Spaghetti with Pistachio Dressing, Kale and Pomegranate

This is the second, very colorful vegetarian dish that I prepared for Tu B’Shevat last week. Whole wheat pasta gets cloaked in a pistachio/garlic/salt blend and tossed with bright pomegranate seeds and hearty kale. It’s a great cross-section of salty sweetness and one nourishing bowl of pasta!

Save a couple large kale leaves to garnish your serving platter.
8 ounces whole grain linguine or spaghetti
2/3 cup pistachios, toasted
1 medium clove garlic, smashed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large bunch of kale, washed, de-stemmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 pomegranate, just the seeds*

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating, break the pasta into 1 1/2-inch segments and make the pistachio sauce by pureeing 1/3 cup pistachios, garlic, salt and olive oil in a food processor. Set aside.

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Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Chickpeas

It has been a long time since I made orecchiette but when I caught this recipe in our pairings book , I remembered how much I love the little parcels of pasta. This is a real hearty, healthy pasta dish that would be plenty on its own but I made it as a side with a rack of lamb, for a terrifically huge Shabbat dinner.

As a hummus freak,  I feel silly that I never thought of blending chickpeas in a pasta sauce. The chickpeas thicken things up and coat the pasta perfectly. Tiny bursts of rich chickpea and tomato get trapped in the little ears. The original recipe calls for pancetta and ricotta salata but as I was making lamb and a kosher dish, I ommited these two items. With the pine nuts, currants and chickpeas the dish had a lot going on even without pancetta and cheese.  Though maybe I just tell myself that so I don’t feel bad about cutting pancetta from my diet ;) If you do ommit them, you may want to compensate with some extra salt.

Ingredients, Serves 4:

2-3 whole canned plum tomatoes with their juice
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
4 slices pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (*optional)
Kosher or sea salt
1 bunch broccoli rabe (recipe also suggests dandelion greens but I made a salad with them instead)
1 pound orecchiette
crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups crumbled ricotta salata cheese (*optional)
2 tbsp dried currants
1/4 cup pine nuts or almost, toasted

Combine the tomatoes and half of the chickpeas in a food processor with 1 cup water; process until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and pancetta (if using), stirring often, until lightly browned. Add the rest of the chickpeas and cook a minute or two longer. Stir in the pureed chickpea mixture. Reduce the heat until the mixture is barely simmering.

Meanwhile, combine 6 quarts water with 2 tablespoons salt in a large pan. Bring to a boil. Cook the broccoli rabe a minute or two until just limp; remove with tongs and cool under running water. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stirring well. While the pasta cooks, coarsely chop the greens. Stir the greens into the chickpea sauce. Add salt and crushed red pepper to taste.

When the orecchiete is al dente, reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid, then drain. Return the pasta to the pan and mix in the sauce, adding pasta water as needed for a saucy consistency. Stir in half of the ricotta salata (if using) and all of the currants. Serve the pasta in a large bowl or plate individually. Sprinkle the remaining ricotta salata and the pine nuts on top. Serve immediately.

We enjoyed this with an Eden Valley Syrah since I was serving lamb, but you could also match it up with a lean, juicy Italian red like a Barbera to really make the chickpeas stand out.

Sesame-Pepper Crusted Tuna with Soba Noodles and Enoki Mushroom

Despite its complicated name, this recipe has minimal preparation, making it perfect for a special weeknight meal. E had a craving for pepper-crusted tuna so we headed to the Lobster Place in Chelsea Market and picked up some beautiful steaks of fresh Yellowfin and then played around with some ingredients. The result is below!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 Yellowfin Tuna steaks (or any sushi-grade), about 15 oz
1 package soba noodles
2 cups of enoki mushrooms, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 bunch of scallion, coarsely chopped
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup Sesame oil
4 tbsp black sesame seeds
2 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp peanut oil

(these are loose measurements that can be altered based on your taste)

Preparation:

Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. While the water is heating, continue on.
In a small plastic bag, combine the peppercorns and coriander. Using a mallot or regular hammer, beat the peppercorn and coriander to a coarse powder. Combine 3 tablespoons of the sesame seeds in the plastic bag and shake to combine evenly.

Delicately season the tuna with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna onto a flat dish and drizzle a small amount of sesame oil onto the fish, trying to coat evenly. Smooth the peppercorn mixture onto the outside of rim of the fish and the top, creating a black crust.

When the water is at a rolling boil, cook the soba noodles for 8 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander and pour into a large bowl. Toss the noodles with 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup sesame oil, 1 tablespon of sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar and red pepper flakes. Set aside while you continue with the fish.

Coat a large skillet with peanut oil and heat on high. When the oil is very hot, sear each piece of tuna for 30 seconds on each side so it is completely raw in the middle and cooked on the outer edges. Remove the tuna from the pan.

Add mushrooms, scallions, remaining sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar to the pan and cook for about five minutes or until the mushrooms have absorbed the liquid and are cooked through. Toss with the soba noodles and serve alongside the tuna. Enjoy!

