8-20-17 Linguine with shrimp

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Tonight I used tomatoes from Patience’s front porch garden for the sauce that created a most delightful pasta dish.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Linguine

2.     4 medium tomatoes

3.     Shrimp

4.     Asparagus cut in to 1 inch pieces,

5.     Fresh basil and dill

6.     Heavy whipping cream

7.     Olive oil

8.     Onion and garlic

9.     Sweet vermouth

10. Tomato paste

PROCESS:

Cut the tomatoes in half and grate them on the large openings on a hand grater, preserving the pulp and discarding the skin. Prepare the onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the tomatoes and herbs to the pan and simmer to reduce the liquid. After 5-10 minutes add a splash of wine.  Cook the sauce for about 20-30 minutes, but the timing is not critical. The idea is to cook off the excess liquid.  I added about 2 inches of tomato paste to help thicken the sauce.  While the pasta is cooking add the shrimp and asparagus, and when the pasta is almost done, add the cream. (I nuked the asparagus for 1 minute to cut down on the cooking time in the sauce.

COMMENTS:

My concern about this dish early in the preparation turned out to be misplaced. It was utterly delicious, with a unique sweetness, thanks to the fresh tomatoes. I guess I will have to repeat this using processed tomatoes to see if there is a significant difference.

Try it - you won't be disappointed.

8-9-17 Linguine with mushrooms & zucchini

What can I say - it's zucchini season

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Linguine

2.     Mixed mushrooms

3.     Zucchini – sliced crosswise

4.     Sundried tomatoes in olive oil- coarsely chopped

5.     Olive oil

6.     Shallots and garlic

7.     Fresh basil and oregano

8.     Sweet vermouth

9.     Panko

PROCESS:

Cook the shallots and garlic in olive oil until soft, then add the mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs, and zucchini and cook over med-high heat until they begin to brown. Turn the heat to low, add a splash of wine and simmer while waiting for the pasta.  Add the pasta and some pasta water as needed, mix well, and serve with a sprinkling of panko.

COMMENTS:

A tasty, quick meal, and a good way to get rid of all the zucchini that seems to be everywhere this time of the year.

6-22-17 Linguine from heaven

I’m not exaggerating.  When you experience this dish you will think you died and went to heaven.  The key to this culinary orgasm is fresh herbs and imported pasta.

 INGREDIENTS:

1.     Linguine

2.     Olive oil

3.     Garlic

4.     Onion

5.     Fresh basil, spearmint, oregano, parsley, and tarragon – finely chopped

6.     Sundried tomatoes in oil – coarsely chopped

7.     Toasted Panko

   PROCESS:

Cook the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, then add about 1-2 tablespoons of the herbs and the tomatoes.  Cook over low heat while the pasta is cooking.  Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce, mix in the panko, and drizzle with olive oil.  Add some pasta water if needed.

COMMENTS:

The next time you’re eating at La Casa Renzulli this this is what you should ask for.

Elegant simplicity.

A NEW TWIST WTIH BROCCOLI RABE

5-1-16   TRYING SOMETHING NEW 

Chicken, Broccoli Rabe, Sundried tomatoes – ingredients I have often used with my pasta, but never together…at least until tonight.

                             

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Linguine

2.     Chicken tenders

3.     Broccoli Rabe

4.     Sundried Tomatoes in oil   finely chopped

5.     Garlic and onion

6.     Fresh Basil

7.     Olive oil

8.     White wine

9.     Fresh lemon juice

10. Salt & pepper

11. Parmigiana cheese

PROCESS:

Brown the chicken in olive oil, remove and cut into bite size pieces, and return to pan to saute with the garlic, onion, and sundried tomatoes and fresh basil.  After 4-5 minutes add the wine and allow it to cook down.  Then add the lemon juice.

In the mean time bring a pot of water to boil, add the broccoli rabe and blanch for about 3 minutes.  Remove and add to the chicken.

Cook the pasta in the same water, and when finished, mix with the chicken and broccoli rabe.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with cheese and serve.

COMMENTS:

Save some pasta water if the dish is too dry.  This was an interesting and delightful new way to use Broccoli Rabe with pasta.  We will definitely have this again.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PASTA

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It is hard to believe that the 5^th anniversary of the start of the Pasta Quest is only 2 months away.  Last evening I decided to visit the first of our 300 pasta meals, linguine with a sauce of pureed peas.

This, from May 2, 2011:

5-2-11 pureed peas and more

INGREDIENTS:

   ½ lb. spaghetti or linguini

   4 slices of bacon, chopped

   Package of frozen peas, thawed

   2 cloves garlic, chopped

   ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

   ½  cup olive oil

   Optional – ¼ cup of chopped toasted walnuts

   

PROCESS:

    Cook the bacon, set aside and remove the grease.  Puree the peas, olive oil,

    Cheese, garlic, and mint and add to the pan with the bacon.  Mix the pasta

    when ready…al dente..and serve immediately.  Add pasta water as needed to

    thin the sauce to your taste.

