breadcrumbs

Orecchiette with Creamy Broccolini & Rapini Sauce

creamy broccolini orecchiette
By jgreghenry Published November 3, 2011
Prep time: 30
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 bn broccolini, stalks trimmed
  • 1 bn rapini, stalks trimmed
  • 0.5 c extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 clv garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 0.5 t sea salt, plus more for pasta water
  • 1 pn cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 0.5 c white wine
  • 0.5 c chicken broth
  • 0.25 c cream
  • 1 lb dried orecchiette pasta
  • 0.5 c freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano or pecorino romano cheese
  • 0.5 c fresh breadcrumbs, fried in olive oil and seasoned to taste

Directions

Bring water to a depth of about 1/2 in to a boil in a steamer pan placed over medium-high heat. Arrange the broccolini on the steamer rack, place the rack in the pan, cover, and steam the broccolini for 4 to 5 minutes, or until bright green. Transfer the florets to a bowl and set aside.

Check the water in the steamer pan, and add more as needed until it is 1/2 in deep. Bring to a boil, put the rapini on the steamer rack, cover, and steam for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the leaves and florets are wilted. Transfer to the bowl holding the broccoli.

Warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil and the garlic in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Add the broccolini and rapini and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables and garlic are very tender. Stir in the salt and cayenne pepper and raise the heat to medium-high. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, or until some of the wine has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let the vegetables cool for about 10 minutes.

Transfer the vegetables and their cooking liquid to a blender or food processor, add the remaining 1/4 cup oil, and puree until smooth. Gradually add the broth, about 1/4 cup at a time, and process until the puree is the consistency of a thick sauce. You should have about 3 cups sauce.

Return the sauce to the sauté pan and place over low heat. Stir in the cream and heat until warmed through. While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt generously. Add the orecchiette and stir to separate, cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.

Transfer the pasta to a warmed serving bowl and spoon about two-thirds of the sauce over it. Toss gently to combine the pasta and sauce thoroughly, adding a splash or two of the cooking water if necessary to loosen the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with the cheese and breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Domenica Marchetti

I'm Bull on Durum- Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Guanciale

24 Sep 2011
Strozzapreti Pasta with Broccoli Rabe

I have a personality quirk. Don’t look so shocked, I am not perfect you know.

To prove my point I have a simply classic Italian pasta dish: Strozzapreti alle Cime di Rapa e Guanciale (Strozzapetti Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Guanciale). My version has guanciale in it. This is a staple in Italy. Of course it can be made without guanciale and with any shape pasta. But I would advise that you choose one of the denser, chewier styles such as strozzapreti, orecchiette, or gemelli. I chose this dish for this rant today because I want to talk about pasta. And I mean the noodle itself.

I like 100% durum wheat pasta with no enrichment. I am not anti-vitamin. I just don’t like these additives in my pasta. I have a reason for the strong opinion. So I hope you don’t just think I am being a picky bastard just because I can. Picky eaters are a pet peeve of mine. So you can imagine that I am a bit embarrassed to admit that almost all of the pasta I see in the stores doesn’t really suit me.

Pasta was originally a Southern Italian dish. Particularly Sicilian. Eventually the cultivation of wheat moved into other areas of the country, and pasta became a common food item all over Italy.

Northern Italian pastas are generally pastas with fresh eggs and ¨soft” wheat– soft wheat is lower in protein and gluten content. Bakers tend to like flour from soft wheat for batter-based foods like cakes and biscuits. Think cake flour. The soft wheat and egg produces pasta that has a silky texture. These pastas are often prepared as stuffed pastas (like ravioli) and in Italy they are called Pasta Fresca.

