Orecchiette carbonara with charred Brussel sprouts

November 3, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

Lovely and soothing with the nutty flavor of the charred Brussel sprouts.

1/2 lb Brussel sprouts, trimmed, leaves separated
12 oz fresh or dried orecchiette, or other fresh or dried small pasta
Kosher salt
2 oz pancetta (Italian bacon) finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup grated pecorino plus more
2 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
2 tbsp olive oil, divided

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add the brussel sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until charred in spots and crisp tender, about 5 minutes or so ; transfer to a plate and set aside. Wipe out the skillet.
* You can also toss the Brussel sprouts in a little olive oil, season and roast them on a shallow baking tray at 400 F for 15 minutes or so until they are tender and charred.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente (about 5 mins for fresh pasta). Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring often, until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Immediately add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid to keep the pepper from burning; reduce the heat to low and gradually add the butter, swirling the skillet and adding more pasta liquid as needed, until a thick glossy sauce forms.
(Taste as you go and switch to hot water once the sauce is adequately seasoned)

Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat.
Add the pecorino, toss to combine.
Remove from the heat, mix in the egg yolks. Add the reserved Brussel sprouts leaves, toss, adding pasta cooking liquid or hot water as needed to thin the sauce.

Serve the pasta topped with more Pecorino

Pumpkin stuffed with Fontina, Italian sausage and macaroni cheese

November 2, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is a recipe from a book I purchased recently called ‘Melt” based around different macaroni and cheese recipes. It’s terrific and this is a real winner.

Serves 4

1 sugar pumpkin or other sweet variety (not a carving pumpkin), about 5 lbs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 lb mild Italian pork sausage, skins removed
4 oz elbow macaroni
5 oz fontina cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 oz gruyere cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
4 scallions, diced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350F

Cut out a circle from the top of the pumpkin – the way you would to make a jack-o’-lantern and set aside.

Scoop out the seeds and strings as best as you can. Generously salt and pepper the inside of the pumpkin, pop the top back on it, place it on a rimmed baking dish (since the pumpkin may leak or weep) and bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.

Crumble the sausage into small chunks and cook until lightly browned.

Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Discard the drippings or save for the gravy.

Also while the pumpkin bakes, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente.

Drain through a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.

In a bowl, toss together the fontina, gruyere, sausage, pasta, scallions and herbs.

When the pumpkin is done baking, take it out of the oven and fill it with the macaroni and cheese mixture.

Pour the cream over the filling.

Place the top back on the pumpkin and bake for 1 hour, taking the top off for the last 15 minutes of cooking so the cheese on top of the filling can get properly brown.

If the top cream still seems a bit too wobbly, give it another 10 mins in the oven.

The cream may bubble over a bit, which is fine. If the pumpkin splits while baking, as occasionally happens, be thankful you set it in a rimmed baking dish and continue to bake!

Allow the pumpkin to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Be careful moving the dish, as the pumpkin may be fragile.

You can serve this dish two ways;

Cut it into individual servings or just scoop out the insides, including some of the

pumpkin flesh for each serving.

Season to taste and enjoy!

Meat · Pasta

Baked potato skins mac and cheese

October 19, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

Utterly decadent, rich and satisfying for the whole family. All it needs is a green salad.
This comes from a fellow food blogger called “A Spicy Perspective”

Serves 8

24 oz baby potatoes
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 lb elbow macaroni
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup sour cream
1 1/3 lbs shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
10 oz cream cheese, divided
12 oz bacon, fried and crumbled, divided
1 cup chopped green onions, divided
Cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 F.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil.
Salt and pepper liberally and shake the pan a little to coat them with oil. Roast for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Then set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted water, according to the package instructions.
Drain and set aside in a colander.

Using the same pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook the roux (butter-flour) for 1 minutes.
Then whisk in the milk and add the sour cream and 8 oz cream cheese. Bring to a simmer and whisk until the mixture is thick and smooth

Add 1lb shredded cheddar and whisk until smooth. Then add a dash or two of cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the cooked macaroni, 2/3 crumbled bacon and 2/3 cup green onions into the cheese sauce. Stir to coat.

Pour the macaroni into a deep 9 by 13 inch baking dish and set aside.

For the potato skins recipe;
Preheat the oven to broil. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. carefully scoop out most of the flesh, leaving just a little potato attached to the skin. Reserve the crumbled potato flesh.

Brush the potato skins with oil. With the remaining 2 oz of cream cheese, place a scant 1/2 tsp dollop of cream cheese in each potato skin.

Sprinkle the crumbled potato over the mac and cheese then arrange the potato skins over the top.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 lb shredded cheese over the potato skins and add pepper to taste.

