Italian inspiration on a cool summer night

While Blair's romantic future may be ever in question, while Serena's hips appear ever wider in ever shorter skirts, and while the number of characters Gossip Girl writers manage to write in simply to dream up an elaborate, multi-character, history-spanning deception will never cease to shock, Monday night dinners always satisfy.

This Monday marked both the first Monday night dinner of the summer as well as the last Gossip Girl episode of the season. The meal had to be fresh, part cool and part warm to fit the unseasonable weather, and most importantly, use up a hella lot of basil and other market goodies in the fridge. This is a 3-part menu so get ready for dinner party ya'll.

I'd picked up some large, green kohlrabi from my favorite farmers at Cedar Grove Farm as well as leeks, purple and green asparagus, sweet onions, and radish peas from other Athens Farmers Market vendors. It seemed only fitting to dream up a cool, raw salad to match the hot summer days ahead. I've become obsessed with kohlrabi lately, because they are in season and because I only just discovered how tasty they can be when eaten raw. And radish peas were a wholly new discovery. Apparently, radishes, when left to seed, produce pea-like pods that taste like strong radishes. In Asia, it is more common to cultivate radishes for this purpose than for the radishes we know and love here.

Cold Kohlrabi and Asparagus Ribbon Salad with Radish Peas and a Lemon Vinaigrette

2 large kohlrabi heads, julienned
Bundle of asparagus spears, purple and green if possible, peeled into ribbons
Small bag of radish peas, chopped into small discs
2 small leeks or 1 medium, julienned, optional
Shaved parmesan

Vinaigrette amounts estimated to taste
1 lemon, juiced
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Julienne the kohlrabi using a food processor if you have one. Strip the asparagus into ribbons using a vegetable peeler, slicing off the heads to serve intact. Slice radish peas into small discs. Use as many as you prefer to make the salad pack the punch you desire.
2. If a touch of sweetness is something you crave, thinly slice small leeks into matchsticks and caramelize on medium low heat in a touch of olive oil or or truffle oil. I threw in a few fresh tarragon leaves as well. Allow to cool before adding to the salad.
3. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, adding more olive oil or vinegar to your taste. 
4. Toss all ingredients together and serve with shaved Parmesan on top.

Now, if we were really Italian, we'd be going in reverse order, eating our salad last, but it's often at my house that whichever dish is done first, is eaten first. We did begin the evening with a bottle of wine and some crostinis. These could also be eaten as more of a main course as larger open-face sandwiches (which I did tonight with the leftovers.

Broiled Crostinis with Mozzarella, Pesto, Marinated Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

Half loaf of fresh bread, sliced thinly - we used a semolina loaf from Alfredo's Bread
3 tomatoes, sliced
Mozzarella, sliced into discs
Handful fresh basil
Balsamic
Rosemary

Pesto - makes extra for freezing and leftovers
5 packed cups of basil
4-5 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
scant 1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil, add to taste up to 1/4 cup
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of cinnamon

1. Marinate sliced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and rosemary. 
2. Pulverize nuts and garlic in the food processor. Add the basil, Parmesan, salt and pepper, pinch of cinnamon. Pour the olive oil in as you process. Taste and adjust.
3. Turn oven on broil. Slice bread thinly into squares of half loaf slices; remove crusts. Arrange bread on a baking. Spread pesto on each slice. Top with one tomato and one tomato slice.
4. Broil until mozzarella is slightly brown and bubbling, check after 3 minutes. Slide a piece of fresh basil under each tomato and serve immediately.

At this point we were 2 bottles of wine in and ready for a warm soup merging classical technique and seasonal tweaks to adjust for the unusually cool evening. This variation on a ribollita truly hit the spot, with layered notes of flavor, using greens on hand in the fridge, an experiment with veggie boullion and a punch of vegetarian goodness. In place of kale, I chopped up kohlrabi and beet greens. After thumbing through my copy of Super Natural Cooking Everyday, I decided to take Heidi's advice and use bouillon cubes instead of buying veggie stock since I didn't have any homemade on hand. I grabbed a veggie bouillon from the organic section at Kroger and I couldn't have been more pleased with the flavor and the price.

