Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil

Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil is a great recipe. We highly recommend it. You can get the recipe on our blog of: August 8, 2022. Click the date to get the recipe.

Rishia Zimmern’s Chicken With Shallots

This is a go to dish. We really like Rishia Zimmern’s Chicken With Shallots. It absolutely calls for a good hot crispy French Bread to dip in the sauce! We highly recommend it! You can find the recipe on our blog of: April 2, 2014. Click the date to get the recipe.

It is almost the end of Tomato season so we made a Tomato, Burrata Salad with Pesto. We really liked the Pesto shown above Pesto alla Genovese by La Favorita. You can get it from Amazon if your local store doesn't have it: Pesto.

Stir-Fried Green Beans With Pork and Chiles is a favorite of ours, we make it often. The key is to purchase really good fatty Pork! Highly recommend this dish if for some reason you haven't made it yet! You can find the recipe on our blog of: Feb. 9, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe.

Spaghetti With Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce

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 Peach Salad with Speck, Olives and Almonds. Great fall Salad.

Cabbage and Chopped Meat Paella

 

This Cabbage and Chopped Meat Paella is very untraditional. We liked it. It was very tasty. However for what ever we didn't get the crust (socarrat) which is the true test of Paella making. We need to try it again.

Cabbage and Chopped Meat Paella (Arroz con Repollo y Carne Picada)

Paella!

 

Although this rice is certainly made in the style of a paella, its ingredients--bacon, ground beef, cabbage, and ham- even though very Spanish--are not conventional additions to a paella. Nevertheless, I think it is excellent, a change of pace, and well worth trying.

 

Serves 4

 

3       cups chicken broth

⅛      teaspoon crumbled thread saffron

3       thin slices lean bacon

4       tablespoons olive oil

¾      pound lean ground beef

Salt

1       large onion, chopped

1       jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and minced (about 2 teaspoons)

2       tablespoons diced Spanish serrano ham or prosciutto, cut from a ¼-inch-thick slice

¼      head (about ½ pound) cabbage, chopped

¼      teaspoon sweet paprika, preferably Spanish smoked

1½    cups imported Spanish or

Arborio short-grain rice 1 bunch scallions (about ¼ pound), chopped

10     snow peas, cut in julienne strips

 

Preheat the oven to 400° F for gas oven, 450° F for electric.

Combine the broth and sallron in a saucepan and keep hot over the lowest heat.

In a paella pan measuring about 13 inches at its widest point (or in a shallow casserole of a similar size), fry the bacon strips until crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble, and reserve. Pour off the fat or leave some in the pan for added flavor.

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the pan and sauté the ground beef, sprinkling with salt to taste and stirring and separating into small pieces, until it loses its color. Remove to a warm platter. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sauté the onion. pepper, and ham until the vegetables are softened Add the cabbage and cook briefly until slightly willed, then sir in the paprika. Add the rice and coat well with the pan mixture.

Pour in the broth, add the scallions, ground beet, and half of the bacon, and bring to a boil Taste for salt and continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until the rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice, about 5 minutes. 

Transfer to the oven and cook 10-12 minutes in a gas oven, 15-20 minutes electric, until the rice is almost al dente. Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, and let sit 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste. Sprinkle with the julienned snow peas and the remaining bacon before serving.

Doenjang Salmon Rice Bowl

We made this Korean dish: Doenjang Salmon Rice Bowl, but we weren't impressed. Won't make it again. I do like the concept of sheet pan cooking. This one didn't do it for us however.

Doenjang Salmon Rice Bowl

New York Times

This speedy meal is for seekers of the sweet-salty, known as dan-jjan in Korean. Doenjang, a glorious Korean fermented soybean paste, anchors the sauce with funk and umami. This sauce, balanced with sweet mirin and tangy rice vinegar, both marinates and lacquers salmon, which is quick-roasted. Cutting the fish into cubes allows more surface area for the salmon fat to render quickly, while the centers cook to a medium-rare, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, a satisfying contrast to the still-crunchy, just-charred onions. This soul-warming breakfast, lunch or dinner tastes best with white rice, kimchi and whatever other accompaniments you might enjoy.

 

Ingredients

 

2      tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1      tablespoon olive oil

4      tablespoons doenjang (see Tip)

6      tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Salt and black pepper

1  pound salmon fillets (preferably skinless and center-cut), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1  medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

Steamed rice, for serving

Kimchi, for serving (optional)

 

Preparation

 

1.    In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar, oil, doenjang, mirin and vinegar until the sugar and doenjang dissolve. Season with salt and pepper. Add the salmon to the marinade and turn with your fingers to evenly coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes and up to 8 hours.

2.    When ready to cook, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Add the onion slices to a sheet pan or shallow baking dish. Dump the salmon and its marinade over the onion and toss to combine. Arrange the salmon and onion in a single layer.

