spaghetti bologneasy

I'm Scotch-Irish and English in my heritage but I'm pretty sure that in my former life I was Italian (Presby minister talking about reincarnation: scandalous!).  I say this because, when I think of comfort food, I dream of a heaping plate of homemade spaghetti with lots of fragrant basil and salty parmesan.  Now, I have my standard can-make-it-in-my-sleep spaghetti sauce, but when I came across this recipe from Ina Garten, I had to deviate a bit and try something new.  And boy was it dee-licious.  

Barefoot Contessa Weeknight Bolognese

2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to cook pasta                                                    1 pound/500g lean ground sirloin                                                                              1 medium onion

4 tsp minced garlic (I used 2 large cloves)
1 T dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes 
1 ¼ cups dry red wine, divided (Chianti!) 
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 T tomato paste
Kosher salt & black pepper
¾ pound/375 g dried pasta (I used spaghetti of course)
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Let's get comfort-food-cookin', y'all.  We have lots of pictures to guide our way.  

First, don a favorite apron (being as careful to match as I clearly am).

Here's most of what you'll need: pasta, san marzano tomatoes, garlic, onion, chianti & evoo.

Heat the evoo in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.

Add ground sirloin and onions, season with a little s&p and cook using a wooden spoon to crumble up the meat until it's starting to brown, 5-7 minutes.

Add chopped garlic (how Texas-sized are those garlic cloves?!)...

...and 1 T dried oregano and 3/4 t red pepper flakes.  When using dried herbs (like oregano), it's a good idea to rub it between your fingers before adding.  This wakens up the flavors a bit.  Cook for 1 minute.

 

Now it gets really tasty!  I used Chianti for my sauce because, well, it's Chianti.  I once traveled through Tuscany solo (brave one, I am) and stayed at a little hotel in Siena (in the Chianti region).  They teasingly put a glorious bottle of Chianti in the room, for the super reasonable price of 10 euro.  I couldn't resist and thus had a generous glass and carted the bottle with me the rest of my trip. There's nothin' classier than toting your own bottle of Chianti on the train!  


Anyway, you can get divine, economical Chianti here in the States or elsewhere, but I have a tip for you.  When you see this pink label on the top of the bottle, it means that this wine was approved by the Italian government for export.  Wine can be exported without the dandy little sticker, but the wines approved by the government are generally better quality.  So grab some Chianti with the pretty sticker on top. :)

Add a cup of it to the sirloin mixture and stir it to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan (these have the most flavor).

Then add your tomatoes.  Buying crushed tomatoes like the recipe suggests is easiest, but you can just mash up whole ones like I did as well.  San Marzano tomatoes when compared to regular canned tomatoes are like Ghirardelli dark chocolate compared to a plain Hershey bar (taste-wise and culturally, too!).  

Add 2 T tomato paste, 1 T salt and 1/2 t pepper.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes.  I simmered mine for 20 to get it a bit thicker.

(This is a good point in the cooking process for the chef to have a glass of that delightful, pungent Chianti.)


Cook your pasta in boiling, salted water (with a splash of evoo so it doesn't stick) until al dente, about 8 minutes.  

While the pasta cooks, add some finishing touches to the sauce: 1/4 c fresh chopped basil...

...1/4 t fresh ground nutmeg, 1/4 cup more of chianti and 1/4 cup heavy cream.  This is very different from my usual recipe, but adds a layer of flavor and creaminess that I loved.

Simmer for as long as it takes the pasta to cook (about 8 minutes).

Put cooked pasta in a large serving bowl and toss with the sauce and 1/2 cup parmesan.  I also added a few large parmesan shards on top and basil because, if you're gonna go to the trouble to cook it, you might as well make it look good!

Enjoy your pasta with yummy ciabatta bread (and that divine wine).  It'll take you right to Italy, I promise.  (Incidentally, this plate was brought back from Italy by my Aunt Karen decades ago!  Pasta tastes better on it.)


