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Recipe & Video: Fettuccine alla Carbonara

April 1, 2008 in pasta, recipe, video

The other day after a Monday at the office, Brad and I arrived home and remembered – we need to eat dinner! Actually I’d been starving all day so it took no recall for me to remember this event – all I was focused on was what do I have on hand, what will be relatively quick to make, and what sounds fun for this spring Monday?

In the refrigerator I found a package of guanciale – a most amazing piece of cured pork cheek that was in my recent Boccalone box. (More on my Boccalone boxes soon!) We were told when we picked up the meat at Incanto that guanciale was the traditional meat used for spaghetti alla carbonara. And with that promise, I agreed that I would make a batch of carbonara pasta for us – one day.

The fact I must confess is that I generally do not like creamy types of sauces. I’m much more of a fresh and light flavor eater. Plus quite frankly, most cream sauces in the U.S. do a disservice to the concept of Italian cuisine and generally should be avoided – in my opinion! I’ve had cream & egg based sauces in Italy and they certainly brokered none of the complaints I have about them in the states. BUT the point is, I come from a perspective of not really loving heavy, creamy types of pasta dishes and rarely – if ever – concede to create one at home.

Tonight became the chosen evening for a carbonara adventure. Carbonara dishes come together spectacularly easily and when you can use the freshest of local ingredients, you can’t complain about the health detriments (too much). ;-) The same day we picked up the guanciale, we picked up a fettuccine from our favorite store that appealed to us. On Saturday at the farmer’s market, I had picked up fresh eggs from my favorite egg supplier. And I had parmesan in the fridge. With those simple ingredients – carbonara was ready to be made!

One note about the guanciale – though I will post much more information about it shortly when I post about Boccalone. Though it would be wildly frowned upon by a purist I am sure, do feel free to use pancetta or bacon in lieu of the guanciale which may be impossible to locate where you live. If however you can secure guanciale – it is worth the effort! We were blown away by the flavors and depth of this simple cured meat.

With those notes, I present to you fettuccine alla carbonara. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

  • 4 oz. of guanciale (or pancetta or bacon)
  • 2 eggs, the fresher the better
  • 1 c. grated parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 – 1 lb. of spaghetti or fettuccine
  • freshly ground pepper & salt to taste
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  2. Mince or roughly chop the guanciale – the smaller the chop the smaller the flecks will be in the pasta.
  3. Warm a saute pan to medium-high heat. Add the guanciale and saute until nicely browned and just a bit crispy.
  4. Meanwhile cook the pasta as directed (usually 5-10 minutes) in the boiling water.
  5. Lightly beat the eggs and combine with the cheese.
  6. When the pasta has been fully cooked and drained, add the egg & cheese mixture and stir well. Add the cooked meat and combine. Put into serving dishes and pepper well. Add salt sparingly though.
  7. Enjoy your authentic (as far as my research shows!) Italian carbonara dish!

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Recipe: Parsnip & Quinoa “Rösti”

March 28, 2008 in grain, recipe, vegetable, vegetarian

Parsnip & Quinoa Rosti

I’m posting a large photo of this “rösti” because I love how you can see the quinoa spirals shining through! You may have several questions as you begin to read this post. Let’s see if I can guess them all:

  • What is a “rösti”? From my experience (& brief research) rösti is a grated, hashed-brown type potato dish that is very traditional in Switzerland. When I had it in Switzerland it changed my perception of hash browns forever! No longer relegated to the breakfast table, rösti opens the door to a new hash brown wonderland. Or at least it did for me. ;-) At its most basic, rösti is a formed patty of grated potatoes, typically cooked with butter or another fat and often topped with any variety of items: bacon, vegetables, cheeses, herbs – anything you can imagine. If you were curious – rösti is delicious!
  • What is quinoa – and how do you say that word anyway? Quinoa is pronounced like “keen-wah”. That is *my* definition, feel free to validate with Mr. Webster. Quinoa is native to South America and it is a notable grain for a few reasons. First, it cooks very quickly! Secondly, it is very high in protein, contains a complete set of essential amino acids, is jam packed with fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron! Plus – once again – its very tasty and actually has a mild nutty flavor once it is cooked. I often cook quinoa and mix it with a vegetable or bean to make a patty, but use the leftovers as a side to any dish. It is great on its own or with friends.
  • And what I imagine is the other question looming about in your mind: Why parsnips AGAIN??? This is particularly easy to answer. Because I have had them in spades so far this month AND last if you remember that parsnips were featured as February’s vegetable of the month. Plus their flavor is sweet and easy going – it matches many other ingredients perfectly & cooks easily. What’s not to like?