3.    Roast until the doenjang glaze bubbles like hot lava along the edges of the pan and the salmon is opaque but still slightly pink in the center, rotating the pan halfway through, 9 to 12 minutes. Divide the rice then the salmon among bowls and serve with kimchi, if desired.

 

 

Double Failure

Sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't. We thought both of these dishes weren't worth the effort. We love Panzanella Salads. The problem with this recipe for me is that the Croutons get soggy. A Crouton without crunch is a sad Crouton. Perhaps if the croutons are added at the end the salad would work. The Gong Bao Chicken With Peanuts Gong Baojiding was OK but we have better similar recipes. Perhaps it is to your taste.
 

Panzanella With Mozzarella and Herbs

New York Times

 

At the height of tomato season, for every perfectly ripe, taut and juicy specimen, there’s an overripe, oozing counterpart not far away. The Tuscan bread salad called panzanella is the perfect place to use those sad, soft tomatoes that are still rich in flavor. Traditional panzanella is made with stale, dried bread that’s rehydrated from a dressing of sweet tomato juices, vinegar and plenty of olive oil. This version also includes some mozzarella for richness and cucumber for crunch. It’s an ideal make-ahead dish; the longer the mixture sits (up to 6 or so hours), the better it tastes. Just make sure your bread thoroughly dries out in the oven so it won’t turn to mush.

 

INGREDIENTS

4      ounces ciabatta or baguette, preferably stale, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

6      tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste

¾     teaspoon kosher sea salt, more to taste

2      pounds very ripe tomatoes, preferably a mix of varieties and colors

6      ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or cut into bite-size pieces

½     cup thinly sliced red onion, about half a small onion

2      garlic cloves, grated to a paste

2      tablespoons red wine vinegar, more to taste

1      tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme (or a combination)

 Large pinch red pepper flakes(optional)

½     teaspoon Dijon mustard

 Black pepper, to taste

½     cup thinly sliced Persian or Kirby cucumber, about 1 small cucumber

½     cup torn basil leaves

¼     cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1      tablespoon capers, drained

Oil Cured Olives halved

 

Preparation

 

1.   Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt. Bake until they are dried out and pale golden brown at the edges, about 7 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

2.   Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add mozzarella, onions, garlic paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, oregano or thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat and set aside.

3.   In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil until the mixture is thickened. Stir in cucumbers, basil and parsley.

4.   Add bread cubes, cucumber mixture and capers to the tomatoes and toss well. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving. Toss with a little more olive oil, vinegar and salt if needed just before serving.

 

Gong Bao Chicken With Peanuts Gong Baojiding

Every Grain of Rice

 

As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the ultimate chicken dishes: quick and easy to make and thrillingly delicious. The cooking method is xiao chao, "small stir-fry." in which all the ingredients are simply added to the wok in succession. With its kick of scorched chilli, tingle of Sichuan pepper and gentle sweet-sour sauce. it's a typically Sichuanese combination of flavors. The crunchy peanuts, juicy spring onions and succulent chicken also give it a delightful mouthfeel. The dish is named after a late Qing Dynasty governor of Sichuan, Ding Baozhen, who is said to have enjoyed eating it. You'll find versions of this dish, often known in English as Kung Po chicken, on virtually every Chinese restaurant menu, but this is the real Chengdu version. This recipe first appeared in my book Land of Plenty. 

 

Ingredients

 

2       boneless chicken breasts, with or without skin (11-12 oz in total)

3       garlic cloves

An equivalent amount of ginger

5       spring onions, white parts only

A handful of dried chillies (about 10)

2       tbsp cooking oil

1       tsp whole Sichuan pepper

3       oz roasted peanuts

 

For The Marinade

 

½      tsp salt

2       tsp light soy sauce

1       tsp Shaoxing wine

1½    tsp potato flour

 

For The Sauce

 

1       tbsp sugar

¾      tsp potato flour

1       tsp dark soy sauce

1       tsp light soy sauce

1       tbsp Chinking vinegar

1       tsp sesame oil

1       tbsp chicken stock or water

 

Cut the chicken as evenly as possible into ½ in (1½cm) strips, then cut these into small cubes. Place in a small bowl. Add the marinade ingredients together with 1 tbsp water, mix well and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

Peel and thinly slice the garlic and ginger and chop the spring onions into chunks as long as their diameter (to match the chicken cubes). Snip the chillies in half or into sections. Discard their seeds as far as possible. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Heat a seasoned wok over a high flame. Add the oil with the chillies and Sichuan pepper and stir-fry briefly until the chillies are darkening but not burned (remove the wok from the heat if necessary to prevent overheating).

