I saw these beautiful shitakes for sale, from the good folks at , Turkey Hill Farms at the Farmers Market and I couldn’t resist.

I wanted to add some dried mushrooms and had some Paddystraw in my pantry so I went with those. They worked well because their flavor was delicate enough not to mask the shitakes.

This makes enough for about 1/2 pound of pasta, for 4 small first course servings. I used spaghetti but fettuccine would work great. Put up the pasta water first so you can time the pasta being done right around the same time as the sauce.

Recipe:

1/2 pound shitake
4oz. Dried and reconstituted mushrooms (liquid reserved)
1tbs each extra virgin olive oil and butter
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 tbs. brandy
1 tbs sliced fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup reserved mushroom water
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese.

Cook onions slowly in butter and oil with a pinch of salt, about 8 min. Add garlic for few more minutes. Add shitakes—saute for about 3 min. Add brandy to deglaze pan. Add reserved mushrooms, broth and liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer for about 20 min.

Just before serving add cream, grated cheese and sage leaves.

Put the hot, drained pasta into the pan with the sauce and toss for about 2 minutes.

Serve and enjoy. We drank a simple Orvieto Classico with it and it worked well.

The ingredient this week is Mushrooms. What a choice . . . chanterelles, cremini, portobello, shitake, morels. I picked the dried porcici. Even the Flavor Bible says that the porcini goes with Italian Cuisine. Bellisimo! I see that Deborah also posted a Risotto recipe ~ great minds think alike! We are working each week with the same ingredient. We may see several recipes that are similar. I'm looking at how many different ways I can make Risotto :-)

Wild Mushroom Risotto
1 Tbs OLIVE OIL
1 cup ONION
1 pkg porcini mushrooms (dried)
1 cup crimini mushrooms
2 Tbs fresh THYME
1 Tbs fresh TARRAGON
1 cup ABORINO RICE
1/2 cup DRY WHITE WINE
1/2 cup PARMESAN cheese
5 cups porcini broth (reserved from soaking mushrooms and a couple of broth cubes)
Soak dried mushrooms in warm water to reconstitue. Dice onion and mushrooms, reserving broth from porcini. Add thyme and tarragon to the broth and simmer on low heat.
Heat oil in a large pan. Add onions and sauté until tender. Add rice and cook until translucent. Stir in wine and cook over low heat until the liquid is absorbed. Slowly add broth 1 cup at a time, stir and cover. When liquid is absorbed repeat with the simmering broth. When all the broth is absorbed, vigorously stir in cheese.
Yum ~ comfort food!
Y'all enjoy~
Sandi

This was a hard challenge for me. I love cabbage and eat it quite often, but it seems like by ways of cooking it are very simple-saute it in a stir fry, or just brown it in a skillet with a little olive oil. Or make it into a salad. I was going to post the salad I make, which is very low in calories and very healthy. I thought it was too simple. Shredded cabbage, almonds, dried cranberries, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, salt and pepper. You can also add some cooked chicken if you would like some protein.

But that is not the recipe I chose to feature. As I was thinking about what to create, I saw a recipe in Food & Wine for a Italian pasta with cabbage and potatoes. The cabbage and potatoes were steamed, and become a quite soft texture. I decided to cook cabbage the way I normally do, add some potatoes, leeks, and spices, and mix that with whole wheat pasta. The results were prettey healthy and delicous.

Pasta with Cabbage and Potatoes
Serves 4

17 oz whole wheat pasta
1/2 green cabbage, thinly sliced
3/4 lb potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice (mine were small potatoes, and I didn't peel them)
1/2 leek, cut in half and thinly sliced
1/2 onion, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin oilve oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated Paremsano Reggiano cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add leeks, onions, and garlic. Cook until onions/leeks begin to soften.
2. Add the potatoes. Cook at med high heat until potatoes begin to soften. Add the cabbage, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook until all vegetables are tender and beginning to brown. Adjust temperature as needed.
3. While vegetables are cooking, cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until al dente.
4. When pasta is al dente, drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of water.
5. Add the pasta to the onion mixture, along with 1 cup pasta water. Stir well.
6. Remove from heat, and add cheese. Stir until combined well.
7. Place on plates and serve.

