Monthly Archives: February 2014

Life Predicts Change

22 Saturday Feb 2014

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Life can be predictable, and for me, predictable is what life will always be…

20140222-160739.jpg Found this in my journal – volume 3, circa 2003; from my niece, Catherine (to me, Cat), age 6

I will, always, sleep until the last possible second before needing to get up for work. Most days, Buddy will, always, be waiting for me outside the shower, ready to cry if I don’t give him (and Ginger, who is three steps behind) their raw diet immediately upon grabbing a towel. Tom will, always, eat anything I put before him, and eat it as if I have given him a gift. So, life goes on like this…always, day-in, day-out. What’s not predictable is the change. It could be the subtle things, that happen quietly, in a whisper. They might pour upon us in a slow and gentle trickle. Or, the unexpected change that gives our world a big shake up, requiring agility and finesse just to keep from falling down.

Good, bad, or otherwise, it is predictable that change will occur. Our lives become better for it, richer! Our expanse of experience becomes larger and wider. More fulfilled. It might not seem that way because change is not always by choice and yet, sometimes it is.

I feel change coming. I don’t know why…I don’t know what. But, on this day, I feel like something familiar, comfortable and predictable. I want to fill the house with smells that are as safe and comforting, to taste something that will welcome me back rather than introduce me to someone/thing new. I want to make something I make when the weather is cold, the heart is warm and the outlook is unclear.

I want to make spaghetti, with meat sauce. I want to eat it in large portions accompanied with garlic bread oozing of garlic…and butter…and cheese. Lots of cheese. Lots of garlic. And wine. Ruby red wine. Bold, personable Italian wine. And cheese. But as Buddy would say, “more meeeeet” too, please!?

20140222-152928.jpgNo need for fuss to be fancy, just plate, eat, enjoy. I tuck in arugula so that I eat my greens too!

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Over the years I have refined my tomato sauce which is both versatile and handy to make in large batches. I keep 2-cup packages in the freezer for a large array of uses, but the main reason for doing this is to have on hand a quick avenue for making a reliable and predictable spaghetti. Simmered with good-quality ground beef, garlic, onions and red wine, the spaghetti feed is on and change can wait ’til another day.

INGREDIENTS (for tomato sauce)

1 TB olive oil
1 1/2 – 2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped and peeled
1 TB red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups red wine
3 qty. 28 oz cans peeled whole tomatoes or diced, unsalted (preferably San Marzano)
2 TB tomato paste (from the tube, Napoleon double-concentrate or 1 small can)
20-30 grinds pepper
1 tsp red chili flakes
2 TB dry oregano
1 tsp each fresh thyme and rosemary
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

sea salt to taste

MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE

In a stock pot, sweat the onion, carrots and garlic in the olive oil until they are soft (approximately 10 minutes). Listen to them sizzle softly, without browning and reflect on the day.

Add the vinegar and cook for another minute before adding the wine. Breathe in the fragrance and exhale.

Now empty the tomatoes into the pot, stir. Take in the wonderful hue of red with your eyes and recall warm summer gardens brimming with plump, sweet tomatoes bursting from the vines.

Stir in the tomato paste and grind in the pepper. Feel the strength of your hands as the mill turns out the fiery black speckles.

Add in the chili flakes through the fresh basil, one spice at a time. Pause after each addition to appreciate the smell and imagine the taste that the spice will bring to the finished sauce. Tip the jar a little further or scoop the herb a little fuller if you feel more will improve the taste.

Bring the mixture to a rumbling simmer, turn down the heat and cover the pot. Let it simmer this way for 30 minutes, or so. Don’t go too far though, it will need attention and stirring. As you lift the lid to stir, breathe in the aromas, deep and slow. Break up the tomatoes with the back of your spoon, put the lid back on the pot and pour yourself a glass of wine.

After the 30 minutes, or so, remove the lid and continue to simmer, gently, for at least another hour, more if you desire. I usually go about my business attending to other things and keep it simmering away for several hours, adding the lid when it gets thicker than I want, and then removing the lid to thicken a little more.

