Cinderella Pumpkin

I picked up a big ol' Cinderella Pumpkin today.  Big.

The Cinderella Pumpkin is a Vin Rouge D' Etampes - an heirloom pumpkin from France. They have a deep orange-red skin and are slightly ribbed and flat.  And they taste fantastic!  Naturally sweet without being sweet, if you know what I mean.  Great for eating because they're meaty and not totally full of water.

I didn't think to take a picture of this beautiful pumpkin until after I had cut it open.  What can I say...  I'm not always the brightest color in the crayon box. But they really are cool-looking.  Did I mention they taste fantastic?

I cut it up, peeled half of it and cut it into cubes.  The other half I roasted skin-on.  4 sheet-pans of pumpkin went into the ovens at 425° for about 25 minutes.

With all this pumpkin around, it was a no-brainer to figure pumpkin was going to play a role in tonight's dinner.

We had 7 Hungarian peppers from the back yard that needed eating, so I seeded and sliced them, and then sauteed them with a small chopped onion.

Next into the skillet went a cut-up boneless, skinless chicken breast and then a pinch of salt, pepper, and cumin.

I added about a cup and a half of pumpkin puree and maybe 2 cups of cubed pumpkin.

Mixed it all together and served it over whole-grain black rice.

A classic fall flavor tweaked with mildly-hot peppers and served over rice.  It worked on a variety of levels.  I tried to play off the minimalist recipe creation we've been experiencing with the Monday Italian Pasta dishes.  This was an easy one to let go on its own...  the peppers added the balance to the pumpkin and the cumin - just a dash - brought the two flavors together.  It actually would have worked just fine without the chicken and could easily become a vegetarian or vegan dish.

I'm psyched.  We're gonna have pumpkin around for a while.  And when this one is gone, I have a Fairytale Pumpkin to cook up, next.

I love fall.  Now...  if the weather would just cooperate.....


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I needed a cookie fix today.  The weather forecasters are calling for torrential, biblical, end-of-the-world, monsoon rains to hit this evening and continue into Friday.

Sounds good to me.  I love Mother Nature at her finest.

But...  While we can still cook in a possible over-the-top-storm-induced power outage, we have electric ovens.  If I wanted cookies, I had to make them today to be safe.

So I did.

These are a pretty simple and basic cookie.  The ingredients are what every home should have readily available.  And they're really good.

Adding a pinch of baking powder and not flattening the cookies makes for a softer finished cookie without going the expensive-gourmet-bakery-under-baking route.  I prefer my cookies cooked but I also like them slightly soft and slightly thick.  This seems to work just fine.

If you're feeling adultish, you can switch out a tablespoon of the water with a tablespoon of bourbon or whiskey. Makes for a subtle change that's unexpected but really good!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 2 cubes butter (1 cup)
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cream butter and sugars together until light and creamy.  Add eggs one at a time and mix well.  Add vanilla and water and mix well.

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add slowly to butter mixture, mixing well.  Add oats and mix well.

Add chocolate chips and walnuts and mix until blended.

Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake about 14 minutes.  (I use a #30 scoop - about 2 1/2 tbsp per cookie.)

 


Strozzapreti e Capesante al Limone

We had friends arrive from Rochester last night for a layover on their way to Paris.  Weather delayed them by several hours, so we finally arrived at the ol' homestead about 9pm.  Just in time for a late dinner.

Victor planned a variation of the Linguine al Limone he made last month because it was something that could be tossed together rather quickly.  We know all too well the joy of air travel.  We planned for them not being on time.  And we were right.

The pasta was just perfect.  It has a bright lemon flavor that is not at all overwhelming for being as pronounced as it is.  It's one of those recipes that just works.

Victor chose small bay scallops for the dish.  They blended in perfectly.

I also baked a loaf of the egg white bread.  It totally rocks.

Strozzapreti e Capesante al Limone

  • 1 pound strozzapreti or other pasta
  • 1 1/2 pounds bay scallops
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp whole milk
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped chives

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.

Quickly saute scallops in a drizzle of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter.  When barely heated through, drain excess liquid from pan.

Meanwhile, place egg yolks in a large bowl.  Grate the zest of 1 lemon into the bowl.  Add cheese and pepper; whisk to combine, then whisk in cream, milk, parsley, chives, and generous pinch of salt.