If y'all followed us during our Pomodori e Vino adventure, you will remember the quest I was on to find fresh chestnuts. It was January and apparently chestnuts are a seasonal item at the Piggly Wiggly. This time I was on the hunt. The minute I saw chestnuts I scooped them up. Now . . . what to do with them? ? ?
I can remember holding a bag of roasted chestnuts while wandering Christmas Bazaars in Germany; not only did they warm my freezing fingers, but they helped dilute the effects of the gluwein. I don't remember them being all that tastey.
I checked the Flavor Bible. . . and the flavors seemed to fit. Why not give ravioli a try? As usual, I have capitalized the flavors that are recommended.
Chestnut Ravioli in Marscarpone Sauce with Sage
Chestnuts In Their Shells (6 ounces)
Ricotta Cheese (6 ounces)
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg
3 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
4 Eggs
Mascarpone Cheese (6 ounces)
fresh Sage Leaves
Cut an X in the shells of the chestnuts with a sharp knife. Roast at 400° for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool, then peel.
Combine chestnut meat, ricotta, zest of fresh nutmeg and salt in a processor until smooth.
Make the pasta dough by combining the flour and eggs. Roll the dough out in wide strips. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the filling at 2 inch spots along one side of each strip. Folding each strip lengthwise back over the filling and press well around the filling. Cut the ravioli with a press or ravioli wheel.
Cook the fresh ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water for 5 to 7 minutes or until they rise to the surface.
Put the mascarpone in the top of a double boiler. Mince the sage and add to the marcarpone. Heat just until melted. Serve over warm ravioli.

Happy Cooking y'all~
Sandi

It seems weird to be posting a decidedly fall dish on December 24th but such is the world of blogging. Chestnuts are a late fall thing according to the book but I think Christmas might be the season - I can recall fall travels to New York and seeing old guys roasting them on the street corners. Heck, chestnuts even feature in popular Christmas songs (everybody sing along with me now . . . . chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . . Jack Frost nipping at your nose . . .).

Up until last year I had only ever seen or read about chestnuts. When I had to do my recipe for the previous blog challenge all I got to do was to boil them in red wine resulting in an OK result that was messy and made my fingers very, very wine stained for weeks causing my colleagues to worry about me.

One of the challenges with chestnuts is in cleaning those suckers. The internet is full of tales of exploding chestnuts when folks tried to roast them without cutting open the shells properly or of folks requiring extensive red wine therapy after trying to remove the bits of shells from the tender nuts. Really, there is nothing inviting about chestnuts . . . and then you taste them and think 'wow, it was worth it!' For the record, I used the technique that Amy blogged about yesterday and it worked a charm.

When I was perusing the chestnut entry in the 'Flavor Bible' I quickly realized that I go to sweet or savoury and is my style I went svoury. I combined brandy, butter, cream, mushrooms, onions, pepper, pasta, sage, stock (chicken), and thyme in this recipe. The result was amazing!!!!

Gnocchi with Fall Vegetables and Chestnut Sauce

1 lb fresh gnocchi
3 tbsp butter, divided
2 cups sliced cremini or button mushrooms, about 6 oz
3 cups cubed winter squash, about ½ inch pieces
1 small leek, thinly sliced white and light green parts only
¾ cup chicken broth or stock, divided
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
3½ oz cleaned chestnuts, chopped, about ⅔ cup
2 tbsp brandy
½ cup whipping cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Shaved parmigiano cheese

Cook gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions, usually 3 to 4 minutes or until those little suckers float to the top of the boiling water. Drain, briefly rinse under cold running water and drain again. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp butter in frying pan over medium to medium-high heat until hot and bubbly. Add mushrooms; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Add another 1 tbsp butter to frying pan. Sauté squash cubes until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle sliced leeks and chopped sage over top. Add ¼ cup chicken broth; cover and reduce heat so vegetables simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until just tender - NOTE - do not go upstairs and visit facebook on your PC whilst this is happening as you may burn your squash if the liquid cooks off . . . just saying . Add to mushrooms; keep warm.