I always, periodically, dip in a clean spoon to determine what adjustments I want to make, more pepper or chilies, more basil or wine? Sometimes I add salt and sometimes it isn’t needed; the brand of tomato used will play a role in this.

When the sauce is done, you can keep it chunky or use a small hand mixer to purée the sauce into a more even consistency. I like it somewhere in between even and chunky.

If you are making spaghetti, as I am tonight, begin preparing your meat while the sauce is developing flavor.

INGREDIENTS (for spaghetti)

Olive oil for browning the meat
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I always use grass-fed)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
1 TB red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine
2 cups homemade tomato sauce

1/2 lb good quality spaghetti noodles (you could also use angel hair or linguini noodles)
Fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano for grating over

MAKE THE SPAGHETTI

It is important to bring the meat to room temperature before browning. Season with the salt and pepper, gently tossing and mixing the seasoning into the meat; let it sit covered for an hour.

To a hot, low-sided Dutch oven, add a little olive oil and tilt, covering the bottom of the pan with the oil. Add the meat, carefully breaking it up into a single layer as it drops in the pan. Enjoy the sound as it sizzles; this is a happier, more energetic sizzle than that of the onions.

Do not disturb the meat for at least 5 minutes. When you are able to stir without the meat sticking to the bottom of the pan, it is ready to be turned. Now is the time to add in the onions and garlic.

When the onions have softened and the meat has browned (8-10 minutes), add in the vinegar first, then the red wine. Breathe in again and exhale slowly. Close your eyes and feel the humidity wash over your face as the liquid evaporates into the air.

When the wine has reduced just a little, 5 minutes or so, add the tomato sauce, stir and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat and cover. With the lid on, moisture stays in and it sweats out the flavor, which then seeps back in, tenderizing and deeply-flavoring the meat and the sauce. Lifting the lid is like seeing the inner workings of a factory in motion. I stir, feeling like an intruder interrupting a process fully under control.

The meat sauce can simmer this way for as little as an hour or as long as 5 hours (yes, I picked that number out of a hat). A slow-simmered sauce will deepen and develop as long as the heat is low and the sauce stays moist. This can be interrupted early for a weeknight meal or left to simmer all day for a casual weekend extravaganza; it will be deeply satisfying in either case.

When you are near-ready to eat, bring a pot of salted water to a hard boil, add the pasta and cook per the package directions. If the pasta is fresh, it will take less time than dried pasta. There are very-good quality dried pastas imported from Italy that are often better than the fresh pasta found at your local grocery store.

When the pasta is al dente, drain and drizzle with olive oil, toss and grate over some cheese.

TO SERVE

Using kitchen tongs, place a pile in the center of heated pasta bowls. Spoon over a large helping of meat sauce. Grate more cheese on top and serve with really good homemade garlic bread and a hearty glass of red wine.

The house will put off the most comforting of aromas and your tongue will be rewarded with an explosion of addictive flavor, predictable, but never boring.

20140222-162939.jpgCatherine is off to college next year…University of Richmond – love you Cat!

What do you cook when predictable provides comfort?

Heart to Heart

16 Sunday Feb 2014

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20140216-114748.jpgLove letters from the pups – including Tom! I am a lucky girl. (Buddy is confused about what year it is)

This year, for Valentine’s day, I decided to cook a repeat of the dinner I served Tom (and Buffy) our first Valentine’s day together, over twenty years ago. Simple, heart healthy and delicious. No over the top maneuvers, no interference from novice diners out, just us, at home, with candles, wine and swordfish.

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The first time I made this though was well before I met Tom. I had been living in Pioneer Square in a fabulous loft apartment. There was a rooftop terrace off my bedroom the size of my living room below. I had acquired three full grown potted trees from the woman who moved away next door and had just purchased my first propane grill. It was summer in Seattle and I wanted to have a barbecue.

I worked a few days a week at Umberto’s located just down the street. I popped over there to see if I could purchase some limes for the barbecue; I had forgotten to get them at the market. The chef and I got talking about how best to cook the swordfish I would be serving. He told me the best thing to do was marinate it in orange juice concentrate mixed with whole peppercorns, then wipe dry, rub with oil and grill to a nice medium-rare.

