Baked Ziti and Blackened Black Fish

By a fluke of scheduling I didn't have to work Thursday night so I got to cook! Evan had a yen for baked ziti and I was glad to oblige. Keegan and George came over as well, and Keegan brought some black fish, which is a local grouper. When Evan and I were coming home from our honeymoon in Barbados over the summer, we had a layover in Jamaica and we purchased a bunch of spices in the airport. One such spice, pictured below, Keegan won in a poker game. He decided to finally use it (one of the first ingredients, by the way, is MSG).


Keegan had two large fiillets and coated the fish in the cock flavored seasoning.


Then he cooked the fish in a little olive oil until it was blackened on the outside. There were even a few flame-ups...


As our first course, we each had a piece of blackened black fish with a salad. The fish was tender and delicious. The seasoning was powerful and terrifically savory.


In the meantime, I made garlic bread. Simply slice a baguette in half, then in half lengthwise. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix in chopped garlic and about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Brush this mixture on the bread, wrap it up in tin foil, and bake in a 350-450 oven for about 10-15 minutes until warm and crispy (in this case I baked it alongside the ziti).


I made two baked zitis - one vegetarian and one with meat. With the exception of the meat, the recipe is the same for the two (which I adapted from Martha Stewart).

Ingredients:
1 pound ziti rigate or penne
2 cans (24-26 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes with juice2 cups part-skim ricotta
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 poundlean ground beef
1 1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 pounds shredded fresh mozzerella


Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta until al dente. Put about 1/3 of canned tomatoes in a sauce pot to cook. In a larger saucepan cook the beef, breaking it up, until browned. Add the remaining tomatoes and juice and simmer on low.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and half the mozzarella; season with salt and pepper. Mix the some ziti with each sauce. You should have two baking pans, one large and one small. Spread about half the tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Top with ziti, then ricotta mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan, mozerella, and ricotta mixture.

Bake until the top is slightly browned and the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve and enjoy! The leftovers reheat brilliantly as well.

Whole Wheat Penne with Sausage and Lacinato Kale

Kale and sausage always seems like a warm hearty, winter combo for winter. This simple weeknight meal was super tasty.

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Remove 1-2 pounds sausage from their casings and heat over medium-high heat. Break up with a spatula as you cook. You can use whatever sausage you like - I used half garlic-herb and half hot Italian sausage.

Meanwhile, cook pasta so it is al dente and drain. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent from sticking until you are ready to add it to the sausage.

Prepare the lacinato kale by washing and removing the ribs. This kale is easily identified by it's bumpy skin.

Add some sliced onions and the kale to the sausage and saute until the kale is just wilted. Add the pasta and toss. Mix in freshly grated Parmesan and black pepper.

Serve in large bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan and black pepper.

Spaghetti Carbonara

For some, comfort food means fried chicken, for others it is macaroni and cheese. While I love these foods, and indeed find them comforting, spaghetti carbonara is one of my old standbys of comfort food. It is rich and creamy, easy to prepare yet not something one eats every day. Mario Batali's recipe in Simple Italian Food: Recipes from my Two Villages (1998) is my go-to formula, which I have tweaked over time. As Batali describes it, carbonara is actually a "classic 'breakfast' pasta eaten after a night on the town." For those nervous about raw eggs, never fear: the heat from the spaghetti cooks the eggs. I promise.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara
1/2 medium onio, finely chopped (this can be increased to your taste, or substituted with shallots)
4 ounces guanciale, pancetta, or bacon, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs (I often use less)
1 pound thick spaghetti
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
4 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add about 2 tablespoons of salt.

In a 12- to 14-inch saute pan, cook the onion and guanciale over medium heat until both onion and guanciale are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook for 1 minute.


Separate the eggs, being careful to keep the yolks whole. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, until tender but still al dente, and drain. Add the hot pasta to the saute pan and toss over medium heat until coated. Add 1/4 cup of the cheese and stir through. Remove from the heat and vigorously stir in the egg whites (the vigorously is key here - otherwise you end up with scrambled eggs in your pasta).

Divide the pasta among four plates (we like large bowls) and top each serving with 1 yolk. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheese and the black pepper and serve.

