Penne with Lemon, Garlic and Thyme Mushrooms

Your favorite pasta tossed with a gorgeous variety of plump mushrooms, showered with bright lemon zest and juice, sprinkled with fresh thyme and parsley, and smothered with delicious cheese.  Sounds like a scrumptious dinner, doesn’t it?  And a fantastic recipe to tell you about after a longer than expected hiatus from my dear blog. 

I want to apologize to you all for my extended leave of absence.  I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth.  I’ve been around, still trying and relishing new and tasty recipes.  But occasionally you just need a bit of a sabbatical from the things you enjoy especially when it gets harder and harder to find the time and passion to put words together, let alone stories, and burnout knocks on the door.  And sometimes, jobs, priorities, things outside of your control and life in general get in the way.  I just felt it was time to unplug for a little, long while.     

So, when life gets busy and you feel there aren’t enough hours in a day for everything you have to do, you don’t want cooking to grab a big chunk out of that limited time.  You want a few ingredients to mix together and toss them in the oven or throw them on the stove and forget about them until it’s time to smell the fabulous concoction.  This recipe is utterly fast and easy to prepare and extremely versatile.  Light yet substantial, it delivers excellent results in no time.  Enjoy! 

Penne with Lemon, Garlic and Thyme Mushrooms

Adapted from Nigella Lawson via Food52

Serves 4 to 6

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small clove garlic, minced

4 cups (8 ounces) finely sliced mixed mushrooms such as cremini, portabella, shiitake, oyster and chanterelle

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, zested and juiced

4 sprigs fresh thyme stripped to give 1 teaspoon leaves

1 pound penne pasta or other pasta shape you like

Freshly grated Parmesan, to taste (or any other cheese you have on hand or you like; I used Havarti cheese) 

1 bunch fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, leaves chopped, to give 1/2 cup (or more if you like; I love fresh parsley so I never measure it)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions.

While pasta is cooking: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.  Stir well and then add the lemon zest, juice and thyme leaves, and cook the mushrooms for 5 to 7 minutes until tender. 

Drain the pasta reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.  Add the pasta to the mushroom mixture and toss well.  Add the grated cheese and toss again to coat the pasta.  Finish with the parsley and mix well.  Add the pasta water, about ¼ cup at a time, to loosen the pasta if needed. 

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto

With summer finally here, the markets abound with fresh herbs, making this season the perfect time to transform those tender greens from mere garnishes into the stars of your meals.  Therefore, I’d like to introduce you to this vibrant and vegetarian recipe of Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto!    

  

What I really love about this summer dish, besides its sublime simplicity, is its daring versatility.  Although, basil is the main player in the classic pesto, replacing it with the sturdy, more affordable and available year-round parsley makes for a bright and balanced sauce.  Swapping in walnuts (which I always have lingering in my pantry) for almonds also works wonders.  Tossing in some garlic instead of chives will nicely boost the entire mixture.  Lastly, adding white cheddar in lieu of “the king of cheeses” never worked better.  Needless to say, this recipe is wide open to adaptations; personally, I prefer the parsley, flat-leaf or curly, whichever I can get my hands on, but feel free to try it with basil or cilantro for a new dimension and elegant transformation.     

There’s nothing labor-intensive about this meal; in fact, you don’t even have to cook anything but the pasta, yet the flavors and nuances are complex and sophisticated.  The freshness and vivid color of the parsley shine through.  The nuttiness of the almonds adds depth, while the subtle garlicky aroma fades quietly in the background.  The floral olive oil and the mild sharpness of the cheese enhance the herbal notes and make this dish mighty successful.  Enjoy and Happy Fourth of July!  

  

         

Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto

Adapted from Bon Appétit (June 2013)

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

·         1 lb. spaghetti or bucatini

·         Kosher salt

·         ½ cup unsalted, roasted almonds or walnuts

·         4 cups (packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (curly parsley also works well)

·         1 clove of garlic (the recipe calls for  ¾ cup chopped fresh chives, but I don’t always have them on hand and I found that garlic works very well, too)

·         ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

·         ½ cup finely grated white cheddar cheese or Parmesan

·         Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.  Drain, reserving about 2 cups of pasta cooking liquid.    

Meanwhile, pulse the almonds in a food processor until smooth.  Add the parsley, garlic, oil and cheddar cheese, and process until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Toss the pasta and pesto in a large bowl, adding pasta cooking liquid, ¼ cup at a time, until saucy.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Do ahead: Pesto can be made 5 days ahead.  Cover the surface directly and chill.

Note:  You can also try this recipe with basil or cilantro. 

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Mac and Cheese (with Bacon and Mushrooms)

I’ll go straight to the point and admit that I’m infatuated with homemade Mac and Cheese.  That being said and on the record, I also admit that I seldom make this legendary American classic.  And it’s most likely because mac and cheese is not such a cultural statement in Romania as it is here.  Of course, I know what it is and I ate it frequently as a kid (or so my mom says), but it was never deeply ingrained into my upbringing.  When Romanians talk about mac and cheese, we usually see it as dessert since we sometimes throw in sugar; or as a snack on a cold afternoon, or a light lunch, at best, and always after a generous bowl of soup.  And the preparation is typically less sophisticated.       

