spaghetti with collards and bacon

I hate to start a post with an apology, especially when one is so deserved, but I'm sorry. If only you knew the exciting project I've been working on for you though, to make AHB much easier to use, with much better pictures - well, you will know soon enough I hope. And then you can decide whether or not to forgive me for my absence. For now, I'll tell you about this very simple and healthy pasta dish I found on Epicurious. It was one of those nights, where I had some things in the fridge that I needed to cook soon or risk wasting, but none of them "went together" - or so I thought. I love bacon with greens, but it turns out you can toss them with pasta and olive oil and actually make a meal out of it. I should try this more often.

Grocery list: 1 pound collards (stems removed, leaves washed and chopped), 4-6 slices bacon, 4 garlic cloves, 1 onion, dried red pepper flakes, olive oil, 3/4 pound pasta (original calls for fusilli, but I was limited to spaghetti), 1 T red wine vinegar, grated parmesan.



In a large stockpot, cook the collards in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and place in a colander to drain. Bring the water back to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.



Chop the bacon, mince the garlic, and chop or slice the onion.



Fry the bacon pieces over medium high heat in a large skillet until starting to crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, but reserve the bacon fat in the pan. (Depending on how much is left, you might want to pour a little out. You only need enough to cook the onions down - about 1-2 tablespoons.)



Add the onion, garlic, and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes, and continue to saute until the onions are translucent, another 4-5 minutes.



Add the cooked and drained collards to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir well to combine.



Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the pasta (2-4 tablespoons). Remove from heat, and stir the bacon pieces back in. Serve with grated parmesan and cracked black pepper.

forget resolutions: eat more fettucine alfredo

Leave it to Marcella Hazan to finally clear it up for me: this famous pasta is actually called "all-Alfredo" after a restaurant owner in Rome. She simply calls it "cream and butter sauce" in her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. This is my ultimate comfort food, since the process of making homemade pasta is so cathartic to me, and nothing is more reassuring than creamy cheesy sauce. Just be sure to do about 10 extra miles on the treadmill the next day...

Grocery list: 1 pound fresh pasta (or 1/2 pound dry), 1 cup heavy cream, 2 T butter, 2/3 grated parmesan, nutmeg.



In a large saucepan (one that would fit the cooked pasta), heat 2/3 cup cream and the butter over medium heat. Allow to cook until the butter has melted and they just start to thicken, about one minute. Cook the pasta to al dente (2-3 minutes for fresh pasta; follow package directions for dried).



After draining the pasta, transfer it to the pan with the butter and cream, and turn the heat to low. Toss the pasta to completely coat it with the sauce.



Add the last 1/3 cup cream and all the parmesan, a generous pinch of salt, fresh cracked pepper, and a tiny speck of grated nutmeg. Continue to toss until the parmesan is melted and the pasta is thoroughly coated.

caramelized shallot mac and cheese

I can't imagine a better way to start the new year than a new mac and cheese recipe, since it's my favorite food group. This one is from December 2008 Bon Appetit, and features goat cheese and crispy sweet shallots as the topping.

Grocery list: butter, 6 large shallots, 8oz dried pasta (elbow or penne), 1 1/4 cup half & half, 2.5 tsp hot sauce, 8oz grated sharp cheddar cheese, 1.5 T AP flour, 2/3 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese.



Thinly slice the shallots (6 large should be about 3 cups).



Melt 3 T butter in a heavy pan or cast iron skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, covered, stirring frequently. Then reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until shallots have caramelized (this took another 10 minutes by my count).



Remove from heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions, or about 1-2 minutes less than al dente. Drain. Bring half & half to a simmer over medium heat.



Toss the grated cheese with flour, then pour into the pan with the half & half. Add the hot sauce. Whisk until smooth and just starting to bubble (another 2 minutes). Season with salt & pepper. Mix the cooked pasta into the sauce, then spread into a buttered baking dish. Top with the caramelized shallots, then sprinkle goat cheese crumbs across top. Bake at 400 degrees until bubbly, 15-20 minutes.

jamie oliver's rotolo of spinach, squash and ricotta

According to Jamie Oliver, he was discovered with this stuffed, rolled pasta dish called a rotolo (someone important saw him making it, and his TV chef career began). It's actually less labor-intensive than ravioli, since you are basically working with one giant stuffed piece of pasta instead of 30+. And if you really want to impress someone with dinner, it should be delicious, beautifully presented, and unique. This rotolo fits the bill perfectly.

Grocery list: 1 pound fresh pasta dough, 1/2 butternut squash (halved, deseeded), olive oil, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel, 1/2 a dried chili, handful of fresh oregano leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1.5 pounds fresh spinach, butter, grated nutmeg, 5.5 oz ricotta, 2oz grated parmesan, fresh sage leaves.



