5-14-17   PENNE WITH ARUGULA AND WHITE BEANS

Ending a beautiful day in a Lowertown way.  Lee and Dee stopped by to chat with Patience who was working in the front garden.  Of course the neighborly thing to do was to share a glass of wine on the porch, followed by dinner. The challenge was what to serve, and once again, Patience’s porch garden came to the rescue.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Penne pasta

2.     Fresh Arugula, coarsely chopped

3.     Olive Oil

4.     Garlic, Onions and Celery

5.     Pancetta, diced

6.     Sun dried tomatoes in olive oil  coarsely chopped

7.     Great Northern Beans – I can, drained

8.     Fresh oregano, thyme, basil, and Rosemary

9.     Toasted panko

PROCESS:

Cook the pancetta in olive oil, then add the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook until soft.  Add the beans, herbs, and tomatoes and cook over medium-low heat.  While the pasta is cooking, add the arugula to the sauce and continue cooking over low heat.  When the pasta I done, mix it into the sauce in the same pan, adding pasta water if it is too dry.

Serve sprinkled with the Panko.

COMMENTS:

The pasta, accompanied by one of Patience's salad of fresh greens made for a delightful dinner.

Everyone considered this a success.  I’m inclined to agree with them.

6-14…Aglio Olio crudo…plus

Fresh baby Arugula in the fridge.  I had some with my eggs this morning and with fresh slices of tomato for lunch.  This evening I thought, what the hell, let’s go for the hat trick today.  The result is Aglio Olio crudo with arugula and mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS:

Spaghetti

Baby arugula, coarsely chopped

White mushrooms

Olive oil

Garlic, finely chopped

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Grated Gran Padana cheese

Dry basil and oregano

PROCESS:

While waiting for the water to boil sauté the mushrooms in olive oil with the dry herbs then set aside

Place the cooked pasta in a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil, and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Add some pasta water as needed.  Serve with the grated cheese.

COMMENTS:

The only thing keeping this from a ten rating is that I was a little heavy handed with the garlic.  But otherwise this would be a 10 plus!

3-28…Chile pepper fettucine with mushrooms and arugula.

I came in from the studio thinking I would call for some pizza tonight – not in the mood to cook.  About one hour later, sitting on the porch with a glass of Pinot Grigio and 3 plump raspberries staring at me from the bottom of the glass I became inspired.  Pizza!  Hell, I could do better than that.  After taking stock of the fridge and the pantry this is what I came up with.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente Pasta’s chile pepper fettucine

Portobelllo mushrooms

Organic cherry tomatoes  (one of Patience’s “finds” at Tuesday Mornings)

Arugula, coarsely chopped

Olive oil

Garlic and onion

Dry basil, oregano, and  red pepper flakes

Bacon, chopped

Sweet vermouth

PROCESS:

Cook the bacon, remove, drain, and set aside.  Replace the bacon fat with olive oil and add the garlic, onion, and mushrooms, plus the herbs and seasonsing..  Cook for about 10 minutes then add the tomatoes and wine and simmer for another 20-30 minutes.  (I have no set cooking time – it all depends on when Patience gets home.)  I try to cook off all the wine before I put the pasta in.

When the pasta is ready add it to the pan and mix in the arugula, add the bacon, and drizzle with olive oil. 

COMMENTS:

The next time I use chile pepper fettucine I will not use additional red pepper flakes; by the end of meal my head was sweating.  But, it was worth every ounce of sweat.  The meal was delicious.Much better than pizza.

3-23...Perciatelli with arugula and shrimp.

Good grief!  It has been six days - six whole days - since out last pasta dinner.  No wonder my right eyelid has been twitching all day.  I will take care of that tonight with a pasta dish using arugula, shrimp, and pancetta, along with wine, butter, and lemon.  (And anything else I can come up with)

INGREDIENTS:
Pasta
Arugula, coarsely chopped
Shrimp
Sun dried tomatoes in oil
Olive oil
Garlic and shallots
White wine
Fresh lemon juice
Butter
Red pepper flakes
Pancetta, chopped


PROCESS:

Cook the pancetta until crisp, remove, drain, and set aside.  In the same pan cook the garlic and shallots in olive oil along with the red pepper flakes and tomatoes.  Add the wine and let it cook down before adding the shrimp and butter.  Before the pasta is done add the lemon juice, then mix in the pasta, arugula, and sprinkle with the pancetta and olive oil before serving.

