Penne with Asparagus

It’s asparagus season, and I was looking for some new asparagus recipes to try. I put this one together and it worked out really well.

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb dried penne
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 yellow sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 lb prosciutto, cut into thin strips
• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1″ strips
• 2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 c dry white wine
• 1/2 c Pecorino Romano, grated
• salt flakes & fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta as usual, drain, reserve.
2. Sauté onions and prosciutto in oil until onions start to brown.
3. Add asparagus, cook 5 minutes, stir frequently.
4. Add tomatoes, cover, cook 3 to 5 minutes more.
5. Deglaze with wine, cook uncovered until liquid is almost gone.
6. Remove from heat, toss with pasta.
7. Add salt, pepper and cheese, toss again, serve immediately.

Sautéed Kale

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb green kale, coarsely chopped
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1/2 c water or stock
• salt flakes and fresh-cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Sauté garlic briefly in olive oil on medium heat.
2. Add kale and water or stock, cover and bring to a boil.
3. Remove cover and sauté until all the liquid is gone.
4. Stir in the vinegar, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Braised Short Ribs

There are a million ways to braise beef short ribs, including methods that turn the process into a two-day affair. This recipe is pretty much the bare-bones (sorry) minimalist recipe — ribs, mirepoix (diced celery, carrots and onion), wine and thyme. Right now I’m using an oak-aged cabernet sauvignon for the braise, but use what you like — just be sure to use a wine that you want to drink, not a “cooking wine”. I’m serving the ribs with sautéed kale and buttered rice.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef short ribs
• 1/2 large sweet yellow onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 t dried thyme
• 1/2 bottle red wine
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• salt flakes & fresh-cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Season ribs with salt and pepper.
2. In a large Dutch oven, brown ribs on all sides in olive oil.
3. Remove ribs for later.
4. Add mirepoix to pot and sauté till soft.
5. Add thyme and sauté 2 minutes longer.
6. Add wine and deglaze the pot on high heat.
7. Bring to a boil and reduce wine by about a third of the original volume.
8. Reduce heat to a low simmer, return ribs to the pot, and cover. Cook until meat is very tender, about 3 hours.
9. Carefully remove and plate ribs on a small amount of braising liquid.

Kaposztsalata (Hungarian Coleslaw)

Ingredients

• 1/4 large cabbage, finely shredded
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t dark muscovado sugar
• 1 t cider vinegar
• 1 t extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Whisk together all ingredients except the cabbage in a large salad bowl.
2. Add cabbage and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Pasta Fredda (Pasta Salad)

I often substitute fusilli tricolore or medium penne rigate for the farfalle.

Ingredients

• 1 lb farfalle
• 1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/2 c fresh peas
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 c black olives, pitted and halved
• 4 T extra virgin olive oil
• 4 t white wine vinegar
• 1/4 c fresh basil, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt flakes
• black pepper, freshly cracked

Directions

1. Cook pasta as usual. Drain and allow to cool completely.
2. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, basil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Combine tomatoes, peas, bell pepper and olives in a large serving bowl.
4. Add pasta and then vinaigrette to bowl, toss to combine.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Horiatiki Salata (Greek Salad)

This is pretty much the old standby. I make it frequently, and seldom change a thing.

Ingredients

• 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced very thin
• 1 1/2 c kalamata olives, pitted
• 3 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t dried Greek oregano
• salt flakes
• black pepper, freshly cracked

Directions

1. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for at least 15 minutes.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a serving bowl. Whisk the dressing briefly to re-emulsify if necessary and pour over salad. Toss carefully to coat.

2 generous servings

Bulgur Pilaf

This can be an excellent accompaniment to a Middle Eastern meal.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c onion, minced
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 c bulgur
• 1 c boiling water
• 1 t whole coriander, crushed
• salt flakes
• fresh cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent.
2. Add coriander, bulgur, salt and pepper, sauté 2 minutes more.
3. Stir in water and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, until water is absorbed and bulgur is soft, about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork.

4 servings

Macaroni and Cheese

This is my favorite way to make an old classic. I often substitute tubetti for the elbow macaroni.

Ingredients

• 5 T unsalted butter
• 4 T all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 c milk
• 1 lb large elbow macaroni
• 2 c Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• 2 c Gruyère, grated
• 2 T bread crumbs
• 1 t smoked paprika
• 1/2 t ground white pepper
• 1/4 t salt flakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Cook macaroni about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and pour into a large lasagne pan.
3. Combine cheeses thoroughly.
4. Combine paprika, pepper and salt, then combine 1/4 t of the spice mixture with the bread crumbs.
5. Scald milk by bringing it almost to a boil in a saucepan.
6. Melt butter in a large saucepan.
7. Add flour little by little, stirring constantly.
8. Cook a few minutes longer, stirring constantly, until flour begins to brown.
9. Add milk little by little, stirring constantly. Add dry spices and bring to a boil.
10. Reduce heat and cook until sauce is smooth and thick, stirring constantly.
11. Add cheeses little by little, stirring constantly, until sauce is smooth.
12. Pour cheese sauce over pasta, spread seasoned bread crumbs over top.
13. Bake until cheese sauce is bubbly and top is nicely browned, about 30 minutes.

Pollo alla Cacciatora (Chicken Cacciatore)

I serve this with white rice about as often as I serve it with pasta. You can substitute any kind of mushrooms to make it more rustic. It’s especially good with mixed wild mushrooms when they’re in season. You can also substitute red or orange bell peppers for the yellow ones, but I like the way the tomatoes pop out this way, and I don’t eat green bell peppers.

Ingredients

• 6 boneless chicken thighs
• salt & pepper
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 c button mushrooms, halved
• 2 yellow bell peppers, cut into 1″ squares
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1/2 c dry red wine
• 1/4 c chicken broth
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into sixteenths

Directions

1. Season chicken with salt & pepper.
2. Brown chicken on all sides in olive oil. Remove chicken and drain excess grease from skillet.
3. Sauté onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, garlic and oregano until onions are translucent.
4. Deglaze skillet briefly with red wine.
5. Return chicken to skillet and add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
6. Add tomatoes and simmer covered 15 minutes more or until chicken is tender.

Kassler Rippchen mit Sauerkraut

A Kassler Rippchen is a cured, smoked cut of pork, typically from the neck. It can be grilled, braised or even boiled (a handful of rice added to the resulting broth makes a good soup, too). The most common accompaniment by far is sauerkraut, often cooked in the same pot. I usually serve this with boiled potatoes.

Ingredients

• 3 Kassler Rippchen
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 32 oz sauerkraut, drained
• 1 tablespoon bacon grease
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries
• fresh-cracked black pepper

Directions

1. In a large skillet, sauté onions briefly in bacon grease at high heat.
2. Add sauerkraut, juniper berries and pepper, stir to combine.
3. Add pork, cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 30 minutes.