Then, without so much as a thought, he grabbed a stainless steel pan from the rack and began making me a sauce. First came the shallots, then fresh orange juice. All the while, we chatted about food and I watched as he worked swiftly and with great authority. Once the juice had cooked down, he poured in some cream and no more than 10 minutes later, I was sent away with a container of the most delicious sauce, a priceless memory and a great new addition to my repertoire.

GRILLED SWORDFISH WITH ORANGE CREAM SAUCE & MANGO SALSA

Although I was never given a written recipe, the sauce is adapted from a chef at Umberto’s twenty-some years ago (whose name, I sadly don’t recall). I have reduced the amount of cream from what I saw him use and Friday night I used Lemon Curd Greek yogurt from Ellenos, in the Pike Place Market (which, by the way, is unbelievably delicious and highly addictive) because I didn’t have cream.

I like to serve this with grilled haricot verts and roasted baby potatoes. I roast the potatoes in advance of cooking the fish and just heat on the grill as the swordfish is cooking. The haricot verts get treated to a toss in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper; I grill them alongside the fish.

INGREDIENTS (for the sauce) – makes enough for four

1 tsp olive oil
1 TB chopped shallot
1 cup fresh orange juice
6-8 grinds fresh pepper
2 TB fresh lemon juice
1/8 cup heavy cream (or 3 dollops creamy Greek yogurt)

TO MAKE THE SAUCE

Sweat the shallots over low heat in olive oil until soft (2-3 minutes).

Pour in the orange and lemon juice, grind in the pepper.

Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer. Reduce liquid to 1/3 or so (it should begin thickening).

Add the cream and continue cooking until the sauce becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Keep warm until you are ready to use.

INGREDIENTS (for mango salsa) – enough for four people

1/2 cup diced, fresh mango – skin removed
1-2 TB diced red onion – soaked in water
1 TB (or more, to taste) chopped jalapeño – seeds removed
2 TB fresh lemon juice
2 TB chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp sea salt
Fresh pepper
1/2 avocado, skin removed, diced (I didn’t have any this time but I usually like this in my salsa)

TO MAKE SALSA

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

INGREDIENTS (for swordfish)

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper for seasoning
6 oz swordfish steaks per person (I always get sashimi grade when possible, one inch thick)
Approximately 1 cup fresh orange juice (enough to cover swordfish)
Olive oil for grilling

TO COOK SWORDFISH

Season the fish with sea salt and many grinds of fresh pepper.

Place the fish in a Ziplock bag or a shallow bowl large enough to hold the fish in one layer. Pour in enough orange juice to cover (or cover part way and turn several times during marinade).

Let sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour while heating the grill.

Remove from the marinade, shaking off excess and transfer to a clean plate. Pour some olive oil over fish and rub to coat each side.

When the grill is hot, put the swordfish on and let sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until grill marks have formed and the fish removes freely from the grill without sticking.

Turn over and cook a few minutes more, depending on thickness. You can determine doneness by pressing the meat with your finger. The more well done, the denser and less give you will get when you press. It tastes best at medium rare, when the fish is mostly cooked through but still slightly pink in the center, very similar to a beef steak.

Serve over a pool of sauce, top fish with a spoonful of salsa.

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oh, I am a lucky girl!

Hard to come by

08 Saturday Feb 2014

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You know how you are walking down the street one day planning to do one thing but find your feet taking you somewhere else? No? Well let me put it another way, have you ever wanted to go somewhere but not really known where that somewhere is? Like maybe you want to be around people, without actually being around people so you end up at a library or sitting solo at a bar?

This recently happened to me (three weeks ago) and it was delightful (not the library or the bar but you get the idea). Delightful might be a little misleading because I wasn’t having tea and crumpets or anything but delightful is what it was. I found myself with extra time (I know, I know – extra t i m e) which is something I never have extra of, but there I was, leaving work on a Friday afternoon (yes, l e a v i n g work), only two hours past my scheduled departure of 1:00 pm for the first time in what seemed like a year (I work longer days to have a supposed short day on Friday).