Chop chestnuts. Heat final 1 tbsp butter in same frying pan over medium heat until hot and bubbly. Sauté chestnuts for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned; deglaze pan with brandy (mmmmm brandy - glaze the cook's eyes titch by swigging some straight out of the bottle).

Stir in remaining ½ cup chicken broth, cream and thyme. When bubbling, add gnocchi. Cook, stirring gently, until hot and thick. Taste; add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.

In warmed serving dish, heap gnocchi and sauce. Place vegetable mixture on top of gnocchi. Garnish with sprinklings of green onion and shaved parmigiano cheese. Serve right away.

Our ingredient this week is oysters. I had plans to make oysters on the half shell with a champagne granita. The only problem was my husband won't eat raw oysters, and I waited until the last minute to buy fresh oysters, so I was afraid they would all be gone. So I switched gears and decided to make something using canned smoked oysters.

I decided to make an Spaghetti Carbanara with Smoked Oysters. I thought the smokiness of the oysters would match the smokiness of the bacon. The results were good, but the pasta was really rich. Serve this in very small portions. I'm not a big oyster fan, so I actually liked the pasta better without them, but if you like smoked oysters, then I think you'll really like this dish. And by the way, it's not a true carbanara. I added leeks, mushrooms, and used parmesan cheese.

Pasta Carbanara with Smoked Oysters
4-6 servings

1 lb dried spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 oz bacon,cut into thin strips
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 leek, cut in half and thinly sliced
6 cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 eggs
1 cup parmesan regianno cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Bring water to boil. Add pasta and cook 8-10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over med heat. Add bacon and saute until bacon is almost crispy. Add leeks, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute until leeks and mushrooms are tender.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and cheese together until there are no lumps. Set aside.
4. Add hot drained pasta to the skillet wtih the bacon mixture. Toss to coat well. Remove from heat.
5. Pour the egg/cheese mixture over the pasta and quickly stir to mix well and keep the eggs from scrambling. Thin out the sauce with the reserved pasta water if needed.
6. Season with salt if needed and lots of coursely ground black pepper. Top with the chopped parsley.

You don't naturally think of Tallahassee as Oyster country but we are just 40 minutes from the gulf coast and very near Apalachicola, famous for it's oysters. We can buy them in the shells, of course but these pre-shucked and very fresh oysters, from near by Eastpoint, make it easy to incorporate oysters into this wonderful pasta dish:

Linguine with Oysters, Shrimp and Bay Scallops

16 ounces of shucked oysters
8 large shrimp
1/2 pound small scallops (bay scallops)
1 onion chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup cream
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
a few grinds of black pepper

1 pound Linguine

Put the butter and olive oil into a large sauté pan. Add the onion and celery and cook about 15 minutes.

Add the flour and cook another 10 minutes.

Put the oysters into a small saucepan with their liquor and the 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat and cook for about 2 minutes or until the edges have begun to curl.

Drain the oysters and reserve 1 cup of the liquid. Put the saffron threads into the hot liquid. Set aside both the liquid and the oysters.

Slowly add the cream and the oyster liquid to make a creamy but not very thick sauce.

Add the shrimp and oysters first and bring back to a simmer, then add the little scallops. Keep it at a simmer for about 3-4 minutes, until the seafood is cooked. Stir in the parsley. Add the hot drained linguine to the pan and toss for 1 more minute.

Flavors from the Flavor Bible include: CREAM, butter, olive oil, onions, saffron and celery.

What to do with beef? SO many possibilities. I decided to try making braised short ribs, then turning them into ravioli.

Preheat oven to 350. Season short ribs with salt and pepper on both sides, and brown them on all four sides (about 2 min. per side) in a little olive oil. Set aside.

