I'm not exactly hardcore when it comes to cream -- I only use half a cup for two to three servings. Broth from reconstituted dried mushrooms and some stock or pasta cooking water provide the rest of the liquid. As far as the fresh mushrooms, use your favorite kind or a combination of different varieties (though regular white mushrooms are fine), and feel free to chop or slice them however you like. As a guide for timing, I start cooking 12-minute pasta just after adding the mushrooms, parsley, and salt.
Amounts are approximate and can be messed with.
Makes 2-3 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup sliced pancetta or 2 slices bacon, in thin 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (about a handful) dried mushrooms such as porcini, soaked in 3/4 cup warm water for 15 minutes and drained; reserve soaking liquid
5-6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup or less chicken or vegetable stock, or pasta cooking water
Parmesan for grating
Black pepper
In a large skillet or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add pancetta or bacon and cook until browned and crisp, 6-8 minutes. Remove pancetta or bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to sprinkle over pasta later. Leave fat in pan.
Add butter to pan and allow to melt. (If it melts very quickly and begins to brown, lower heat to medium low.) Add garlic and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes, until garlic begins to turn golden. Add reconstituted and fresh mushrooms and parsley, and stir to coat with mixture in pan. Add a good pinch of salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until mushrooms are tender and slightly browned on the edges, about 8 minutes.
Stir in mushroom broth (you can strain it first if it looks murky). Add heavy cream slowly, stirring constantly, until blended with mushroom broth. Add enough stock or pasta cooking water to almost cover the mushrooms, no more than 1 cup. Cook for about 4 minutes at a low boil. Check for salt, adding more if necessary. Serve hot over pasta with grated Parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, and pancetta or bacon on top.
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Monday, January 23, 2006
Recipe: Pasta with White Clam Sauce
This isn't an exact science; if you're wild about using tons of garlic, increase the amount. I don't usually add salt, because clams provide plenty of it, but be sure to check for it before serving and add some if you need to. As far as the clams, if you have access to tiny cockles and don't mind taking the time to scrub them, they're wonderful. They cook more quickly than littlenecks, so check them after about 3 minutes and serve them as soon as almost all of them have opened. Whatever kind of clams you use, there will usually be some duds that stay closed. Curse them mightily, then just let go and toss them in the trash.
Serves 2
1/2 pound linguine or spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1-2 small fresh chilies or pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup white wine
18 littleneck clams, rinsed under cold water and scrubbed with a stiff brush
1. Set a large pot of salted water over high heat to cook the pasta. If your pasta's cooking time is longer than 7 minutes or so, you should begin boiling it before you start cooking the sauce, as the sauce takes very little time.
2. Choose a large skillet that has a cover, and set the skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and allow to heat for 1 minute.
3. Add garlic, chilies or chili flakes, and parsley, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until garlic becomes golden (don't let it burn).
4. Add wine and simmer for about 20 seconds to let wine reduce.
5. Add clams, turn heat to high, and cover skillet. Check progress after 3 minutes. If most clams haven't opened, continue to cook for up to 2-3 minutes more. After that, discard any unopened clams.
6. Before serving, taste sauce, and add salt if necessary. Ladle sauce over hot cooked pasta, and top with clams. You can shell them if you like, but clams in their shells make an attractive presentation.
Note: This is the most basic version of this sauce. Try…
* Starting by cooking 2 strips of bacon or some sliced pancetta in the skillet. Remove the meat when crisp but leave its fat in the pan to mix with the olive oil in step 2. Proceed with the recipe, and then sprinkle the crumbled bacon or pancetta over the sauce to serve.
* Adding 1 or 2 anchovy filets along with the garlic, chili, and parsley. Break them up as you stir, and they'll melt into the sauce and give it a richer, deeper, slightly saltier flavor.
* Garnishing the dish with thinly sliced fresh basil.
* Draining the pasta 2 minutes before it's cooked, then tossing it into the sauce so it better absorbs the sauce's flavor. The only hitch here is that it's best to remove the clam meat from the shells first, or else it can be difficult to stir the pasta into the sauce.
Serves 2
1/2 pound linguine or spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1-2 small fresh chilies or pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup white wine
18 littleneck clams, rinsed under cold water and scrubbed with a stiff brush
1. Set a large pot of salted water over high heat to cook the pasta. If your pasta's cooking time is longer than 7 minutes or so, you should begin boiling it before you start cooking the sauce, as the sauce takes very little time.
2. Choose a large skillet that has a cover, and set the skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and allow to heat for 1 minute.
3. Add garlic, chilies or chili flakes, and parsley, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until garlic becomes golden (don't let it burn).
4. Add wine and simmer for about 20 seconds to let wine reduce.
5. Add clams, turn heat to high, and cover skillet. Check progress after 3 minutes. If most clams haven't opened, continue to cook for up to 2-3 minutes more. After that, discard any unopened clams.
6. Before serving, taste sauce, and add salt if necessary. Ladle sauce over hot cooked pasta, and top with clams. You can shell them if you like, but clams in their shells make an attractive presentation.