I began walking to the bus stop but didn’t really want to get on the bus, or more to the point, didn’t really want to go home, quite yet, despite wanting to surprise the pups. Because also at home there were tasks to do such as the dishwasher to empty, then fill. The vacuum to run, clothing to…o r g a n i z e and dinner to make. Oh, dinner. I had nothing to make, yet.

It was crisp out, but sunny. I arrived at the bus stop which was crowded; the bus was due to arrive any minute and then I would get on and go home. Without slowing down, I kept walking instead. Walking and walking right past the crowd, North up the sidewalk toward The Market. Before I knew it, I found myself at sandylew, one of my favorite little boutiques that I hadn’t made time to visit since Summer, 1, 2, 3…6 months ago. Inside were the same friendly faces and a candyland of artistic and unusual garments (lucky me the entire store was o n s a l e)!

One hour later, I walked out of the store with my polka dot bag of pink tissue-wrapped treasures and found myself entering Delaurenti to buy vinegar (yes, vinegar). I didn’t make it past the meat counter for another 1/2 hour. Without missing a beat, I began ordering Porchetta and hot Italian sausage, bresaola and rosemary ham. Then came the cheeses, fresh mozzerella (made in house), Comte from France, and a pastoral cow milk cheese featured that day on the chalkboard. The whole time, there was no pressure for me to hurry. Each selection was expertly cut and wrapped with a hand-written label. Each selection led to a question and often to a sample, then in turn, a selection of what I had sampled. Each question was answered with delight (yes, delight); and so it went on this way for awhile. Oh, happy day!

So rare it is anymore, to find a place such as this, that transports you back to another era, another country so completely. When Louie Delaurenti sold this place in 2001, I was sure it would inevitably turn into something it was not. Sure, I have stood in line several people deep and waited and waited during the holidays, swearing never again.

Yet, here it sits, delivering and delighting both the loyal, long-time clientele as well as the frequenting locals and the Seattle visitors with more than a product; an epicurean experience, without having lost the charm that brought us there in the first place. Just as I thought I had more than sufficiently filled up my basket, I spied a hunk of pastrami labeled “Carnegie” from New York (ooh, rival only to Katz’s), where we spent hours years ago (with Tom threatening to replay the Meg Ryan scene with Billy Crystal; one rare time he refrained from movie re-enacting).

20140208-192636.jpgBut alas, my basket had to make room for one more bundle.

Pastrami Toast with Egg

Ever since reading about standing in line outside a deli in New York, eating a hot pastrami sandwich on Butter, Basil and Breadcrumbs , I have been craving a Reuben. Since it was technically brunch time here, I decided to do this instead. It hits both the high points of a Reuben and my requirements for a meal after 10 am and before 3 pm on a weekend. Bloody Mary recommended.

Quantities are approximate and subject to discretion and personal taste (as usual).

INGREDIENTS for two servings

1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp natural sugar
6 grinds fresh pepper
1 tsp prepared horseradish
2 tsp L’Estromell Grenache vinegar

2 slices dense bread (I used Ciro’s ciabatta, but a good dense rye would be swell)
Dijon mustard for spreading
2 – 3 oz thinly sliced pastrami (the good stuff)
1 oz thinly sliced Comte (France) or gruyere (enough to cover with two thin layers)
2 organic eggs

1 TB ketchup
1 TB mayonnaise (I use Wildwood aioli)
2 slices dill pickle, chopped

PREP

Mix the sliced red cabbage with salt, sugar, pepper, horseradish and vinegar.

Spread a slice of bread with Dijon mustard and put the prepared bread on a baking tin.

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Top with a layer of cabbage,

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followed by pastrami,

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then Comte cheese slices, one layer slightly overlapping.

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Fry the eggs in a skillet until just set on the bottom (tilt the pan to let the white thin out and set). Carefully transfer the egg, using a spatula, to the top of each piece of prepared bread slice.

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Mix the ketchup, mayonnaise and pickle in a small bowl; set aside.

