Linguini Scampi Primavera

Asparagus screams SPRING!  So make a Spring Pasta, or Pasta Primavera, as the Italians say.
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil plus 2 Tbsp butter
8-10 shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz fresh linguini
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces, tips reserved
2 cloves garlic
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil in a pot. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a large skillet with the olive oil and butter until they release what water they will and begin to brown up a bit. Remove mushrooms to a bowl.

Add asparagus spears to the pan with a dash of olive oil. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, until they are only beginning to soften. Add the shrimp and cook about 1 more minute.

Meanwhile, add the linguini to the water and cook about 3 minutes. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water and drain pasta.

While the pasta cooks, heat a small pan with a dash of olive oil to shimmering hot. Toss in the tomatoes and allow them to cook about 1-2 minutes.

Add the asparagus spears, the garlic and the red pepper flakes to the shrimp. Cook about 2-3 more minutes, until the asparagus spears are heated through.

Add the pasta to the skillet and toss with the shrimp mixture.

Add as much pasta cooking water as necessary to make a slight sauce. Gently fold in the heated tomatoes. Serve with lemon.

Serves 2.

Spring in the Mid-Atlantic

Kip’s Birthday Chicken

Prosciutto-wrapped chicken breasts stuffed with fresh mozzarella and basil

Lasagna is a popular request on our son Kip's birthday.  But this year he opted for stuffed chicken breasts, prepared in a way he loosely described to his sister and I as we headed off to the market.  Another great dish designed in collaboration with our daughter Stephanie, in the end, it turned out to be a close relative to a chicken lasagna.

I knew it was a hit when I heard "Dad, this is way more delicious than I could have ever expected."  Happy birthday, Kip!
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella
12 fresh basil leaves
8 slices prosciutto
1 jar favorite tomato sauce
1/2 tsp dried oregano or herbes de Provence

Preheat oven to 400. Slice a pocket into each of the chicken breasts to no deeper than about a half inch from the other side. Stuff each pocket with half a slice of prosciutto, 2 basil leaves and a quarter of the mozzarella cheese.

Lightly season each breast with salt and cayenne pepper, and place a basil leaf on each breast. Wrap the top of each breast with one and a half slices of the remaining prosciutto.

Oil a casserole and pour in 2 cups tomato sauce. Nestle the chicken breasts in the sauce. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and sprinkle with some oregano or herbs de Provence. Wrap with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking another 10-15 minutes, or so, until cooked through.

Serve over your favorite pasta. Serves 4.

Pork Bracciole with Paté

Here's a fun festive dish that can take some time and dedication to make - perfect for when you have a few extra moments over the holidays.
6-8 thin pork loin bracciole cutlets
1/2 loaf very good Italian bread - like ciabatta, cubed 1/2-inch
1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and diced
1 yellow pepper, trimmed and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups baby spinach leaves
5 oz pork country paté, crumbled
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp crushed rosemary

Preheat oven to 375F. Sauté the pepper and leek in a skillet in a dash of olive oil and 1 tablespoon water. Allow the water to evaporate and the veggies to soften and brown just a bit during sautéing, then add the garlic.

Cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach and allow to cook down and release what water it will. Cook a few more minutes to dry the mixture a bit. Remove to a bowl.

Add the bread to the skillet with a dash of olive oil. Brown the bread just a bit.

Return the veggies to the skillet with the bread and mix well.

Remove from heat. Add the paté to the veggie mix and fold together gently.

Pour the crushed tomatoes into an oiled 9x13-inch casserole. Now lay out the pork slices and distribute the bread filling evenly about the slices.

Roll the sliced around the filling and nestle them into the tomatoes. Season with rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.

Bake about 30-40 minutes, until cooked through and meat is nicely browned.

Serve over noodles with the tomato sauce. Serves 4-6.

Chicken Sausage and Shiitake Risotto

Cool weather rolling in - warm up with a steaming bowl of creamy risotto.  Risotto is an opened book - write your own words.  Here I'm using chicken and artisanal chicken sausage coupled to the deep umami of shiitake mushrooms.   And peas at the very end for pizzaz.

The result depends so much on the chicken broth you use, since a risotto uses 2-3 times the amount of liquid than a regular rice dish.  Buy the best, or better yet make your own.  Just watch the salt content as it all cooks down and concentrates.
1 quart chicken broth

3 Tbsp butter
1 dozen shiitake mushrooms, finely diced
1 artisan chicken sausage, diced (I used Aidell’s chicken and apple sausage)

1 cup short grain Arborio risotto rice
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat the chicken broth just under boiling and keep warm on the stove, covered. Melt the butter in a 4 quart pot. Add the mushrooms and sausage brown them well, about 5 minutes. Add the rice to the mushroom mixture and toast the rice for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.

Now start ladling broth into the rice, one ladle at a time. Stir after each ladle continuously, until the broth is absorbed enough so that the spoon just leaves a trail behind it. Then add another ladle and repeat. After about half the broth has been incorporated, add the chicken to the rice, and continue with the broth additions.