Make pasta dough (after many batches, I've now settled on a 2 cups flour + 3 whole eggs + 3 yolks to make the perfect consistency).



Then, fix all pasta pieces together with a dab of water at the edges, so you have one large rectangular sheet of pasta.

Jamie's recipe calls for cubing the squash and seasoning with ground coriander, fennel and chili - I simply roasted it with olive oil, salt and pepper (along with a spaghetti squash I was using for another meal). Roast for about 45 minutes, or until fork tender. Mash the squash pieces until they are almost spreadable, and allow to cool.



Mince the garlic and fresh oregano, and saute in olive oil over medium-high heat for a few seconds.



Add the spinach - it will look like way too much, but will cook down drastically as long as you keep moving it around the pan.



After the water has cooked out (5 minutes or so), add a couple T of butter, season with grated nutmeg (1/2 tsp?), salt and pepper. Allow to cool.



Spoon the squash, spread the spinach, sprinkle the ricotta and then parmesan, leaving 2 inches at the top of the pasta sheet clear. Roll up like a jelly roll, then wrap in a cheesecloth and tie both ends. Boil gently in a large pot of salted water for 25 minutes.



Jamie's recipe also calls for clarifying 1/2 pound of butter (heating it till the whey separates, spooning off the whey, then using the rest so you can fry it without smoking or turning brown). I actually just used olive oil to fry the sage leaves, drained them on paper towels, then melted some butter to pour over the rotolo.



Remove from the water, cut the cheesecloth carefully away, and slice into 1-2 inch thick pieces. Drizzle a little butter, sprinkle with extra parmesan, and lay a couple of fried sage leaves over the top.

chicken and mushroom ragu

My bolognese sauce is my favorite accompaniment for pasta, but I don't always have 2 hours to let it simmer. For another protein-rich option, I tried this 20 minute option for chicken "ragu" from October's issue of Gourmet. Next time I won't pulse the mushrooms in a food processor - maybe chop them fine by hand to leave more texture - and possibly will add some olives and a pinch of red pepper for kick. This is a good base made with an inexpensive cut of chicken, so I'll make room in the rotation for this recipe.

grocery list: 6 oz cremini or baby bella mushrooms, 3 cloves garlic, olive oil, 1 1/4 lb sinless boneless chicken thighs, 1 small onion, 3/4 tsp fresh rosemary (chopped), 3 T balsamic vinegar, 1 28-oz can whole italian tomatoes, 1/2 dried pasta (pappardelle recommended in the original), 5 oz fresh arugula (I used spinach instead), plus grated parmesan.



Pulse mushrooms and garlic in a food processor till finely chopped.



Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch pieces, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a few T olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, then saute the chicken (stirring frequently) for 3-4 minutes, until it starts to brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.



Turn heat down to medium, then add the small chopped onion and cook till it starts to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture, chopped rosemary, and more salt and pepper. Keep stirring until the mushrooms start to release their juice and turn brown - about 4-5 minutes. Add vinegar and cook until it reduces down, another couple minutes.



Return the chicken to the pan, and add the tomatoes (as well as the juice). Break the tomatoes down and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Cook pasta and drain. When the sauce is the right consistency, add the arugula or spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until it wilts. Stir in the pasta and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with grated parmesan.

cheesy baked penne with cauliflower and creme fraiche

The full page photo of this dish in October's Bon Appetit sucked me in - I'm always a sucker for a new mac-and-cheese recipe. This proved to be the most complicated m&c dish I've ever attempted, but also the richest and most flavorful. The different cheeses are all pricey though, so it won't be something I make all the time. (Yes, I do realize how contradictory this is with my last post about choosing cheaper cuts of meat. There's a reason I don't work in finance...)

Grocery list: 1 head of cauliflower, 2 large heirloom tomatoes, 5 T butter, 1 bunch green onions, 2 T AP flour, 1c heavy cream, 3 c grated Comte cheese (half Fontina & half Gruyere is listed as the substitute if you can't find Comte - approx 9oz), 3/4 c grated Parmesan, 1 c creme fraiche, 1T whole grain Dijon mustard, 3.5 (10oz) penne, 1 cup breadcrumbs (I substituted panko).



Bring a large stockpot of salted water to boil. Wash and chop the cauliflower into 1 inch florets, then cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from water with slotted spoon, then drop in both whole tomatoes and boil for 1 minute.



Carefully remove them from the water and turn off the heat. Set the hot water aside though, so you can reuse it for cooking the pasta.