COOK & SERVE

Cook in a 400 degree oven for approx. 7-8 min (if the white is not cooking, add a few drops of water over the egg being careful not to let it run over the bread. Top with another slice of cheese and turn the oven to broil. Keep your eye on it and remove when the cheese is melted.

Serve with knife and fork, sauce mixture on the side.

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The Beet Goes On…

01 Saturday Feb 2014

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20140201-145155.jpgHopefully the name of this post will tickle you purple rather than cause you to see me as the beet geek that I am.

I like beets. This was not always the case. In my world, as I knew it, once upon a time in Alaska, beets came out of a can and were shaped like the can (ironically, so did the cranberry sauce). This always seemed a little dubious to me, as did our oddly flavored (and shaped) breakfast meat (some of you might remember but hopefully were spared the pleasure of eating), a little product called Spam.

My mother loved beets (and Spam); she still loves beets but hopefully not Spam (although I recently found some in her pantry). So I often found myself struggling to invent new ways to bypass these foods at meal time; a skill I never did quite figure out.

My first introduction to real beets came during a restaurant job many years ago. They were frequently on the menu and I fell for them madly, especially the ones that were golden in color (a fairly uncommon produce at the time). I was so infatuated with this hard, knobby object and that it could be boiled to such tender sweetness. Sliced open they reveal an inner beauty that is far more intriguing (and tasty) than the canned cousin. The beautiful, yet subtle pattern on a beet slice resembles the growth rings that you see on the cut trunk of a tree. These rings are much less subtle on Chiogga beats, which are a stunning contrast of red and white making them almost cartoon-like. The possibilities fresh beets have for stunning presentations are endless (as are the flavor combinations).

These days I roast my beets; a technique I learned at the same restaurant as the one that introduced me to the possibilities of beets and taught me to cook them in water. I think they taste great either way but I prefer the depth of flavor that is achieved by roasting.

There are many variations I do with beet towers depending on my mood and on the season. I developed this particular variation for a recent contest I entered at Food 52 that showcased leafy greens. Fresh beet greens are often under utilized (meaning many people…gasp, toss them away). Okay, so I have often been a culprit to this myself but knowing how delicious they are, I urge you to rid yourself of that habit (as I have).

Beet Tower with Red Chard Sauce

These little gems are layered with earthy flavors and make use of both the beet and its’ green. The chèvre can be as subtle or as dominant as you like and is a long-time partner of the beet. The sauce is bright and freshly flavored, taking on a unique character from the L’Estronell vinegar. If you are unable to find this vinegar, substitute with another good quality red wine vinegar but adjust based on acidity,

You can use any variety of beet for this, I just happen to have had a bunch of red beets when I set out to develop this recipe.

These would be good to serve at a dinner party because they are easy to do ahead, take minimal time to plate and make an impressive first course.

INGREDIENTS (for tower)

*Note – each beet will likely yield 2-3 towers depending on how thin you go with the slice. If you are particularly fond of chèvre, as I am, you can thicken that layer to suit your taste. To make the beet flavor more pronounced than the chèvre, stick to a thin coating of the cheese. I like the tame, refined flavor of Laura Chenel goat chèvre but use your favorite.

*1 Bunch baby beets with greens attached (approximately 4 small beets)
1 TB olive oil (for roasting), plus additional for sautéing the greens
Sea salt and fresh pepper to season
1 small – medium shallot, chopped
2 TB L’Estronell Grenache vinegar plus a dash for the boiling water
1 – 2 TB tap water
2 TB lemon juice plus one wedge to squeeze over beets
3 oz chèvre (Laura Chenel or equal)
Lemon zest to garnish

PREP

Remove the greens from the beets, discard the stems and put the greens in a bowl of cold water to clean. Swish, wash, swish, rinse and drain well.

Scrub the beets clean and pat dry. Put the beets on a sheet of foil large enough to cover them in a packet. Drizzle over the TB olive oil then squeeze over a lemon wedge and drop it onto the pan with the beets; season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil into a packet and set on a baking sheet.

