Osso Buco

Does this Osso Buco look like the perfect Winter Meal? It was. We served the Osso Buco over Fregola Sarda Pasta. I can't wait till we make it again.

Osso Buco with Toasted Pine Nut Gremolata

Babbo Cookbook

Mario Batali

Serves 4

1       whole veal shank, 3 to 3-1/2 pounds

kosher salt and freshly ground

black pepper

6      tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1       medium carrot, cut in 1/4-inch-thick coins

1       small Spanish onion, diced

1       celery stalk, cut in ¼-inch slices

leaves from 1 bunch of fresh thyme, chopped

2       cups basic tomato sauce

2       cups brown chicken stock

2       cups dry white wine

Gremolata

leaves from 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley

½      cup pine nuts, toasted at 400°f. for 2 minutes

zest of 1 lemon

¼      cup freshly grated horseradish

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

There is probably nothing more dramatic—or better to eat—than a whole veal shank. It’s a showstopper; when we bring this out from the kitchen prior to carving it tableside, every head turns, and for good reason. The succulent meat and the delicious marrow are truly impressive.

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2.  Season the shank all over with salt and pepper. In a heavy-bottomed, 6- to 8-quart casserole, heat the olive oil until smoking. Place the shank in the pan and brown all over for 12 to 15 minutes, turning with long-handled tongs to sear every surface. Remove the shank and set aside.

3.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the carrot, onion, celery, and thyme, and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown and slightly softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock, and wine and bring to a boil. Return the shanks to the pan, making sure they are submerged at least halfway; if not, add more stock. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid of aluminum foil. Braise in the oven for 2 hours, then remove the cover and cook another 30 minutes, until the meat is nearly falling off the bone.

4.  Just before the meat is done make the gremolata. In a small bowl, combine the parsley leaves, pine nuts, lemon zest, and horse-radish and mix well by hand. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and set aside.

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5.  Remove the casserole from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before carving the shank and dividing among four warmed dinner plates, topped with the gremolata.

Daube de Boeuf Provencal

We once again made Daube de Boeuf Provencal. I like this dish, especially served over broad Pappardelle Noodles. We have made this many times. You can find the recipe in our blog of: February 6, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

Pasta with Abruzzi-Style Lamb Sauce

Pasta with Abruzzi-Style Lamb Sauce

Food and Wine

It’s the deep, intense flavor of lamb that sets this sauce apart from other classic meat sauces. So does the fact that the meat is not ground but cut into small pieces and cooked as you would a stew. This recipe calls for lamb shoulder, but you can use another cut as long as it’s not too lean.

Ingredients

1       tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

¼      cup chopped onion

2       ounces thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped

1       tablespoon chopped rosemary

½      pound boneless lamb, cut into very fine dice

Coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

½      cup dry white wine

1       28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with their juices

1       pound penne or maccheroncini

1/3    cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

How To Make It

1.   Put the oil and onion in a large skillet and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is pale gold. Add the pancetta and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta fat is rendered; the pancetta should remain soft. Add the lamb and cook until browned, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated, 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently, stirring from time to time, until the fat begins to separate from the sauce, 15 minutes.

2.   Meanwhile, fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of coarse salt, cover and return to a boil.

3.   Add the pasta to the pot and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon. Cover and bring back to a boil. Uncover and cook the pasta, stirring frequently, until it is al dente.

4.   Drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to a warmed bowl. Toss with the lamb sauce and the 1/3 cup of grated cheese. Serve at once, passing additional cheese at the table.

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Beef Tagine with Sweet Potatoes

Beef Tagine with Sweet Potatoes is a great Tagine recipe and is relatively easy to make. I really love the sweetness of the potatoes contrasted with tanginess of the meat and sauce! You can find the recipe on our blog of: October 2, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. Couscous is the appropriate accompaniment  for the Tagine.

Disaster!

We purchased Lasagna Noodles that were labeled as "Oven Ready". We understood that you don't have to boil them first. Just layer the hard noodles in the Lasagna and bake. They would absorb the liquid and become soft. They didn't! They were like cardboard, but not as tasty. I wonder what it would have been like if we had pre-boiled them like any other Lasagna Noodles. I have no idea what "Oven Ready" means. After a few bites we through the dish out. It was a shame because there was lots of great Cheeses and Greens that were wasted. The cooking Gods were against that night.

Baked Pasta with Artichokes, Greens, and Too Much Cheese

Dining In

Alison Roman

Serves 6 to 8

12       sheets lasagna noodles, fresh or dried, or 12 ounces pasta
Kosher salt

4         tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1         large yellow onion, thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

1         bunch spinach (about 10 ounces), stems removed, leaves chopped (about 3 cups)

1          bunch kale (about 8 ounces), stems removed, leaves chopped (about 4 cups)

6          garlic cloves, finely chopped

1          14-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

2          cups fresh full-fat ricotta cheese

½         cup heavy cream

2          cups finely grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese (about 4 ounces), plus more as needed
8 ounces good mozzarella cheese, shredded

do ahead: The pasta can be assembled and baked 1 day ahead, then refrigerated. Cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through, 30 to 40 minutes.

I'll come right out and say that I'm really not into béchamel. Cooked flour with milk is just not my thing. Plus, to be honest, it's really annoying to make (all that whisking, the splattering—no thanks!). So instead of calling this a lasagna, which traditionally is made with béchamel, I'm calling it a baked pasta. Use lasagna noodles, use campanelle, use elbows, use any pasta you like. I won't judge.

