Wednesday, August 26, 2015

italian drunken noodles... 25 minutes


the goods:

olive oil
1 pound spicy Italian sausage (casings removed if not bulk)
1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, squeezed through a garlic press
1/2 cup whit wine
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned, divided
8 ounces pappardelle noodles
Parmesan, for serving



Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain.

Place a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat; add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, crumble the sausage into the pan. While it browns, break it into small chunks with a wooden spoon. Once it's cooked through, transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the onion into the pan with the sausage drippings, and allow it to caramelize and become golden for about 5 minutes. Add salt, Italian seasonings, and black pepper; stir to combine. Add sliced bell peppers and allow to saute with the onion for about 2 minutes until slightly tender. Add in the garlic and stir until it becomes fragrant. Add wine and allow to reduce. Then add tomatoes and juices and return sausage back into the pan. Stir to combine, and allow it to gently simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the chopped parsley and half of the basil and stir to combine.
Add cooked noodles directly into the sauce, using tongs, gently toss. Serve topped with fresh basil and Parmesan.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Italian pot roast... 4 hours


the goods:

1 beef chuck roast
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained
6 whole sundried tomatoes (jarred in oil)
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
14 ounces beef stock or broth
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon flour
salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces egg noodles
fresh parsley, minced


Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a large, heavy pot, place the chuck roast. Pour on red peppers, artichoke hearts, and the sundried tomatoes, plus a tablespoon of the oil from the sundried tomatoes. Add the onion, garlic, and beef broth, then place the lid on the pot and bake for 4 hours.
With a slotted spoon, remove the peppers, artichokes, onion, garlic, and sundried tomatoes and place in a tupperware. Remove the meat and place in a separate container. Cover the containers of meat and veggies and refrigerate them several hours, or overnight. Place the lid on the pot and refrigerate several hours, or overnight.
When you're ready to serve the roast, remove the meat and veggies from the fridge and microwave them until reheated. Cook egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Remove the pot from the fridge and carefully skim off the solidified fat from the top of the cooking liquid. Discard the fat. Mix flour with 1/4 cup cooking liquid and set aside.
Add wine to the cooking liquid and then bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the liquid for several minutes, until it reduces by half. When bubbles appear all over the surface of the liquid, drizzle in the flour paste.
Arrange noodles on a large platter and arrange chunks of meat and peppers and artichokes and garlic and onions all around. Spoon the gravy over the top and garnish with fresh parsley.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

crash hot potatoes and grilled artichokes - BEST SIDES


the goods:

crash hot potatoes:
12 whole new potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
minced rosemary or other herb of choice

grilled artichokes:
artichokes
olive oil
grated romano cheese
minced garlic
fresh parsley, minced


crash hot potatoes: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Using a potato masher, gently press down to mash each one. Drizzle the tops of the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

grilled artichokes: Trim and halve artichokes and slowly boil them until tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool so you can handle them. Then remove choke and prickly leaves. Place in a bowl and drizzle olive oil all over. In a small bowl combine romano cheese, garlic, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Stuff mixture between leaves. Place on a hot grill turning them over until cheese gets crusty and garlic cooks, it takes a few minutes.