Buon appetito!
lilrevchef

mo food

I spent this last weekend hanging out with my family at Mo Ranch, where we enjoyed catching up, soaking in the Guadalupe, reading, playing with a puzzle (yeah, we're super cool), watching adorable toddlers run around...all of these things are wonderful.  But let's be honest.  The main event of family reunions is the food.  It's no different in my family.  You should've seen the massive ice chests full of food that arrived.  The sweet treats brought (those nutella brownies included).  It makes kitchen stadium (aka Iron Chef's abode) look like a 7-11.  

This year, we did what we should've done years ago and let folks sign up to prepare a meal for the rest of the group (15 hungry adults + little ones).  It worked out great.  There was SO much amazing food and I had to share some of it with y'all.  There are a few things I missed (like my sister's rockstar egg casserole) but that's only because I ate them before I could get a picture.  Yummy.  Here's breakfast the first morning:

Yeah, I know.  You're drooling on your laptop aren't you?  Fluffly, light, sugary blueberry crumb cakes, made in individual little loaves (so one could eat say, five, and not feel guilty).  My cousin Adele made these, and I think she used this recipe. God bless that Pioneer Woman.  Alongside the little loaves of wonder was keilbasa sausage, providing the perfect balance of saltiness to go with the sweet loaves.  And of course, there was gallons of coffee (literally, y'all, we go through more coffee than Starbucks) to wash it down with.  Fan-tas-tic.

(Oh, did I mention she's friends with someone who has a blueberry farm?!  And that this amazing friend brings her pounds of fresh blueberries every year??  If any of you fall into this category, pretty please be my friend.)

Now, one might think that after such a substantial breakfast we would perhaps "go light" for lunch.  One does not know my family.  You could say we instead went "the whole hog" for lunch, because we had amazing barbecued pork ribs with pinto beans, homemade bread, corn and cole slaw (we're such vegetarians).  My Aunt Madelynn put a crazy-good teriyaki marinade on the ribs. Sooo good.

I signed up for dinner that night and made my fabulous friend Karen's chicken and black bean tacos (because it can feed an army and a Texan family gathering without something at least a bit Mexican is just wrong).  I'll share this super-complicated recipe with you.  You ready?  Think Julia Child's aspic-complicated...and then go in the totally opposite direction.  

Ingredients:

1 can mild Rotel

1 can black beans, rinsed really well

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

10-12 flour tortillas (as fresh as possible: don't mean to brag, but my grocery store makes fresh ones there.  Yum.)

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 T cumin

1 T chili powder

salt and pepper

vegetable oil

Toppings:

shredded cheese

sour cream

chopped cilantro

fresh lime wedges

chopped avocado

(Makes 4 hefty servings.  Naturally, I quadrupled the recipe for my family).

Directions:

Heat 2 T vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high, add chicken, s&p, cumin and chili powder and cook until almost cooked through (about 7 min).  Add onion, cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, cook for 2 min.  Now, add Rotel and black beans.  Let simmer for about 20 minutes (gets the chicken nice and tender and lets all the flavors come together).  

Meanwhile, heat tortillas on a cast iron skillet (very hot), with no oil, until charred a bit and starting to inflate (fresh tortillas will puff up wiht air when heated).  Keep hot in foil with a paper towel in it to absorb steam (you don't want soggy tortillas).  

Serve chicken and black bean mixture in tortillas and squeeze fresh lime juice on top and top with whatever you like (I love a bit of fresh cilantro on them, but I don't judge those who think cilantro's grown in Hades).  I served mine with spanish rice (made by my awesome Mamacita).  

 Easy, right?  And SO good.  Thanks, Karen!

The next morning, we had more amazing tortilla goodness: chorizo (Mexican sausage) taquitos.  I love salty, spicy chorizo and eggs.  And my cousin Lee and her boyfriend Luis even brought fresh tortillas that they cooked.  We topped 'em with my mom's homemade hot sauce.  Wow.  Good morning to us.

And, finally, there was my Mom's amazing chicken tetrazzini with caesar salad (yep, we're so healthy) and garlic bread.  The chicken tetrazzini recipe comes from my Great-Grandmother Mimmie and it's always amazing.  What a delicious weekend.  What are y'all eating these days?  Share, share!

