Veggie Remix - Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Spicy Asian Glaze

Sometimes simplicity can be glorious. Other times, a little pizzaz goes a long way. Today we are after the latter as we share how basic roasted Brussels Sprouts, warm and crispy on the outside, are absolutely stunning when glazed with the easiest sweet and spicy reduction. This is the perfect side for an Asian-inspired dinner, and with just a few steps, it practically makes itself.  

Easy As Ever - Roasted Sprouts With Spicy Asian Glaze, Photo: NK

Not for the spice averse, this versatile glaze (drizzle it on meats or starches) packs a wallop. Sprouts are such great winter greens, there's no excuse not to throw these together tonight. If you don't already have Soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar or Sriracha, they are versatile pantry items to have on hand for creating Asian-inspired fare all year long. Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Spicy Asian Glaze
Serves 6

For the Sprouts: 1.5 Pounds Brussels Sprouts
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
Ground Szechuan Peppercorns (optional)
Salt 

For the Glaze:
2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1 1/4 Tablespoons Sriracha 
1 Tablespoon Honey

Method:1. Preheat the oven to 400. 
2. Cut off the base of the Brussels Sprouts and then slice them in half the long way.
Place on a baking sheet and toss them in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Sesame Oil if you like). Sprinkle lightly with Salt. Add a sprinkle of Szechuan Peppercorn if you like it extra spicy.

3. Bake for 35 or more minutes, shaking the pan a few times throughout the cooking to encourage even cooking. 

4. Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining all the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring the ingredients to a bubble over medium high heat, then lower to a simmer and allow it to reduce, stirring occasionally, until it is down to about half its volume. Do not leave unattended as glaze can burn if the heat is too high.The consistency should be syrupy and glaze will coat a spoon. Turn off the heat and set aside. 

5. When Brussels Sprouts are finished they will be golden and a bit crispy. Plate them and then drizzle over with the glaze. Serve right away! 

Italian Pasta Classics - Fusilli Puttanesca

Happy New Year! It will shock no one that we resolve to cook and, more importantly, eat even more great food in 2015. I hope you'll come along for the ride. To this end, it is time again for Italian Pasta Classics, and this week, we are exploring one of most storied sauces Southern Italy has ever given us - Puttanesca. It also happens to be one of my top five favorite pasta preparations of all time - capers, olives, anchovies - I ask you, what's not to love!?  Now to the name, oh, the name. Yeesh. Puttanesca means, how to put this, in the style of the... not-so-nice-word for practicers of the proverbial "oldest profession." The more you know, as they say. 

Puttanesca Sauce, Photo: NK 

There are various accounts of origins of this deliciously easy dish. Probably the most ubiquitous is the anecdote that Pasta Puttanesca was something quickly thrown together from common pantry items, thus making it the ideal sustenance for these working women in between appointments. For my own part, I was surprised to learn that the dish, or at least the name, is relatively young. Several sources trace it only as far back as the middle of the 20th century (figures, right?).  As food lore goes, the popularly accepted story of Puttanesca is pretty well known, however I recently read a very interesting article that posited that despite the name, the dish may not have had much to do with sex workers at all. The author aptly notes that "Sex workers aren't the only people who appreciate quick, aromatic meals." Her theory on the origin has been batted around before, though less often. Check out the full article here. As you will note, there's not to an exact recipe for this dish conceived in imprecision, but I invite your to try our favorite iteration of it today. What you do after you eat it is most definitely your own business. Enjoy! 

Fusilli Puttanesca
Serves 4 as an entree 

Castelvetrano & Gaeta Olives, Photo: NK

Lightly Adapted from Lidia Bastianich
Ingredients:
1 35 Ounce Can whole San Marzano Tomatoes 
1 Pound Fusilli
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil plus more for drizzling
3 Large Garlic Cloves, smashed
1 Cup Gaeta or similar Olives
3/4 Cup Castelvetrano Olives, or other meaty, firm and bright green variety such as Cerignola
5-6 high quality Anchovy Fillets
1/2 Cup Italian Parsley, chopped
1/4 Cup Capers, rinsed
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
Toasted breadcrumbs (if you need a topping, but not usually necessary)

Method: 
1. Start a large pot of salted water boiling for the pasta. Add the Fusilli as soon as it comes to a boil and cook for 9 minutes for al dente. 

A sauce that is both gorgeous & flavorful, Photo: NK

2. Pit the Olives by smashing them with a heavy, flat object such as the bottom on the pan and removing the pit. Coarsely chop the Olives and set aside.