The risotto should be becoming nice and creamy at this point. Add the peas. Test the doneness every once in a while. The rice grains should be al dente but cooked through. Keep adding broth until you achieve this creamy, but al dente consistency. If you run out of broth, add a bit of water if you need more liquid still to assure a creamy consistency.

When the rice is al dente and creamy, add the parmesan cheese and only then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Serves 4.

Chicken Piccata over Zucchini Caper Ragu

Cutting chicken breasts into thin 'paillards', as the French call them, allows them to cook quickly, pan seared over high heat. This keeps them tender, yet browned on the edges.  The sauce comes from a much slower cooked ragu of Mediterranean vegetables, and of course some lemon and white wine.
Ragu:
3 small zucchini, cut lengthwise then into coarse half moons, about 3-4 cups
1 yellow pepper, coarsely sliced
1 small purple Bermuda onion, sliced into half moons
1 tsp dried herbes de Provence, or Italian herbs
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup white wine

Piccata:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup stuffed green olives, drained
1 tsp capers
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp pickled jalapeño peppers, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Make the Ragu: in a large skillet, sauté the zucchini, onion and pepper in bit of olive oil. Season with the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 10minutes, then add the tomatoes and capers. Cook another 10 minutes, then add the wine and cook a final 10 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the chicken: thinly slice the breasts on a bias to make about 2x2-inch paillards. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet until almost smoking. Quickly brown the chicken on one side for about 2-3 minutes. Flip the chicken, and add the olives, capers, garlic and jalapeños.

Cook another minute or two, then add the wine and lemon juice. Cook another minute, then remove the chicken to a platter. Heat the sauce to a boil, then whisk in the butter to thicken the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken.

To serve, plate the Ragu with the chicken paillards on top.   Garnish with parsley.

Serves four.

Pasta e Fagioli Veloce with Tuscan Kale

Veloce means fast. Beans and greens with a bit of pasta, soaking in a delicious broth, makes for a fantastic, winter-warming meal, even on a weeknight.  Use what beans and greens, and pasta you have on hand for a quick meal.

2 sticks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 shallots (or 1 small onion), peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
[alternate herbs: 1/2 tsp Italian herbs (or herbes de Provence)]
1 cup ditalini pasta
1 quart favorite broth, veggie or chicken
4 cups fresh Tuscan kale, trimmed and chopped
1 can pinto beans, drained

Sauté the celery, carrot and shallot in a soup to in a dash of olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes then add the garlic and herbs and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the pasta and broth and bring to a boil.

Now add the beans and the kale and stir well. Cook about 20 minutes, stirring often, to soften the kale and cook the pasta through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust liquid level with water if necessary.

Serves 4-6.

Bruschetta with Toasted Walnuts and Ricotta

This Bruschetta is sweetened with golden raisins and flavored with herbs, red pepper, garlicky tomatoes and toasted walnuts.  All this flavor sits on a bed of light, cool ricotta to smooth everything over. A ying and yang of flavors to whet the appetite.
1 baguette
1 fresh ripe tomato
1 cup yellow grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1/4 cup golden raisins, minced
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

about 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/3 cup walnut pieces, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
black toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Slice baguette in half lengthwise and cut into serving portions. Toast the walnuts in a 375F oven for 3-5 minutes. Watch them carefully because they can burn quickly. Allow the walnuts to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, sauté the raisins, garlic, herbs and red pepper in a dash of olive oil for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes and turn heat to high. Let the tomatoes sizzle and caramelize up a bit. Season with salt and pepper, cook until the tomatoes just begin to break down, then remove from heat.

Toast bread lightly under the broiler, watching carefully to avoid burning. Remove bread from oven and spread each slice with some ricotta. Spoon a bit of tomato on each slice. Then sprinkle the walnuts and green onions over the slices. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Makes 12-16 appetizer servings.

Baked Ziti Bolognese with Fresh Cheeses

Fall brings casseroles to mind - there's something warming  and comforting to be had from a baked ziti - especially if you use fresh ricotta and fresh mozzarella.
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 lb ground beef, preferably grass fed
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp rosemary leaves, crumbled
1 24-oz jar favorite tomato sauce

8 oz ziti
16 oz fresh ricotta
1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 tsp herbes de Provence (or Italian herbs)

Preheat oven to 375F. Sauté the onions and carrots in a large skillet in a dash of olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the ground beef after about 5 minutes and brown well. Add the rosemary and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Pour about three quarters of the sauce into the beef mixture and heat through.

Meanwhile bring a pot of water to a boil for the ziti. Season with a lot of salt. Cook the ziti just until al dente and drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Turn into a large mixing bowl and add the the ground beef mixture.

Add as much cooking water as necessary to make a nice saucy mixture.

Layer Half the ziti mixture into a large oiled casserole. Top with half the mozzarella slices and dot with half the ricotta.

Layer on the other half of the ziti mixture and repeat with the remaining mozzarella and ricotta. Season with herbs.

