Radicchio with Pappardelle

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Allison Woods

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This was in Saveur. I’m hoping I’m not violating any copyright laws—I just want to get it archived here in my giant digital recipe box. This is an interesting way to enjoy radicchio, though it’s got that bitterness and boldness than may not appeal to every palate.

 

Radicchio with Pappardelle Credit: Christopher Hirsheimer

Steven Wagner, an Italian-born radicchio enthusiast, gave us this recipe.

SERVES 4

2 heads chioggia or treviso radicchio
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 lb. pancetta or slab bacon, julienned
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. pappardelle
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

1. Core, then julienne, chioggia or treviso radicchio.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and brown, stirring occasionally, for 5–10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook pappardelle in a large pot of salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add radicchio to onions and pancetta and cook, stirring, until radicchio is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add pasta and reserved cooking water, mix well, season with salt and pepper, and serve topped with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano.

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Sausage and Radicchio with pasta

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Allison Woods
 
I did some horsing around with radicchio last year when it started showing up in the CSA box. My best result was Radicchio, Bacon, Papparadelle. Delicious, but pretty in-your-face with the bitterness of the radicchio, so not for everyone. My pal Kennibob suggested something similar with possibly sausage. I found an adapted Batali recipe online, and further modified it based on what was in the cupboard.

As is often the case with my recipes, consider it a guideline, rather than gospel. Everything’s totally approximate.

 

RadSAus

 

Pasta with Sausage and Radicchio
Makes one large saute pan of the sauce

Sauce

1/2 lb sweet italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/2 white onion, sliced thin longitudinally, then chopped crossways a couple of times
1/2 fennel bulb, diced to 1/4”
1 head radicchio, sliced tin, then chopped crossways a couple of times
1-2 cups pureed tomatoes—grab a couple and chop them roughly as well
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the sausage, breaking up as you go. Chop the veg while you’re doing this. Remove sausage, and drain. Add a bit more olive oil to the pan if you need it. Saute the vegetables at medium heat for 10 minutes or so to wilt. Then add back in the sausage along with the tomatoes, and some seasonings. Options: fines herbes, Italian seasoning, fresh or dry oregano, pepper flakes, fennel seeds. Cook for about 20 minutes, adding water, stock, or wine as needed.

Cook pasta. Any type of pasta that can grip the sauce, which is not very saucy, will work. Reserve some pasta water when you drain the pasta. Toss pasta with sauce, adding liquid if you need to. Garnish with any of the following: toasted pinenuts, grated Parmesean, chiffonaded basil, drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

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Indonesian Coleslaw

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Allison Woods
  • 4 cups finely shredded cabbage
  • 1 small red pepper, cut in thin short strips
  • 2 grated carrots
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Dressing:

  • 3 T rice vinegar
  • 3 T hoisin sauce
  • 2 t sesame oil
  • 2 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 t soy sauce
  • 1 t white sugar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Toss salad ingredients in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Dress salad, garnishing with cilantro and peanuts. Optional add-ins: shrimp, shredded chicken, shredded mint.

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Quiche Lorraine

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Allison Woods

This recipe was first seen several years ago in Cook’s Illustrated. It’s the very best quiche out there, making a pie that’s smooth and custardy. Make it with whatever filling you like—nearly anything will work, though I think some type of cheese is necessary.

8 ounces bacon (about 8 slices) cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
pinch fresh grated nutmeg
4 ounces Gruyère cheese grated (1/2 cup)
1 9- inch partially baked pie shell (warm), baked until light golden brown, about 10 minutes

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Fry bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towel–lined plate. Meanwhile, whisk all remaining ingredients except cheese in medium bowl.

Spread cheese and bacon evenly over bottom of warm pie shell (if the pie shell has been previously baked and cooled, place it in the preheating oven for about five minutes to warm it, taking care that it does not burn) and set shell on oven rack. Pour in custard mixture to 1/2-inch below crust rim. Bake until lightly golden brown and a knife blade inserted about one inch from the edge comes out clean, and center feels set but soft like gelatin, 45 to 50 minutes (the center of the quiche will be surprisingly soft when it comes out of the oven, but the filling will continue to set–and sink somewhat–as it cools). Transfer quiche to rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Senegalese soup

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Allison Woods

In the olden days of the Two Bells tavern in Belltown, they had some fantastic soup specials. There was one in particular that I went nuts for—their Senegalese soup, redolent with lush chicken stock and spicy curry. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the very same recipe buried in the pages of Joy of Cooking.

2 T butter

2 T (or more) curry powder

1 1/2 T flour

3 cups chicken broth

1/4-1/2 t paprika

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup cooked chicken breast, chopped very fine

Garnish options: 3-4 tablespoons chutney, Granny Smith apple, peanuts

 

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add flour and curry powder and stir until blended. Whisk in chicken broth; heat and whisk until it comes to a boil, add paprika. Beat together egg yolks and cream. Reduce heat until soup is not boiling. Stir in egg yolk mixture,  continue to cook and stir until soup thickens. Do not let the soup boil at this point. Very important!!Add chicken meat, warm through. Garnish with chutney or chopped apple and peanuts.

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Kick Ass Cornbread

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Allison Woods

This one comes courtesy of my old pal Jeannette McDonald. Be sure to make sure it’s cooked all the way through—as the batter’s on the wet side, this can be a problem. This one’s a real crowd-pleaser, good for potlucks. YUM.