When pasta is al dente, drain and add to scallops.  Immediately add egg mixture and toss together to combine well, then divide among serving bowls.  Grate fresh lemon zest (from the remaining lemon) and cheese over the top.  Serve immediately.

This is one of those recipes that is so simple to prepare and so incredibly wonderful to eat, it's going to be a staple in our home from now until forever.

And as I type this, Ann and Julie are jetting across the pond to Gay Paree.

I hate them.


Beef Stew and Fresh-Baked Bread

The weather was wet and chilly all day long.  Perfect for a pot of stew and a loaf of bread.  I've been craving a stew for a while now, but the weather just wasn't cooperating.  It finaly did, today.

My recipe for stew is pretty basic - beef, potatoes, onions carrots and celery.  Garlic powder, a splash of red wine, beef broth...  I don't go too crazy when I'm making plain ol' comfort-food stew.  No recipe.  I just throw the stuff in the pot .

My mom used coffee in her stew.  It made for a really rich broth.  Back in those days, we had a coffee pot going in the house 24/7.  Someone was always brewing or drinking a cup.  It was easy to add - it was always available.

I tend to eschew the coffee in favor of a cup of red wine, although if there's coffee in the pot, I'll always throw it in.  It really does add flavor and you don't taste "coffee" when you do it.

And I made more bread.

This egg white recipe really rocks!

It is crusty-crunchy, soft and chewy.  It's my favorite of the no-knead breads I've tried thus far!  And it is so simple.  It's adding 3 egg whites in the measuring cup to make 3 cups total of liquid, following the basic recipe, and brushing the bread with an additional egg white before going into the oven.

It is seriously good!


Roasted Butternut Squash with 6-Cheese Tortellini

After playing tourist in Philadelphia all day, we needed sustenance when we got home.

We had seen this recipe concept in the latest Wegmans magazine.  It was a throw-together using packaged soup and pre-cut squash.  We liked the idea, but not of using pre-made ingredients.

We started from scratch!

Butternut Squash Soup

  • 1 butternut squash, roasted
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4-6 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
  • 1 tsp sage
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Saute onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil.  Add roasted squash and mash into pot.  Add about 4 cups of broth and sage and, with an immersion blender, puree everything to a smooth soup.  Add more broth as needed to come to your desired consistency.  Taste for salt and pepper and add, as desired.

Roasted Butternut Squash with 6-Cheese Tortellini

  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
  • 3-4 cups butternut squash soup
  • 1 tsp sage
  • tortellini or pasta of your choice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Heat soup.  Add roasted squash, and sage.  Check fopr seasoning and add S&P, as desired.

Cook tortellini according to package instructions.  Drain, mix with sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and enjoy!

This is one of those dishes that is simplicity to make - but dayum, is it good!

It can easily be made vegetarian, and, depending on the type of pasta used, can be a vegan entree, as well.

The final part of the meal was homemade rolls.

Y'all have heard me wax poetically about the no-knead artisan bread.  I make variations of it all the time.

The latest variation is to add three egg whites to the water - still making it three cups of liquid - to the 6 1/2 cups of flour.  Follow the basic instructions. forming the dough into rolls.  Let rise, brush with egg white, slice top, and bake at 450° for 25 minutes.

These are really good - perhaps my favorite, yet.  The egg white makes for a slightly lighter interior, and a really crunchy crust.

They were so much of a hit, I just made a couple more for tonight!


Pizza

 

There haven't been many posts the last few days, but it's not because we haven't been cooking.  It's because we've been cooking a lot for friends visiting from Seattle - and I'd rather cook and talk with friends around the table for hours than get up and make a blog post.

Selfish, I know, but... it's all about me, right?!?

The pizza dough is pretty much the recipe I used to make when I worked at Pirro's 40+ years ago, except I use olive oil.   It's hard to believe I was hand-spinning pizza back in 1968.  Time certainly flies when you're having fun.

Pizza Dough

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (100º to 105º)
  • 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 4 cups “00” flour or unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • olive oil for bowl

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in bowl of mixer fitted with dough hook. Let proof about 5 minutes.

Mix together flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture. Mix on low speed about 4 minutes or until dough forms a coarse ball. Stop mixer and cover bowl with a towel. Let dough rest about 5 minutes, then remove towel and continue mixing another 2 minutes or so.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Form dough into a ball, transfer to bowl and turn to lightly coat with oil. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.