Pour remaining tomato sauce on top. Cover lightly with aluminum foil and bake in oven for about 30-40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil cover and bake another 20-30 minutes, until browned and bubbly.

Serves 4-6.

Panzanella of Crisp Summer Vegetables

I just have a bit of trouble letting summer go.  So I make a panzanella with crispy summer veggies.

Don't ever throw away stale bread.  Freeze it if you have to, but use it to make this delicious version of an Italian veggie salad.  You can mix all kinds of left over bread.  I pan toast my bread up a bit.  As it absorbs the dressing in the salad, it turns into a semi-crispy, and semi-soft pillow of buttery, salad flavored beauty.

This is a complete side dish for so many things - grilled foods, soups, or a brunch omelet.  Dress generously to allow those bread cubes to do their thing!
5 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 yellow summer squash, diced (central seeds discarded)
2 cups broccoli floweretts
1 orange pepper, diced
1/4 purple Burmuda onion, finely sliced

1 Tbsp olive oil plus 1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp dried or fresh herbs of choice - I used fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped
1/2 leftover ciobatta bread, cubed 1/2-inch - 4 cups
palmful fresh parsley
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Dressing:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 generous tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
lots ground fresh pepper
1 tsp dried dill
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Heat a medium pot of water to boiling. Salt generously, with at least a tablespoon coarse Kosher salt. Add the green beans and cook 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook another 2 minutes. Add the squash and cook another 2 minutes.

Drain the veggies well and rinse with a bit of cold water to stop the cooking, and cool the veggies. Tip into a bowl and add the orange pepper and purple onion. Slide into the refrigerator to chill out well.

Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing in a bowl. Then brown the bread. Add the oil, butter and herbs to a large non-stick skillet.

When bubbling, add the bread. Stir to mix together quickly. Cook over medium heat to brown the bread cubes to your liking.

Set the cubes aside.

Now dress the veggies with the dressing to your liking - be generous as you will also add bread which you want to sop up a good bit of dressing as well. You probably won't use all the dressing, but serve it on the side fro those who want more.  Toss in the bread cubes and garnish with parsley and sesame seeds.

Serves 6 as a side salad.

Cook's Note:  You can use most any veggies you like and have on hand.  I just blanch them just until crisp tender - cook to your liking, but always drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking - you don't want to end up with mushy veggies for this salad.  You can also roast veggies - which I have written up in these pages as well.

Most classic panzanellas have fresh tomatoes in them and I do that often - just didn't here and it was still fantastic.

Rigatoni with Artichoke Bolognese

Love it.
1 lb grass fed ground beef
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Herbes do Provence, or Italian herbs
2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup white wine
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 large jar marinated artichoke quarters, drained
1/2 cup frozen peas

1 lb rigatoni

grated Parmesan cheese
fresh parsley leaves, minced

Sauté ground beef over high heat in a large skillet until beginning to brown, about 5-8 minutes.

Add onion and cook another 5-8 minutes to soften onions and allow them to begin to color. Add the garlic and herbs and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 3-5 minutes to color the paste and develop its flavor.

Add the tomatoes, wine and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a gentle bubble. Add the artichokes and simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, set about 3 quarts salted water in a pot to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente. Drain and keep warm.

Add the peas to the Bolognese sauce and heat through.

Plate the hot pasta and top with some Bolognese sauce. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley.

Serves 6-8.

Grilled Eggplant Rolled with Fresh Ricotta Mozzarella and Sage

Fire up the summer grill for some eggplant and then roast with Italian wonders as fresh ricotta, tomato sauce and fresh herbs.  Hopefully your sage bush is going wild by now.
2 eggplants, cut into 5-6 slices, lengthwise
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb fresh ricotta
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1lb fresh mozzarella: 1/3 lb grated, 2/3 lb sliced

24 oz favorite tomato sauce
palmful fresh sage leaves, about 10
2 Tbsp fresh lemon thyme, minced
Crushed red pepper flakes

Heat grill. Slice both eggplants lengthwise into about 10-12 slices.

Lay them out on a sheet pan and brush them with olive oil. Grill eggplants about 4 minutes, brushing second side with some olive oil as well.

Flip and cook other side another 4 minutes, to brown them up and give nice grill marks. Return eggplant slices to the sheet pans when cooked.

Meanwhile sauté the leeks in a skillet with a tablespoon of oil and two tablespoons water. Cook until the water evaporates and the leeks begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook another two minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F. Stir together the leeks with the ricotta, parmesan and 1/3 lb grated mozzarella cheese.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Distribute the ricotta filling evenly among the eggplant slices, placing a dollop at the large base of each slice. Roll up each slice around the filling.

Pour the sauce into an oiled large 9x13-inch casserole or two smaller casseroles.

Nestle the eggplant rolls into the sauce. Place the remaining 2/3 lb mozzarella slices around the eggplant rolls. Scatter the sage, thyme and red pepper flakes on top of everything.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until brown and bubbly. Serves 4-6.