Note: This is the most basic version of this sauce. Try…
* Starting by cooking 2 strips of bacon or some sliced pancetta in the skillet. Remove the meat when crisp but leave its fat in the pan to mix with the olive oil in step 2. Proceed with the recipe, and then sprinkle the crumbled bacon or pancetta over the sauce to serve.
* Adding 1 or 2 anchovy filets along with the garlic, chili, and parsley. Break them up as you stir, and they'll melt into the sauce and give it a richer, deeper, slightly saltier flavor.
* Garnishing the dish with thinly sliced fresh basil.
* Draining the pasta 2 minutes before it's cooked, then tossing it into the sauce so it better absorbs the sauce's flavor. The only hitch here is that it's best to remove the clam meat from the shells first, or else it can be difficult to stir the pasta into the sauce.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Recipe: Squid Stew
Amounts are approximate, so use more or less of the aromatics if you like. And feel free to experiment. As long as you use the proper amount of liquid, you can't really go wrong. The squid should be almost, but not quite, submerged when the liquid is added. And if the stew begins to dry out during cooking, add a bit more crushed tomato or a few tablespoons of water.
Serves 2
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 shallots, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 small fresh chili pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/4 pounds cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles, bodies sliced into 1/4-inch rings
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomato
1/4 cup red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
Salt
In a pot large enough to hold squid and sauce, heat oil and butter on medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, carrot, chili (if using), and parsley, and cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables soften. If they begin to brown, lower heat (it's okay if the garlic becomes golden, but it shouldn't quite brown).
Add squid to pot, and stir to coat with aromatics. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Pour crushed tomato and wine over squid, and mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir in tomato paste (if using), and lower heat to low. Cover pot, but leave lid slightly ajar. Cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Near end of cooking, check sauce and add salt if necessary.
Serve over cooked pasta (or grains), or in a bowl with sauce. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if you like.
Serves 2
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 shallots, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 small fresh chili pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/4 pounds cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles, bodies sliced into 1/4-inch rings
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomato
1/4 cup red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
Salt
In a pot large enough to hold squid and sauce, heat oil and butter on medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, carrot, chili (if using), and parsley, and cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables soften. If they begin to brown, lower heat (it's okay if the garlic becomes golden, but it shouldn't quite brown).
Add squid to pot, and stir to coat with aromatics. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Pour crushed tomato and wine over squid, and mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir in tomato paste (if using), and lower heat to low. Cover pot, but leave lid slightly ajar. Cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Near end of cooking, check sauce and add salt if necessary.
Serve over cooked pasta (or grains), or in a bowl with sauce. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if you like.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Recipe: Teriyaki Sauce
I've seen versions that call for more mirin (a sweet Japanese cooking wine -- it's not something you'd ever actually drink, at least not the kind I've used, Kikkoman Aji-Mirin) than sake, but I'm a sucker for sake. After experimenting a little, I've settled on equal parts mirin and sake.
This sauce can be brushed on fish, shrimp, chicken, or beef while it's being grilled or broiled, and it's also great with vegetables. Whatever you're using it with, teriyaki sauce seems to go best on foods that cook quickly, as the sauce can burn near a flame. If you're using bigger cuts of meat or chicken on the bone, you can always start to brush the sauce on in the middle of cooking.
Makes a little more than 1 cup
3/4 cup mirin
3/4 cup sake
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1. Simmer mirin and sake in small saucepan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add soy sauce and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and cook over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Sauce should maintain a slow, steady simmer and thicken just a bit by the time it's done.
3. Let sauce cool. It can be kept for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
This sauce can be brushed on fish, shrimp, chicken, or beef while it's being grilled or broiled, and it's also great with vegetables. Whatever you're using it with, teriyaki sauce seems to go best on foods that cook quickly, as the sauce can burn near a flame. If you're using bigger cuts of meat or chicken on the bone, you can always start to brush the sauce on in the middle of cooking.
Makes a little more than 1 cup
3/4 cup mirin
3/4 cup sake
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1. Simmer mirin and sake in small saucepan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add soy sauce and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and cook over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Sauce should maintain a slow, steady simmer and thicken just a bit by the time it's done.
3. Let sauce cool. It can be kept for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Recipe: Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts
Serves 2 as a side dish
12 medium-size brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Trim and discard the tough, dark outer leaves from each sprout. Slice off the end of the stem of the sprouts, and discard. Stand sprouts on flat stem end and cut in thin vertical slices, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.
2. Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter is melted and foaming but not browned. Add the sprouts and salt to taste, and sauté until starting to brown, stirring occasionally so sprouts don't burn, 4-5 minutes. Cook a bit longer if you like your sprouts very brown and crisp.
3. Grind pepper to taste over sprouts, and serve.
12 medium-size brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Trim and discard the tough, dark outer leaves from each sprout. Slice off the end of the stem of the sprouts, and discard. Stand sprouts on flat stem end and cut in thin vertical slices, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.
2. Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter is melted and foaming but not browned. Add the sprouts and salt to taste, and sauté until starting to brown, stirring occasionally so sprouts don't burn, 4-5 minutes. Cook a bit longer if you like your sprouts very brown and crisp.
3. Grind pepper to taste over sprouts, and serve.
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