Punch down dough, re-roll, and return to bowl. Tightly cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Divide dough into 2 pieces; shape pieces into balls and place on a lightly floured work surface. Loosely cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise at warm room temperature until doubled, about 2 hours.

I actually made two pizzas.  One with pepperoni, above, and another with sundried tomato pesto that Victor made a while back, and assorted veggies; green and yellow zucchini, red bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms...  and both of them were made with fresh buffalo mozzarella and some pecorino romano sprinkled on top.

Homemade pizza and good friends.

It doesn't get much better.


Chicken and Chorizo

The calendar is saying one more day to Fall.  The thermometer is saying it's definitely still Summer.

So out to the grill we go.

A couple of chorizo sausages, a chicken breast, onion, and red pepper put onto a skewer.  How easy is that?

And last night's rice mixed with a can of black beans and a can of chopped green chiles.

Seriously simple.


Tagliatelle con Broccolo Romanesco

It is actually becoming difficult to describe how wonderful and delicious our Monday Pasta is...  Me.  The guy who can talk all day - is having trouble coming up with words to describe light-as-a-feather hand-made pasta with a couple of simple ingredients.

But I tell ya, I'm gonna have fun trying!

What started out as a bit of a lark has turned into a real learning experience for both of us.  We both grew up on the heavy southern Italian red sauce - with lots of beef and pork, meatballs and sausages.  I absolutely love it.  But all of a sudden, there are a bazillion ways to dress pasta - with just a couple of ingredients.  Now, restraint has never been a word I would say, see, or hear in a kitchen, but these dishes are all about restraint.  They're about a couple of ingredients standing on their own.

Tonight's pasta was a prime example.  Cauliflower, anchovies, dried chiles, a garlic clove, and a can of tomatoes.  I could taste every flavor, yet not one overpowered another.  The balance was unbelievable and another perfect learning experience for the king of culinary excess.

And Victor has the pasta-making down to a science.  It's uncanny what he is able to do with a couple of eggs and a cup of flour.  Unbelievable.

So here's another fantastic Monday Night Pasta Dish... With more to come!

Tagliatelle con Broccolo Romanesco

Tagliatelle with Romanesco Cauliflower and spicy tomato sauce

  • 2 ½ lbs cauliflower (preferably Romanesco)
  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 flat anchovy fillets
  • ½ tsp dried red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
  • 1 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes in juice
  • 1 lb Tagliatelle or other long pasta
  • ½ cup flat leaf parsley finely chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut cauliflower into 1 inch wide florets. Cook florets in the boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Reserve water, transfer cauliflower to a colander to drain, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

In a large, high sided skillet with a lid, combine garlic, oil, anchovies and pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes and juices (I break up the tomatoes), bring to a simmer then add cauliflower. Gently simmer sauce, covered, stirring once or twice for about 20 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken a bit. Meanwhile return the water to a boil.

Five minutes before sauce is ready, cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta and transfer to a large service bowl. Immediately add sauce and parsley, toss to combine. Serve immediately with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

The pasta is a total key-player in these dishes.  If you can make it, all the better.  if you can't, at least get the best fresh pasta you can find.  And if you can't get fresh, the best packaged.  And if the best packaged is a store-brand, well... go for it, anyway!

Tagliatelle

  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • Coarse sea salt

Special equipment: parchment or waxed paper

Instructions

On a clean work surface, mound flour and form a well in the center. Add eggs and egg yolks to the well. Using a fork, gently break up yolks and slowly incorporate flour from inside rim of well. Continue until liquid is absorbed, then knead for 10 minutes. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 3 pieces. Cover 2 pieces with plastic wrap. Flatten remaining dough piece so that it will fit through the rollers of a pasta machine.

Set rollers of pasta machine at the widest setting, then feed pasta through rollers 3 or 4 times, folding and turning pasta until it is smooth and the width of the machine.

Roll pasta through machine, decreasing the setting, one notch at a time (do not fold or turn pasta), until pasta sheet is scant 1/16 inch thick.

Cut sheet in half widthwise; dust both sides of sheets with flour. Layer sheets between floured pieces of parchment or wax paper. Cover with paper and repeat with remaining dough.

With the short end of 1 pasta sheet facing you, loosely fold up sheet, folding sheet over two or three times from short ends toward the center. With a large chefs knife, cut folded sheet into ribbons, a scant 1/4 inch wide. Unroll strips and lightly dust with flour; spread on a lightly floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets.