Deceptively Healthy Pasta with “Zucchini Pesto”

This recipe comes courtesy of my sister, Jacqueline, who made this dish for Super Bowl Sunday as a healthy option (kosher and vegan). Once pureed, the garlic and zucchini looks deceptively like speckles of parmesan cheese. It’s so good you might be fooled into thinking it’s real pesto with cheese. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 zucchinis coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of walnuts, reserve some for garnish
1/2 cup of basil
2 large cloves of garlic crushed
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley coarsely chopped
1 cup of olive oil
1 box of whole wheat fusilli pasta
3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta until it is al dente or firm to the bite (about 8 minutes).

Combine zucchini, walnuts, basil, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse slightly to roughly chop. Then turn on the food processor full blast and pour olive oil through the top to blend to a smooth liquid consistency. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the sauce with the pasta in a large bowl. Top pasta with tomatoes, parsley and extra walnuts for garnish. Chill in fridge until ready to serve.

Serves 8-10

Simple Roast Chicken with Sundried Tomato Orzo

This is a very simple recipe for making a delicious roast chicken with little effort required. My sister and I had loads of leftover fresh herbs, so we decided to stuff them into a chicken for dinner a few nights ago. The result is below! Enjoy:

Serves 3-4 People

Ingredients:

Roast Chicken

1 medium sized chicken (4-5 lbs)
2 sprigs each: Rosemary, Tarragon, Oregano
2 tbsp minced rosemary
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tbsp tarragon vinegar
4 cloves of garlic
1 lemon

Orzo

1 cup of tricolor orzo (or regular)
10 sun dried tomatoes
1 tbsp infused olive oil of your choice (we used porcini, or regular olive oil is fine)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Peel and coarsely chop the garlic. Quarter the lemon.

Clean the inside of the chicken by removing the liver, neck, and any other unwanted innards left by the butcher. Place the chicken into a large roasting pan. Stuff the chicken with lemon wedges and garlic cloves.

Whisk the olive oil, tarragon vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Using a brush, generously baste the chicken with the liquid mixture. Save some for gravy for later.
Sprinkle the entire bird with minced rosemary and a lot of salt and pepper.

Cook the chicken for approximately 2 hours, basting a few times with the liquid in the pan or until a meat thermometer reaches 180°F

While the chicken is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook orzo for approximately 8 minutes or until soft. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Pour the orzo into a bowl to serve. Coarsely chop the sun dried tomatoes and toss with the orzo. Add olive oil and salt to taste to the orzo.

When the chicken is done pour its juices into the bowl with the tarragon vinegar, mustard and olive oil. Combine as a gravy.

Carve the chicken and serve alongside the sundried tomato orzo for a simple, healthy dinner!

Penne with Artichokes and Parmesan

I’ve been loving artichokes lately and this dish is a delightful and healthy way to enjoy them. It’s just as nice served cold for barbeques or hot for dinner indoors with a hearty protein dish.

3 tbsp lemon juice
4 artichokes
2 cups vegetable stock
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
6 cloves garlic, halved
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
1 lb penne pasta
3 tbsp shaved parmesan
1 tbsp chopped chives

Pour lemon juice into a bowl. Prep the artichokes by removing the tough leaves on the outside, stop removing at the place where the leaves turn from yellow to green. Slice the top of the leaves off at the point where the color changes. Then quarter the artichokes and scoop out the furry inner roughage. As you complete each artichoke, drop into the bowl of lemon juice.

Place artichokes in a saucepan with vegetable stock, parsley, garlic cloves, a drizzle of olive oil and salt to taste. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for 12 minutes or until tender and until the liquid is reduced about halfway.

Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes or until ‘al dente’ and set aside.

Spoon the artichoke mix on top of the pasta and top with parmesan and chives. Toss, and salt to taste.

Lemon Mushroom Risotto

I was in awe the other day when I realized I’ve had this blog for over a year, and have yet to post a risotto recipe. Risotto is one of my favorite things to prepare because it’s so diverse and always a crowd pleaser. It also takes a bit of time and patience to make, rendering a product of some true TLC. I’ve tested out other sorts of risotto with saffron, shrimp and pancetta, but this dish is my one and only original, the first risotto I’ve ever prepared. I made it Wednesday night for E and it turned out just as well as I remembered. It’s so hearty that you can enjoy it on its own, or with a salad/vegetables. I made an arugula salad and it was a nice pairing. Enjoy.

Can serve 2-4 as a main, or more as a side

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups boiling-hot water
1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
3 cups chicken broth (or substitute vegetable broth if need be)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 lb mushrooms (oyster, cremini, shiitake, whatever you like)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Arborio rice (8 oz)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

Pour 2/3 cup hot water over porcini in a heatproof cup and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Lift porcini out of water, squeezing excess liquid back into cup, and rinse well to remove any grit. Coarsely chop porcini. Pour soaking liquid into a glass measure and reserve.