COMMENTS:

 A great dish, easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy.  There are so many ways this can be adapted, improvised, varied, etc., scallops instead of shrimp, olives or anchovies instead of sun dried tomatoes, and on and on.

3-17…Pappardelle with Radicchio and Arugula

Tonight is a first.  I’ve never cooked with radicchio but have been seeing it from time to time in recipes.  I found one in one of my cook books – the pasta bible – that also uses arugula, and since I had some of Christy’s arugula left over, it fit the bill.

INGREDIENTS:

Pappardelle from Al Dente Pasta

Olive oil

Radicchio (1/2 a head finely chopped)

Arugula, coarsely chopped

Garlic and onion

Red wine

Celery

Caponata

Pancetta ( bacon can be used)

PROCESS:

Cook the pancetta, then add the garlic, onion, and celery and cook until soft.  Add the radicchio and a splash of wine and cook until soft.  At this point I tasted the sauce and found it too bitter; to counter this I decided to add a heaping tablespoon of caponata.  This effectively reduced the bitterness.

The cooked pasta is added to the pan, along with the arugula and mixed well.  Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

COMMENTS:

This  was very good; a distinctly different taste from what I’m used to.  I will do this again, substituting sweet vermouth for the red wine.  Another option is to add fresh eggplant instead of the caponat.

3-11...Fettuccine with arugula-tomato salad

3.-11…Once more with Arugula

Thanks to dear Christy I have a stash of fresh, home grown arugula to cook with  tonight.  Looking to come up with a new arugula-pasta dish, I decided on the following.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente fettuccine

Arugula, coarsely chopped

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Celery

Garlic and onion

Pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

Fresh parsley

Dry basil and oregano

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Fresh lemon juice

Bacon, chopped

PROCESS:

Cook the bacon and set aside to drain.

Place the tomatoes, garlic, onions, olives, celery and herbs in a bowl and mix in the olive oil, lemon juice and a splash of vinegar.  Allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes, then mix in the arugula.

Place the cooked pasta in a serving bowl and mix in the “sauce”.  Add pasta water if needed, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the bacon before serving.

COMMENTS:

This was not quite as good as the last arugula dish I posted…but still rates an 8 or a 9 and I don’t hesitate recommending it.

Making the dinner even better was having Stef and David sitting across from us and sharing our food and wine.  I would have to say that the conversation was as good as, if not better, than the pasta.

Arugula, arugula, arugula...I think I'm in a rut. A good one!

I'm not sure just how I got on this arugula kick, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

INGREDIENTS:
Al Dente egg and squid ink fettucine.
Arugula, coarsely chopped
Scallions and garlic
Portobello mushrooms
Tomato paste
Red pepper flakes
Pancetta or bacon
Olive oi
Red wine
Dry basil and oregano

PROCESS:
Cook the pancetta, remove and set aside to drain.  In olive oil saute the garlic, scallions, with red pepper flakes and tomato paste.  Add the mushrooms and seasoning plus a splash of wine and cook over low heat.

Mix the cooked pasta in the pan, along with the arugula and pancetta and serve.

COMMENTS:

Every meal is my favorite, and this was no exception.  I think the Al Dente fettucine took this dish from good to great.

I MAY HAVE A NEW FAVORITE

Tonight's dinner was fantastic, and you no by now that I am not one for over-exuberant statements.  I wanted rustic and got rustic plus!



INGREDIENTS:

Penne rigatta
Ciabatta bread cut into 1/4 inch cube
Arugula coarsely chopped
Anchovy fillets finely chopped (3)
Olive oil
Celery
Garlic and shallots
Red pepper flakes
Dry basil and oregano

PROCESS:

Place the bread in a bowl, add salt, pepper, seasoning, and olive oil and mix well.  In a buttered skillet toast the bread and set aside on paper towels to drain and cool.