Blanching the tomatoes will help you peel them, as the skin should almost fall off. Chop the tomatoes. At this point you should grate the Comte, chop the green onions, and get everything set up for making the cheese sauce.



Melt 2T of butter in a large skillet over med-high heat, then cook the cauliflower for 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and the chopped green onions and cook for another minute.



Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.



Melt 2T of butter in a saucepan over med-low heat, then add flour and stir for 2 minutes. Whisk in the cream slowly.



Now, this was different than most white sauces, since the cream has such a higher fat content. I kept whisking it, but the fat started separating out and I thought the whole thing was ruined. But I turned down the heat and kept whisking and it reconstituted once I added the cheese in, but wanted to point this out in case the same thing happens.



Add 2 cups of the grated Comte, and whisk until melted. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, then the creme fraiche and 1 T Dijon. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Bring the large pot of water back to a boil and cook the penne for 10 minutes. Drain and immediately return to the pot. Stir in the cheese sauce and the cauliflower mixture.



Spoon half the pasta mixture into a baking dish, then sprinkle 1/2 cup Comte. Layer the rest of the pasta and the Comte on top.



The recipe calls for melting 1 T of butter and toasting the breadcrumbs at this point, but I skipped this step. I mixed the rest (1/4 cup) of the Parmesan with a cup of panko and spread across the top of the casserole.



Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.

pesto pasta and roasted garlic thyme chicken

I've covered these both before (pesto here and here, and chicken here) but just in case you needed to be reminded that these recipes are there for the taking...

sausage, peppers and fresh mozzarella pasta

I have a coworker friend who told me about a great sausage and pepper recipe that his family loves which I've been thinking about for some time. I intend to try his actual recipe very soon - it sounds perfect for football Sundays. If I understood him correctly, he takes up to 6 green bell peppers and sautes them over low heat until they've almost caramelized, and with good quality italian sausages cooked up alongside. I had a few peppers, and wanted to try this technique of longer, slower cooking to make the peppers sweeter. With some extra cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella, and a couple of fresh sausages, it was a delicious weekday meal that only took about half an hour to make.

Grocery list: 2-3 italian sausages, casings removed, 2 green bell peppers thinly sliced, quartered cherry tomatoes (half a pint or more), cubed fresh mozzarella, handful of chopped fresh basil, 1 pound pasta.



The prep work for this dish was very simple - just slice your vegetables and chop the sausage and mozzarella into bite-size pieces.



Start by sauteing the peppers over medium heat in olive oil, for at least 10 minutes, until they start to brown. Cook the pasta according to the package directions (save a little of the cooking water to stir into the cooked pasta along with some olive oil, so you won't need as much oil to keep it from getting sticky).



Next, add the sausage and continue to cook until the sausage is cooked through, about 8 minutes more. Then, turn off the heat, and stir in the chopped basil, mozzarella, tomatoes, and pasta. Season well with salt and pepper (and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if you want a little kick).

four cheese serrano mac & cheese (and cheese, and more cheese)

Can you ever have too many mac and cheese recipes? My sister told me she tried mincing some serrano peppers (remember her libba burgers??) and sauteing them in the butter she used for making the cheese sauce. Since I have a little serrano pepper plant - producing about 20 new peppers a week (really!), I had to try this. I threw in 4 cheeses, not to be fancy, but just to use up the ends of a bunch of things: cheddar, brie, gouda, parmesan. Some panko bread crumbs on top added some crunch to the rich cheese - perfect!

Grocery list: 3-4 cups shredded cheese, 1 pound dried pasta, 3 cups milk, flour, butter, 1 chopped onion, 2-3 minced garlic cloves, 3-5 minced serrano peppers.



It really helps to do the prep work before starting the cheese sauce. Mince the garlic and serranos, and chop the onion. Any soft cheese (like brie) should be diced, and the other sharp cheeses can be shredded.



Start the roux as usual by melting 4-5 T of butter in a saucepan. Instead of immediately adding the flour, saute the onions, garlic and peppers for about 5 minutes.



When the onions are transparent, stir in 4-5 T flour - it will turn into a paste. Slowly stir in the milk a little at a time; bring almost to a boil to thicken, then turn the heat down very low. Stir in the cheeses to melt, then remove from heat.



If you want to use the panko crust, melt a couple tablespoons of butter over medium heat, then add 1-2 cups of panko crumbs. Stir occasionally until the panko starts to toast, then remove from heat. Cook the pasta according to the package directions (minus a couple of minutes - it's best to leave it extra al dente, since it will continue to cook in the hot cheese sauce).



Place the pasta into a large greased casserole dish; sprinkle grated parmesan and panko crumbs over top. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.