Meanwhile, bring broth and remaining 2 cups hot water to a simmer. Keep at a bare simmer, covered.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté cremini, stirring, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add porcini and reserved soaking liquid to skillet and boil, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed.

Stir in 1/2 cup simmering broth mixture and cook at a strong simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition become absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender but still al dente and creamy (it should be the consistency of a thick soup), 18 minutes. (There will be leftover broth.)

Stir in zest, mushrooms, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, parmesan, parsley, and pepper to taste. (If necessary, thin risotto with some of remaining broth.) Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine via Epicurious.com.

Crushed Red Pepper Shrimp and Bulgur

I love making grains and was thrilled last night to discover how quickly bulgur heats up in the microwave. Though Rachael Ray irks me, I’m fighting the temptation to call this a “30 Minute Meal!” Here is a nice, healthy weeknight dish with only a few ingredients. It is packed with flavor from the red peppers and the lemon juice adds a nice, crisp acidity.

10 large, frozen shrimp
1/2 cup uncooked Bulgur wheat
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt

Defrost and remove the shells of your shrimp by either nuking them in the microwave or running them under cold water for a couple of minutes.

Place bulgur in a microwave safe, deep bowl. Pour a cup of water over the bulgur and heat for 8-10 minutes.

While bulgur is cooking, heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add shrimp, garlic, crushed red pepper and a dash of sea salt. Heat the ingredients and stir to blend for a minute or so then turn down heat. Add cooked bulgur to the pan and toss to combine.

Pour your crushed red pepper shrimp with bulgur into a bowl, toss with lemon juice and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Spirals with Homemade Pesto, Sundried Tomatoes and Artichokes

I’m off to a BBQ but wanted to post this recipe before it escapes me. There is something about barbequeing and being outside that matches beautifully with fresh pesto. The aromas of the basil are lovely on a hot summer day. When I decided to make a side dish for this party, I immediately thought of making some. This recipe is perfect for novices and it is pretty difficult to mess up. If you don’t have a food processor you can mash the pesto ingredients together with a mortar and pestle or even a large wooden spoon. This is made to serve about twenty people so please adjust the ingredient levels as needed. This one is a StrumErika original :)

Ingredients:

2 packages of whole wheat spiral pasta (32 oz)
5 oz. fresh basil leaves
½ cup parmesan
1 jar sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 jar artichoke hearts
½ tbsp crushed garlic
4 oz pine nuts
1 cup olive oil
Salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a food processor, blend together basil and olive oil then add garlic, parmesan, and pine nuts. Add a dash of salt. You may adjust the ingredient levels as you see fit. For example, if you’d like a thicker pesto, add more olive oil.

When your water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for approximately eight minutes until it is al dente (slightly chewy and not soft). Strain in a colander and rinse with water so the pasta does not stick. Pour pasta into a large bowl. Add the pesto and mix well

Coarsely chop your sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts and add them to your pesto pasta. Sprinkle parmesan on top and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage

This is a really delicious, indulgent dish which I made on Sunday. The use of sweet potato in the gnocchi imparts a delicious sweet taste which cuts through the rather rich butter sauce. If you want a more healthy version I think it would still be delicious with a simple olive oil, garlic, and sage sauce rather than butter sauce. The gnocchi takes a bit of patience and I recommend leaving yourself about an hour and a half, from start to finish.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurious.com
Serves About 6

Drain the ricotta in a sieve for about two hours before starting the recipe, this will remove any excess moisture so the cheese is more compact for the gnocchi.

Ingredients:

2 1-pound red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), rinsed, patted dry, pierced all over with fork
1 12-ounce container fresh ricotta cheese, drained in sieve 2 hours
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 3/4 cups (about) all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 tbsp chopped fresh sage plus whole leaves for garnish (dry is OK if you can’t find fresh)

Preparation:

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sweet potatoes on plate; microwave on high until tender, about 5 minutes per side. Cut in half and cool. Scrape sweet potato flesh into medium bowl and mash; transfer 3 cups to large bowl. Add ricotta cheese; blend well. Add Parmesan cheese, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and nutmeg; mash to blend. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto floured surface; divide into 6 equal pieces. Rolling between palms and floured work surface, form each piece into 20-inch-long rope (about 1 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky. Cut each rope into 20 pieces. Roll each piece over tines of fork to indent. Transfer to baking sheet.

Bring large pot of water to boil; add 2 tablespoons salt and return to boil. Working in batches, boil gnocchi until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer gnocchi to clean rimmed baking sheet. Cool completely. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Preheat oven to 300°F. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until butter solids are brown and have toasty aroma, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Add chopped sage (mixture will bubble up). Turn off heat. Season sage butter generously with salt and pepper.

Transfer half of sage butter to large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add half of gnocchi. Sauté until gnocchi are heated through, about 6 minutes. Empty skillet onto rimmed baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining sage butter and gnocchi.

Divide gnocchi and sauce among shallow bowls. Garnish with sage leaves and parmesan cheese.