1 c yellow cornmeal

1/4 c all-purpose flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 eggs

3/4 c milk

1/4 c vegetable oil

1- 17 oz. can creamed corn (sometimes I cheat and mash up fresh or frozen corn—that creamed stuff is sweet

1/4 c minced red, green, white or yellow onions

1 1/2 c shredded cheddar or jack cheese

1 can diced green chiles (or fresh roasted equivalent)

1 bunch chopped cilantro

optional: some bacon

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 9” square baking pan. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in corn, onions, cilantro. Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients, stir until just moistened. Spoon half of the mixture into your baking pan, sprinkle with half the cheese. Cover with the rest of the batter, top with the rest of the chilies and cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

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Vichy Carrots

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Allison Woods

This classic French side dish is sometimes prepared with soda water, meant to emulate the bubbly water that comes out of the ground in Vichy. This is a great way to use purple carrots, which tend to be a bit tougher than the orange ones.

6 servings

1T unsalted butter

1T olive oil

1 1/2# carrots, peeled if necessary and cut on the diagonal into 1/4” slices

1T vermouth

salt and white pepper

2t dark brown sugar

1T chopped fresh parsley

In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter into the olive oil. Add the carrots and cook over moderately high heat until beginning to soften. Add the vermouth, 1T water, and salt and white pepper. Reduce the heat, cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Add more water as needed.

Increase the heat to high and add the brown sugar. Toss constantly until the carrots are slightly browned and glazed, 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, serve.

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Carmels

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Allison Woods

This is the recipe for the carmels Heide Janssen made and shared at work this week. They are SO GOOD!!!

 

For the carmels, below is the base recipe.  For the flavors, I just added ingredients that sounded good.

For the Bourbon and Nutmeg, I used about a pint of Bourbon and grated in 2 whole nutmegs.

For the Pear and Cardamom, I used about 2 cups of Pear Juice and maybe 2 tablespoons of Cardamom.

(I didn’t really measure ingredients for the flavors.)

Tom’s Carmels

1 pound of butter (4 sticks)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 16oz bottle of Karo syrup

1 2-lb bag of brown sugar

PREP:  Buy a roll of wax paper and cut into the desired size for your wrappers.  

PREP:  To delineate flavors, I put in a strip of various colored ribbon.  If you make flavors, I suggest cutting these in advance.

PREP:  Line a sided cookie sheet with aluminum foil and butter the entire surface.

On medium heat, pour in all the ingredients and start on low heat and slowly increasing the heat over time.  Cook until it gets to 248 degrees, stirring frequently.  Don’t let the mixture heat up too fast.  If the temp is rising fast, turn down the heat for a while.  The boiling process should take about 30 minutes.  If you try to rush it, it doesn’t get nice and creamy.  And if you start it on high heat, you will burn the sugar before it has a chance to dissolve.

If you want to get really technical with the boiling, keep a bowl of ice water next to the pot.  As the carmel gets close to the temp, drizzle a little onto the ice.  This makes it cool immediately and lets you test it for taste and texture.  Basically, it helps you to know if the mixture is where you want it before you take it off the heat.

Once you hit the 248 degrees, pour the hot mixture into the cookie sheet.  Let it cool on the counter top for about 30 minutes then put in the frig to cool the rest of the way.  Once hardened, take them out of the pan and cut into the size pieces that you want.  Don’t cut them all at once and don’t put cut pieces into a pile.  They will start to stick to each other.  Cut a few at a time and keep the rest of the carmel in the frig.  Wrap individual pieces in wax paper.

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Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Torte

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Allison Woods

I’ve been using this recipe from The Herbal Pantry, (Emelie Tolley/Chris Mead), for years, but now it’s all over the interwebs. Quite easy to make and nice for a party.

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 ounces goat cheese
1/2 pound butter, softened
1 cup basil pesto
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced and drained

Place the cheeses and butter in a bowl and beat together until they are well blended and fluffy. Line an 8-inch cake pan with dampened cheesecloth, leaving enough extra to fold over the top. Layer one third of the cheese mixture in the bottom and spread half of the pesto over it. Repeat. Spread the remaining cheese on top and cover with the minced tomatoes. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top and fold the cheesecloth over it. Set the torte in the refrigerator for at least an hour to firm up. When ready to serve, fold the cheesecloth back, turn the torte onto a plate, and remove the cheesecloth. Invert the torte onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Serve with assorted crackers.

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“Ocho” Salad

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Allison Woods

One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle is Ocho. Their lovely tapas selections make me so happy, though the bill tends to add up a bit, so I’ve recreated one of their dishes. It’s a simple butter lettuce salad with oranges, chives, and toasted almonds.

Butter lettuce

orange (one per entrée-sized salad)

chives (possible to sub scallions, but the flavor won’t be as delicate)

sliced almonds

sherry vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

dijon mustard

salt and pepper

optional: chicken

Wash and shred butter lettuce. Make sure lettuce is completely totally dry. Chop chives, peel orange (I just use a knife) and cut into chunks. Toast almonds until light brown. Chop optional (cooked) chicken.

To make the dressing, put vinegar in a bowl, add a spot of the mustard, beat with a fork. Drizzle olive oil into to emulsify, season with salt and pepper. Pour most of the dressing off into a custard cup or similar.

Toss lettuce in bowl, adding a bit more dressing as needed to coat leaves evenly. Place on chilled plate, top with other ingredients, drizzle with a bit more dressing. Another optional add-in to make salad more of a meal is shaved curls of Parmesean cheese.

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