Next, I made a "soffritto" in a large Le Creuset French Oven: one onion, 3 celery stalks, 1 cup of carrots, and 3 cloves of garlic, all finely chopped, and cooked until tender in 2 T. olive oil.

Add about 3/4 c. of red wine, and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes, reducing wine.

Add 2 beef boullion cubes, 2 cans of tomato paste and 2 cups of chicken broth, stirring until boullion cubes are dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Add browned short ribs to pot, and put the pot into the preheated oven. Stir every 30-40 minutes, checking to make sure short ribs are still covered with sauce. Cook for 2 hours, until meat is fork tender.

Let short ribs and sauce cool enough to handle for ravioli. Meanwhile make your favorite pasta dough recipe. Cut thin dough into rectangles. Fill each rectangle with a small slice of fresh mozzarella, a piece of short rib, and a little sauce.

Seal edges well with your fingers, or a fork dipped in water.

Flash freeze ravioli on parchment on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. Store in a ziplock bag in the freezer until ready to use.

I served my ravioli in a parmigiano cream sauce:

4 T. butter
4 T. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 c. milk
3/4 c. parmigiano

Melt butter and add flour and salt stirring thoroughly. Add milk, and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in parmigiano.

Boil ravioli for 3-5 minutes, until they float and dough is tender. (This may take a couple minutes more if ravioli is frozen.) Drain ravioli well and place 4-6 on each plate. Spoon on the parmigiano sauce, then drizzle with some GOOD balsamic vinegar.
Serve immediately!

While this isn't the most creative use of this week's ingredient, I feel like it's a really useful recipe. Easy, delicious and reminiscent of 80's food it makes the perfect week night one-dish meal.

The Flavor Bible suggested: CHEESE, chicken, cream, garlic, olive oil, onions, pasta, red pepper flakes and wine

Broccoli Chicken Pasta

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Bunch Broccoli, stems chopped tops cut into florets
1-pound short pasta, like penne or rotini
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced long ways
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1+ cup grated Parmigiano cheese
2 Tablespoons cream
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt

Cut the chicken into cubes and put into a bowl. Add 2 cloves of garlic, well minced or put through a garlic press, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2-teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.

Put a large pot of water up to boil (enough for the pasta). Add about 3 tablespoons kosher salt. When the water comes to a boil, add the chopped broccoli and boil it for 4 minutes. Remove the broccoli to a colander but leave the water. When the water comes back to a rolling boil cook the pasta according the the package directions but 1 minute less—so it’s quite “al dente.”

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil with the crushed red pepper and cook the chicken in it for about 5 minutes stirring often to cook all sides.

Take the chicken out of the pan and add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken and broccoli back into the pan and stir to finish cooking. (Theoretically just until the pasta is ready.)

Add the drained pasta with about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, the cream and the cheese into the pan and stir for about 1 more minute. Serve immediately.

This dish is actually a favorite at our house.

Caramelize half an onion in a little olive oil. Saute chopped broccoli with the onions.
While you cook your pasta, add sausage that was browned in another pan. Add salt, black pepper and pepperocino (red chili flakes), and toss with drained pasta. Add parmigiano and enjoy!

Now here we are at the end of rabbit week . . . the gang has made some great dishes. The main commonality has been cooking that bunny long and slow. Rabbit is a lean meat (all of that incessant hopping will do that to you apparently) and it benefits from a long, slow cooking with plenty of liquids.

Like Amy, I have a titch of trouble compartmentalizing the tasty treat on my plate with those fluffy things that some folks keep as pets. Mind you, the compartmentalizing has gotten easier since the bunny population in the woods has exploded and the damn things wreak havoc on my garden. Besides, cows, pigs, and baby chickens are cute and I have no trouble chewing on any of those!

Because of the need for a long, slow cooking in plenty of liquid I decided to make a rabbit sugu (Ragu is another word to describe a nice meaty sauce but I can NOT bring myself to use the phrase since it was appropriated by a giant food conglomerate for a crap jarred pasta sauce).

