Baked Ziti with Vegetable Sauce

Lentils with Salmon and Black Cod

We decided to make this Indian influenced variation of Baked Ziti with Vegetable Sauce. We liked the extra zing that the chilies gave to the dish. We will definitely make it again. It has the advantage of giving lots of leftovers! The recipe is from America Masala by Suvir Saran.

We started with a Fish Salad made from left over Black Cod with Miso Sauce and left over Salmon with Lentils from Pizzeria Mozza.

Baked Ziti With Vegetable Sauce

America Masala

Suvir Saran

SERVES 8 TO 10

FOR THE SAUCE

¼         cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon, for greasing baking dish

3         dried red chiles

½         teaspoon ground peppercorns

½         teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

½         teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1         large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1         tablespoon kosher salt

2         red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

1         tablespoon sugar

3         cups canned crushed tomatoes

FOR THE ZITI

1         pound mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated

8         ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated

4         ounces Pecorino cheese, coarsely grated

1         pound whole-milk or fat-free ricotta cheese

3         large eggs

1         cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2         tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½         teaspoon kosher salt

½         teaspoon ground peppercorns

1         pound ziti pasta

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon of oil and set aside.

To make the sauce, heat the oil, chiles, and ground peppercorns in a large pot over medium-high heat, cooking until the chiles become slightly browned, about 1-1/2 minutes. Add the rosemary and thyme, cook for 15 seconds, and then add the onion and salt and cook until onion is soft but not browned, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the bell peppers. Cook until they start to soften, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Mix in the sugar, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, add 1 cup of water, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and partially cover the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and set aside (at this point, the sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months).

To make the ziti, mix a quarter of the mozzarella, half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the Pecorino, ricotta, eggs, basil, melted butter, salt, and ground peppercorns together in a large bowl. Mix the remaining mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan cheese together in a small bowl.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, and add to the vegetable sauce along with 2 tablespoons of butter. Warm the sauce over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until you can hear the sauce simmering at the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Add a third of the pasta to the baking dish. Divide the ricotta mixture into two equal portions and break marble-sized chunks off of one portion to dot over the pasta. Cover the ricotta with half of the remaining pasta, and then dot with the remaining mixture. Spread the rest of the pasta on top and sprinkle with the mozzarella-Parmesan mixture.

Bake the ziti until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the baking dish, about 20 minutes. Turn the broiler to high and broil about 6 inches from the heating element until the top layer of cheese has browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Let the ziti stand for 5 minutes before serving.

MY AUNT RITA, who lives in upstate New York, made a baked ziti during my very first visit to the United States when I was in my teens. I combined this delicious memory with the recipe given to me by Jo Taibi, an Italian-American friend who wanted to show off what she considered to be the best baked casserole dish from her community. For a less rich dish, use fat-free ricotta in place of whole-milk ricotta. The sauce is so thick and flavorful that no one will miss the fat. This is wonderful with homemade garlic bread.

Black Cod with Miso Sauce

We invited Tom over for dinner. We made Black Cod with Miso Sauce. It is an easy dish to make. We started with a Caesar Salad, using the Zuni Restaurant Recipe. One change we make to the recipe is that we throw all of the ingredients for the dressing into the blender. It makes it very easy. You can get the recipe for the salad on our blog of: July 25, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

The Black Cod with Miso Sauce is a recipe from Nobu. McCall's Meat and Fish sells both the great Black Cod and the Miso Sauce. You can get the recipe from our blog of: May 12, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. This is an excellent fish preparation!

Pressure Cooker Risotto

Zuni Caesar Salad

A Modern Pressure Cooker

Sausage Risotto

Peach Pie from McCall's

We love risotto, but it is a time consuming effort to make. You have to stand over a stove a stir constantly as you slowly add ladles of broth to the rice mixture as it is slowly absorbed. We read that you can quickly make risotto in a pressure cooker and we were anxious to try it, to see if the process really was that easy. Short answer: YES, it does work! When we purchased our new pressure cooker we bought several pressure cooker cookbooks. These recipe is from Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass. After sautéing what ever you want to be the major flavoring for the risotto, you simply add rice, liquid and place the top on the pressure cooker and fire away! For risotto it will take about 5 minutes. When you uncover (carefully) the risotto, just return to the heat and stir briefly to absorb any additional liquid still remaining in the pressure cooker. It is a great way to make risotto!