Bon appetit!
lilrevchef

nutella brownie heaven

Nutella.  That rockstar chocolate hazelnut spread that is delectable on toast, on brownies (see below) or, let's be honest, just on a spoon.  Is there anything better?    I'm gonna walk you through an amazing brownie recipe that's slathered with that spreadable heaven and topped with toasted, fragrant hazelnuts.  Go ahead, indulge your chocolate craving...

This recipe makes about 16 smallish brownies (they're so rich that small's okay, I promise).  Here's what ya need to make these chocolatey squares of goodness:

5 ounces (150 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons (15 grams) cocoa powder

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs

3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purposeflour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (125 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips (they call these "optional": I do not!)

Here's some of what ya need.  This is the chocolate I used (and I went ahead and put all 6 ounces in the brownies).

(It even has cute little mountain goats on it.)

Finely chop that fantastic chocolate.

Now, you're going to set up a double boiler, which is a foolproof way to melt chocolate.  If you get chocolate too hot, it will separate on you.  Not good.  So you just boil water in a pan and put a stainless bowl on top of it, being sure that the water doesn't touch the bowl.

Melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring all the while.  This will only take a couple of minutes.

It's done melting when it's glossy and liquid.  Immediately remove from the heat.

Add 2 T cocoa power...

...and one cup of sugar, stirring well to mix together.

Next, add three eggaroos and 1 t of vanilla.

Whisk well to incorporate it all together.

Almost done!  Add 3/4 cup flour and a pinch of salt.  Stir just to incorporate and add in chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased 8 inch square pan and bake in a preheated 350 degrees F/180 degrees C oven and bake for about 35 minutes (that's how long it took me) until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a bit of clumps on it.  They're meant to be gooey brownies, so you don't want them to dry out.

While they're baking, hydrate, y'all.  If you're in Texas like me, it's ridiculously hot and baking in the middle of summer's hard work, so drink lots of water!

They look amazing, no?  But just you wait, 'enri 'iggens, just you wait! (If you don't get this reference, you should know that I love Audrey Hepburn.  If you're still confused, you need to get a little more Audrey in your life!)

Spread a layer of nutella on top and scatter toasted hazelnuts on top.  Get ready for hazelnut-chocolate heaven!

Bon appetit!

lilrevchef

sometimes it's all you need

Pecan Honey Bunches of Oats and pumpernickel rye toast.  

For dinner.  

Just perfect.

here's to the little guys

              

Oh broccoli, how I love you.  When I was little (more little than I am now that is) I used to call broccoli "little trees." Well, here we have the amazing union of "little trees" and "little ears", which in Italian is orecchiette.  Go ahead, impress your friends at a party with your knowledge of Italian.  "My what orecchiette you have!"  For some reason I can't fathom, recipes involving broccoli and pasta almost always call for using orecchiette pasta.  Whatever the reason, it's tasty.  Here, I'm going a wee bit traditional: just pasta, parmesan, broccoli, garlic and red pepper flakes. 

You'll need 2 smallish heads of broccoli or 1 large one.  Cut the florets into bite-sized pieces (and I also do the same with about 1'' of the stalk).  

Toss on a baking sheet with 2 cloves of roughly chopped (so it doesn't burn) garlic and about 1/4 c of evoo (you need a bit more than you think because you don't want those precious little trees to dry out roasting -- like every tree in Texas is right now).  Also add about 1 T of salt, 1 tsp of pepper and maybe 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes (see pic).  You can add more of this if you like a little extra heat.

Roast at 400ºF/204ºC for about 20 minutes, until tender and a bit caramelized, giving it a little mix halfway through.  While your little trees are all happy in the oven, get workin' on those little ears.  Add about 12 ounces of pasta (3/4 of the package) into salted boiling water, stirring to prevent sticking and cook until very al dentre (firm to the bite), about 10 minutes.  Before you drain it, be sure and reserve about a cup of the starchy cooking water. You'll be amazed what it'll do in making an easy sauce.