Let’s get down to it then! This recipe (or rather my interpretation) is inspired by Mark Bittman’s most excellent cookbook: How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. It caught my eye as I thumbed thru last week and I knew we would be eating it soon! While I would not call the results of my preparation of this dish a classic rösti AT ALL, I kept the name Mr. Bittman gave the dish to honor the source of its inspiration.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. parsnips
  • 1 cup of cooked quinoa
  • 4 T. of butter
  • salt & pepper
  1. Steam or boil the parsnips whole with the skin on until they are easily pierced with a knife but mushy. This will take about 15 minutes if you steam them. Remove the parsnips from the heat and allow them to cool.
  2. Combine 2 T. of butter in a large bowl with the quinoa. Add a bit of salt & pepper while combining.
  3. When parsnips are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off. If possible, grate the parsnips. Using a food processor for this step is a great idea. If you don’t have a food processor, can’t be bothered, or simply want something different, either cut up the parsnips and mash well or run them through a potato ricer. Regardless of the method you use, aim to get the parsnips either grated (for a more classic rösti style) or nicely smooshed for the style pictured above.
  4. Add the parsnips to the quinoa and combine well.
  5. Over medium-high heat, warm 1 T. of butter in a large saute pan. When the butter is hot, add the parsnip-quinoa mixture and spread out to fill the pan as one large circle. Lower the heat to medium-low to low and allow to cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes. You should be able to smell the toasty-ness of the rösti after about this long.
  6. Check the bottom to verify it is nicely browned then turn off the gas stove and place a plate over the rösti in the saute pan. Carefully flip the pan & plate over so the plate is now on the bottom and has the rösti on it.
  7. Return the pan to the stove and bring to medium heat. Carefully slide the rösti back into the saute pan so that the uncooked side will now cook.
  8. Allow to cook on medium to medium-low for another 10 minutes. Again ensure the bottom is nicely browned then remove from the heat.
  9. This dish is best enjoyed warmed but leftovers keep very well!

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Video: Making Black Beans in the crockpot

March 10, 2008 in beans, recipe, video

This video demonstrates how to make black beans in the crock pot. A few notes:

  • the cat is NOT allowed on the counters. She clearly wanted to be a part of the video.
  • If you are looking for these beans, I purchased Rancho Gordo‘s Black Turtle beans. All of their beans are excellent so please enjoy!
  • The black beans I cooked took just under 5 hours with no soaking. The great part about using the crockpot is that it warms up slowly and actually acts as a brief soak for the beans. The fresher your beans the closer to the 4-5 hour mark they will cook. They may take closer to 6 and that is fine!
  • Cook the beans on the HIGH setting of your slow cooker for crockpot. Low would take a very long time!
  • As I mention towards the end, beans freeze easily and happily. It is always a great idea to make extra to freeze.
  • I store the beans with the stock they cooked in. Once I’ve eaten them I may save the stock for a soup or rice dish. It generally has a lot of flavor and is worth using.

Let me know how your beans in the crockpot experience goes! :-)

Here is the recipe if you prefer to read rather than watch.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. black turtle beans
  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 pieces of celery
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 T. epazote (opt.)
  • 6-8 c. of chicken or vegetable stock, or just water
  1. Sort through the black beans to remove any stones. Rinse well.
  2. Chop the onion into about 8 chunks. Chop the carrots & celery into ~1-inch pieces.
  3. Smash & peel the garlic.
  4. Add all the ingredients to the crock pot container. Ensure that there are at least 2″ of liquid covering the beans. If not simply add more.
  5. Turn the crocpot to HIGH. Start to check the beans after about 4 hours, though most will cook in 5-6 hours.
  6. Serve immediately or allow to cool then store in the refrigerator or freeze. Beans defrost easily and even handier than a can!