Roast the beets in a pre-heated 425 degree oven until tender when pierced with a knife (approximately 30-45 minutes depending on their size).

Remove and let cool, packet opened. Using a paper towel, rub off the skin (if cooked tenderly, the root end should rub off easily, otherwise trim the top and bottom to create a straight surface.

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Slice the beets 1/16 – 3/32″ on a mandolin.

20140202-152411.jpg Set these aside.

Clean the beet greens and gather them on the chopping block as if you are about to julienne basil (grasped in the palm of your hand with the tip bunched up but exposed) slice horizontally into strips cutting the strips into bite size pieces.

Place a sauté pan over high heat. Sprinkle a few small pinches sea salt and 5-10 grinds fresh pepper into the pan. When heated, add a drizzle of olive oil then the chopped shallot. Stir to blend and add the cut beet greens. Turn the heat to medium low and add the 2 TB Grenache vinegar (followed by up to 2 TB tap water if needed). Let this cook until wilted and soft yet not mushy; one more minute or two, then set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, stir with a fork, the (+/-) 3 oz. chèvre & 2 TB lemon juice until it is a consistency that is spreadable (add a little water if needed).

TO ASSEMBLE

Working on a sheet of wax paper or a plate, set one slice beet in front of you and spread 1/2 tsp (or so) chèvre over. Top with 1 tsp (or so) of cooked beet green mix. Repeat with beet slice, then goat cheese and then green. Top with one more beet slice.

TO SERVE

Place all your beet towers on a baking sheet and heat for 5 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven.

I like to plate these individually. There are several ways to craft the presentation. I think it looks nice to place one tower in the center of a white plate and drizzle the sauce around the edge decoratively (as pictured at top of post). If you would like to enjoy more nuances of the sauce, you could alternatively ladle a spoonful of the sauce on the plate (spreading to form a pool larger than the beets) and place the beet tower on top of the sauce (as pictured below).

Garnish with some freshly grated lemon zest.20140201-153444.jpgPresentation using more of the sauce.

INGREDIENTS (for the sauce)

It is best to make this sauce just before planning to heat your beet towers so that it is still warm. You can reheat it gently in the microwave but some of the color might turn a little less bright. Extra sauce could be used the next day to flavor ravioli filling or to enhance soup.

4 leaves red chard, inner stem removed
3 stems brocolini (reserve the head for eating at a later date)
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled

Pot of water, salted (approximately 2 tsp kosher salt) with a dash of Grenache vinegar.

1/8 a 1/4 cup beet green boiling water
2 tsp L’ Estronell Grenache vinegar
1 tsp good quality olive oil
Sea salt and pepper just to taste

Bring the pot of water to a boil. Add the brocolini stems and garlic clove. One minute later add the chard leaves. Keep at a moderate boil for 2 minutes. Next, using kitchen tongs, remove, first the chard, then the garlic and brocolini stems to a processor (I use a Magic Bullet for this because it is compact, transportable and processes small amounts well).

Add in part of the 1/4 cup beet greens boiling water, the vinegar and the oil.

Process until liquified. Remove the lid to let out the steam. Taste first then season with salt and pepper. Add more beet green boiling liquid if needed.20140201-152719.jpg

NEXT CHAPTER

Now this is where da da da dum… The beet goes on (I know – geeeek)! If you are not making these for a dinner party but instead, a light dinner or a salad course for two (such as me on that particular night), you might not use all of the beets + greens, chard or chard sauce for that matter. You might not even use all of the goat cheese mixture that you whipped up for this purpose. No worries, there are plenty of other ways to make use of your efforts without having leftovers or compost.

A word of warning, I am now going to ramble a bit (at least it might sound such to you but in my head it is very clear and commonsensical). Go with me on this and try to follow along. You can always contact me later to say what the fu…? or you can tune out now and go happily about making beet towers.

I had cooked all of the beet greens (as per my instructions) which left me with 1/4 cup or so of the beet greens mixture. I also had approximately 1/4 cup red chard sauce and an undetermined amount of goat cheese mixture (maybe 3TB) that was unused.