We started a dinner with the Zuni Caesar Salad, that we love so much. We have made it many, many times. You can get the recipe in our blog of: July 25, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe for this perfect Caesar Salad. Hint, just throw all of the Caesar dressing components in a blender and let it do ALL of the work!

We then made Sausage Risotto, following the Pressure Cooker recipe from: Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass.

For dessert, we had a Peach Pie from McCall's Meat and Fish. It was delicious!

Basic Risotto

Pressure Perfect

Lorna Sass

Serves 4 As An Entree And 6 As A Side Dish

This basic risotto makes a good accompaniment to a broiled fish or chop. Add some shrimp or beans (see Transformations), and the risotto becomes a main dish.

Arborio is the most commonly available of the imported, plump, short-grain rices traditionally used to make risotto. If you use one of the other types of Italian risotto rice—Baldo, Vialone Nanno, or Carnaroli—cook for 5 minutes under pressure rather than 4.

4 minutes high pressure

1         tablespoon olive oil or butter

½         cup finely chopped onions or shallots

1-1/2         cups arborio rice

1-1/2         cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

3-1/2 to 4 cups chicken broth

1         teaspoon salt (omit if using salty broth)

½         cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more if needed

Freshly ground pepper

3         tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a 4-quart or larger cooker. Add the onions and cook over high heat for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in the rice, taking care to coat it with the oil.

Stand back to avoid sputtering oil, and stir in the wine. Cook over high heat until the rice has absorbed the wine, usually about 30 seconds. Stir in 3-1/2 cups of the broth and salt (if using). Take care to scrape up any rice sticking to the bottom of the cooker.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Quick-release the pressure by setting the cooker under cold running water. Remove the lid, tilt­ing it away from you to allow steam to escape.

Set the cooker over medium-high heat and stir vigorously. (The risotto will look fairly soupy at this point.) Cook uncovered, stirring every minute or so, until the mixture thickens and the rice is tender but still chewy, usually 3 to 5 minutes. If the mixture becomes dry before the rice is done, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup broth. The finished risotto should be slightly runny; it will continue to thicken as it sits on the plate.

Turn off the heat. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and the parsley.

Tip: Risotto tastes best when it's just made. However, the microwave does a nice job of reheating it.

Variations

·      Use beef, veal, or vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

·      Use half grated parmesan and half grated romano.

·      Use dry red wine instead of white.

·      Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds along with onions.

·      Stir in a few ounces baby spinach shortly before rice is done.

Transformations (Follow basic recipe except as noted.)

·      Risotto Milanese: Steep 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads in 1 tablespoon warm water for 10 minutes or longer. After releasing pressure, stir in saffron and soaking water. Risotto Milanese is traditionally served with osso bucco

·      Risotto Du Jour: Stir in bite-sized pieces of roasted chicken,
cooked meat, or vegetables shortly before rice is done.

·      Risotto with Butternut Squash: After adding broth, stir in 1-1/2 pounds butternut squash that's been peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups). After releasing pressure, stir well to dissolve squash into a thick sauce (with perhaps a few chunks remaining). Along with parmesan, add 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried. (For a vegetarian ver­sion, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.)

·      Risotto with Ham, Gruyere, and Peas: Just before rice is tender, stir in 2 cups diced, cooked ham and 1 cup frozen peas. Reduce parmesan to 1/4 cup and add 1 cup loosely packed shredded Gruyere. (For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and omit ham.)

·      Risotto with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Smoked Mozzarella: After releasing pressure, stir in 1/3 cup chopped, oilI packed sun-dried tomatoes. When rice is cooked, turn off heat  and stir in 6 ounces (1 cup tightly packed) shredded or diced I smoked mozzarella. Omit parmesan. Instead of parsley, stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, if you wish. (For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth.)

·      Risotto with Fresh Sausage, White Beans, and Tomato: After adding onions, stir in 1/2 pound fresh Italian sausage (sweet or hot; casings removed). Break up sausage meat and brown. Instead of broth, use 2-1/2 cups water. After stirring in water and salt, pour a can (15 ounces) of diced tomatoes, including liquid, on top. Do not stir after adding tomatoes. After pressure release, stir in 1 cup cooked white beans. Increase parsley to ¼ cup.