Vegetarian Ribollita

1/2 pound dried Great Northern beans
Kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 small yellow onions, diced
1 cup chopped carrots, about 6 small organic carrots
3 stalks chopped celery, chopped
6 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 tomatoes, chopped
Roughly 4 cups coarsely chopped greens - I used kohlrabi greens (2 bunches) and beet greens (1 bunch)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3 bouillon cubes in 6 cups water or 6 cups vegetable stock (I recommend Edward & Sons Garden Veggie Bouillon Cubes)
Roughly 3 cups foccacia bread cubes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

1. Soak beans overnight or boil beans for 3 minutes and let soak for 1-2 hours. Drain. Bring the beans to a boil in unsalted water then reduce to simmer for 45 minutes. Add about 1 tsp. salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until desired tenderness. Save the cooking liquid.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 Tbsp. of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes, greens and basil, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.

3. In the bowl of a food processor, puree half of the beans with a little of the cooking liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Add bean cooking liquid (to cups) to the stock to make 8 cups. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

4. Add the bread and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan.

 Buona sera readers! Buon appetito!

Cooking Class Leads to Delicious Feast

I attended a basic cooking techniques class at The Rolling Pin on Saturday and it rocked my world. We boned chicken breasts, poached salmon, made inventive yet simple sauces and discovered the wonderful world of root vegetables. Thus, my subsequent Monday night dinner was divine. I winged it a little bit based on my cooking class memories and the help of yummy ingredients from Harry's Farmers Market but I'll try to sum up a recipe for you all.

I have a couple reminders before we begin. First, don't use non-stick skillets if possible. It's the slight stick of browning food bits that create flavor. Although, for instance, the chicken breast will stick a bit at first, it will stop sticking when it's ready to be turned. Second, heat an empty pan first, then add only just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Third, be confident and always taste your food. Don't be afraid to adjust as you go and always add salt incrementally instead of all at the beginning.

Sauteed Chicken Breast over Bow Tie Noodles with Sundried Tomato and Olive Cream Sauce
(Served 8)

Chicken
4 Bone-In Chicken Breasts
Kosher Salt and Pepper, to taste
Rosemary, to taste

Stock
Chicken bones, from the breasts, roasted
3 Celery stocks
3 Carrot sticks (or 12 baby carrots)
1 Yellow onion
Thyme
Parsley

Pasta
Bow tie pasta
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tsbp. butter

Root Vegetables
2 Tsbp. butter
3 ladles of stock
1 Rudabega, diced
1 Turnip, diced
1 Celery Root, diced
1 package of baby carrots, halved
3 Golden Beats, diced
4-5 Shallots, cut in half and peeled
2 Tbsp. Sugar
Salt and pepper
Thyme
Parsley