Still, this sinful comfort food must grace my tongue from time to time.  And my take on Barefoot Contessa’s recipe was the first American version of mac and cheese that I had ever tried.  It’s probably not your basic mac and cheese and more of a fancy adaptation of the classic but it’s utterly divine.  Funny how boiling some pasta, drowning a hefty amount of cheese in a puddle of thick and tasty white sauce, and baking everything together can send you straight to heaven with a mouthful.  The crusty top doesn’t hurt at all either; and while in the oven, the tomatoes wrinkle nicely and release their charming sweet acidity to cut through the cheesy richness and brighten the flavors.  Simply sublime!  

Over time, I played around with the recipe and tossed in simple ingredients like bacon and mushrooms that made the familiar gooey and creamy delight so much more special.  The smokiness of the bacon and the meatiness of the mushrooms are simply unbeatable.  In essence, a festival of flavors will explode in your mouth.  And I know that the Super Bowl is all about the ultimate comfort food, but if you decide to ditch it for this mac and cheese you will not be disappointed.      

Mac and Cheese (with Bacon and Mushrooms)

Adapted from Mac and Cheese by Barefoot Contessa

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients:

·         Kosher salt

·         Olive oil

·         1 pound elbow macaroni

·         Optional: 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ½ -inch pieces

·         Optional: ½ pound Portabella mushrooms, sliced

·         4 cups whole milk

·         8 Tablespoons unsalted butter (plus 1 Tablespoon – optional), divided

·         ½ cup all-purpose flour

·         12 ounces Jarlsberg or Gruyère cheese, grated

·         8 ounces white Cheddar cheese, grated

·         ½ teaspoon black pepper

·         ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         2 large tomatoes

·         1 cup bread crumbs

 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water.  Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6-8 minutes.  Drain well and put in a large bowl.

If you decide to toss in some bacon and mushrooms in your mac and cheese, this is what you have to do:  Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 6-8 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel and set aside.  Add the mushrooms to the skillet (there will be bacon drippings left in the skillet), season with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until cooked, 5-7 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a paper towel and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat but don’t boil it.  Melt 6 Tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot over medium-low heat and add the flour.  Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for 10-12 minutes until thickened and smooth.  Off the heat, add the Jarlsberg, Cheddar, 1 Tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Whisk everything together. 

Pour the sauce over the macaroni and stir well.  (If using bacon and mushrooms, this is when you add them to the party and stir well.)  Pour into a 3-quart baking dish. 

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top.  Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter in a skillet, combine them with the bread crumbs and toast slightly.  Sprinkle on the top.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top. 

        

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)       

The vegetable, the meat and the pasta

Ever since my first Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S., I thought that side dishes are as important as the turkey.  After all, the turkey on its own is just plain, old, dry, boring meat.  It needs something to bounce it out of the ball park and make it shine.  And there is where side dishes rush in.  Growing up, my grandma Vicki always served a side next to a meat dish in order to balance out the richness of the meat, the colors and, why not, the healthy aspect of the dish.  You had the starch, a role usually played by the always fabulous potatoes; you had the meat, whether it was pork, chicken, turkey, duck or beef, it had to be present; and then, you had the vegetable.  My favorite side dish was always peas.  I love peas!  Those small, sweet pearls are not only good looking, but also healthy and delicious.  Dress them up in a nice, sweeter sauce and you can make them spectacular!   

I’m a big fan of the show The Next Iron Chef on Food Channel.  I guess that by now you have realized that I watch the Food Channel religiously.  On this show, the judges continuously remind the contestants (who in this season are all famous chefs) that less is usually more in this competition and in Kitchen Stadium.  If a chef cooks two or three different dishes on the same plate, he allows the judges to critique his dishes individually, which is usually a recipe for disaster.  Basically, the chef is evaluated against himself. 

Anyway… you sometimes have to take risks in order to succeed.  This is exactly what chef Beau MacMillan did on a recent episode.  Chef MacMillan and Chef Hughes were in the bottom two and had to face each other to remain in the competition.  The two chefs had to cook a dish in 30 minutes using a secret ingredient, which this time was tofu.  Tofu…really?  I usually get out of my way to stay away from tofu.  Personally, I think that tofu is a very difficult ingredient to work with, and especially to make it the star of your dish.  However, Chef MacMillan did it flawlessly.  And on top of that, he cooked the tofu three different ways.  He actually had three different dishes on the same plate.  Nonetheless, those three different, creative dishes, cooked beautifully helped him remain in the competition and gave him another chance to be the Next Iron Chef. 

So, having Chef Beau MacMillan as my inspiration, I’ve decided not to stop with just one recipe, just one suggestion for your ultimate Thanksgiving side dish, but to offer you three different and absolutely delicious options.  Please feel free to pick your favorite.  In the end, they are all sensational Thanksgiving sides!  First up are the sweet green peas.  They are my favorite side dish! 

