11-22…BEANS AND GREENS plus

It is gray, wet, and cold outside, perfect weather for this dish of comfort food so I won’t feel bad about skipping the pasta tonight. My mother would make this with Escarole, beans, and broth, but since Krogers does not carry Escarole I’ll use Kale, plus a few other variations.



INGREDIENTS:

Kale, coarsely chopped
Chicken broth
White mushrooms
Garlic, onion
Basil
Cannellini beans
Celery
Parsley
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

PROCESS:

Cool the onion and garlic in olive oil for several minutes then add the mushrooms and celery, plus salt and pepper. When the mushrooms are just about cooked add the chicken broth and bring to boil before adding the Kale, beans, and herbs. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes or longer. At some point add about ¼ cup of the cheese.

At the last minute I decided to toss in several small frozen meatballs that had been hiding in a corner of the freezer.

COMMENTS:

The perfect meal for a cold and rainy evening. And we know that the leftovers will be even better tomorrow.

10-17…chicken noodle soup

About a quarter pound of pasta was left uncooked from yesterdays enterprise, and when I tried removing it from the racks it began to break apart. Accepting the inevitable I broke all of into short noodles and tonight will try my hand at creating a “noodle soup”. My first thought was a simple broth with celery, parsley, and noodles, and maybe white beans. Then I remembered the boneless chicken breasts in the freezer, and suddenly tonight’s dinner is taking shape.

INGREDIENTS:

Day old homemade pasta
Olive oil
Butter
Garlic and onion
Celery stalk with fronds….chopped
Boneless chicken breast
White beans (navy, northern, or Cannellini)
Fresh basil, parsley, and thyme
Bay leaves
Fresh lemon juice
Chicken broth
White wine

PROCESS:

In a large sauce pan sauté the garlic, onion, and celery in olive oil and butter. Then add the beans and simmer. In the meanwhile brown the chicken in a skillet with olive oil, seasoning of your choice, and some lemon juice. When finished, remove from pan and cut into small pieces. De-glaze the pan with wine and add results to the soup pot. Add the chicken broth, the chicken, and bay leaves and simmer covered for 30-45 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for about 5 minutes before serving.



COMMENTS:

It took all the will power I could muster not to have a third bowl of this soup!

10-4 Pasta with Turnip greens and Cannellini beans

Our CSA friends gave us a bunch of turnip greens which will be substituted for the escarole we cannot get here in Paducah.

INGREDIENTS:

Turnip greens
Cannellini beans
Olive oil
Garlic and onions
Fresh lemon juice

PROCESS:

Blanch the greens for about 3 minutes, drain, and sauté in olive oil with garlic and onion. Add the cannellini beans and simmer over low heat while the pasta cooks in the water used for the greens. At some point add the juice from half a lemon.


Add the pasta to the pan and mix well, serve with grated parmesan cheese.



COMMENTS:

Wow…this was delicious. The lemon juice added just the right touch to the flavors.

Without the pasta this dish would be Italian comfort food…beans and greens, simple and tasty. (usually made with escarole.)

PASTA QUEST…JUNE 24 SAUSAGE, ZUCCHINI, BEANS

Farfalle wirh sausage, Cannellini beans, and zucchini. 6-24



INGREDIENTS;

Farfalle (bowties)
One zucchini cut into small pieces
Fresh Basil and Thyme
Italian sausage…out of the casing
One can of Cannellini beans
Red pepper flakes
Garlic, olive oil, and green onion

PROCESS;

Brown the sausage and remove. Saute the garlic and green onion with red pepper flakes, then add the beans and cook for about 5 minutes before adding the Basil and the sausage and simmer.

Add the pasta when it is ready, mix, and serve. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

COMMENTS;

I don’t know it it is the sausage, the beans, ot the combination of the two, but this dish has a low brow, peasant, soul food kind of feeling and taste to me. Patience says it’s all in my head. Whatever….it is delicious! And it it so easy to prepare. It doesn’t take much of an imagination to come up with a number of variations and possibilities for this meal.


FYI...this is the 35th pasta dish I've prepared since we started in the beginning of May. There are still so many more dishes to explore!

PASTA QUEST DAY...week 4...DAY 20

5-26-11

Once again we're enjoying the fruits of the Amish labor. The fun part of this whole endeavor is coming up with ways of using the produce we receive from them every week.


Pasta with Swiss Chard, mushrooms, and Cannellini beans

INGREDIENTS:

Shell pasta
Swiss Card, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 Can Cannellini beans
White mushrooms, cut
Green onions, garlic,
Basil,
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Red pepper flakes


PROCESS
Cook the mushrooms, garlic, and onions with a dash of fresh lemon juice, then add the beans and basil and cook for 5 mintues before adding the Swiss Chard. Cook for another 4-5 minutes before adding the pasta and mixing well.

Drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Option…omit the mushrooms, cook the greens in olive oil with the garlic and the beans.

COMMENTS:

P gives this a 10, and I’m giving it a 9.5 because I liked last night’s just a little better. Don’t skimp on the Swiss Chard because like spinach, it really cooks down. If you can find it fresh and tender you will love its flavor. Since my stay in italy I have learned to love the Cannellini beans, but navy, northern, or small white beans can be substituted. My preference would be small white beans, but they are not readily available…at least not here in Paducah.