Heck, we decided to go all out and make our own garganelli pasta to serve with this ragu. I had learned how to make this when we took a cooking class in Bologna. Garganelli are a type of pasta formed by rolling a flat, square noodle into a tubular shape. They can be made from smooth pasta or a ridged variant reminiscent of corduroy.

While garganelli are very similar to penne, they differ in that a "flap" is clearly visible where one corner of the pasta square adheres to the rest, as opposed to a perfect cylinder in penne. We learned to make them by rolling them on a dowel and then running it across a small frame with ridges to leave the marks. When cooked, the pasta and sauce adhere brilliantly because of both the hollow centre and the ridges.

Here we are making the garganelli:

The pasta recipe we used was dryer than I'm used to. I think I'll need to go back to the 2 cups of flour and 4 eggs that produces a lovely, soft, eggy pasta. Given that this was our first attempt at making garganelli and it had been almost two years since the cooking class I was pleased with the results:

We were impressed with the dish. It made far more than we could eat which was great because I know it will freeze well - another benefit from making a big pot of sugo . . . it is around for a while! *smile*

Rabbit Sugo

1 rabbit, about 3 lbs, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
7 or 8 whole peppercorns
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
flour for dredging
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups crushed tomatoes (I used one of those tetra containers of Pommi crushed tomatoes imported from Italy)

In a non-reactive container or zip-lock bag combine the wine, 1/2 cup olive oil, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns. Add the rabbit pieces, making sure they are well-covered with the marinade. Put in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

Bring rabbit to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before you start cooking with it.

Remove the rabbit from the marinade being sure to preserve the marinade. Gently pat the rabbit dry with a paper towel.

In a large sauté pan head the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, and onion. Sauté for about 7 minutes or until the onion is a golden brown.

Dredge the bunny pieces in flour (I put flour and bunny pieces in a zip lock bag and shook it up). Add to the pan and brown on each side for about 5 minutes.

Add the reserved marinade to the pan and stir to scrap all of the delicious browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes in the marinade.

Add the stock and crushed tomatoes.

Decrease the heat, cover, and cook slowly for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones.

Remove the rabbit from the sauce. When cool enough to handle shred the meat from the bones. Return the rabbit to the pan. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Serve.

now on to lentils . . . .

Y'all can probably guess that I am not a huge fan of lentils. Lentil soup . . . that is just a way to use a leftover ham hock.
So . . . my mission was to find a new way to serve lentils, using the Flavor Bible.I wanted to include fresh flavors, and add a little spice. Citrus, Kalamata olives, and garlic seemed like a good place to start. They say that Green lentils are more flavorful (maybe that has been my problem in the past).
Lentils with Mediterranean Flavors
1 tablespoon extra-virgin OLIVE OIL, plus 3 tablespoons
1 CARROT
1 small ONION
2 GARLIC cloves,
1 1/4 cups dried green lentils
4 cups CHICKEN STOCK
1 BAY LEAF
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 cup pitted kalamata OLIVES
1/2 cup fresh Italian PARSLEY
1/2 cup baby SPINACH
1/2 cup cherry TOMATOES
1 tablespoon chopped fresh THYME leaves
3 SCALLIONS
2 Tbs LEMON zest
Salt and freshly ground BLACK PEPPER
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced carrot, onion, and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils. Add 2 1/2 cups of broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer gently until the lentils are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the lentils to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, cook the rice with bay leaves and remaining broth until it is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a large fork. Transfer to the bowl with the lentils. Add the chopped olives, parsley, thyme, and lemon zest. Toss the rice mixture with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
It makes a fresh and flavorful base for grilled Salmon.
It was even better the next day as a salad!
Y'all enjoy~
Sandi

