Spaghetti with Clams, Squid and Braised Greens

On my plane ride home last night, I was flipping through an issue of Food & Wine magazine and came across this recipe that fit the bill for a healthy-ish one-pot meal. You have pasta, seafood and greens, all brought together by a luscious and simple red pepper wine sauce.

It's probably no surprise by now that I love all-inclusive dishes. Throw together the veggies, carbs and proteins and I am a happy girl. It's like a hot version of a salad in a way. I love salads because they can become a vessel for whatever fresh ingredients you want. Why not take on the same concept with a hot dish? And despite the various components of the dish - they are all simple to prepare and come together beautifully making it an easy weekday meal that could also impress guests for a dinner party dish that doesn't cause stress.
On my plane ride home last night, I was flipping through an issue of Food & Wine magazine and came across this recipe that fit the bill for a healthy-ish one-pot meal. You have pasta, seafood and greens, all brought together by a luscious and simple red pepper wine sauce.

It's probably no surprise by now that I love all-inclusive dishes. Throw together the veggies, carbs and proteins and I am a happy girl. It's like a hot version of a salad in a way. I love salads because they can become a vessel for whatever fresh ingredients you want. Why not take on the same concept with a hot dish? And despite the various components of the dish - they are all simple to prepare and come together beautifully making it an easy weekday meal that could also impress guests for a dinner party dish that doesn't cause stress.

The ingredient that brings the whole dish together is roasted red pepper (nope, not tomatoes as you would probably first suspect). While you could roast your own red peppers, there are some great options in the store that conveniently take the roasting step out of the cooking process for you. With that said, there are also some pretty awful roasted red peppers in the store - you know the ones that have an almost bitter or metallic taste? Those are probably at the cheaper end of the spectrum. Spend a dollar or two more and get some quality roasted red peppers. Your tastebuds will thank you!

The sauce is really quite simple - which is what makes this dish so awesome. It's just white wine that has been simmered with garlic and clams - minus the garlic and clams - and add the roasted red pepper. Blend and done.

The rest of the dish can be tailored to your taste. Get some kind of green - we used collard greens, but swiss chard would work out equally as well. Kale may be a bit tough for this dish but is another possibility. For the seafood - we added calamari to the mix so it wasn't just clams. If you want fish - add fish! Though it is important to note that the fish or calamari would be cooked along with the greens and not with the wine sauce.

Altogether, a really fabulous and easy dish for my only dinner at home in a two week span. It was perfect.

Spaghetti with Clams and Braised Greens
from Food & Wine - January 2015

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 dozen littleneck clams
• 2 cups dry white wine 
• 2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 lb. Swiss chard or collard greens, stemmed and chopped (8 cups)
• 1/2 lb. spaghetti
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat 1/4 cup of the oil. Add half of the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the clams. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes; as the clams open, transfer them to a baking sheet. Discard any unopened clams. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve into a blender. Add the roasted peppers and puree until smooth.
2. Wash out the pot, then heat the remaining half of oil in it. Add the remaining garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the crushed red pepper and Swiss chard in batches until the chard is just wilted, about 3 minutes. Note: If you are cooking squid you can add it here with the chard or collard greens.
3. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente; drain. Add the paste to the swiss chard mixture along with the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Add the clams and toss to heat through. Transfer the pasta and broth to shallow bowls, garnish with grated cheese and serve.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomelo and Star Anise from "Plenty More"

For me Brussels Sprouts are synonymous with deep, rich flavors - achieved through roasting and/or the not-so-secret ingredient - bacon. So when I was flipping through Plenty More in search of my next recipe inspiration, I was intrigued by a citrus and winter-spice take on the beloved vegetable.

The citrus is achieved in two ways: the dish's sidekick, Pomelo and the lemon juice in the fabulous spiced syrup. The syrup is the vessel for the spices: Cinnamon and Star Anise.