In olive oil saute the garlic, shallots, celery, and anchovies with the red pepper flakes.



Add the cooked pasta to the pan and mix in the arugula and sprinkle with the croutons.

Serve with grated Romano or Parmigano cheese.

COMMENTS:

This was sooooo good; it is on the same level as broccoli rabe.

2-24..DON'T FORGET THE ARUGULA!

I forgot it last night, but not tonight.   Looking for a flavor with a bite I decided to try combining arugula and kalamata olives with my favorite dish, Aglio Olio crudo.  For the pasta I selected the Al Dente brand garlic and parsley fettuccine.

INGREDIENTS:

Fettuccine
Olive oil
Fresh parsley finely chopped
Garlic, finely chopped
Arugula, coarsely chopped
Pitted kalamata olives coarsely chopped

PROCESS:

While the pasta is cooking prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Add some pasta water as needed to keep things from getting to "dry".

COMMENTS:

WOW!!!   Ok, I'm calmed down.  This was really good...a new twist to an old favorite.  And I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating.  If you like pasta you have to try the Al Dente brand; you will not be disappointed.

2-22...pasta with tomato sauce with sausage and arugula

Tonight I'll prepare a quick version of "Sunday gravy" using Italian sausage made by a local Chicago Italian market (thanks to Amy and Bob).   The process is the same one used for the Sunday gravy, only the cooking time is greatly reduced, resulting in a looser sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente pasta
Italian sausage
San Marzano peeled whole tomatoe
Augula
Olive oil
Garlic and onion
Dry basil and oregano
Red wine
Red pepper flakes

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage, remove, and deglaze the pan with the wine.  In olive oil with the red pepper flakes cook the garlic and onion until transparent, then add the tomatoes, spices, and sausage and cook under cover over low heat for at least 20-30 minutes (long enough to cook the sausage).



Just before the pasta is ready remove the sausage.  Place pasta in large serving bowl, add the sauce and the arugula, mix well, and serve.

COMMENTS:

The key to the success of this meal?   Forgetting the arugula!!  About half way through the dinner I remembered the arugula.  Fortunately it did not make any difference...this was scrumptious!

2-2...Arugula, the 3rd of a 3 part series

I found myself looking at the last of the arugula...what to do...

Also in the fridge was a bunch of asparagus that needed some attention; the result was Angel hair pasta with asparagus, smoked salmon and arugula in a cream sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

Angel hair pasta
Asparagus
Smoked salmon, chopped coarsely
Arugula, coarsely chopped
Olive oil
Butter
Heavy whipping cream
Cilantro
Lemon juice
Blue cheese...about 1 teaspoon
Dry white wine
Garlic, green onions

PROCESS:

Cook the garlic and onion until soft, then add the asparagus.  Cook for several minutes before adding the dill and seasoning.  When the asparagus is almost done add the salmon, lemon juice, and wine and cook over low heat.  After several minutes add the arugula.  About 5 minutes before the pasta is ready add the cream and blue cheese and stir frequently.  Add the pasta and mix well.

COMMENTS:

This could easily have been a ten plus.  Unfortunately I forgot just how salty the smoked salmon can be, and adding my usual amount of salt resulted in a dish that was too salty.  Let me amend that...too salty for Patience.  It was perfect for me.  However, after so many years (I've lost count) I have learned to trust her judgement.

Patience will be away for the next three days so I will be cooking for myself and the next pasta dish will probably be when she returns.

2-1...pasta with a light tomato sauce, arugula, and mozzarella

Tonight marks the beginning of our ninth month of the Pasta Quest, and I am confident we will take the rest of the way...A Year of Pasta.

Patience will be away this weekend and there is still a lot of arugula in the fridge so I'll put it to use again tonight in a loose tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese.  I considered adding bacon or kalamata olives but I decided to avoid their strong flavors to see what the arugula would do by itself.

