Rigatoni All'amatriciana ("Rosie's Favorite Noodles")

This was my sister's favorite pasta when we were growing up and is known in my house as "Rosie's Favorite Noodles."  We ate this dish at least once a week, and my mom would often rewarm leftovers for us for breakfast, in a cast-iron pan with a bit of oil until the noodles were extra soft and would  get a slight brown crispness from the pan.  I still rewarm noodles this way and it is an incredible way to reheat most pastas -- turning them into something different and guiltier but extremely satisfying -- sorta like good Chinese food.  Yum.  Amatriciana is a classic Italian sauce and when my husband and I went to Italy for our honeymoon, it appeared on most menus.  It is often served with Bucatini but I prefer it the way I had it growing up, with Rigatoni.  The fat noodles are the perfect vehicle for the tomatoes, pancetta and onions.  I can make this one in my sleep.  Here's what you need:

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. olive oil (or 1 Tbs. grapeseed oil and 2 Tbs. olive oil, reserved)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/4 inch thick slice of Pancetta, diced (omit to make a vegetarian version)
1 28-oz. can of Italian whole peeled tomatoes, cut up with their juices
1 generous pinch (or more) red hot pepper flakes
1 lb. Rigatoni pasta

Parmesan, for serving.

 Instructions:

1.  Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and saute until golden.

Note: At my father's advice, I have lately been using 1 Tbs. Grapeseed oil -- which has a high smoke point and does not turn to trans fats when cooked -- rather than the olive oil for cooking the onions.  I then add olive oil later in the process of cooking the sauce.

2.  Add Pancetta and cook for 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add chopped tomatoes (Tip: I use kitchen scissors to cut them up in a bowl) with their juices).

And red hot pepper flakes (I add about 1 Tsp. but you can add less or more to your liking)

And simmer over very low heat for at least 25 minutes.  I often leave the sauce 40 minutes or so.  The tomatoes will break up and the fat will separate from the juices.

4.  Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water.  Reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta.  Toss pasta, sauce, and a few tablespoons pasta water.

 5.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Quinoa Porridge

Yummm! I have a new love.  This porridge.  I went to Philadelphia this weekend to visit my sister and we went out to brunch on Sunday morning before I left.  After days of heavy eating, I felt like something light and ordered the quinoa porridge, figuring it would be warm and satisfying and oatmeal-esque.  It was, and it was delicious.  I came home and browsed recipes last night (don't all people look at quinoa porridge recipes at night??) and made it for breakfast this morning.  It is my new favorite thing.   It is easy -- done in 20 minutes -- and  I made extra which can easily be rewarmed for breakfast before work this week. 

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is grain-like but is actually a seed and has a wonderful texture and, unlike oatmeal, it keeps you from getting hungry because it is high in protein.  It is also high in amino acids,  magnesium and iron and is a source of calcium.  How cool is quinoa?!  Basically, it is really good stuff. 

You can vary this recipe easily.  The liquid to solid ratio for quinoa is 2:1 and you can use milk, water, or a combination.  Or to make vegan/lactose free, use a milk substitute such as soy milk, almond milk, etc.  I used 1/2 water and 1/2 milk, topping off the milk with a bit of heavy cream.  You can use any combination of dried fruits, spices, nuts, or fresh fruits.  Like oatmeal, the fun is in the toppings!

Quinoa Porridge
(4 large servings)

4 cups liquid (milk, water, or 1/2 and 1/2)
2 cups quinoa 
2 Tbs. maple syrup
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup dried fruit (such as raisins,  golden raisins, apricots, currants, dates)

Optional Toppings:

toasted sliced almonds (or pecans)
fresh fruit (such as blueberries, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
warm jam or berry compote
seeds (try pumpkin or sunflower seeds)

Directions:

In a saucepan, warm milk and/or water over medium heat until simmering.  Add quinoa and bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, stir, and let simmer another 5 to 10 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed or texture is to your liking.  Serve with toppings of your choice.  Enjoy!



 

Lebonese Chicken and Chickpea Stew

I am not a huge fan of winter.  I tolerate winter.  I don't ski or snowboard or go sledding and the days of snow men and snowball fights and whatever allure they once had are long gone.  I mostly just, um, stay inside.  But there are a few things I love about winter.  One of them is the foods you get to enjoy and feel entitled to eat.  Some of my favorite foods are clearly winter foods -- stews, soups, rich pasta sauces --  foods I would never want to eat if I lived somewhere where it was always warm.  And that would be sad. 

This Lebonese-inspired chickpea stew with chicken thighs is one of these foods.  It is hearty and warm and wonderful.  It is from Bon Appetit, February 2012.  I changed the original recipe by adding more chicken -- 4 thighs instead of 2 -- and by subbing chicken stock for the water.  The cubes of country style bread I toasted after tossing in a little olive oil, salt and pepper to make them crusty before adding them at the end.  Here is the recipe.

Chickpea Stew
adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2012 
serves 4
 
Ingredients:
4 T olive oil, divided
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
kosher salt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. ground cumin
2 Tbs. tomato paste
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
2 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped drained roasted red peppers from a jar
2 Tbs. (or more) fresh lemon juice
2 cups 1" cubes country-style bread
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

Heat 2 Tbs. oil in medium heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Season chicken with salt; add to pot and cook, turning once, until browned, 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

2.  Reduce heat to low and let oil cool for 1 minute; add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.   Add cumin, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes; stir until a smooth paste forms, about 1 minute. 