Red beans and rice is a traditional Southern dish. Y'all will feel like you have a bite of south in your mouth.
Ca c'est bon~ Just in time for Mardi Gras!
This is a recipe that I have enhanced a la Flavors. I will say this . . . In the Flavor Bible, Celery is not a recommended, but that would be like a Holy Trinity without Mary. The suggested 'flavors' have been Capitalized inthe recipe.
Red Beans and Rice a la Flavours
1 pound red kidney beans, dry
2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
1 large ONION, chopped
1 GREEN BELL PEPPER, chopped
5 ribs celery, chopped
5-6 cloves GARLIC
1 large smoked PORK Hock, 3/4 pound of Creole-style pickle meat (pickled pork), or 3/4 lb. smoked ham, diced, for seasoning
1/2 lb. CHORIZO
1 to 1-1/2 pounds ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE
1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 Tbs fresh PARSLEY (plus more for topping)
1 Tbs CHILI
TABASCO on hand
Pickled onions (minced sweet onion with a dash of spicy mustard)
Start by soaking the beans overnight, drain the water and cover the beans with a double volume of fresh water in the pot. (Seriously, this helps reduce the GAS!) Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Boil the beans for about an hour, until tender. Keep them covered with extra water. (save 2 cups of this beany water for the rice)
In a skillet, heat olive oil and stir in the Chorizo (removed from the casing), cook while breaking up the chunks. Sauté the holy trinity (diced onions, celery and bell pepper). Add the garlic and saute for couple more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slice the andouille sausage and add to the skillet.
After the red beans are boiled and partially drained, add the sausage and vegetables to the beans, then add the ham hock and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2 hours at least, preferably 3, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. (If the beans are not as creamy as you would like, take 1 or 2 cups of beans out and smish them then stir back into the pot)
When you are ready to cook the rice, use the reserved 'beany' water, and cook according to the package directions.
Serve with good French bread for dippin' and a healthy sprinkle of minced onions and parsley on top.
Let the good times Roll~~
Y'all enjoy!
Sandi

I love lobster, and kept my dish this week very simple. I used curly pasta, but any shape would work. Toss hot, drained pasta with 4 oz. of room temp mascarpone, 2 T. of butter, 2 T. of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and zest of one lemon. Top with the meat of two boiled lobster tails, toss, and serve. (Serves 2)

The flavor for the week is Lobster . . . Y'all know that I love a good lobster.
But ~ Honestly, I love them fresh, when I am in Boston. Paying $30 for a couple of tired looking tails is just a rip-off.
Which reminds me . . . Why did I agree to this cooking challenge?
I sucked it up and paid for my lobster .
Lobster apparently goes with any flavor. Butter is enough in my humble opinion ! Here I combined it with a good southern Mac and Cheese. I have capitalized the recommended flavors.
Lobster Mac and Cheese
3 Tbs BUTTER
3 Tbs flour
2 cups CHICKEN STOCK
juice of one LEMON
2 cups MILK
1 cup HEAVY WHIPING CREAM
1 1/2 pounds COLBY JACK CHEESE
1/2 cup marscapone CHEESE
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano CHEESE
Salt and freshly ground BLACK PEPPER
1 Tbs fresh THYME
1 Tbs fresh BASIL
1 pound large pasta shells, cooked in salted water to al dente
2 (2-pound) lobsters, steamed, meat removed from shells
Crumb Topping:
1 1/2 cups coarse breadcrumbs
1 tsp ANCHOVY PASTE
2 tsp grated LEMON zest
Melt the butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the hot stock, milk, and cream and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken. Cook for several minutes, whisking occasionally.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the grated cheese and marscapone, season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme, basil and pasta and stir until combined. Chop the lobster into bite-sized pieces and fold into the pasta. Pour into a buttered casserole dish or individual baking dishes.For the bread topping: Put toasted bread chunks into a small blender. Add the anchovie paste and lemon zest. Whir to crumble. Sprinkle generously over the pasta.
Bake at 350° until heated through and top is browned ~ about 20 minutes.
This was a meal in itself. Rich and Cheesy. It didn't do much to improve the Flavor of the Lobster . . . in fact, next time I'm using the inexpensive lobster substitute ! But I will make the Mac & Cheese again.
Y'all enjoy~
Sandi

Lobster is an interesting ingredient.