Topping each serving with the egg yolk is a great effect for guests, but lately we've been skipping that part and just mixing in the egg whites and yolk in the pan. We've also cut it from 4 to 2 eggs. We've used both pancetta and bacon in this recipe, and both work very well. Pancetta has a subtler flavor, while bacon imparts a distinct smokiness. Trim the bacon of fat. We generally use a whole package. You can really tailor this dish to your individual tastes - play with the amount of cream, eggs, meat, and cheese.

Vegetarians, never fear. This is also an excellent dish without the bacon. I've also made a vegetarian version with veggie bacon that was awesome.

New Year's Brunch

On New Year's day we had Manissa, Keegan, and Beth over for Brunch. They had done so much cooking the day before that I wanted to do return the favor. I decided on using my Aunt Etta's pancake recipe (see my December 5, 2008 entry for the recipe). I used half vanilla and half plain yogurt, and also split the flour between all-purpose and whole wheat. Just like when my aunt made them, the pancakes were moist and fluffy. To complement the meal we served coffee and mimosas (for those of us not too hungover to enjoy them).

We topped the pancakes with yogurt and strawberry and black cherry compote. A perfect start to the new year!

We hung out for the remainder of the day, loafing, playing Rock Band, watching TV. We ate macaroni and cheese. Julia and Greg joined us from Hartford. For dinner I made a ton of pasta with sauteed spinach, cannellini beans, tomatoes and parmesan - pretty much what I had around. I later learned that eating beans on new years is a tradition meant to bring good luck, so there you go.

And, because I couldn't get enough time in the kitchen, I also made Keegan a birthday cake. I tried to recreate the birthday cake I had made for Evan, since Manissa and Keegan didn't get to sample it. I didn't get the cake part perfectly right, but the icing was still good. Happy New Year! Happy Birthday!

Spinach Spaghetti with Italian Sausage

Last night I made a simple but tasty dish: spinach spaghetti with hot Italian Sausage.

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Place sausages in a foil lined baking pan and place in the broiler. In a large pan saute a few sliced chives and cloves of garlic in olive oil. Add a can of whole peeled or diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat. Flip the sausages once. When each side is brown (or to your preferred color) remove from broiler, slice, and add to sauce. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, removing a minute or two before done. Reserve a cup of pasta liquid. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss. This will finish cooking the pasta and allow it to absorb some of the flavor of the tomato sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper.

Obviously this can be adjusted in many different ways. Use any variety of pasta or sausage for a great weeknight meal.

Orecchiette with Squash and Mushrooms

Tonight I made a tasty fall meal: orecchiette with squash and musrooms.

Ingredients
1 lb box orecchiette or other pasta
1 acorn squash, skinned and cut into small pieces
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 cup milk or cream
oil and butter
rosemary and thyme
grated parmesan cheese
truffle oil (optional)

Directions
Place a pot of water on to boil for pasta.

Heat oil and a little garlic butter in a large skillet. Saute the squash for about 6 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Add mushrooms and more butter, if needed. Add some fresh rosemary and thyme. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add about a cup of milk or cream (I used whole milk). Grate about 1/4 cup Parmesan into sauce. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for a few minutes while pasta finishes cooking.

Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups of pasta water. Add pasta to vegetables and toss. Add reserved water if it is too dry. Serve in a bowl. Top with fresh grated parmesan, fresh ground pepper, and garnish with roesmary and thyme.

Rigatoni Pomodoro with Chicken and Salad

I know! It's been (gasp) two days since my last post. Don't worry, we've been eating, and not just peanut butter and crackers either :-)

Tuesday evening Evan and I had Thai food at our favorite place, Eat, on 3rd Ave and 81st. St. I was going to do an "Out on the Town" posting on it, but I was so hungry I forgot to take pictures of my food. 86th St. is just a few stops on the subway for us, and also where I can go to Staples, the gym, and my bank so it is convenient. Eat has delicious curry puffs, salads, curries, and noodle dishes. One time I had the avocado curry and was not crazy about it. Every other time I have not been disappointed.

As for last night, we ate rigatoni pomodoro with grilled chicken and salad. Another easy weeknight meal that can be easily altered according to what ingredients you have on hand.


I chopped 3 large shallots, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1 carrot and sauteed them in oil. Add a can of whole plum Italian tomatoes, crushing with your hands. Add some chopped basil and grated Parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer while you bring a pot of water to boil.

If you are including chicken, rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Add salt and pepper and place them in an oiled skillet. Cook on each side for 5-7 minutes. When the pasta is very al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce to finish cooking it. This allows the pasta to absorb the flavor of the sauce. Add pasta water as needed.