The combination of these wintry spices and the mild zip from the lemon all blended in a sugary syrup made me want nothing more than my favorite wintertime treat - a Hot Toddy. Give me a shot of rum and a freshly brewed Early Grey tea, add the spiced lemon syrup and you have one heck of a cocktail.

But alas, it was not cocktail time, it was dinner time, so I had to stay focused on the task at hand.

The true intention for the spiced syrup was to act as a marinade for the pomelo. Now you may be wondering: isn't that just a grapefruit? And to you, I will answer - at a price tag of $3.50 per pomelo (thank you Whole Foods), I certainly hope not.

Pomelos are actually quite deceptive. They are very large and so you would think that the output of the pomelo is also quite large. This is not true. Instead, there is a very thick skin protecting the "delicate" citrus fruit. And while it even looks like a grapefruit on the inside, I noticed there were two key differences between the pomelo and the grapefruit (besides price):

1. The taste of the pomelo is much milder than the typically "sour" or "bitter" grapefruit. So while you will find yourself sprinkling sugar on a grapefruit, the pomelo is mild and sweet as it is.
2. The membrane around the pomelo segments is even more inedible than a grapefruit. It is quite thick and I can only imagine the disappointment if you try to actually eat it. The pomelo segments do, however, come out very easily and seem a bit more hearty than the grapefruit segments which tend to burst easily when dug into with a spoon. 

Ottolenghi says that you can substitute a grapefruit for the pomelo in the recipe - you'd just want to use a little less lemon juice in the syrup.

Up until this point, you would think that you were making a recipe for a dessert or fruit salad. But then come the brussels sprouts. Since I was a kid I have loved brussels sprouts. They are such a perfectly complex vegetable and a true delight when roasted.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Since going gluten-free nearly two years ago - I have been amazed with how easy it is to substitute typically gluten-filled dishes with a gluten-free counterpart. It doesn't hurt that food manufacturers are eagerly catching up and catering to the growing gluten-free trend. Pasta has sufficient substitutes - flours to make pies, cookies and cakes....all readily available. However, what I still have yet to find a solid substitute for is a perfectly crisp and chewy Neapolitan pizza. These are the pizzas that are thin enough that you can eat an entire one yourself - topped simply (I prefer simple Margarita - mozzarella and red sauce with basil) and let's the quality of ingredients shine.

When it comes to gluten-free pizza crusts - I've encountered a more cracker or biscuit-like product that merely serves as a vessel for sauce and cheese. I've actually found myself taking on a habit that I used to observe in disbelief: leaving the crust of the pizza (the part without any cheese or sauce) unconsumed. Before - I always thought the best part of the pizza WAS the crust! Now - with the gluten-free alternatives, I sadly understand the desire to "move on to the next piece."

Because I can't find any fabulous bread alternatives for pizza crust - I've found that the best option is to explore a unique take on a crust - not directly comparable to a pizza dough. Enter "Cauliflower Crust." Here we find no attempt to be a Neapolitan pizza crust - but rather, an attempt to redefine what crust can be.



Who ever said that these bad boys can't play in the pizza space as well? They are fully capable of morphing into something new and oddly delicious. And the bonus part? These are actually great for you (unlike that absolutely perfectly crisp Neapolitan crust that I dream about).

What's also hard to believe is that those two cauliflower heads that you see were consumed in full by two people in one sitting. Should I be ashamed? Or proud?

In reality you are only eating the circumference of the cauliflower - if you will. So it's not like I started gnawing on the head of cauliflower and ended when it disappeared. It's actually amazing what this gigantic vegetable turns into in order to make it a "crust."

You first cut off all of the florets - being sure to trim them closely so as to not have any long stems which contain a large amount of liquid.

Then you put the florets through a food processor and pulse until a perfect cauliflower "snow" has formed. The mixture should not have any hard pieces in it and should be uniform in light, airy texture. You'll have to do multiple batches in the food processor (keep the batches on the small side) - particularly if you are using two heads for two crusts. Our rule of thumb - one decent head of cauliflower for one crust. And because the crust is "light" - Derek and I can each down a full pizza without too much guilt.

