A Stellar Standby: Buttery Shrimp Pasta with Garlic and Lemon

We all have our culinary standbys. . . those tried-and-true recipes we can make in our sleep. Tasty dishes that use simple ingredients, yet taste worthy of being on a restaurant menu. They're our favorites and our family's favorites -- the ones on our short list of what to make if someone special is coming to dinner. Although, here at Chez Gourmess, everyone who eats at our table is considered special and worthy of a delightful meal.

You've heard me moan and groan about Chris's disdain for eating pasta for dinner (something about not eating carbs at the end of the day, blah, blah, blah, etc.), so on the off chance we can eat early, I of course make pasta. One of our favorites -- an old standby -- is a lovely shrimp pasta that I've been making for years. Imagine if you will, a bowl of pasta piled high with plump, wild shrimp covered in a bright, buttery sauce bursting with lemon, garlic, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Yum! I should note that I really like using a whole grain pasta in this recipe -- it adds a nutty flavor that's a nice complement to the other ingredients, plus Chris doesn't seem to grumble as much if I point out that I'm using healthy pasta. This pasta dish pairs perfectly with a glass of crisp white wine (try a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chablis) and a green salad, if you feel like making one.

I've posted the recipe before, but I'll recap it again here.  Because it's worth sharing again and I do revise it a little each time.

Gourmess' Shrimp Pasta

1 13-14 oz. box whole wheat/multi-grain spaghetti

1 lb large, raw shrimp*

1 1/2 -2 cups mixed vegetables (peas/carrots)

1 TBS olive oil, plus more for serving

3 garlic cloves (minced)

Red pepper flakes

Juice of 1 small lemon

1 tsp garlic powder

Kosher salt

3 TBS unsalted butter

Italian-seasoned bread crumbs 

Fresh ground black pepper

2 TBS fresh parsley and basil, minced

*Note: I used extra-jumbo wild Patagonian shrimp since that's what was in the fridge. 

Minimal MESS/ingredients/clean-up: Category 2

To Do:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil, add in pasta and cook for about 7-9  minutes, or until it's al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the liquid, then drain -- but do not rinse. Cover with a lid to keep warm. 
• Make sure your shrimp is deveined (take out the black intestinal line) and remove any shells/tails. Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Chop into bite-sized pieces if extra large, otherwise leave whole. Set aside, but keep chilled. 
• If using frozen veggies, thaw them in a colander. Note: I used frozen peas, but I peeled and diced 3 medium-sized carrots because I had some and I prefer them to frozen carrots.
• Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  When the rim of your pan is hot, add the garlic and reduce the heat. Sauté until soft -- do not let it brown.  If using fresh carrots, add them to the pan and cook until tender crisp.
• Add a couple shakes of red pepper flakes to the pan along with the lemon juice, garlic powder, and a couple pinches of salt. Stir in the butter and the reserved pasta water.
• Add the shrimp and peas and cover the pan, cooking over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until the shrimp is pink and both it and the peas are heated through. Remove from heat, but keep covered.
• Grab a large serving bowl and add the pasta, then the shrimp and veggies. Toss until incorporated and then add a TBS or so of bread crumbs and toss again. 
• Do the "fork test" -- twirl a bunch of the pasta and a piece of shrimp on a fork and take a bite. If it needs more salt, or perhaps a drizzle of olive oil,  add it now.
• Scoop into bowls, and top with pepper and the fresh herbs before serving to your smiling guests.

xoxo

Garlicky Broccoli Rabe with Hot Italian Sausage

Broccoli rabe makes me happy.

There's nothing better than a skillet full of spicy, garlicky, broccoli rabe. Except maybe a skillet of spicy, garlicky, broccoli rabe with hot sausage. Pile it high on sliced rolls or toss with your favorite pasta and big sprinkle of grated cheese.  Or, just eat it right out of the pan. You can't go wrong.

Gourmess' Garlicky Broccoli Rabe with Hot Italian Sausage
Ingredients:
2 bunches broccoli rabe
2 TBS olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 TBS chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 lb hot Italian Sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt/pepper
Crushed red pepper

 Minimal MESS/ingredients/clean-up: Category 1

To Do:

• Remove the tough ends from the broccoli rabe, then chop into small pieces. Rinse well, drain and set aside. 
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then stir in the garlic. Cook at low heat until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 mins.
• Add the broccoli rabe to the pan and raise heat to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the broccoli rabe is tender, but not soggy. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.