3.  Add reserved chicken, along with any accumulated juices, bay leaves and  cups water (or chicken stock).  Scrape up any browned bits.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, occasionally stirring, until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.

4.  Transfer chicken to a plate.  Add chickpeas to pot; bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, shred chicken.  Add shredded chicken to stew.  Add red peppers.  Stir in remaining 2 Tbs. oil and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice; simmer for 1 minute.

5.  Season with salt and more lemon juice, if desired.

6.  Divide stew among bowls, garnish with parsley.  Top with toasted bread cubes (or put bread cubes in bowl and top with stew).  

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Scones with Currants

 

These scones remind me of when I was a little girl and we would visit my grandparents in San Francisco.  They lived in a beautiful house in Cole Valley and we would get these wonderful scones from the bakery just down the street and eat them back at the house in their kitchen, or on my grandparents bed if it was a breakfast in bed morning, with jam and butter.  They were amazing.  

Here I am one of those mornings enjoying one...

Or maybe that is a croissant but, hey, those are awesome too (and something I plan to tackle soon!)

This recipe for buttermilk scones with currants is from the Tartine cookbook:

Tartine is a fabulous bakery in San Francisco, on the corner of 18th Street and Valencia, near Valencia park.  They have one of the best almond croissants I have ever tasted and the recipe is in this cookbook... It is on my agenda to make it before the Spring... I will need to invite a lot of willing participants for a brunch!

These scones are handsdown amazing. Sooo buttery and flaky.  We enjoyed some fresh out of the oven, with some jam this morning.  

It was over too quickly and there are 10 of them left in our kitchen, calling out to be eaten! Anyone want to come over and help us out?

here's how to make these buttery babies.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Zante currants (also called "black currants" or "dried currants")

4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 cup + 1 T butter

1 1/2 cups buttermilk 

1 tsp. lemon zest

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter a baking sheet.  

Combine currants with warm water to cover in a small bowl and set aside for about 10 minutes until they are plumped.  Drain well.

While currants are plumping, sift flour, baking powder and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.

Add sugar and salt and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.  Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes and scatter over dry ingredients.  If using a mixer, fit with a paddle attachment and pulse on and off so you don't break  down butter too much.  I started this way (as you can see below) but decided immediately to cut in the butter by had instead.  I do not have a pastry blender (if you do, use that) so I used two table knives to cut the butter in.

Like so (but using two hands of course.. one of mine is holding a camera..)

Cut up (or pulse mixer) until you have a coarse mixture and butter is in pea-sized lumps.

Note on buttermilk: I made buttermilk because I didn't have any on hand.  To do this, just measure out your milk, here 1 1/2 cups, and then add 1 T lemon juice per cup of milk (so 1 1/2 T for 1 1/2 cups of milk.  Let sit 5 minutes before using.

Add the buttermilk, currants and zest all at once and combine with a wooden spoon (or mix on low speed with mixer), just until you have a dough that holds together.  If mixture is dry, add a bit more buttermilk.  Don't overmix the dough! The butter should still be in pieces.

Dust work surface with flour and turn dough out.  Using your hands, pat the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 1 1/2 inches thick. 

Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Using a chef's knife, cut the dough into 12 triangles.

Transfer triangles to the prepared baking sheet. 

Bake the scones until the tops are lightly browned, 25 to 35 minutes.  

Remove from the oven and serve warm.  

Mmmm so buttery and flaky...

Enjoy!!

-- Anya

Lentil Soup with Spinach and Sausage

Hi! Well we are snowed in here!  The wind is blowing the snow about in huge sheets but the sun is out and the world is a beautiful, if uninviting, white.  We have a fire going and the animals are all happily sleeping...

Aww! They look miserable, huh?

Anyways, it is a good day to share this wonderful lentil soup I made last week.

So, I have never thought of myself liking lentils.  I'm not sure why exactly, they are kinda ugly and seem sorta boring.  Boy, I was wrong.  This soup is absolutely wonderful and satisfying and hearty.  The base recipe comes from allrecipes.com and it is a wonderful starting point.  It can be vegetarian, but I added some kielbasa...

which was smoky and wonderful.  I also added potatoes and extra carrots, garlic, spices...

and extra crushed tomatoes...

and stock instead of water...

And finished with spinach and some balsamic vinegar which added a wonderful deep flavor.

Serve this soup with crusty bread for a filling and satisfying winter meal.

Lentil Soup with Spinach and Sausage

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. grapeseed (or olive) oil
1/2 lb. kielbasa, sliced (or other sausage)
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 cups potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. dried basil
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or combination of stock and water)
4 cups spinach, chopped
2 Tbs of balsamic vinegar (to taste)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1.  In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, heat grapeseed oil over medium heat.  Brown sausage and  remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

2.  Add onions, carrots and celery to pot and cook until onion is tender, about 10 minutes.

3.  Stir in garlic, bay leaves, oregano, basil and cook for two minutes.

4.  Add potatoes, cook for 2 minutes.

5.  Stir in lentils, tomatoes, stock and/or water, and reserved sausage.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.  Just before serving, stir in spinach, cook until it wilts, and then add vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and more vinegar if desired.

Serve and enjoy!

-- Anya