Sauce
Olive oil
2-3 Shallots, minced
2-3 Cloves of Garlic, diced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup Chardonnay
1 cup Sundried Tomatoes, cut into strips
1/2 cup Olives (Black-ish Purple), halved
Thyme
1 ladle (homemade) chicken stock
4-5 Tbsp. Heavy cream
Kosher Salt, Pepper
Pinch of sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Bone your chicken breasts to produce a breast, a tender and a bone. Place the bones on a baking sheet with a little oil and let them roast while you prep your little heart out.
2. Begin by chopping up your celery, carrot sticks and onion. Meanwhile fill a stock pot up halfway with water and bring to a boil. 
3. Add the celery, carrots, onion, thyme, parsley and bones, then bring down to a simmer.
4. Dice all of your root vegetables into equal sized cubes, roughly 1 inch sides.
5. Salt and pepper both sides of the raw chicken breasts and tenders. 
6. Heat up a skillet (not a non-stick pan, with angled out sides to allow for faster evaporation) then add just enough olive oil to coat the pan. Once the oil is shimmering, add 1 or 2 chicken breasts, presentation (a.k.a. former skin side) down. DO NOT MOVE IT AROUND ON THE PAN
7. Once the chicken is golden brown on the outside, it will stop sticking to the pan and you can flip to cook the other side. The meat will only be cooked about halfway through when done in the pan.
8. Turn the oven down to 375. Place your half-cooked chicken breast on a baking sheet and cook then the rest of the way, checking often to ensure they do not over-cook. 
9. Now get your root vegetables going. Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter into a large skillet over medium heat. Add all of the vegetables, thyme and parsley as well as 3 ladles of stock. Stir around a bit and cover.
10. For the sauce, heat a non non-stick skillet, then add olive oil to coat. 
11. Add diced shallots, moving them around constantly. After a couple minutes add garlic and mushrooms. Stir around for another couple minutes then de-glaze with 1/2 cup of wine.
12. Once that has reduced down, add the tomatoes, olives, and thyme. Also add a ladle of stock and 4-5 Tbsp of heavy cream. 
13. While the sauce reduces, cook the pasta and, if you like, stick a buttered baguette in the oven.
14. Taste your sauce! Add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar as needed to taste.
15. Remove the sauce from the heat once it is flavored and reduced as you like.
16. Check on the vegetables. Add salt and pepper as needed. Add 2-3 Tbsp of sugar. The vegetables will be done when they are fork tender.

Enjoy!

 

The Way to an Italian's Heart

I dedicate my first entry to Stephanie, a friend whose love life might just need a simple Italian Sausage and Pepper Ziti recipe.

* 1 pound hot Italian sausage
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
* 1 green bell pepper and 1 red bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch slices
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
* 2 28oz. cans Italian peeled tomatoes drained and finely chopped (Get them
pre-chopped unless you want a huge tomato-juicy mess all over your counter!)
* 1/2 cup dry red wine (I used a cheap Pinot Noir. Red Zinfandel is a good pasta wine too.)
* 2 tsp. paprika
* 1 pound ziti
* 1 1/4 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded (I suggest using more cheese or saving this entire portion for the top of the casserole to prevent the noodles from hardening in the oven. Same goes for the Ricotta cheese.)
* 1/4 cup Ricotta cheese


1. Cut your peppers into chunks after removing the guts, i.e. seeds and stem. The exact size matters less than the attempt to make each roughly the same size, nearing 1/2 inch.







2. Chop up 3 cloves of garlic. If you are like me and you constantly have the dregs of tiny cloves to use, this might mean 5 or 6 "cloves."



3. Start cooking your whole sausages on medium-high heat in a deep skillet.

Be sure to prick them with a fork as they cook in order to release the juices. You should also turn the sausages to prevent burning on one side. Achieving a nice outer browning should take about 10 minutes. They WON'T be cooked all the way through at this point! Remove them from the skillet to allow slight cooling.




4. Add 1 tbsp of the olive oil and all the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until golden, for about 1 minute on medium low heat.





5. Stir in the green and red bell peppers, salt and crushed red pepper and cook until the bell peppers just begin to soften. This will take about 10 minutes.

6. In between stirring the pepper mixture to prevent burning, cut your sausage into roughly 1/2 inch chunks. They will cook most evenly if the chunks are held to similar thicknesses. At this time, you should also cook the ziti in boiling water according to the instructions on the box.

7. Add the sausage slices, tomatoes, red wine and paprika to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375.


9. And toss the cooked ziti noodles in the remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil.

10. Now you're ready to layer the ingredients into a 9x13in. Pyrex baking dish. Begin with about half the sausage and pepper mixture. Next add half the ziti noodles. Repeat. Lastly, top the dish with the mozzarella and small chunks of ricotta cheese, being careful to cover the noodles as thoroughly as possibly.


11. Place the dish in the oven for 20 minutes.


12. Invite your man over, pour the remaining red wine and light some candles. Just 12 easy steps al cuore.