•  In the meantime, heat the chicken broth in a medium-sized pot and add the sausage. Cover the pot and cook the sausage over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
• When the sausage is cooked, add it AND the drippings from the pot to the skillet with the broccoli rabe. Stir to combine, then cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt/pepper to taste and a pinch or two of the red pepper.
• Stuff the broccoli rabe/sausage mixture inside crusty rolls, mix with pasta, or scoop into deep bowls with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese. Or a dollop of fresh ricotta.

Yum.
xoxo

A Winter's Treat: Roasted Squash with Bacon, Kale (of course!) and Farfalle

As you know, there is a little bit of a love affair between my husband and kale at the moment, so when I spotted a "15 Must-Try Kale Recipes" email from Cooking Light in my inbox, I thought, "I should make that for Chris!" (I also thought, "Why am I getting these emails? I have heavy cream, butter and bacon in my fridge at all times.")

There are indeed some great "must-try" recipes, and one of them, the Bacon and Butternut Pasta dish sounded amazing. Especially because its ingredients include kale, bacon, garlic, and pasta -- which I happen to have in stock 24/7. I also love that it calls for crème fraîche which adds a lovely creaminess to a recipe without having to worry about it separating when heated. (If you can't find it, substituting with full-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt would be okay.) And, I was thrilled that I could use the gorgeous butternut squash that was sitting on my counter. Score!

However, like most recipes that seem to cross my path, I thought this one needed some tweaks. So, I tweaked. (I used goat cheese instead of gruyere and omitted the flour/white sauce step. And, instead of using chicken broth, I took advantage of the lovely pasta/kale infused water already on the stove.) The result was a delicious, pasta dish that you could serve as a mostly-meatless main course or as a lovely warm winter salad/side dish. If you feel the need to add more cheese, try a sprinkle of smoked cheddar or gouda, but don't overdo it. The flavors are so lovely you don't want to cover them up. And, don't tell Chris, but I think the star of the dish is actually the squash. It really brightens up the dish both in flavor and color. Delish.

Roasted Squash with Bacon, Kale and Farfalle
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 TBS walnut oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 lb. box of farfalle pasta
1 bunch kale, stems removed, and leaves finely chopped
4-6 slices smoky bacon, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups crème fraîche
4 TBS goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Kosher Salt
Ground black pepper

To Do:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Toss the squash, walnut oil, garlic powder and a pinch or two of salt and roast until tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside, but keep oven at 400 degrees.

• While the squash is roasting, boil the pasta and remove it from the water with a slotted spoon when it is almost al dente. (It will continue to cook in the oven and you don't want it to be mushy.) Keep the water at a boil.
• Add the kale in batches (if necessary) to the boiling pasta water until the kale turns bright green, about 1 minute, then remove with slotted spoon to a separate bowl/colander from the pasta.
• Reserve about 3/4 cup of the pasta/kale water.
• Add the bacon to a large skillet and cook over medium heat. When it starts to crisp, add the garlic and cook until garlic is tender, about 3 minutes more. Add the kale and the reserved water and simmer 1-2 minutes to combine flavors. Remove from heat. 

• In a large bowl, gently combine the squash, pasta, and kale/bacon/garlic mixture. 

\

• Stir in the crème fraîche and crumble in 2 TBS of the goat cheese.

My favorite kind.

• Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste (you might not need to add salt since there's bacon in the mix, but test it) and 1/4 tsp of the nutmeg.
• Transfer to a large baking dish then dot the top with the remaining goat cheese and nutmeg.

• Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, until browned.

• Devour.

xoxo

A Chili in the Air

 It is FREEZING outside! I am so ready for Old Man Winter to take a hike.

But, that's not happening anytime soon, so we must grin and bear it. The best way to make me grin? Try a big bowl of spicy, smoky chili topped with shredded, aged white cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. And don't forget the side of corn bread still warm from the oven, smothered in butter or honey, or both. (Sigh.)

I've been making chili in my slow cooker for years, and I usually don't stray from my basic recipe, but this time around, I mixed it up a little and added some eggplant, paprika, and cinnamon. I think all of the Moroccan cooking has started to influence the other foods I've been making as well...and with tasty results. (I've been putting cinnamon on everything!)