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Recipe: Sea Bass with Saffron Sauce

February 20, 2008 in fish, recipe

This photo may not look like the best sea bass dish you have never had, but let me assure you – it is! Brad – while being a wonderful critic is not usually the first to rave about a dish. However he is still talking about this fish & veggie combo weeks later. That is pretty unbelievable around these parts – so I feel compelled to highlight that fact. :-)

Sea bass has gotten a bad rap because there has been a LOT of over-fishing – especially of the Chilean Sea Bass. Some species of sea bass are endangered and it is important to understand where & how the fish you buy came from before just purchasing. However (at least in the bay area) finding sustainably fished sea bass is as easy as visiting Whole Foods or the Ferry Building (The San Francisco Fish Co. is my favorite). And you do not have to buy the Chilean variety – many others exist and are exquisite!

Something else I would like to note is while I love fish, I shy away from cooking it at times. I dislike sautéing fish exclusively because I have a hard time determining when it is done. I also don’t like the splattery mess. ;-) Roasting fish only works well with substantial pieces – and I usually cook for only two people so I don’t need THAT much fish. Poaching is really the perfect solution – but not all fish is quite right for poaching. Sea bass is a fish that will work beautifully being lightly seared then finished by poaching. It takes the “fear” out of cooking fish and produces a perfectly finished fillet.

The picture above shows the sea bass with the Roasted Winter Vegetable dish highlighted the other day. It was a perfect combination and I would encourage you to try it.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. sea bass fillets (you can use another white fish such as red snapper, catfish, monkfish, etc. if desired)
  • flour for dredging
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 t. saffron threads
  • 1/2 c. dry white wine or white vermouth
  • 1 c. vegetable stock (or other stock)
  1. Heat 2-3 T. of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet (non-stick works well here). Dredge each fillet of fish in flour and shake to remove excess. When oil is hot add the fish to the skillet. Cook until browned, flipping once, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
  2. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Add 2 T. olive oil and return to medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the onion and continue to cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the saffron, wine, stock, and a pinch each of salt & pepper. Place the fish on top of the onion mixture then cover the pan. Cook at a simmer for about 5 minutes until the fish is cooked thru.
  4. Serve with roasted vegetables and sauce on the side.

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VOTM: Parsnips

February 18, 2008 in recipe, vegan, vegetable

When I first started this website, one of the goals I had in mind was helping people get excited about trying new vegetables. Especially seasonal & local ones if possible. This year I’m going to introduce a new segment called “Vegetable of the Month” AKA VOTM. We may have missed January, but February is a great time to start I think. 8-)

I often post about Community Supported Agriculture and frankly I’m extremely fortunate to live in San Francisco where we the most amazing range of fresh produce all year round. I’ve joined a new CSA for 2008 but it doesn’t officially begin until March. As I wait – impatiently ;-) – I purchase their Mystery Boxes every other week to tide me over. To this day opening a box full of fresh vegetables grown nearby delights me! What will be in the box? What is in season? What new item will appear that I haven’t seen in its true form since a year ago? Those are some of the elements of opening a vegetable gift box each week that I love!

To get back on topic though, in my recent mystery boxes I have had some of the most lovely parsnips. Parsnips are very closely related to carrots and in many cases can sub in for each other in a time of need. The taste can be very similar to a carrot, but may be a bit stronger and in some cases a touch sweeter. They have a slightly yellowed appearance until you peel them when they are bright white (as shown in the photo). You can also see in the photos that parsnips are bit more wild than the carrot – having extra root pieces appearing wherever they desire. These are edible and just different looking, nothing to fear!