INGREDIENTS:

Conchiglie (shells)
San Marzano whole tomatoes
Olive oil
Garlic and onion
Coarsely chopped arugula
Red pepper flakes
Dry basil and oregano
Italian parsley
Sweet Vermouth

 

PROCESS:

Saute the garlic and onion until soft.  Add the tomatoes (break them up with a wooden spoon), herbs, and cook for about 30 minutes, adding a splash of wine after 15-20 minutes.

Coarsely chop the arugula and cut the mozzarella into small, bite size pieces.  When the pasta is done add it to the sauce and mix in the cheese.  Then mix in the arugula and serve to a hungry, grateful wife who has just worked over 12 hectic hours at the hospital.



COMMENTS:



OK, I know I am not stingy with my praise for these pasta dishes...but this dish was so damn good!!!  The combination of arugula ( sweetened by the heat) and sweet vermouth is unbelievable.  You gotta try this...but I must warn you, if you do,you will want to marry me.

Fettuccine with Arugula and mushrooms

Something new that I am anxious to share with you tonight.  This combination of ingredients resulted in a scrumptious pasta dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Fettuccine
Baby portabello  mushrooms
Bacon, coarsely choppe
Olive oi
Garlic and onion
Dry basil and oregano
Red pepper flakes
Sun dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Arugula, coarsely chopped



 I've become a big time fan of this brand of pasta...available online

PROCESS:

Cook the bacon, remove and set aside to drain, and remove most of the bacon fat from the pan.  Add olive oil and saute the garlic and onion until soft. Add the mushrooms and seasoning along with the tomatoes and cook uncovered over low-medium heat.  Just before the pasta is ready mix in the bacon, then add the pasta and the arugula and mix well.  Add some pasta water if needed and drizzle with olive oil.  Serve with Parmigiano or Romano cheese.

COMMENTS:

Patience and I both went a little nutty over this.  If you like arugula you will love this dish.  Don't overdo the sun dried tomatoes.  I used 3 or 4, and I think as few as 2 would do just as well. 

12-29…Capellini with smoked salmon and peas in a cream sauce with prosciutto and arugula

INGREDIENTS:

Capellini (Angel hair pasta)
Smoked salmon cut into bite size pieces
Dry white wine
Olive oil
1 generous pat of butter
Garlic and shallots
Heavy whipping cream
Frozen peas
Prosciutto coarsely chopped
Dill, dry or fresh
Arugula finely chopped

PROCESS:

Cook the garlic and shallots in the olive oil until soft. Add the peas and about ¼ cup of wine and the dill, bring to a boil then simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the salmon and the arugula. Cook for several more minutes then add the cream, stirring frequently. Add the butter before the pasta is ready.

Toss the pasta in the pan with the sauce and mix in the prosciutto.

COMMENTS:

I was not sure how the arugula would work with this…I used it because I was out of parsley. The results however, were fantastic; the combination of ingredients worked well together. I especially liked the prosciutto; it gave it a finishing touch.

10-20…Spinach fettuccine with arugula-mushroom-tomato sauce

This was a night to use what I could from the fridge. Patience will be out of town for the next 4 nights and I may not be doing much cooking.



INGREDIENTS:

Spinach fettuccine made with Jerusalem artichoke flour, from Krogers
San Marzano tomatoes
Garlic
Olive oil
White mushrooms
Fresh dill and basil
Red pepper flakes
Arugula
Red wine

PROCESS:

Cook the garlic and mushrooms in the olive oil with fresh dill. Then add the tomatoes and basil and simmer covered for about 30-45 minutes. While the pasta is cooking add the arugula and a splash of red wine to the sauce.

COMMENTS:

I liked the texture of this pasta, and the addition of the arugula to the tomato sauce created a delightful combination of texture and flavor.

10-10…Tuna with tomatoes, arugula and lemon

Tuna canned in oil is a common staple in many Italian kitchens, and I find that recipes for canned tuna far outnumber those for fresh tuna in the more than a dozen Italian cookbooks I’ve reviewed.

