Best Pasta Noodle Ever

This is the BEST version of this pasta we have ever made! We bought Tomatoes at the South Pasadena Farmer's Market. They were at their very best. I also bought a Pasta from the stand that sells Italian Products. He said it was a great Pasta. Cathy and I agreed it was the best Pasta ever. I have returned to the Farmer's Market and although he was there, he didn't have any more of the Pasta. I have googled it, but can't find it. I have a picture of it below. If you ever see it buy some for yourself and for me! Hopefully one day it will return.

We started with a Melon Salad with Spec and Peanuts. Melon's this summer are fantastic!

In the summer when tomatoes were at their best we made several batches of Oven Candied Summer Tomatoes from: The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. We then froze the tomatoes for use in the winter when delicious tomatoes are hard to come by.

We used the frozen tomatles for our main course: Lentil Pasta. The Italian Lentil Pasta from the restaurant Locanda Veneta in Los Angeles is one of the best. It is so rich, you would swear it was made with meat. You can get the recipe from our blog of: July 22, 2008. Click the date to get the recipes for both the pasta and the tomatoes.

Coconut Rice with Shrimp and Corn

 

We saw this recipe for Coconut Rice with Shrimp and Corn. All ingredients that we like. What ever we expected, this wasn't it. Cathy even enhanced the recipe with Garlic and Fish Sauce. It still wasn't good. Maybe it was our fault. Try it maybe you will like it. If you do let us know.

Coconut Rice with Shrimp and Corn

New York Times

 

This summery, one-pot dish has everything you need: fresh shrimp nestled in creamy coconut rice, with pops of summer corn and basil. Lime cuts through the richness and adds some bright tartness. To easily shave corn kernels off the cob, lay your cob flat on your cutting board. With a chef’s knife, lob off one side. Rotate the cob so that the flat side is on the cutting board and repeat, running around all four sides. Frozen wild shrimp is an excellent weeknight staple, as it thaws and cooks quickly. You can always keep it on hand and thaw just as much as you need, which ensures optimal freshness.

 

Ingredients

 

2       tablespoons coconut oil

1       small yellow onion, finely chopped

2       tablespoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger

1       small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped 

¾      teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1-½  cups jasmine rice

1       (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk

1       pound peeled and deveined large shrimp

1-½  cups corn kernels, fresh (from 2 cobs) or frozen

1       lime, zested, then sliced into wedges

1       cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving

 

Preparation

 

1.            In a large, heavy pot, heat coconut oil over medium. Add the onion, ginger and jalapeño and season with the 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.

2.            Add the rice and sauté for another minute. Then stir in the coconut milk and 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer but avoid scorching.

3.            Stir in the shrimp and corn, cover again, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is cooked through and the rice is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. (Add more water by 1/2 cups throughout cooking as needed if the water has been absorbed, but the rice is still too firm.) 

4.            Remove from the heat and stir in the lime zest and basil; season to taste with salt. Serve immediately with lime wedges and topped with more basil.

 

 

Tomato Salad

 It is summer, why not? Tomatoes are at their best! Heirloom Tomatoes, Pesto, Mozzarella.

Shaken Beef

Shaken Beef is another favorite of ours. We always order it in a Vietnamese restaurant. At home we make it ourselves. It is very good. You can get the recipe on our blog of: April 22, 2019. Click the date to get the recipe.

Stir-Fried Beans with Pork and Chiles

 

Stir-Fried Beans with Pork and Chiles is a favorite of ours. The recipe can be a spicy as you wish. It is a very good dish. You can read about it on our blog of: November 9, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with a Melon Salad with Prosciutto. The Melons the summer have been exceptional. Lucky us.

Zucchini Pasta Carbonara

This is a riff on traditional Spaghetti Carbonara but with lots of sautéed browned Zucchini. It is a keeper try it! You can get the recipe from our blog of: June 19, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. We love this recipe. The browned Zucchini almost tastes like a meat sauce. It is great!

We started with a Tomato Salad with Mozzarella and Pesto. It is perfect summer Salad.

Spaghetti With Fresh Tomato and Basil

 

Many, many times we have made Scott Conant's Spaghetti With Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce delicious Pasta. It is an absolutely favorite. The key is that the Pasta is only cooked half way through then finished by immersing in the sauce to complete the cooking. You can find the recipe for this great pasta on our blog of: September 16, 2919. Click the date to get the result. 

We started with a Fig Salad with Spec. If you haven't tried this easy delicious Pasta you should try it.

Roasted Salmon With Miso Rice and Ginger-Scallion Vinaigrette

Roasted Salmon With Miso Rice and Ginger-Scallion Vinaigrette is an absolutely great recipe. I really like it. When Wild Salmon is in season we always make it. I highly recommend this dish. You can get the recipe on our blog of: October 15, 2020. Click the date to get the recipe.

We served it with a Nectarine Salad and Spec dressed with Balsamic. Wonderful dinner.

Leftover Steak

 

One of the joys of Steak, is eating the leftovers! Sometimes we serve the steak at room temperature, other times make dishes like Beef Stroganoff or Steak Sandwiches. Parsifal also gets treats. Oh the possibilities!

Chicken & Cauliflower With 'Nduja

 

'Nduja appears to be the flavoring ingredient of the year. I like any word that begins with an apostrophe, how unusual. At any rate 'Nduja has a kick! It must be related to Calabrian Chilies, similar flavor profile. Since we love Cauliflower and Chicken, this was a no-brainer to try. I really liked it. We will make it again. Cathy enhanced it by adding equal parts: Whole Grain Mustard, Ponzu and a pinch of Espelette Pepper.

Chicken & Cauliflower With 'Nduja

From the Oven to the Table

Diana Henry

 

SERVES 4

 

8      good-sized skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, excess skin neatly trimmed

1      1lb head cauliflower, broken into florets

1      lb baby waxy potatoes, scrubbed, then halved or quartered, depending on size

24    oz 'nduja, broken into nuggets

6      thyme sprigs

3      tablespoons olive oil

sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

green salad, or bitter, greens, to serve

 

The work here is done in about eight minutes flat and the end result is totally moreish. I cook this a lot. You need to toss the elements around a few times during the cooking-to make sure the cauliflower colors all over-but that's it, Add red onion wedger, too, if you want. 'Nduja is a spicy, spreadable Calabrian sausage; get it online or from good Italian delis.

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Put all the ingredients in a roasting pan or a broad, shallow casserole about 12in across, season, and toss around with your hands. The chicken should end up skin-side up. Make sure the nuggets of 'nduja aren't lying on top, or they'll burn.

 

Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning everything over about 3 times during the cooking. The 'nduja partly melts and you need to ensure it gets well mixed in.

 

Towards the end of the cooking time, it's good to spoon the bits of 'nduja over the chicken, as it gives it a lovely color. The potatoes should be tender when pierced with a sharp knife and the chicken cooked through. Serve with a green salad or bitter greens.