For creamy mac and cheese; place the dish in the oven under the broiler for 2 to3 minutes, watch carefully though. You want the cheese to melt and the tops to toast, but not burn

For a more traditional firm dish; turn the oven to 400 F and bake for 20 mins until the tops are golden.

Once out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining green onions and bacon over the top and serve warm.

Meat · Pasta

Pasta with spicy sausage, fresh basil and Dijon mustard

September 20, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is a Nigel Slater recipe which is fabulous, rich and unctious! I can feel the Southern Californian weather just start to nod towards Fall and that is my favorite season here.

This recipe is for 2 but you can easily double or treble it.

4 spicy Italian sausages
olive oil
4 handfuls (about 1/2 lb) of dried pasta. (any tube or shell shape that catches the sauce)
1 glass of white wine
dried chile flakes, a pinch or two
a small handful of chopped fresh basil, plus a few leaves for garnish
a tbsp of Dijon mustard, smooth or grainy
8 fl oz heavy cream

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta.

Split the sausages open and take out the filling. Warm a little olive oil in a frying pan, just enough to lubricate the bottom.
Discard the sausage skin, crumble the meat into the hot pan and fry till sizzling and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Salt the water generously and add the pasta.

Pour the wine into the sausage pan and let it bubble a little, scraping up all the sticky sausage goo on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the chile flakes, season and add the chopped basil.
Add the mustard and pour in the cream and bring slowly to a simmer. Cook for a minutes or two, stirring now and again.

When the pasta is tender, about 9 minutes after coming to a boil, drain and tip into the creamy sausage sauce.
Serve piping hot garnished with a few sprigs of fresh basil

Do-ahead · Fish · Pasta

Grown-up tuna noodle bake

August 18, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I can hear you thinking “Oh no, no way” but try it, it’s really tasty and is definitely a “grown-up ” version of that dreadfully dated American staple. It also freezes beautifully.

Serves 8

Butter, to grease the dish
12 oz fusilli pasta (or shells or wide noodles or whatever pasta you like)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cremini mushrooms
1/3 cup minced shallots (about 2 large shallots)
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3&1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (NOT pre grated!)
3 tbsp capers, drained
2 x 5oz cans chunk light tuna, drained of oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup thinly sliced kale or spinach
1&1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 375F

Butter a 2 1/2 to 3 qt casserole dish and set aside.
Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Drain and set aside

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and shallots, cook for about 5 minutes or until the shallots are translucent and the mushrooms are beginning to soften.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 additional minute. Slowly pour in the wine, lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the flour to the pan and stir well to ensure all the mushrooms are coated.
Increase the heat to high and slowly pour in the milk, bringing the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring to avoid sticking or clumping, until the milk begins to thicken and starts to look more like a sauce, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, parmesan cheese, capers, tuna, flaked, sour cream, chopped kale or spinach, thyme, salt and pepper.
Pour the creamy mushroom sauce into the bowl and stir to coat all the ingredients.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and cook until fragrant and slightly toasty, 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle the crispy breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
Serve hot.

Cover and refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze immediately.

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Nigella’s addictive cold soba noodles with sesame seeds

August 18, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

Serves 4 as part of a meal, but you won’t be able to stop eating them, I promise!
This is the sort of food I could dive into and you would never see me again. Very dangerous!

1/3 cup sesame seeds
kosher salt
8 oz soba noodles
2 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
5 tsp soy sauce (I use the low sodium one)
2 tsp honey (Buckwheat honey gives a little more flavor, but any interesting honey would be great)
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
6 scallions

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over a high heat until they look golden brown and give off a nice aroma, then tip into a bowl.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add some salt. Put in the soba noodles and cook them for about 6 minutes (or according to the package instructions) until they are tender but not mushy.
Have a bowl of iced water waiting to plunge them into after draining or better still, and less fussy, pour them into a colander and run the cold tap over them for a moment or two!

In the bowl you are using to serve your guests, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Finely slice the scallions and put them into the bowl with the cooled, drained noodles and mix together thoroughly before adding the sesame seeds and tossing again.

Leave the sesame seed noodles for about half an hour to let the flavors develop. (go and pour yourself a nice glass of wine)

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Lemon, dill and parsley orzo

February 11, 2013January 28, 2023 Belinda

This is a great and tangy side dish to fish or chicken. Serves 2 generously and 4 small portions. (I usually double the recipe for 4 people)

1 cup orzo pasta
2 tbsp each of chopped fresh dill and parsley
3 tbsp chopped scallions (green onions)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 heaped tsp grated lemon rind (you may like more)
2 tbsp lemon juice (you may like more)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orzo for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm, drain well.
Toss with dill, parsley, onions, oil, lemon rind and lemon juice.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
This is best served immediately. For a make-ahead version, make this with rice instead of orzo.