5-15-18 Ravioli w mushroom-sundried tomato-cream sauce

I wanted to use the ½ pint of white mushrooms in the fridge to make a sauce for the spinach cheese ravioli in the freezer. I also wanted to keep in rather simple and open to last minute “inspirations”.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Ravioli

2.     Mushrooms coarsely chopped

3.     Sundried tomatoes in oil coarsely chopped

4.     Tomato paste – 1-2 teaspoons

5.     Fresh basil leaves

6.     Olive oil

7.     Onion and garlic

8.     Sweet Vermouth

9.     Heavy whipping cream

10. Chicken broth

11. Grating cheese

PROCESS:

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook over med-high heat, stirring frequently until they begin to brown. Add the sundried tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, and a splash of sweet vermouth, lower the heat and continue cooking. Add the broth if the sauce becomes too thick. About 5 minutes before adding the ravioli stir in the cream – as much or as little as desired. There is no fixed amount for any of these ingredients, so there is no right way or wrong way to prepare this.

COMMENTS:

Patience and I both gave this a 10. It was fun to prepare, and offers a lot of options to explore any number of variations.

1-13-18 Kick Ass pasta

I spent all day thinking about this, and tonight I am pleased to say it worked as planned, a simple, no frills, dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Spaghetti

2.     Mushrooms

3.     Asparagus

4.     Olive oil

5.     Onion

6.     Shallots

7.     Garlic

8.     Fresh chopped parsley

9.     Butter

10. White wine

11. Lemon juice

12. Dried Tarragon

PROCESS:

I cooked the mushrooms and shallots in olive oil and garlic over high heat until the mushrooms started to brown. I removed them from the pan, deglazed it with wine and set them aside.

Next – cook the onion and garlic in olive oil and add about 2 tbsp of butter and fresh parsley. Add the juice from ½ lemon.  Keep warm while the pasta is cooking.

Wrap the asparagus in wet paper towels and nuke for  one and half minutes.

When the pasta is ready, mix it into the the sauce and transfer to the plates. Top with the mushrooms and add the side of asparagus. Sprinkle with some parsley and enjoy.

COMMENTS:

Patience loved this, and that says it all.

8-30-17 Capellini with eggplant & mushrooms

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Me: I have to decide what to do for dinner tonight.

Patience: Just use what ever is in the fridge

Me: Okay

The pickings were slim- a half a package of mixed mushrooms and two Japanese eggplants from the porch garden. BUT – there was also a jar of sundried tomatoes, some cream, and a bottle of sweet vermouth. Who needs anything else.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Angel hair pasta (we use 4 oz. for the two of us.)

2.     Two Japanese eggplants sliced crosswise

3.     Mixed mushrooms

4.     Sundried tomatoes in oil – coarsely chopped

5.     Olive oil (don’t use extra virgin for cooking.)

6.     Onion and Garlic

7.     Fresh thyme, parsley, and basil

8.     Sweet vermouth

9.     Heavy whipping cream – about 3 tbsp.

10. Red pepper flakes – optional

PROCESS:

Prepare the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the mushrooms, eggplant, and herbs, and cook over high heat until everything starts to brown.  Lower the heat and add a splash of wine and the tomatoes and continue cooking over low heat.  If everything gets to dry, add a splash of chicken broth.  When you add the pasta to the water add the cream to the sauce and stir.  Add the past to the sauce, mix well, and serve. Be prepared for a temporary stint in culinary heaven.

Comments:

This was wonderful the cook claimed unabashedly.  Patience loved it, and she is the ultimate food critic in our kitchen.

8-24-17 Fettuccini with mushrooms and zucchini

Tonight’s challenge was to use some of our abundant tomato crop and the zucchini and portabella mushroom sitting in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Fettuccini

2.     Two fresh tomatoes – grated

3.     Zucchini

4.     Portabella mushroom, diced

5.     Onion and Garlic

6.     Celery

7.     Olive oil

8.     Fresh basil and tarragon

9.     Kalamata olives – about one tablespoon of pitted olives

10. Sweet vermouth or dry red wine

PROCESS:

Prepare the onion, celery, and garlic soffritto in the olive oil.  Add the mushrooms and zucchini and cook over high heat until they start to brown (stir frequently to prevent burning.) Then add the tomatoes and simmer uncovered. While they are cooking add the herbs and a splash of wine. Before the past is ready add the olives.

Add the pasta to the pan and mix well.