This thick, flavorful chili is hearty and relatively healthy if you leave out the cheese and sour cream (but don't). If there are any leftovers, they'd be great stuffed into a warm burrito or over a scoop of rice with some chopped cilantro. Don't be afraid of the eggplant -- it cooks down and anyone who doesn't like it, won't even know it's in there.

Winter Chili
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS plus 1/2 tsp cumin
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 TBS plus 1/2 tsp chili powder
2 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 15.5 oz cans kidney beans (or a mix of 1 can black beans and 1 can kidney beans), drained

2  red, yellow or green peppers (or a mix), seeded and diced

1 medium eggplant, stem removed, peeled (leave about 1/4 -1/2 of peel on for color) and diced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp brown sugar
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes (I like the ones with jalapenos)

1 cup chunky salsa 

1 TBS tomato paste
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (optional)

To Do:

• Add the turkey and garlic and 1/2 tsp each of cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and salt in a large pan and brown over medium heat.  

• While the turkey is browning, drain the beans and dice the peppers and eggplant.
• Drain and discard any liquid from the meat and add the meat to the slow cooker pot.
• Top with the beans, eggplant and green peppers.
• Add the rest of the cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, salt and also the cinnamon and sugar, along with the tomatoes (drained), salsa, and tomato paste. Gently Stir to combine.

• If you can handle the heat, add a tiny dollop of the peppers in adobo sauce. It adds some smoky heat. But, a little goes a long way. (If you want your chili extra spicy, just put a bottle of hot sauce on the table and add it in when you're served.)

• Cover your slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on the low setting.  
• When done, stir to incorporate and adjust seasonings (more salt or cumin perhaps?), top with shredded cheddar, sour cream (or plain yogurt) and corn bread on the side.

Stay warm!
xoxo

Oven-Roasted Cod with Tomatoes, Olives, Capers, Garlic, and Lemon

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.

 --Julia Child

I think I've mentioned this dish or something similar to it in the past -- but I can't help post about it again. It is my go-to for a quick, no-fuss way to create an elegant and tasty fish dish.  

I had some cod handy, but you can use any other white fish -- halibut, bass, trout, snapper, tilapia, etc. (I wouldn't use salmon or tuna for this, as you want to use a fish that doesn't have a strong flavor.)  Also, a thick fillet is better than thin, as the pieces will break apart -- but a thin fillet will still taste terrific, so go with what you have in your fridge/freezer.  

There's not really a recipe for this dish, but here are the basics: 

To Do:

• Roughly chop: 2-3 ripe tomatoes and 1 lemon (include the rind, remove any large seeds) and put in a medium-sized bowl.  
• Add in 3-4 gloves of garlic (mince one and lightly smash the others), 1/4 cup of capers (drained), and about 3/4 cup of olives (I like a mix of green and black, and pitted is nice, but not necessary), also drained. 
• Dice 1/4 stick of butter into cubes and add to the mix.  
• Stir these ingredients all together gently, add a bit of salt/pepper and some parsley, and set aside so it can get a bit juicy from the tomatoes.

• In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a roasting pan with olive oil cooking spray.  
• Prep your fish by checking for any bones, cutting into uniform pieces if necessary, and patting dry (if was frozen).  

• Place the fish in the pan and top with the tomato mixture.  Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over everything and pop in the oven for about 30 minutes -- until the fish is flaky and the tomatoes are soft.  

I had some baby spinach on hand, so I sautéed it and seasoned with a bit of olive oil and garlic powder and used that as the bed for my fish.  You can also serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or couscous.  Or, just serve it on its own--but have some crusty bread nearby, as it is nice to sop up the juices with something.  Note: Remove the lemons before plating and if your olives have pits, provide your guests with a small bowl where they can discreetly drop them.   :)

The result  of this wee bit of effort is a lemony, briny, buttery, fabulous fish dish that doesn't taste fishy.  And, served with a light green salad and crisp glass of white wine, it makes for a lovely summer meal.

Enjoy!

xoxoxoxo

Penne with Bacon, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

My bi-monthly box of organic food has started to transition toward spring vegetables. Asparagus, early tomatoes, lettuce, etc., were prominent in my latest one, but we're also finishing up with winter's chard and kale.  