COMMENTS:

   This was good, and Patience and I would both like to see it again.

   Patience gave this a 6.5, I gave it a 7 out of 10.  We both agreed on several 

   changes…adding fresh basil, pine nuts, and cream, and keeping some of the

   peas out of the puree.  P also suggested seared bay scallops…she was getting

   a little obnoxious and pushy at this point so I closed the discussion.

Now, almost 5 years later, the revised recipe:

                         

Linguine

Peas

Pancetta

Grana Padana Cheese

Garlic and Basil

Olive Oil

Toasted Pine nut

Heavy whipping cream

Cook the pancetta and remove and set aside.  Discard most of the grease and use the pan to cook the remaining peas in small amount of chicken broth.

Puree 2/3 of the peas with olive oil, cheese, and pine nuts.  Add to the pan with the peas and cook for about 5-10 minutes while the pasta is cooking.  Several minutes before the pasta is ready add the cream and stir well.

Add the pasta, with some reserved pasta water if necessary.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley and the pancetta and serve.

Comments – much better than it was 5 years ago.

I was thinking out-loud about what to prepare for tonight's pasta dinner when Patience suggested mushrooms, onions and bacon.  That sounded inspired and since her wish is my command...that is what we had.

INGREDIENTS:

Linguine
Portobella mushrooms
Onion
Italian parsley
Olive oil
Garlic
Sweet Vermouth
Dry basil and oregano 
Bacon coarsely chopped

PROCESS:


Cook the bacon, remove and set aside, and drain of excess bacon fat.  Add olive oil to the pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft, then add the mushrooms, some of the parsley, seasoning and cook over medium to low heat, adding a splash of wine after 5 minutes.


When the pasta is done, add it to the pan and mix in the bacon and remaining parsley, drizzle with olive oil and serve with parmagiano reggiano cheese.

COMMENTS:


There were no leftovers!  And if I had cooked more than the 6-7 ounces of pasta, there still would have not been any leftover.  This was an absolute TEN.

1-5…Linguine with tuna and assorted vegetables

This is a variation of a dish I’ve posted before. The difference is in the tuna. Instead of StarKist tuna in oil from Kroger (which I thoroughly enjoy) I used tuna in oil from Sicily provided by my “Chicago” daughter.

INGREDIENTS:

Spinach Linguine, Tuna in oil,  Broccoli florets,  Small tomatoes,  halved and quartered , Green onions,  Celery,  Garlic,  Fresh parsley,  Dill,  White wine,  Fresh lemon juice, Dry white wine, Butter

PROCESS:

Saute the garlic, onions, celery, and broccoli, in oil and butter while the pasta is cooking. Add a splash of white wine along with the dill and lemon juice. Add the pasta and tuna to the pan and mix well. Drizzle with olive oil, add the lemon juice, and the tomatoes, and some pasta water. Serve with parmigiano reggiano cheese.

COMMENTS:

Lee and Dee joined us tonight, making the dish especially nice. The difference in the tuna was striking; it was a much subtler flavor than the StarKist. If you enjoy trying something different, give this a try.

11-2...LINGUINE WITH OREGANO PESTO

With Patience out of town I decided to “experiment” with a new dish…at least for me…using fresh Oregano from our herb garden, lemon, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

Linguine
Fresh oregano
Lemon juice
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Olive oil
Garlic

PROCESS:

Using a mortar and pestle I ground 2 tablespoons of oregano with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and cheese. About 5 minutes before the pasta was ready I heated this over low-medium heat. The pasta is added to the pan along with a small amount of the pasta water and mixed well. Sprinkle with P-R cheese and serve.

COMMENTS:

This combination of ingredients creates a delightfully unique flavor, unlike any of the other dishes I’ve prepared.

10-14…Seafood medley with linguine

It’s 3:30 and time to begin thinking about dinner. Actually I begin thinking about dinner as soon as I wake up in the morning…not so much about wanting to eat as about deciding what to cook. They’re not the same. Even though we had the tuna two nights ago I still have seafood on my mind, and I know that in the freezer I will find bay scallops, shrimp, orange roughy fillets, and salmon. Here’s the plan…

INGREDIENTS:

Linguine
Orange roughy cut into bite size pieces
Bay scallops
Shrimp
Anchovy paste
Bay seasoning
Garlic and onion
Fresh basil
San Marzano tomatoes
Red wine
Red Pepper flakes

PROCESS:

Cook the garlic, onions, and anchovy paste in olive oil along with the red pepper. Then add the tomatoes and basil and cook for about 10 minutes before adding the Orange roughy. Continue to simmer over low heat while waiting for the pasta water to boil. Add the scallops, and Bay seasoning to the sauce when the pasta goes into the water. About 5 minutes later add the shrimp and a couple of splashes of red wine.

PROCESS:

This dish is like an old friend; I've been making it for years and it never fails to satisfy me.