Slice chicken breast. Combine chicken and rigatoni in a bowl. Add additional fresh basil, grated Parmesan, and fresh-ground pepper.


To round out the meal, serve it with a salad.

Gamelli with Peas, Pearl Onions, and Mushroms

Our friend Abby came over last night to watch the premier of Top Chef on Bravo - which, this season, is in New York. Very exciting. It is off to a great start. I loved the initial "quickfire" challenge - first they had to perfectly peel 15 apples with knives. Then, the slowest had to perfectly chop them. Finally, the slowest of all had to cook with them. It was really a competition of skill.

While waiting for the show to start we made dinner! A simple pasta with peas, pearl onions, and mushrooms. A true 30 minute meal!


Ingredients
1 lb gamelli or other pasta
1/2 tbs of garlic butter, or as needed
8 oz sliced portobello mushrooms
9 oz package frozen sweet peas with pearl onions
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for grating

Directions
Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta according to directions, until it is al dente.

Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in garlic butter for a few minutes until they soften and darken in color. Cook the peas according to package directions.

Drain the pasta and toss with mushrooms and peas. Grate parmesan cheese on top and serve. Voila!


Some easy variations:

• Add some cream for a more substantial sauce
• Add sauteed onions or shallots, or any other vegetable!
• We also served some grilled chicken on the side
  

Recipes: Onion Chowder, Cheesy Onion Popovers, and Macaroni and Cheese

Last night I got a little overambitious with dinner. I had seen a recipe in the magazine, Everyday with Rachel Ray, for Onion Chowder with Cheesy Onion Popovers. It sounded easy enough and delicious. Somehow I also thought making macaroni and cheese would be a great addition. It was, it just took a little while.

Onion Chowder with Cheesy Onion Popovers
Adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray

Ingredients
4 Onions (I used 2 white and 2 yellow), chopped
Salt
1 1/4 cups flour
One 32-ounce container chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbs Hungarian paprika
1 tbs garlic salt
2 cups milk
3 large eggs
2 tbs butter, melted
2 ounces parmesan or cheddar cheese, cut into twelve cubes
1/4 cup finely chopped chives

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425º. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Add the onions and salt to a large dutch oven and cook for about 8 minutes. Set aside 1/4 cup of the cooked onions.

Sprinkle the remaining onions in the pot with 1/4 cup flour, stirring for one minute. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in paprika and garlic salt. Lower the heat and simmer for at least 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the reserved onions, 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, eggs, butter, and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk until batter is smooth (the original recipe said to mix in a blender, but I prefer to keep the onions). Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter and place a cube of cheese in the middle. Bake for 25 minutes, then lower the heat to 350º and bake for 15 minutes more.

Stir the remaining 1 cup milk into the soup. Heat through. (I also added about a 1/8 cup heavy cream). Garnish with chives.



Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Gourmet Cookbook, recipe available at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Macaroni-and-Cheese-14930

Ingredients

• 1 pound ziti or other pasta
  

For topping

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 4 ounces)

For cheese sauce

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 2 3/4 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 4 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp cheese(about 1 pound) (we used a mixture of cheddars, + aged Gouda and Parmesan).
  
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. and butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Fill a 6-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for macaroni.

Make topping:
Melt butter and in a bowl stir together with panko or regular bread crumbs and Cheddar until combined well. Topping may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Make sauce:
In a 5-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and stir in flour and red pepper flakes. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes and whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cream, cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper. Remove pan from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper.

Cook macaroni in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in colander. In a large bowl stir together macaroni and cheese sauce. Transfer mixture to baking dish.

Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake in middle of oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Notes from the kitchen:

• The soup recipe was originally bland, which is why I added Paprika and garlic salt. It would be fun to experiment with other spices and flavors. Potatoes or chicken might be good too.
  
• The soup also originally called for bacon. I generally avoid bacon in my soups, but I think it would have been quite good here. Or pancetta.
• The Mac and Cheese and the soup were both even better the next day.
• Panko breadcrumbs would definitely be better than regular ones. Also, the mustard was a nice touch.
• I used ziti from Trader Joe's, which definitely has a distinctive taste. Not bad, but it oddly has notes of cinnamon or something. Next time I will try a more neutral tasting pasta.
  
• Next time I want to try adding some sauteed mushrooms with truffle oil right before baking the macaroni and cheese.