Quickly add the chicken and stir-fry over a high flame, stirring constantly. As soon as the chicken cubes have separated, add the ginger, garlic and spring onions and continue to stir-fry until they are fragrant and the meat just cooked through (test one of the larger pieces to make sure).

Give the sauce a stir and add it to the wok, continuing to stir and toss. As soon as the sauce has become thick and shiny, add the peanuts, stir them in a serve.

Chicken Paella

We took our Paella gear to Tom's house and made a Chicken Paella. With the help of Jaimie who made his own Paella we had a Spanish feast! You can get the recipe for our Paella on our blog of: Oct 27, 2021. Click the date to get the recipe. 

Perfect Steak

 

Not much to add to a perfect Steak served with Nancy Silverton's great Potato recipe. We don't usually grill steak now but rather first char one side at high heat in a cast-iron skillet then transfer to a very hot oven. It works perfectly. You can get the Steak recipe on our blog of: Feb 17, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe. You will never make regular Baked Potatoes again if you follow her recipe. You can find the recipe on our blog of Feb 8 2022, click the date to get the recipe. We serve the Steak with Arugula and a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar.

Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil

This is a great recipe from the New York Times. We loved it. Perfect to make when Corn as at is sweetest. Be sure to try it!

Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil

New York Times

 

There’s no cream in this wonderfully summery pasta dish, just a luscious sauce made from puréed fresh corn and sweet sautéed scallions, along with Parmesan for depth and red chile flakes for a contrasting bite. Be sure to add the lemon juice and fresh herbs at the end; the rich pasta really benefits from their bright, fresh flavors. And while this is best made at the height of corn season, it’s still quite good even with out-of-season supermarket ears, or with frozen corn.

Ingredients

Fine sea salt

12     ounces dry orecchiette or farfalle

1       tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1       bunch scallions (about 8), trimmed and thinly sliced (keep the whites and greens separate)

2       large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 cups kernels)

½      teaspoon ground black pepper, more for serving

3       tablespoons unsalted butter

½      cup grated Parmesan cheese, more to taste

⅓      cup torn basil or mint, more for garnish

¼      teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Fresh lemon juice, as needed

 

Preparation

 

1.            Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.

2.            Meanwhile, heat oil in large sauté pan over medium heat; add scallion whites and a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and all but 1/4 cup corn; simmer until corn is heated through and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, transfer to a blender, and purée mixture until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed to get a thick but pourable texture.

3.            Heat the same skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (It’s O.K. if the butter browns; that deepens the flavor.) Add the corn purée and cook for 30 seconds to heat and combine the flavors.

4.            Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and half the reserved pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then add a little more of the pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in 1/4 cup of the scallion greens, the Parmesan, the herbs, the red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Transfer to warm pasta bowls and garnish with more scallions, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.

Chicken and Rice

We like the Caesar Salad Dressing from Cosa Buona. They sell it and we bought a bottle. So it was very easy to make a Caesar Salad as first course. It was great.

For the main course we made Chicken and Rice from a recipe from Noma often considered the best restaurant in the world. We purchased a Smoked Mushroom Garum from Noma which is required for the dish. We loved the taste of the Rice, however we thought the Chicken was under done. We removed the Chicken and further cooked it. We finally cut the Chicken into small pieces and mixed into the Rice. 

One Pot Chicken & Rice

Noma

 

Ingredients

 

60g       vegetable oil

4           chicken thighs, boneless, skin on

Sea salt

140g     onion, finely chopped

3           cloves garlic, minced

15g       tomato paste

60g       white miso

15g       smoked paprika

80g       smoked mushroom garum

600g     vegetable broth (or other broth; water is also ok)

10g       salt

200g     short grain rice

10g parsley, finely chopped

200g     mayonnaise

1           clove garlic, grated or micro-planed

 

Method

 

In a wide, shallow pan, add the vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs generously with the sea salt. When the oil begins to shimmer, carefully add the chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side down. Sear the chicken, undisturbed, until the skins have turned deep brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. Reduce the heat to low.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture takes on a rusty brown color. Add the vegetable broth, salt, smoked mushroom garum, paprika, and miso and increase the heat to high, stirring to evenly combine the ingredients.

When the liquid begins to boil, add the short grain rice, and stir briefly just to make sure the rice is in an even layer. From this point, do not stir the rice for the duration of the cooking.

Turn the liquid down to a simmer, add the chicken thighs to the pan with the raw, flesh side down. Continue to cook the rice at a steady simmer until the liquid has cooked out and the rice is tender. Continue cooking the contents just until the smell of burnt rice becomes detectable, about 20-25 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the pan sit, off the heat, for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Combine the mayonnaise with garlic and mix well.

Using a spatula, scoop portions of rice onto your plate, making sure to scrape up the crispy layer of rice from the bottom of the pan. Top each portion with chicken. Top the rice and chicken with a spoonful of garlic mayonnaise.