I’ve previously posted 2 variations of pasta with canned tuna (5/30 and 7/24) and tonight I’ll add one more.



INGREDIENTS:

Tuna in oil
Olive oil
Garlic and onion
Dill
Lemon juice
Arugula, chopped
Two ripe, medium (or one larger one) tomatoes peeled and coarsely chopped
Anchovy paste

PROCESS:

Run the garlic through a garlic press and cook in olive oil along with the onion and anchovy paste. After several minutes add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the cooked al dente pasta to the pan and mix in the tuna and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the dill, arugula, and lemon juice, mix well, and serve.

COMMENTS:

10-8…Arugula Rustica

Today a most thoughtful and generous friend gave me some fresh Arugula from his garden, and I have spent the past several hours thinking about how I will use it in tonight’s dinner. On July 2nd I posted a recipe using Arugula in a pesto form, and on June 25th I used it as a garnish. Tonight I’m looking for something different; I want the dish to be simple and rustic, and after several intense hours of thinking…OK…maybe intense is a little over the top…how about serious hours? This is what I’ve come up with.



INGREDIENTS:

Linguine or Angel hair pasta
Olive oil
Garlic
Tomato paste
Arugula coarsely chopped
Fresh ground black pepper
Toasted ciabatta breadcrumbs
Lemon juice

PROCESS:

Cook the garlic and about 1 tsp. of tomato paste in the olive oil for several minutes before adding half of the arugula and just a bit of lemon juice. When the pasta is cooked…not overcooked…just cooked…add it to the “sauce” along with some pasta water and mix well. Toss in the rest of the arugula plus the breadcrumbs and black pepper, mix well, and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Now if only it tastes as good as it sounds to me.

COMMENTS:

I hit it out of the park tonight! This dish was everything I hoped it would be. Thank you John…your Arugula made the day.

SAUSAGE, TOMATOES, W ARUGULA PESTO 7-2

I spent all day working out this recipe...and it was worth every minute of it! I even shunned the food processor and ground out my own pesto. As always I did not measure anything. You have to prepare this once intuitively, and then make adjustments as needed. The next time I make it I'll use more pesto.



INGREDIENTS:

Italian sausage cut into bite sized pieces
Grape tomatoes halved and quartered
Olive oil
Garlic
Arugula, chopped
Pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
Red wine
Mozzarella cheese cut into small pieces

PROCESS:

Grind the arugula, pine nuts,garlic, and cheese with olive oil in a mortar and pestle until paste like, and set aside.



Brown the sausage over high heat, remove, and set aside. Deglaze pan w red wine if needed, lower heat and add garlic and tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the sausage and cook until sausage is cooked through.

Add the pasta to the pan then add the arugula pesto and the mozzarella cheese plus some pasta water.



COMMENTS:

Of course I loved it...as did Patience. This is not the time for false modesty. It was scrumptious! OK...I will admit that I would like cardboard it it was served with sausage. But seriously, this dish is worth the effort.

PASTA QUEST…JUNE 25

Sausage, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, arugula. June 25

Patience is working today which means we won’t be eating until at least 8 PM. This gives me plenty of time to come up with something. I have some Portabello mushrooms plus some loose sausage that should be used soon so I’m thinking…the mushrooms and sausage with a loose tomato sauce; maybe diced tomatoes with the last of the Arugula.

INGREDIENTS:

Gemelli
Sausage
Portabello mushrooms
Diced tomatoes
Olive oil
Garlic, fresh basil and oregano, and green onion
Arugula, coarsely chopped



PROCESS;

Brown the sausage, remove, and deglaze the pan with red wine. Cook garlic and onion in olive oil, add the mushrooms and cook for about 7 -10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and herbs and cook. Mix in the arugula just before the pasta is finished. Add the pasta to the pan and mix thoroughly and serve.

COMMENTS:

I realize my credibility is shot to hell…I like everything I cook! Tonight was no exception. This is a delicious, quick, and simple dish, worth all the time it doesn’t take to prepare it. You and your guests will go back for seconds and thirds!