your cooking. This is typically a spring vegetable; once temperatures reach 85 F, the harvest season comes to an end. Luckily, however, due to our mild Texas winters, this vegetable shows up frequently from Fall to Spring at local farmer's markets. These dark green, large, ruffled leaves with its brightly colored, ribbed stems look a lot like dolled-up spinach. However, this delicious green is actually a very close relative to the beet.  The leaves hold up better to cooking than do those of spinach and the stems have their own delicious taste and crisp texture. It's like getting two vegetables in one. When buying chard, look for a bunch with small, crisp, bright leaves and avoid those with yellowing leaves, tears or holes. Chard is best when it is wilted, steamed or sauteed - even microwaved. As with other green leafy vegetables, chard is especially well-paired with butter, lemon, garlic, pine nuts and mushrooms. 

Here's what I did - without the homemade pasta.(I'll deal with that another day.)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 C chopped shallots (or green onions in a pinch)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 8-10 small mushrooms sliced (white or crimini)
• 1 lb. Swiss Chard (wash this thoroughly as it tends to hold onto the gritty soil it is grown in); remove stems from leafy part; chop stems into 1 inch pieces and rough chop the leaves
• 1/2 lb. uncooked fettuccine
• 1/4 C. shredded Parmesean cheese (the real deal; not the powder in the green can)
• cracked black pepper - to taste

1. Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender), 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions. 
2. While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet that has a lid.  Add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until tender and the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the Swiss chard, reduce heat and cover for about 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn the chard over so that uncooked leaves are on the bottom and wilted leaves are on top. Cover and cook until completely wilted, about another 3 minutes.
3. As soon as your pasta has finished cooking, drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 C of the pasta water. Return the drained pasta to the pot. Add the chard mixture and the reserved liquid.
4. Toss to mix and serve; top each individual dish with some shredded parmesean and pepper.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Butternut Squash with Brown Butter Sage Sauce over Pasta

This post was originally published on 1/23/13. The post is short and sweet (and so is the dish - quick to prepare and delightfully sweet from the squash.)

This combination screams Fall and Winter - the sweet squash paired with the sage, nutmeg and hazelnut flavors are classic - a truly seasonal dish.

1 butternut squash (~3lb) (roasted (click link for instructions), peeled and cubed) 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb dried pasta, cooked according to directions 

1/2 C unsalted butter

6 large fresh sage leaves torn

1/4 C chopped, toasted hazelnuts or pinenuts (optional)

1/2 C  parmesan cheese freshly grated
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1. When squash is done, cool slightly, peel and cube.

2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, then drain well.

3. While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it bubbles. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add sage, and a dash of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes.(Butter will begin to take on a golden hue.)

4. Add cubed squash to the skillet and cook until squash caramelizes slightly. Add nuts and stir to incorporate. Toss with cooked pasta and serve with Parmesan and nuts and top with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg.

Note: The roasted squash cubes may start to break apart. Do not be alarmed. This will create a variety of textures in the finished dish.

Happy Cooking!

sld