Now comes the fun part!  Toss your pasta, roasted broccoli and garlic together with about 1/3 c parmesan cheese (it's okay, you can grate it this time).  When adding the cooking water, add about 1/2 c first and then more if it needs it to form a light sauce.  And for a bit of decadence...

 ...throw in 2 T of butter.  Taste and season with more s&p and pepper flakes as needed.  I definitely needed a bit more salt & red pepper flakes (but I like a little kick).  Because my pasta was so al dente, I was able to keep it cooking with the broccoli, cheese and butter for about 5 minutes, which just intensified the flavor.

 That's it!  You can have it as a nice simple supper with some extra parm shaved on top or...

 ...you can have it with quick pan-seared tilapia like I did.  Either way, it's fantastic.

Bon appetit!
lilrevchef

a bit of fun...

Apparently some of my favorite bands are wild honey fans.

frittatastic

(*m.f.e.o: an amorous phrase, derived from Sleepless in Seattle meaning "made for each other")

Pop quiz time!  What did I mention in an earlier post as my favorite food?  Okay, I'll be nice and give you the answer: eggs.  Now before you judge that as a rather boring favorite food (when compared to the glory of chocolate or the flamboyance of coq au vin, for instance), let me explain.  Eggs are incredibly versatile, are delightful and nutritious breakfast, lunch or dinner and something I just never tire of eating.

And if these ellipsoidal wonders are my favorite food, well then my favorite thing to add to them is potatoes.  They just go together perfectly.  So, this morning I decided to make my favorite thing (eggs) with its favorite thing (potatoes) in my favorite way of late: a frittata.  With all those t's it has to be delicious. :)  I'll walk you through how I make a frittata with plenty of pictures.  It's very simple but has an elegance that regular ol' scrambled eggaroos lack.  My recipe makes a medium-sized frittata: enough for 2.  Let's get our frittata on, shall we?

 Take half of a large red new potato (or a whole small one): half and slice thinly.

Saute it on medium heat in a small non-stick skillet in 1 T butter.  Add a bit of salt (mine is a wee bit fancy: French fleur de sel that I purchased in Geneva, but any sea salt'll do) and fresh cracked pepper.

Thinly slice 1/4 of a medium onion and add that, too.  Saute for about 10 minutes until onions are soft and potatoes are lightly browned and tender.

Finely mince a small clove of garlic and add that to the potatoes and onions.  Turn down to medium-low and saute just for a few minutes, until fragrant.  (If you're thinking "Garlic? In eggs?!" fear not, it's amazing.)

Chiffonade (roll into a cigar shape and thinly chop) this much basil.  Mmm, basil.  You could also use thyme or parsley.

Whisk (with that same super-complicated tool) 2 eggs with 2 T of heavy cream.  Don't worry, 2 T is not all that much.  And in order to make your frittata light and fluffy, you're gonna need that cream.  Season with s&p and add the basil. (I'm waiting for my HEB product endorsement check any day...)

Add to potato mixture in skillet, lightly mixing. Then, leave it.  Let it hang out and do its thing until it's cooked around the edges, about 5 minutes.

In the meantime, get yourself a second cup of coffee.  You deserve it.

You can also be getting some cheese ready to top it with.  I tend to be a bit lazy and prefer to just chop cheese into tiny pieces while I'm already using my knife and cutting board instead of going to the trouble of getting out (and later washing) the grater.  I'm using colby jack because it's what I had, but you can use anything at all: parmesan (shaved off in big pieces remember!) would be uber elegant.

 This is how your eggs should look, set at edges and loose on the top.

Broil it in the oven until the top is set and starting to brown (see pic above).  **Warning: this happens super fast!** It really will only take about 30 seconds. Take it out of the oven, add your cheese on top and stick it back under the broiler for another 30 seconds or so, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Here's your glorious, rustic potato basil frittata.

 Enjoy!  I had mine with an english muffin for breakfast, but you could have this for lunch between toasted ciabatta bread with a bit of mayo, tomato and arugula (rocket) as an amazing sandwich.  Or for dinner, pair with a nice crisp pinot grigio and a simple salad.

Bon appetit!
lilrevchef