To cook the tagliatelle, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with sauce. (If serving with Ragu all Bolognese, use 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of the sauce.)

It's worth buying a pasta roller.  Really.

Oh... and just as an aside...  I actually went out and purchased 2 cans of San Marzano canned tomatoes.  DOP Italy, the whole bit.  I'm going to play heretic here, but neither of us saw them as worth three times more than our normal canned store-brand plums.  Yes, they're good, but our fresh-from-the-garden plums are better.


Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

I've been having a bit of fun in the office...  I decided to reformat my computer and bring it back to pristine factory condition.  It's 2 years old and hasn't been cleaned up in a while.

It's a necessary evil, but with a bit of patience (not necessarily my strong point) and a bit of planning and orgazization (I do better, here) it's completely doable.

So while I was backing up, deauthorizing programs, moving and deleting, Victor decided that if he wanted to eat, it would behoove him to cook.

I had a pork tenderloin in the 'fridge.  A blank canvas.  Victor and his artistry went to work.

He combined chopped celery, chopped onion, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, chicken stock, and fresh dates, and a pinch of salt and pepper to make the stuffing.  He sliced open the tenderloin and pounded it with a neat mallet to flatten.  In went the stuffing, along with some gorgonzola cheese.  Into a 350° oven for about 25 minutes.

He made a simple chicken gravy (we had lots of fresh stock) and rice.

Artistry in motion.

As for the computer update...

It's running great, half of the programs are reinstalled, and I didn't curse once!


Tri-Tip and Stuffed Tomatoes

Three's Company!

We have a friend spending the night which always means a little extra twist on dinner.  Barb is the first of two weeks of friends visiting.  It's really going to be a fun time around the house.  LOTS of food, of course.  It's what we do.

Which brings us right back to tonight...

We started with a tri-tip roast I cooked on the grill.  I did a dry rub with smoked paprika, Hungarian paprika, cumin, garlic, Mozambique Peri-Peri spice - a fiery hot pepper blend - and salt and pepper.  I liberally coated the tri-tip and onto the grill it went.

Meanwhile, I oven roasted some potatoes and then, when they were done, coated them with a mixture of 2 tbsp melted butter mixed with 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard.

And the tomatoes...

I started by hollowing out three tomatoes from the garden.

I had an orange cauliflower so I took maybe a cup and a half of florets and steamed them until mushy.  I mashed them and then mixed in a teaspoon of butter, salt, pepper, and maybe an ounce of smoked cheddar cheese.

I filled the tomatoes and topped them with buttered bread crumbs.  Into the oven for 15 minutes at 350°.

It really was a simple meal with just a couple of easy twists.

And right now there's peanut butter chocolate chip ice cream being made.

I love having friends over...


BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

It's the chicken that keeps on giving - and it hasn't finished, yet!

Tonight was a gooey, cheesy, smoky, spicy chicken sandwich.  Really messy.  And really good.

I started off by sauteing a small onion along with a bell pepper and a clove of garlic.  When it was all pretty well cooked, I added a chopped tomato from the garden and about a cup of BBQ sauce.  (Gates Kansas City BBQ Sauce, to be exact.)

Into the simmering sauce I added a couple cups of shredded chicken and heated it all through.

Onto rolls it went with smoked cheddar on top.  I popped it under the broiler to melt the cheese and dinner was served.  With fries.

It really was a messy sandwich.  It was perfect, though.  I ate it over the fries and all the cheesy gooey filling that slid out went onto them.  I had chickeny cheese fries with dinner!

And I used lots of napkins.


Roasted Figs

Victor found the perfect dessert.  He was watching TV yesterday and somewhere saw figs roasted with balsamic vinegar and topped with a dollop of mascarpone.

Wouldn't you know that we just happened to have all three ingredients in the house tonight?!?

They really are simplicity.

Take about 3 figs per person and cut through in quarters about 3/4 through.  You want the figs to stay intact.

Place them in a small buttered casserole, sprinkle with a teeny bit of sugar and drizzle with good-quality balsamic vinegar.

Bake at 350° for about 10 minutes.

Place three figs on each plate and drizzle with the accumulated juices. Place a small dollop of mascarpone cheese in the center of each fig, and serve.

This was really good.  The perfect ending to the perfect day.