COMMENTS:

Patience loved this. I enjoyed the dish and was pleased to have used the veggies that needed to be used.  It is satisfying to make sauces with our fresh tomatoes.  The kalamata olives add a nice touch of flavor.

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.

7-17-17 Mixed greens with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes

Being true to traditional Pugliese cooking – cooking with seasonal fare – tonight will be our 7^th dish with mixed greens from the porch garden.  (They apparently are the gift that keeps on giving.) I’ve done my best to keep each dish at least a little unique.

Note – unless specified, all my recipes call for 4 oz. of pasta for two.  And in almost all or our dishes, there is an equal amount of vegetables, meat, and or seafood.  We are eating more than just pasta every night.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Spaghetti

2.     Mushrooms

3.     Shallots – celery – garlic

4.     Olive oil

5.     Mixed greens – chard and beet greens

6.     Grape tomatoes – halved

7.     Sweet Vermouth

8.     Fresh basil and oregano

9.     Salt & pepper

PROCESS:

Cook the shallots, celery, and garlic in olive oil until soft.  Add the mushrooms and herbs and cook over high heat – stirring frequently – until they start to brown. Lower the heat and add the tomatoes and a splash of wine and continue cooking . While the pasta is cooking add the greens, cover, and continue cooking over low heat until the greens are wilted.  When the pasta is al dente, add it to the sauce, along with some of the pasta water, and cook for another 1-2 minutes before serving. 

COMMENTS:

I don’t know what else to say about the mixed greens.  We have enjoyed each of the 7 dishes over the past 6 weeks, and anticipate at least one or  two more.

7-12-17 Campanelle with mushrooms-chicken-sundried tomatoes

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INGREDIENTS:

1.     Pasta

2.     Grilled chicken tenders

3.     Mushrooms

4.     Sun dried tomatoes in oil coarsely chopped

5.     Leeks

6.     Garlic finely chopped

7.     Sweet Vermouth

8.     Heavy whipping cream

9.     Red pepper flakes

10. Olive oil

11. Balsamic vinegar glaze

12. White wine

13. Fresh basil and tarragon, coarsely chopped

PROCESS:

Marinate the chicken in a mixture of olive oil, white wine, balsamic vinegar glaze, garlic, and chopped tarragon and basil in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour or more.  Grill the chicken and set aside to cool.  The chicken I used in this dish was leftover from the night before.  Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Cook the leeks and garlic in olive oil until soft, without burning the garlic.  Add the pepper flakes and mushrooms and cook uncovered over med-high heat until they just start to brown. Lower the heat and add the chicken and tomatoes and a splash of the sweet vermouth and continue cooking for about 20 minutes.  Several minutes before the pasta is ready add about ¼ to 1/3 cup of cream and stir well.  Add the pasta, along with some of the pasta water and cook for another 1-2 minutes before serving.

COMMENTS:

If you ever have dinner at la Casa Renzulli, ask for this dish.  It was great.

7-4-17 Penne with mixed greens and mushrooms

So far most of the pasta dishes have been dictated by our porch garden and its abundance of greens, fresh herbs, and our one mighty Japanese Eggplant plant. It won’t be long before the tomato plants begin providing a steady supply of fresh fruit, and the opportunity for some fresh tomato sauce.

Tonight’s challenge is to come up with still another way to use the mixed greens from the garden.  The solution is to pair them with mixed mushrooms and a splash of sweet vermouth.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Penne pasta

2.     Mixed greens – kale, mustard greens, and Chard – coarsely chopped

3.     Mixed mushrooms

4.     Olive oil

5.     Onion and garlic

6.     Sweet vermouth

7.     Fresh lemon juice

PROCESS:

Prepare the onion and garlic in olive oil as usual.  Add the mushrooms and cook over med-high heat.  Add a splash of sweet vermouth – or wine of your choice – when they start to brown.  Add the greens, cover, and cook over low heat.  When they are wilted down add some lemon juice.  Mix in the pasta with some of the pasta water and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Serve with grated Grana Padana or Parmigiano cheese.

COMMENTS:

It’s impossible to go wrong with fresh greens.  This was out 5^th or 6^th dish with them and we have yet to be disappointed.