·      Shrimp Risotto: Add 6 oil-packed anchovies, finely chopped, when you add onion. (They will dissolve during cooking and give risotto a mildly briny flavor.) Add ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar when you stir in wine. About 1 minute before rice is tendcr, stir in 1 pound medium peeled raw shrimp (or large shrimp, halved lengthwise), 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens, and 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest. Omit the parmesan.

·      Risotto with Chickpeas, Spinach, and Raisins: After releasing pressure, stir in 1 clove garlic, pushed through a press, 3 tablespoons each raisins and pitted, chopped oil-cured black olives, and 1-1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or a 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained). Once mixture has returned to a boil, stir in a total of 4 tightly packed cups (about 8 ounces) finely chopped fresh spinach is wilted and the rice is tender. Substitute 2 to 3 tablespoons grated pecorino romano for the parmesan. (Adapted from Judith Barrett's Risotto.)

·      Porcini Rlsotto: Soak 1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini in 2 cups boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes. Reduce chicken broth to 1-1/2 to 2 cups. After adding 1-1/2 cups chicken broth, stir in soaked mushrooms. Pour in soaking liquid, taking care to leave behind any grit that has settled to bottom.

Pressure Cooker Short Ribs

Sunset before dinner

Uncooked food placed in the Pressure Cooker

After Cooling in the sink, the cooked meat and potatoes

Sort Ribs ready for carving

Our First Pressure Cooker Meal!

We read an article in the New York Times about pressure cooker cooking. Both Cathy and I remember pressure cookers from our youth, but have never owned or used one. I do remember always being told to worry about the pressure cooker blowing up! I also remember the heavy cap that went over the steam vent. Interestingly, in India pressure cookers are used quite commonly.

Cathy did some research and decided that the best pressure cooker for us was: the Fagor 8 qt model, available on Amazon. For the first attempt at using our pressure cooker we made: Short Ribs in Gingered Plum Sauce. We purchased boneless Short Ribs from McCall's Meat and Fish. We would have used Ribs with the bone in, but they didn't have them.

It was easy and very fast. The Plums basically dissolved in the sauce creating a tangy delicious sauce. I really liked it. We discovered that there is an art to using the pressure cooker. Because the pressure cooker is ceiled tight, you have no idea of what is actually happening and how tender the food inside actually is. When the estimated cooking time has expired, you can cool the pressure cooker off under cool water, then open and inspect. Return to the heat if required for an additional few minutes to get to the desired texture.

A new tool has been added to our cooking experiences.

Short Ribs in Gingered Plum Sauce

Mark Bittman

New York Times

Ingredients

4 pounds meaty short ribs, excess fat removed

1 ½ cups chicken or beef broth

1 cup coarsely chopped leeks (green parts included) or onions

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce

1 ¼ cups tightly packed pitted prunes

4 to 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and left whole

1 to 1 ½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Preparation

1.   Trim excess surface fat from the ribs. In a 6-quart or larger pressure cooker, combine broth, leeks and vinegar. Pour 2 tablespoons of soy sauce onto a large plate, and turn the meat in it to coat thoroughly.

2.   Place meat in the cooker with any unabsorbed soy sauce. Scatter prunes around the sides; distribute the potatoes on top. Lock lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure. Cook for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and allow pressure to decrease naturally, about 15 minutes.

3.   Remove lid, tilting it away from you to allow the steam to escape. Remove potatoes, and set aside. The ribs should be fork tender. If not, simmer with lid ajar until done. Transfer meat to a platter.

4.   Strain the broth, and degrease in a fat separator or refrigerate overnight. Discard congealed fat. Return broth and solids to the cooker. To thicken the sauce and intensify the taste, boil over high heat, stirring often, until syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes.

5.   Add more vinegar, if needed, to balance the sweetness and intensify the flavors. Stir in ginger to taste. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Quarter the potatoes, and return them and the meat to the cooker to reheat and coat with sauce. Transfer to a platter or individual plates, and garnish with scallions. Serve any extra sauce on the side.

Shrimp Poha

Shumon Cooks, no recipe

Poha with Shrimp Added at at the end

Bowl of Shrimp Poha

Peach Pie

In India I often get Poha for breakfast. It is an Indian comfort food. It can be spicy. The main ingredient is sliced rice. The chef then adds spices to create his unique version. I didn't realize that it could also be a dinner entree.  Our friend Shumon made Shrimp Poha. It was delicious. No recipe it is what is in his head. If you want this, you need to invite him over so that he can cook for you. We finished with Peach Pie from McCall's Meat and Fish.

Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno

I saw a recipe for Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno in the New York Times. It has everything I like including a breadcrumb topping. I really liked this dish, and we will definitely make it again. It is a perfect cool winter night dish.

Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno

New York Times

INGREDIENTS

1 pound rigatoni or other large pasta shape

1 medium cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

3 tablespoons roughly chopped sage, plus a few sage leaves left whole

½ teaspoon lemon zest

6 ounces coarsely grated fontina or mozzarella

2 ounces finely grated Romano cheese or other hard pecorino

½ cup coarse dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Preparation

1.   Cook the rigatoni in well-salted water according to package directions, but drain while still quite al dente. (If directions call for 12 minutes cooking, cook for 10 instead.) Rinse pasta with cool water, then drain again and set aside.

2.   Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom. Cut out tough core and stem any extraneous leaves. Lay cauliflower flat side down and cut crosswise into rough 1/4-inch slices. Break into smaller pieces.

3.   Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add cauliflower slices, along with any crumbly pieces, in one layer. (Work in batches if necessary.) Let cauliflower brown and caramelize for about 2 minutes, then turn pieces over to brown the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. It’s fine if some pieces don’t brown evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, sage leaves and lemon zest and stir to coat.

4.   Put cooked cauliflower mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rigatoni and fontina and toss. Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish. Top with Romano cheese, then with bread crumbs and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. (Dish may be completed to this point up to several hours in advance and kept at room temperature, covered.)

Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until top is crisp and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

Leftover Leftovers!

We had dinner at Republique Restaurant. We ordered the Rotisserie Chicken which we love. It is my 2^nd favorite dish in all of Los Angeles. (My favorite is the Lobster at Newport Seafood). We had lots of leftover chicken that we brought home. I suggested to Cathy that we make a Cob Salad using the chicken for dinner. It was a hot night and we the salad outdoors on the patio. The recipe that Cathy found is superb. This is the one that I would use again! We had some left over salad (it made quite a large portion). Robert and Darryl stopped over the next day at noon and we served it to them. The leftovers that were made from leftovers were excellent still!

Cobb Salad

Saveur Magazine

SERVES 4–6

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DRESSING:

¾ cup canola oil

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

¾ tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. Worcestershire

¼ tsp. sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE SALAD:

½ head iceberg lettuce, cored and shredded

½ head romaine lettuce, chopped

½ bunch watercress, some of the stems trimmed, chopped

2 oz. blue cheese, preferably Roquefort, crumbled

6 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into ½" cubes

2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½" cubes

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and cut into ½" cubes

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into ½" cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. minced chives

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the dressing: Combine the canola oil, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, sugar, and garlic in a blender. Purée the ingredients to make a smooth dressing and season with salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside (or refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 week).

2. Make the salad: On a large platter, combine the iceberg and romaine lettuces along with the watercress. Arrange the blue cheese, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, chicken, and avocado on top of the greens in neat rows. To serve, drizzle salad with dressing, season with salt and pepper, and top with chives. Alternatively, toss everything together in a bowl.

Coco Vin

Was that a pinch more salt?

Pear Salad with Blue Cheese

Thick Dark Wine Sauce on the Chicken and Mushrooms

Tart Tartin

Great wines tonight

At Cathy’s Birthday party we had opened a large bottle of wine and hadn’t even started to drink it. Robert said he would make Beef Bourgogne with it and serve it at our house.

Somehow, happily, the dish morphed into Coco Vin which was absolutely wonderful. He had reduced the wine to a thick sauce. He brought all of the ingredients over and proceeded to wow us with the dinner. The dish was made with loads of mushrooms. It was exceptional. I am glad he switched to chicken from beef.

Darryl made a great Rice Pilaf. It was great watching him chop away. Great knife skills were displayed.

I contributed a Pear Salad with Blue Cheese.

I had been thinking about the Tart Tartin that we used to get from The Ivy on the west side of LA. I didn’t even know if they made it anymore. I called and found out they did still make it. I ordered one and schlepped over to the west side to their bakery called Dolce Isola to pick it up. It was a very rich and good dessert - worth the drive.

With the dinner we opened some excellent wines!

The idea of a cooperative dinner, with everyone participating is a wonderful. It makes it much easier on all of us. Dinner was fabulous.