This dish will only be as good as the cheese you use. Cheap ricotta just isn't going to cut it here, so seek out the kind that is fresh and most definitely full-fat. As for the artichoke hearts, using the marinated variety, in all their tangy glory, will make the whole dish seem a little more well-seasoned, but non-marinated artichokes will also do, because with all that cheese, it's hard to go wrong. Oh, and yes: This is spinach artichoke dip in pasta form. You're welcome.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

in batches, cook the sheets of pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water (if you crowd the pot, they will most definitely stick together), just to al dente, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the brand and type of pasta; if you’re using fresh pasta, it’ll be more like 30 to 60 seconds, just enough to soften.

Once it’s ready, transfer each sheet, one by one, to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Don’t let the pasta sheets touch or they’ll stick together, and your blood pressure will rise trying to get them apart (a truly impossible task). Drizzle a small amount of olive oil onto each sheet of pasta before separating each layer with paper towels. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and deeply caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes.

Working in batches, add handfuls of greens to the skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper and letting them wilt down before adding the next handful (when the skillet becomes too crowded even after wilting, transfer cooked greens to a bowl and continue wilting raw greens in the skillet). Once your last batch of greens has finished cooking, add the garlic and any cooked greens you set aside and toss to coat. Add the artichoke hearts and mix well; set aside.

One-Pot Turmeric Coconut Rice With Greens

We made this recipe of One-Pot Turmeric Coconut Rice With Greens, it sounded good, but we didn't like it. The recipe is below. Try it at your own risk.

One-Pot Turmeric Coconut Rice With Greens

New York Times

No matter how you modify this one-pot rice, it can’t help but simultaneously comfort and enliven: The rice is cooked with turmeric, black pepper and rich coconut milk, which is all brightened by a mix of coconut, sesame seeds and lime. The greens, which conveniently cook on top of the rice, can be swapped out for anything that steams in 10 minutes, such as frozen peas or edamame, green beans, broccoli, grated carrots or sliced fennel. While a meal all on its own, this rice would also be great accompanied by tofu, white fish, chicken thighs or stewed black beans.

Ingredients

2       cups long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati

½      cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1       tablespoon white or black sesame seeds

2       tablespoons coconut oil

1       scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

1       teaspoon ground turmeric

½      teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed

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

Pinch of saffron (optional)

Kosher salt

1       medium bunch kale, spinach or Swiss chard

1       lime

Preparation

1.   Rinse rice until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.

2.   In a medium pot or Dutch oven, toast the coconut and sesame seeds over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning.) Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out the pot.

3.   In the same pot, melt the coconut oil over medium-low. Add the scallion whites, turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring, until aromatic and lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.

4.   Add the rice, coconut milk, saffron (if using), and 1 teaspoon salt. Fill the empty can of coconut milk with water and add it to the pot. Give the mixture a good stir to separate any lumps and bring to a boil over medium-high.

5.   Once boiling, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

6.   As rice cooks, remove and discard the tough stems of the leafy greens, if needed, and cut or tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. When the rice has cooked for 10 minutes, arrange the greens on top of the rice in an even layer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender, 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes.

7.   As rice rests, zest the lime and cut it into 4 wedges. Add 1/2 teaspoon zest to the coconut-sesame mixture, along with the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

8.   Gently stir the greens into the rice using a spatula or fork, then divide among bowls. Sprinkle the coconut mixture on top and serve with a lime wedge for squeezing over.

Heirloom Bean and Escarole Soup

Heirloom Bean and Escarole Soup is a wonderful winter soup. It is chocked full of flavor and vegetables. The Smoked Ham Hocks add a richness to it that makes it perfect! You can find the recipe on our blog of: December 8, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. 

Loin Of Pork "A L'Apicius" with Brocolin

What a great dinner! We had previously made Loin Of Pork  "A L'Apicius" and liked it. You can find the recipe on our blog of: November 22, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe. The left over Pork makes for great Sandwiches!

The Roasted Broccolini and Lemon with Crispy Parmesan was new for us. It is an excellent preparation. We will make it again!

Roasted Broccolini and Lemon with Crispy Parmesan

Dinning In

Alison Roman

Serves 4

1       lemon, halved crosswise, seeds removed

4       garlic cloves, smashed

2       bunches broccolini, ends trimmed, or 1-1/2     pounds broccoli, thinly sliced lengthwise, stem and all

2       tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground

black pepper

½      cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

I'm not the first person to dump cheese onto something, roast it, and call it genius, but I do think it's worth mentioning how wonderful this recipe is. Maybe it's the caramelized, jammy slices of lemon; maybe it’s the almost burnt, crispy, frilly bits of tender broccolini. Whatever it is, I feel the need to serve a version of this at nearly every dinner party I throw, and I think you should, too. While there is something special about the broccolini here (nothing compares to the tender stalks and those wispy, crispy ends), this technique also works with root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and parsnips, as well as other brassicas like cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

1.  Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2.  Thinly slice half the lemon into rounds and set the other half
aside. Toss the lemon slices, garlic, and broccolini with the olive oil
on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, and make
sure everything is evenly coated, especially the broccolini tips so
they get all fried and crispy.

3.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan and roast until the broccolini is
bright green and starting to char and the cheese is golden brown, 10
to 15 minutes.

4.  Remove from the oven, squeeze the other half of the lemon over
the top, and serve.