5-10-17 PASTA WITH MIXED MUSHROOM/SUNDRIED TOMATO SAUCE

                   

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Leek – thin slices

1.     Celery

2.     Garlic crushed

3.     Olive Oil

4.     Mixed mushrooms

5.     Sundried tomatoes in oil – coarsely chopped

6.     Dry white wine

7.     Fresh lemon juice

8.     Fresh parsley and sage oil – coarsely chopped

9.     Toasted Panko

PROCESS:

Cook the leek and celery in the olive oil until soft.  Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 2 minutes before adding the mushrooms and tomatoes.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mushrooms begin to brown.  Add splash of wine and allow to cook off before adding fresh lemon juice (about half of med. Lemon).  Lower heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes then add the herbs. 

While the pasta is cooking toast the panko in butter in a small skillet on the stove top and remove when it begins to turn golden.

Add the pasta (recommend one of the shaped pastas) to the sauce; mix well, (add pasta water if needed) and serve, sprinkled with panko.

COMMENTS:

Patience and I give this a 20 on a scale of 10!  I think it was a perfect combination of ingredients, but it was the fresh parsley and sage and the toasted panko instead of cheese that gave it that little extra oomph.  We will serve this the next time we have dinner guests.

12-8-16 Gnocchi w mushrooms, asparagus, & sundried tomatoes in cream sauce

Dinner tonight would be Risotto with mushrooms and asparagus.  With a glass of chilled, crisp Pinot Grigio at my side, and music from my iphone filling the kitchen, I began working.  I began by preparing and cooking the vegetables before turning my attention to the rice.  Once they were “settled down” in the skillet and quietly cooking I looked in the pantry, and to my dismay there was no risotto.  There was Jasmine rice, wild rice, brown rice, couscous, barley, and some mystery stuff, but no Risotto.  Now at this point, a lesser man than me would have panicked, but the tiger in me took over, after several minutes of wailing and cursing I calmed down and went to plan B.  The vegetables would be transformed into a red creamy sauce, and gnocchi would replace the Risotto.

      

        

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Gnocchi

2.     Mushrooms- sliced

3.     Asparagus

4.     Leeks – thinly sliced crosswise

5.     Olive oil

6.     Garlic

7.     Oregano

8.     Basil

9.     Sweet Vermouth

10. Sundried Tomatoes – chopped

11. Tomato paste – about 1 tablespoon

12. Heavy Whipping cream – about ½ cup

13. Parmigiano cheese for grating

PROCESS:

Cook the leeks in the olive oil until soft, then add the mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring frequently.  After several minutes add the  Asparagus, spices, tomato paste, and wine.  Continue on high heat, until the mushrooms begin to brown, then reduce to low heat.  Add the cream to the sauce about 5 minutes before adding the gnocchi to the boiling water.

COMMENTS:

Sometimes I think one could serve cardboard with heavy whipping cream and it would be delicious.  In this case the gnocchi did just as well.  It is one of those meal I want to share with others.

OH MY GOD

Tonight's dinner was a dust buster - a veritable culinary orgasm.

Spaghetti with Broccoli Rabe, mushrooms sauteed over high heat until golden brown, and finished with a sprinkling of chopped Kalamata olives.

A PLEASANT SURPRISE

I usually do not enjoy cooking for myself.  When Patience is away, as she is now,  I generally resort to simple meals – sandwiches, hotdogs, leftovers – eat out, or invite friends over for dinner.  Tonight I decided to use us some of the small amounts of un-cooked pasta that has been accumulating in the pantry, along with whatever vegetables I could find in the fridge.  I had nothing specific in mind when I started cutting the two large Portabello mushrooms into small cubes.  I tossed them in the skillet with the olive oil and added some broccolini and shallots and began cooking them over high heat while the pasta was cooking.  I added garlic, oregano, and basil, along with some tomato paste, stirring frequently until the mushrooms were browned.  Next came a few splashes of sweet vermouth to “clean up” the skillet, I lowered the heat and covered things up waiting for the pasta.  At the last minute I grabbed a fresh tomato, chopped it up and tossed it into the mix.

Before the pasta was ready I sprinkled in some red pepper flakes, and decided a few Kalamata olives were called for, and at the last minute tossed in just a bit of heavy whipping cream, thinking, if I’m going to screw things up I might as well do it with style.  The end result was a rather earthy, nondescript looking “sauce” for the herbed pasta I was cooking.

Armed with a glass of wine and some aged Parmigiano cheese for grating I began my meal hoping that it would prove to be eatable.  To my great surprise, and delight, it was more than eatable…it was delicious.  As crazy as it sounds, the combination of the Kalamata olives and the cream produced a delightful flavor.  This is definitely something to be repeated.