2010 Monte Volpe Sangiovese

Here's a real surprise when it comes it an accessible, lesser known wine. Derek picked a bottle up after a tasting at Whole Foods - not because he felt obligated after a free taste but because it was actually quite unique and good. You don't see too many Italian grapes showing up with a "Product of U.S.A." label - nor do you see an abundance of wine from Mendocino County show up on shelves in Chicago. That's what makes this such a fun pick.

We've now bought this wine three times but the first purchase was specifically to pair with cheese and serve to strictly red-wine drinkers. The wine is truly balanced which is what makes it work well with cheese or food in general. It is not to light but not too heavy. There is fruit - think tart red cherry - but it certainly doesn't scream "fruit." There is an herbal quality that makes it so approachable and food friendly - but has spiciness to round out the appeal.

Find it at Whole Foods for $19.

Am I ready to buy cases of this wine? No - there are other wines that have more of a "wow" power. But do I find this wine to be a particularly interesting and great value wine? Yes. It is perfect to pick up for a dinner party or to drink with an Italian meal.

Speaking of food - we served this with Eggplant Parmesan and a simple salad. Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan have been staples for Derek and I since college. It's comforting, delicious, and relatively easy to prepare. Can you really go wrong with red sauce, cheese, and wine? Salute!

Casarecce Pasta with Mushrooms and Ricotta

When I come home from a work trip - or any trip involving several out-of-home meals - I crave nothing more than a nice home-cooked meal. Truth is, I actually enjoy my time in the kitchen (no shocker there). And despite being tired on a Friday night - using the last of my energy to whip up a tasty meal sounded like the perfect finale to a long work-week.

My inspiration for the night: A deep craving for PASTA.

Funny that someone who adheres to a gluten-free diet craves a dish that is inherently banned from the ingredient list - naturally full of gluten. However, as a gluten-free diet grows in popularity and awareness, food producers are following suit and providing great gluten-free options - pasta makers included.

To pick up our recipe ingredients, we took a trip to Eataly - a gourmet Italian market and collection of eateries located in the heart of Chicago (and an easy walk from home). Now, certainly we know that gluten-free is not in the Italian language and is likely shunned in this environment. However, we had heard that they had a pretty good gluten-free pasta option so while the ratio of pasta options were about 1% gluten free to 99% gluten filled - we were still happily surprised that there were options beyond the standard spaghetti and linguine. 

Enter "casarecce" pasta.

"Casarecce pasta is shaped like a very narrow, twisted and rolled tube. This pasta is best used when served with chunky sauce and can be used in a variety of casserole dishes."

What I love about the shorter, shaped pastas is that they can act as part of a dish and not overtake the whole plate. You can have a bite of pasta and also a bite of another dish component. This provides the opportunity to incorporate more flavors and ingredients into a dish and to not have pasta over-load.

For our dish - I wanted a balance of richness and brightness with focus on the complementary natures of the ingredients rather than an all consuming sauce to bring the dish together.

A recipe from Bon Appetit served as the base guide for our final result: Strozzapreti with Mushrooms and Ricotta

This is a dish that has that richness that I was looking for from the ricotta and soffrito (cooked down vegetables). It has brightness from lemon, chives and mint. It felt indulgent but not sinful. It was a perfect "welcome home" comfort meal.

The recipe calls for a Soffritto. Similar to a "Mirepoix" in French cooking - this is an Italian flavor base made by cooking down onions, carrots and onion to develop a rich, cohesive flavor. With a ratio of about 2 onion (red onion in the recipe) to 1 carrot and celery and a slow stir-fry time of approximately 30-35 minutes - the soffritto becomes more than just 'vegetables' in a dish. Topped off with smoked paprika - this combination adds depth to a relatively simple pasta dish.