The South specializes in dried durum wheat semolina pasta. These are made without egg and are typically dried, and are called Pasta Secca. They use the “hard” high gluten durum wheat because it allows the pasta to hold its sometimes-intricate shape better. Of which there are approximately 3500 different shapes.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Strozzapreti Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Guanciale

Strozzapreti pasta with broccoli rabe & guanciale
By jgreghenry Published September 24, 2011
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 bn broccoli rabe, trimmed
  • 0 salt
  • 3 oz guanciale or unsmoked bacon
  • 6 T olive oil
  • 1 c coarse plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 lb dried strozzapreti, gemelli or orecchiette pasta
  • 1 c parmesan, shaved or grated

Directions

Cook broccoli rabe in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Reserving water, transfer broccoli rabe to a colander, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Gently squeeze out excess water, then roughly chop.

In a large skillet, combine guanciale and 4 tablespoons oil; heat over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until guanciale begins to crisp, about 4 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes more. Transfer mixture to a large serving bowl (big enough to toss the pasta). Return skillet to medium heat; add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until breadcrumbs are golden, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.

Return pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and add to bowl with broccoli rabe. Add breadcrumb mixture and 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Toss to combine. Moisten with extra pasta cooking liquid, if desired. Serve immediately, sprinkled with cheese.

Source: Adapted from La Cucina Italiana

Crabcakes Pure and Simple (with Orange Scented Cocktail Sauce)

15 Aug 2011
crabcakes

It's summer and I can hear you humming a certain tune in your head and that little ditty is crabcakes.

It's a song we all know, but New Englanders claim to have written it.

But out here in California we have a pretty toe tappin' version ourselves. And I am talking about Dungeness crabcakes. Dungeness crabs are the sweet and delicious. Of course all crab is sweet and delicious but I hold a special place on my taste buds for dungeness. It is a sustainable west coast choice and it is regularly found at the Hollywood Farmers Market.

Now people hold some pretty strong opinions about crabcakes, and I fully endorse that. At their best crabcakes should be very crabby, we all agree with that. The traditional cakes of the Chesapeake Bay area are often lump (blue) crab and very little else. But that sort of gem is not commonly found because it can be tricky getting it into the pan, while still holding shape. Which just brings up even more questions. Should you roll crabcakes in breadcrumbs or add breadcrumbs to the mix? Some people cross themselves and turn away just at the mention of breadcrumbs. See what I mean? What about egg? Is that cheating? Well in my mind both the breadcrumb and egg discussions are valid, because they both address texture. But you have to be careful, too many ingredients make a wet, sticky mixture. Which may mold easily and hold its form quite well, but once fried up, you get something close to a hockey puck. It may look beautiful, but its virtues end there.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Crabcakes Plain and Simple with Orange Scented Cocktail Sauce

Crabcakes
By jgreghenry Published August 15, 2011
Prep time: 210
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 0.75 c ketchup
  • 0.25 t orange zest
  • 2 T freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 3 T drained bottled horseradish
  • 0.5 t tabasco sauce
  • 1 lb fresh cooked dungeness crab meat, picked over
  • 0.25 c onion, minced
  • 0.25 c green bell pepper, seeded & minced
  • 1 egg
  • 0.25 t kosher salt
  • 1 c fresh breadcrumbs (from soft white sandwich bread,
  • 2 T unsalted butter
  • 1 T canola oil
  • 24 chives left whole, optional
  • 32 cucumber slices, optional

Directions

Prepare the cocktail sauce: In a small bowl mix ketchup, orange zest, fresh orange juice, horseradish and Tabasco until well combined. Set aside.

Prepare the crab cakes: Place the crab meat in a cheese cloth lined colander set over a large bowl. Pull the cheese cloth tightly around the crab meat and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Repeat the same process in a new piece of cheese cloth with the onion and green bell pepper. Discard the liquid.

In the large bowl stir together the onion, bell pepper, egg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss in the the breadcrumbs and crab, mix gently until well combined. Do not over mix, it should still be somewhat loose. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Shape the crab mixture into 8 cakes about 1 inch thick. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the butter with canola oil over medium heat. When the butter is frothy, add the cakes to the pan (8 should fit comfortably). Cook until dark golden brown on the underside, about 4 minutes. Flip the cakes, reduce the heat to medium low, and continue cooking until the other side is well browned, 4 to 5 minutes more. Garnish with chivesand cucumber slices (optional) and the cocktail sauce on the side.