It just so happened (quite coincidently, I assure you) that I had picked up 6 sheets of fresh pasta at Delaurenti in the Pike Place Market on Friday, along with some fresh ricotta cheese and thin slices of Porchetta. It was now Monday and all of these goodies were calling to be used along with the leftover ingredients from my beet towers. So here is what I did:

I went to work and came home. I scratched my head and thought about what I wanted to eat (Tom was not helping with ideas, other than, “Whatever you feel like making, I’m game”). I remembered my pasta sheets and also remembered I had half of a cooked butternut squash. Tom doesn’t so much care for squash. Now I remember the Porchetta. Tom loves Porchetta. That night we ate light pasta pillows filled with chèvre & ricotta cheeses, Porchetta and beet greens tossed in red chard sauce. 20140201-150612.jpgI say pillows of pasta because the shapes were not very definable, some shaped like ravioli and some rolled like…? (Tom says Plin, seems more Bob Marley).

To make, I simply took out my bowl of goat cheese mix, added 1/2 of the ricotta cheese to it and mixed in the leftover, cooked beet green mix.

20140202-151512.jpgNext I took 5 slices porchetta and cut them into dice. This got tossed into the cheese mix. I probably had around 1 cup of cheese mixture at that point.20140201-150750.jpg

I then laid out two sheets of pasta dough and plunked down dollops of filling in even spacing. Tom worked on one sheet (folding, cutting, sealing) and me the other. Above is the result. Next I began the sauce. I sautéed chopped onion (1/2 of a small) and cooked until soft and slightly caramelized (10 minutes). To this came a few splashes L’Estronell Grenache vinegar and then I added in the remainder from my glass of white wine.

I stirred it together and emptied the container of leftover red chard sauce from above.

20140202-151221.jpgNot pretty, I know, but tasty.

Next, I cooked the pasta pillows in salted, boiling water for 6 minutes. I pulled them from the water to drain and tossed them in with the sauce to coat.

To serve, I divided among heated bowls (two bowls, which left enough for Tom’s lunch the next day) and grated fresh pecorino over top. The pasta sheets are so light and eggy. I will definitely be getting them again when I am unable to make my own. I hadn’t expected to like dinner that night so it was a pleasant surprise to find myself swooning (yes, swooning – ask Tom).

20140201-152141.jpgPrettier in person but really tasty.

The next night, I did this:

I came home from work and already had an idea. Tom was on board.

I thawed a package of grass fed ground beef (3/4 lb). I then sautéed the other onion half (from the night before) along with 2 cloves garlic, all chopped. I added the ground beef which I had lightly seasoned with sea salt and pepper before bringing to room temp while the onions cooked. Once browned and cooked through, I added L’Estronell Grenache vinegar (a few splashes) then drank a glass of wine while it cooled.

I mixed the remaining half container (approx 1/2 cup) fresh ricotta cheese into the beef mixture. I shook in some allspice (1/2 tsp) and cayenne (much less).

While the beef was cooking, I cooked the remaining leaves of chard that I hadn’t used in the sauce (1/2 the head), stems removed. 2 minutes into cooking, I fished them out of the water with tongs and squeezed them of liquid, chopped the leaves and mixed them into the beef mixture. As an after-thought, I chopped 3 more slices of Porchetta and added that to the mix. A little more salt and pepper rounded it out well.

I laid out 2 more sheets of fresh pasta and put the filling at the short end, rolled it over and cut. I repeated this until the pasta and the mix was gone. For two sheets of pasta, I was able to get 6 cannelloni rolls (3 each).20140201-151940.jpg

In a baking pan, I put down a few spoons of tomato sauce (I always have some that I make in batches to freeze so I thawed 1 cups worth first). I put three of the cannelloni down over the sauce and covered them with the rest. Shredded Parmesan and mozzarella went on top and then got melted as they baked (for approximately 30 minutes) in an oven set to 375 degrees. It is important to let them rest for 5-10 minutes, covered, out of the oven before serving. Tom ate two and I ate one, alongside a salad. The other three went into the freezer for another night.
20140201-152034.jpgAgain, prettier in person but really tasty.