6-19-15 Angel Hair with sausage, celery and carrots

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I was in the mood for sausage, but not with the usual red sauce

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Angel hair pasta – almost any other pasta can be substituted

2.     Italian sausage with casing removed

3.     Celery

4.     Carrots

5.     Onion

6.     Anchovy – 1 fillet finely chopped

7.     Olive oil

8.     Garlic

9.     Fresh basil

10. Chicken broth – about 1/3 cup

11. White wine

12. Black olives – sliced

13. Panko

PROCESS:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate-high heat and add the anchovy, carrots, garlic and onion, and cook until soft.  Add the sausage and cook until it and the vegetables begin to brown.  Add several torn basil leaves and several splashes of white wine.  Stir frequently, and when the wine has cooked off add the chicken broth, lower the heat and simmer until it begins to thicken.  Sprinkle with the Panko while the pasta is cooking. 

Add the pasta to the skillet and mix well and add the olives before serving.  Add pasta water if needed.

 

6-10-15 Linguini w shrimp, asparagus in lemon butter sauce

6-10-15   Linguini w shrimp, asparagus in lemon butter sauce

This dish looks elegant, but is quite simple to prepare, requiring only a few ingredients

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Linguini

2.     Shrimp

3.     Asparagus

4.     Olive oil

5.     Lemon juice

6.     Butter

7.     Garlic

8.     Fresh dill

9.     Red pepper flakes (optional)

10. Salt and pepper

PROCESS:

I started by cooking the shrimp in olive oil and butter and setting it aside while washing and removing the tough ends of the asparagus.

In a large skillet slowly cook a thinly sliced clove of garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil and butter while the pasta is cooking.  Next, coat the asparagus and shrimp with olive oil and grill over medium-high heat, the asparagus – about 5 minutes, and the shrimp until they begin to brown.  Remove from the grill and keep warm.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet and mix well, adding some pasta water if needed.  Drizzle with olive oil and freh dill and serve with the shrimp and asparagus on the side and wedge of lemon.

 COMMENTS:

These ingredients were meant to be used together, and linguini is the perfect pasta for this dish.

SEASONAL LANDSCAPES?

I have done very little painting with oils - and I keep telling myself I should do more .  Here are three 6x36" landscapes I did 7 or 8 years ago, the same scene in 3 different seasons.

Spring-Summer

Winter

Fall

6-6-15 Wild mushroom ravioli/creamy tomato sauce

I love cooking like this, looking in the fridge and pantry to see what’s there and what has to be used or tossed.  This evening there was a package of mushrooms and some frozen ravioli that demanded some attention.  Pouring myself a glass of Pinot Grigio, I set about seeing what I could do. 

 INGREDIENTS:

1.     Wild mushroom ravioli

2.     Sliced white mushrooms

3.     Shallots

4.     Garlic

5.     Onion

6.     Olive oil

7.     Diced tomatoes

8.     Cherry tomatoes (canned)

9.     Heavy whipping cream

10. Anchovy paste

11. Fresh Dill

12. Fresh Basil

13. Parmigiana Regianno

PROCESS:

Sauté the mushrooms, garlic and slice shallots with the chopped dill, in olive oil over high heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown.  Remove, cover, and set aside

Sauté the garlic, 2 finely chopped anchovy fillets (or paste) and chopped onion in olive oil until soft.  Add the tomatoes and several leaves of fresh basil and simmer for 30-60 minutes.  I used a hand held blender to create a less than smooth puree.  Stir in the cream several minutes before the pasta is ready.

Cook the ravioli per the package directions, drain and place in serving bowl with the sauce.  Serve the ravioli with a portion of the mushrooms, shavings of Parmigina, and fresh basil.

COMMENTS:

This was a fun dish to prepare, and even more fun to eat.  I could not help feeling guilty that we wee not sharing it with others.

SUMMER PASTA

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Summer may be a few weeks away, but yesterday’s weather was the perfect “summer day”, and deserved this summer pasta dish. 

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Rigatoni (large shells could be used)

2.     Fresh grape tomatoes, halved

3.     Cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into small bite size pieces

4.     Mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

5.     Red onion thinly sliced

6.     Arugula coarsely chopped

7.     Garlic, minced

8.     Fresh basil coarsely chopped

9.     Black olives sliced

10. Oregano

11. Olive oil

12. Salt and pepper

PROCESS:

I prefer to prepare the salad early so it has time to sit for at least an hour, but it can be prepared while the pasta is cooking.

Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and add about ¼ cup of water and an equal amount or more of olive oil – enough to provide a small amount of juice in the bowl.  This is completely subjective.

Cook the pasta (al dente), drain an place in an appropriate serving bowl, add the salad and mix well. 

Serve with Josh Ryan’s Ciabatta bread. 

Dinner guests are optional.  We had the pleasure of Nikki and Sandy’s company which significantly improved and already great meal.

THE BIRTH OF A PAINTING

I don't remember how this painting came to be.  I think a local gallery  asked for something that would demonstrate the process of developing a painting, from start to finish.  The subject is the Howard Pyle studio on Franklin Street in Wilmington Delaware.  I still have this piece tucked away in an old portfolio somewhere.  I think it measures approximately 16x45"

Apologies for the poor quality of the photo.