3. In a very large skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the Garlic Cloves and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until they begin to brown. Place the Anchovies in the pan and break the up a bit using a wooden spoon. Add the Olives and cook 2 more minutes until they sizzle. Add the Tomatoes along with their juices and mash them using a potato masher until the large chunks are broken up. Add the Crushed Red Pepper.

4. Allow sauce to boil and then lower the heat to where it stays at an energetic simmer. Cook for 5 minutes and add the Capers. 

5. By this time your pasta should be done. Drain it through a colander and add the pasta to the skillet containing the sauce. Turn up the flame to medium and add the Parsley. Stir. Remove skillet from the flame and check for seasoning (a very little bit of salt may be needed) and serve! 
**Special thanks to Cousin Julie for the delicious homegrown and hand canned tomatoes!! 

Yuletide Roundup - Christmas 2014

Baccala Salad with Sweet & Hot Cherry Peppers, Photo:NK

Buon Natale! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! It's time for our yuletide wrap up - just a quick recap of some of the dishes we enjoyed this season.  

For Christmas Eve we went with the traditional Feast of The Seven Fishes. My mom hosted and she did a great job. To check our Italian Christmas Eve Menus for the past three years, click HERE, HERE and HERE. 

This year, we were treated to smashing seafood salads to kick off the multi-course dinner. I contributed the Baccala Salad pictured to the right. You can find the recipe by clicking HERE. 

Next came a fantastic Calamari Salad…

Calamari Salad, Photo: NK

Looks good, right?

But no seafood dinner would be complete in our family without Linguine with Clam Sauce, easily my favorite dish of all time (recipe HERE), which we often like to follow with a main course of Rao's Lemon Sole, just as in previous years. 

Classic Linguine with Clam Sauce, Photo: NK

This is his put down your camera face

My mom made super adorably presented goody boxes filled with Christmas Cookies. 


For dessert, we kept it simple with delicious Italian Pastries from an excellent bakery called Natale's. 





We need to leave space for Christmas Dinner, you know?  

Sfogliatelle, Cannoli, and Napoleon, Photo: NK 

Speaking of Christmas, my mom in law made it tasty as ever. We were treated to, among other things, a lovely Filet of Beef and a really great Salad with Red Pears and Pumpkin Seeds - I am surely going to try and recreate it some day. 

Filet of Beef & a Pear & Pumpkinseed Salad, Photo: NK 

And there you have it, as fast as it came to us, Christmas was complete. I hope you too enjoyed a holiday season filled with only good things and good food. Here's to lots more cooking in the new year!

Winter Wonder - Salad With Smoked Gouda, Pecans & Cranberries

Winter Greens With Smoked Gouda, Pecans & Cranberries, Photo: NK

Today we are sharing our new favorite cold-weather salad (some others we've enjoyed are here, here, and here), because sometimes, you just don't want your salad taking a back seat. 

An exciting salad is the perfect foil for a simple main, in our case, this juicy pork chop pan fried in our amazing Lodge skillet and seasoned with Salt, Pepper, and Paprika. If you don't already own a cast iron skillet, I highly recommend you treat yourself to one. 

In general, whenever you're looking to take your salads from boring to fab, just use this simple formula:

Seasonal Greens

+

Seasonal Fruit (dried or fresh)

+

Nuts

+ 

Cheese (favorites like Grated Pecorino, Blue Cheese, Goat, Feta, or Gouda)

Today's winter salad uses sturdy greens (baby Kale and Hearts of Romaine), chunks of creamy Smoked Gouda, and tart, vibrant Dried Cranberries to lend a little holiday  chutzpah. A simple Buttermilk Dressing mellows all those big flavors (and we made this deliciousness with the leftover Buttermilk). We pops of red and green, it's also visually appealing enough for company.We hope you'll add it to your seasonal rotation! 

Ready to enjoy. Photo: NK

Winter Greens With Smoked Gouda, Pecans & Cranberries 
Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the Salad:
3 ounces of Baby Kale
1 Heart of Romaine, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2-3 Ounces Smoked Gouda, cut to a bite-sized dice
3 Tablespoons Dried Cranberries
1/2 Cup Pecan Halves, Toasted

For The Dressing:
1/4 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon White or Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Method:
1. In a bowl, Toss Kale, Romaine, Gouda,  and Cranberries. 

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk Buttermilk, Mayonnaise, and Vinegar. Slowly whisk in oil while stirring vigorously until emulsified. Add a little Salt and Pepper to taste.

3. Dress and toss Salad a Tablespoon at a time. Do not over dress. Toss in Pecans, stir and enjoy!