The sad parsnip fact is that often the ones I find in grocery stores wilt away to a soggy lump within a day of purchasing. Or when I cut into them I find a woody center which has to be tediously removed to ensure it won’t interfere with the sweet, soft flavor of the parsnip. The parsnips I’ve received fresh in my Mystery Box though suffer none of these unfortunate qualities. They are crisp and bright, having a lovely sturdiness to the root that doesn’t slump over at a sideways glance. And they are tasty!

While parsnips can be used in any number of dishes where they are starring role, they combine with most any other winter root veggies the utmost aplomb! And that is the dish I would like to feature today. Full of vegetables that are in season and perfect for these chillier final days of winter, the parsnip lends its swee, heartiness to the other vegetables to combine into a most perfect roasted vegetable melange.

To prepare a parsnip, just peel off the skin after washing. Often times the extra root pieces will come off on their own during the peeling. If it is large enough to use, feel free to peel that piece then add it back into the mix. Cut into the size and shape you desire and you are set. Its a very approachable and easy to use veggie, so have no parsnip-phobia please!

Winter Roasted Vegetables: I was lucky enough to have some unusual vegetables to add to this dish, but don’t hesitate if you only have “normal” carrots, they will look and taste beautiful in this dish! Roasting winter roots is a perfect way to use what you have without concern – their flavors are very melodious and tend to accentuate each other perfectly!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. parsnips, peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 large celery root, peeled and cubed
  • 1 bunch of baby carrots, washed or lightly peeled but left whole
  • 3-4 purple carrots, peeled and cut into rounds (feel free to use any color of carrot you have!)
  • 1-2 fennel bulbs (depending on their size), cut into chunks
  • 3-4 sticks of fresh thyme (or rosemary)

  1. Preheat the oven to 400.
  2. While chopping the vegetables, try to keep them in similar sizes and shapes. This will help them cook evenly.
  3. Place all the veggies on a large baking sheet or roasting pan. Drizzle with clarified butter (or olive oil), salt and pepper. Add the leaves of a few sticks of rosemary or thyme if you have them. Mix well to coat the veggies evenly.
  4. Roast the oven at 400 for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally, about every 10-15 minutes. Depending on the size you cut the veggies into, they may take more or less time. When they are finished all the veggies will have a nice softness to them but not be mushy. They should still retain the basic shape you cut them into but also take on a nice deep toasty color.
  5. Serve hot and enjoy!

Note: the baby carrots used in this dish are truly babies, not the cut up versions you can find in a grocery. Those are actually just the carrots with a less desirable shape, machine processed to become “regular” in size and form. More agreeable to American. Bunches of teensy carrots are a delicacy to enjoy if you are lucky enough to spot them.

2nd Note: Clarified butter is real accent to these vegetables. If you prefer to use olive oil they will still be tasty and delicious. However if you take the 5 minutes to place a stick of butter in a pan over low heat, let the solids rise to the top then promptly remove from the heat when it has fully melted, keeping only the liquid (no solids) and storing for a month or so in the fridge, you will be well rewarded. ;-)

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Recipe: Teensy Potatoes

February 8, 2008 in recipe, vegetarian

If you are lucky enough to find these itsy bitsy potatoes, buy them immediately! I found them at the amazing San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer’s Market. Brad thought I should buy larger potatoes, but who could resist these little guys? They are not even the size of golf balls! If you roast them whole – as I did – they are a perfect appetizer to dip in any assortment of sauces. However if you cannot wait, they are perfect dredged around in the olive oil & seasonings left in the roasting pan. ;-)

This recipe isn’t really inventive at all, but I just had to highlight these vegetable gems! Honestly you could slice larger potatoes and roast in the same way, but individual packages such as these little munchkins always seem to taste better!

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of teensy potatoes
  • 1-2 t. fresh rosemary
  • 1-2 t. olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  1. Preheat the oven to 400.
  2. Toss the potatoes with all other ingredients. Place in a roomy roasting pan. Cook until soft and creamy inside, about 30 minutes.
  3. Try to wait to let them cool before biting in – else you risk burning your poor tongue!

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