Sweet Green Peas

By Simply Romanesco inspired by my Grandma Vicki

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:

·         3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 pound (500 grams) frozen peas

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         2 teaspoons sugar

·         1 heaped Tablespoon all-purpose flour

·         ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the peas and cook until the ice melts and the water starts boiling.  Cover the peas halfway with up to 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook the peas for about 5 minutes.  Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of sugar and stir well.  Add the chopped parsley and stir.  Add the flour and stir until you get a nice sauce consistency.  Cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Carefully season with more salt and sugar, if necessary, to get the perfect balance between salty and sweet.

These peas are salty-sweet and creamy, but light at the same time.  The parsley is a fresh finishing touch, which brightens up the entire dish.  Moreover, I know that green beans are very popular on the Thanksgiving table.  But if you want to switch it up a bit and try something new this year, these green peas are the perfect substitute!

If you want a meaty side dish, I have the perfect ball…that is the perfect meatball.  These Romanian meatballs are a great appetizer or a great side dish for Thanksgiving.  They are dense, rich, flavorful and, oh, so delicious.  Once you’ve tried one, you’ll be eating them by the dozen.  

Chiftele – Romanian Meatballs

By Simply Romanesco inspired by my Grandma Vicki

Serve: 20+ regular size patties or 30 small meatballs  

Ingredients:

·         Up to 1 cup vegetable oil

·         2 pounds (1 kilogram) ground pork

·         4-5 slices of bread

·         1 medium yellow onion, grated

·         2 russet potatoes, peeled and grated

·         5 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 eggs

·         1 Tablespoon kosher salt

·         ½ teaspoon black pepper

·         1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

·         1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

·         ¼ teaspoon dry oregano

·         ¼ teaspoon dry thyme

Instructions:

Put the ground pork in a large bowl.  Soak the slices of bread in water and then squeeze out the extra water.  Add them to the meat.  Add the grated onion, grated potatoes, minced garlic, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, dill, oregano and thyme.  Mix them all together.  Don’t be afraid to use clean hands.  It will make the job a lot easier!  Using your wet hands, make 2x1 inch patties or roll small portions of the meat mixture between your palms and form 1 inch balls.    

In a skillet, heat up the oil over medium heat.  Turn the heat down to medium-low.  Add the patties or the meatballs and cook them for 8-10 minutes (the patties) on each side, 6-7 minutes (the meatballs), or until they are browned well on all sides.  Enjoy and have a ball!   

OMG!  I made my first pasta from scratch, the other day!  How awesome is that?  And I didn’t even need a pasta machine!  I made Giada’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter recipe.  Sweet potatoes are a traditional side dish for Thanksgiving and it’s a crime, literally, to leave them out!  This wonderful recipe is the perfect alternative to serving just plain sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Adapted slightly from Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves: 6-8 servings (about 100 gnocchi)

Ingredients for the Gnocchi:

·         2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams (about 3 medium potatoes)

·         2/3 cup ricotta cheese

·         1 ½ teaspoons salt

·         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         1 ¼ to 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface

Ingredients for the Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter:

·         ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

·         20 fresh sage leaves 

·         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         2 Tablespoons maple syrup

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

For the Gnocchi:  Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork.  Bake the sweet potatoes (I used yams and the gnocchi still turned out great) until tender and fully cooked, between 40 to 55 minutes depending on size.  Cool slightly.  Cut in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.  Mash the sweet potatoes and transfer to a large measuring cup to make sure the sweet potatoes measure about 2 cups.  Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes back to the large bowl.  Add the ricotta cheese, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and blend until well mixed.  Add the flour, ½ cup at a time until a soft dough forms and the mixture is not sticky.  Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough in a ball on the work surface.  Divide the dough into 6 equal balls.  Roll out each ball into a 1-inch wide rope.  Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.  Roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork.  Transfer the formed gnocchi to a large baking sheet.  Continue with the remaining gnocchi. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the gnocchi in 3 batches and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes.  When they are about done, the gnocchi will float to the surface.  Drain the gnocchi using a slotted spoon onto a baking sheet.  Tent with foil to keep warm and continue with the remaining gnocchi. 

For the Brown Butter sauce:  While the last batch of gnocchi is cooking, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  When the butter has melted, tear up and add the sage leaves.  Continue to cook, swirling the butter occasionally, until the foam subsides and the milk solids begin to brown.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.  Careful, the mixture will bubble up!  Gently stir the mixture.  When the bubbles subside, toss the cooked gnocchi in the brown butter.  Transfer the gnocchi to a serving dish and serve immediately.  

With this recipe you get the sweet potatoes and the pasta all in one dish, as well as an abundance of traditional Thanksgiving flavors.  You get the earthiness from the sage, the spiciness from the cinnamon, and the smokiness from the maple syrup.  The gnocchi just melt in your mouth and the whimsical aromas of the brown butter infuse the entire house. 

So, here you have it: three different, yet all decadent and superb side dishes.  Whichever one you pick for your Thanksgiving feast, will be a hit!  Guaranteed!  Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)