I had been reading some magazine articles lately that featured Italy and was craving pasta.  I also wanted to try out the suggestion/technique of boiling the pasta until it is just about done, and then transferring it to a large pan/skillet to finish cooking it (with the sauce), adding a bit of the starchy water for the ultimate in pasta preparation.  I've seen this technique referred to a few times lately, in recipes and articles, so thought I'd give it a shot.

I thought a creamy tomato sauce with spinach and bacon would be nice, but I didn't have spinach, so I used some beautiful chard instead.  The dish turned out lovely -- the creamy sauce, the slightly bitter taste of the chard with the salty bacon and the sweetness of the tomatoes made for a really nice dish.

1, 1lb. box penne pasta 

4 strips bacon, cut into small pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 cups chard (stems removed), chopped

4 tomatoes, peeled and diced (or, 1 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes, drained and chopped)

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 TBS goat cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 TBS butter or olive oil (optional)

Bring water to a boil in large stock pot with 2 handfuls of salt.  Add pasta to boiling water and remove when test piece is white only in the very center.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water then drain penne and set aside.  

In large skillet/pan over medium heat, brown the bacon, adding the garlic when bacon starts to crisp.  Once garlic is soft and fragrant, add in the chard, tomatoes and cream and reduce heat to a simmer. After the tomatoes start to break up, stir in the goat cheese and salt and pepper, and then add in a bit of the pasta water to thicken the sauce.  Simmer a few more minutes then gently toss in the pasta, coating it with the sauce.  Let this simmer for a minute or two more, adding in more pasta water if needed, adjust your seasonings add the butter/olive oil, and enjoy!

xoxoxo

Slow-Down Sunday

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

Chris and I had a crazy hectic week this past week.  We only had time to sit down to dinner together a few nights, and even then we were preoccupied with our Blackberry devices and reading for work, etc. I have been waiting all week for us to just slow down and just enjoy life a bit.

Yesterday (Saturday) was a hot one -- mid 80s and probably the last warm day of the year. I had some potatoes left from my organic box and wanted to make something homey for dinner.  Chris was working in the city all day, so I figured I could make a mess and heat up the already humid kitchen a bit more in his absence and make a roast or a gratin, or something that required using the stove and/or oven (I've been in a bit of withdrawal not having 3+ hours of cooking to do each day, now that I've finished my course).  But, the day got ahead of me and after running some errands, I realized I still hadn't settled on what to make--and it was late enough in the day that it probably would end up being for Sunday dinner instead.

I started to brainstorm, and then I glanced up to the shelf above our kitchen pantry and saw our slow cooker, and I knew what I wanted.  Roasted, lemony, garlicky, olive-y slow-cooked chicken with rosemary, baby carrots and those lovely fingerling potatoes: Fancy Chicken Stew. So, I covered the bottom of my slow cooker pot with baby carrots, some small potatoes, rosemary sprigs, half a dozen peeled garlic cloves, some sliced shallot and a couple handfuls of olives (use a nice briny kind). Then, I stuffed/tied a roasting chicken with more rosemary, about 12 garlic cloves (peeled) and 2-3 lemons, seeded and cut in wedges. The chicken went on top of the veggies (breast side down is best but either way is fine) and then I poured 2 cups of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of lemon juice over it, then sprinkled on some salt/pepper and Herbes de Provence, then dotted the whole thing with 1/2 a stick of butter and put on the lid. I put the cooker on the 6 hour setting, cleaned up the now semi-cooler kitchen and fixed myself a cocktail while I waited for Chris to come home.

I also started another batch of bread -- this time, I used bread flour (you can use all purpose, too) and added in 1/4 cup of dried rosemary to the dry ingredients.  By 10 p.m. the house smelled lovely from the slow-cooker, and this morning, after I made the bread -- it was heaven on earth. Rosemary is under appreciated, I do believe.

Today, about 40 minutes before we wanted to eat, I took the chicken out of the slow cooker insert, separated the meat from the bones and put the rest of the stew and chicken in a big pot on the stove. The slow-cooker does marvels for a chicken -- it literally just slides off the bones and becomes almost instantly shredded once you gently stir it. It's also unbelievably tender and juicy. I slowly re-heated it to a low simmer, then ladled it into bowls and served with the fresh-baked rosemary bread and some white wine. Chris and I took our time as we savored some lazy Sunday evening conversation and this lovely chicken stew.  Terrific.

Life is good.

xoxoxo