Years ago it was considered to be the food of the poor. Considered to be nothing more than mud roaches, no one with good breeding would serve up a lobster to a worthy dinner guest. Lobsters were only served to prisoners and indentured servants; in fact, those unfortunate souls were made to eat lobster every day of the week! When they rebelled, agreements were made so that they would not be fed lobster more than three times a week.

Imagine rebelling because you're forced to eat lobster!

If my mother knew she'd be feed lobster daily I suspect she rush out and commit a crime so she'd be locked up.

Confession time - I'm not a huge fan of lobster. I won't refuse to eat it but I won't go running to get some. I suspect it has a lot to do with the amount of work involved in eating a lobster. I'll enjoy a tail of a big claw but that is it. I don't want to work for 10 minutes to get a piece of meat so tiny it would need to be weighed on one of those super powerful scales they use to measure flakes of gold. I’m more apt to want a dish with lobster eat in it than a whole creature sitting on my plate.

I remember our first trip to Maine as kids. We all got lobsters out on a dock. Mom and dad sat at a rickety picnic table eating their lobster with glee. Rose and I stuffed the offending bits of lobster meat between the planks of the dock until we were caught wasting it and given a hot dog.

Fly forward 20 years and Rose married the son of a Nova Scotian lobster fisherman. We were always having lobsters arrive at the house. Even with a plentiful supply it didn't make me love it any more.

During our last trip to Maine we stayed in Portland for a few days. There we enjoyed an amazing dinner at 555. For my main course I had the most expensive item on the menu - truffled lobster "mac & cheese" - torchio pasta, butter-poached shucks Maine lobster, artisanal cheese blend, and shaved black truffles.

I decided that when it came to lobster week I'd try and recreate this recipe and add a few more Flavour ingredients. I had a big can of lobster meat in the freezer, a jar containing a fat black truffle from Italy in the pantry, and a variety of cheeses. I was good to go.

Then I heard that one of my co-Flavor cooks was making lobster mac and cheese - CRISIS. I thought about switching to something else but in the end decided I'd make mine different and hoprefully better (given Sandi's luewarm review of her dish apparently I scored there . . . clearly the Novan Scotian lobster was superior to the creature she added to her mac and cheese).

The end result was nothing short of brilliant if I do say so myself. This sure as hell wasn't your mother's mac and cheese - it was rich and delicious with a subtle lobster flavour and the gentle pungency of the black truffles. I loved the way the cheese sauce was infused with garlic and thyme. The wine added a great level of flavour to the entire dish.If you feel the need for a celebration of heck, if you just want to be happy, make this!

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese with Shaved Black Truffle

1 pound pasta - I did NOT want to use the traditional elbow noodles and used some fancier pasta we brought home from Naples for this dish
1 stick of butter
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup of flour
1 cup of white wine
4 1/2 cups of milk
2 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 lb cheese, grated (I used about 6 oz asiago, 6 oz aged white cheddar, 1 oz of blue cheese, and 3 oz gruyere).
Salt and pepper
1 lb lobster chopped meat (be sure to check for bits of shell or cartilage)
1 black truffle
2 cups of fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Drop the pasta into boiling, salted water and cook until almost al dente, about 10 - 11 minutes. Make sure the water tastes like a day at the beach, as the pasta will absorb it and become properly seasoned. The pasta should not be fully cooked; it should have just a touch of firmness when tasted. Drain well.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and thyme sprigs cook for several minutes until it softens. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, in effect toasting the mixture and adding flavour to it. This also infuses the sauce with garlic and thyme. Slowly stir in the wine and continue mixing until smooth and then add the milk, mixing until smooth. Continue whisking until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add cayenne, salt, pepper, and cheeses and stir until melted.

Add the lobster meat to the cheese mixture along with the pasta. Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper. Shave most of the black truffle into the mixture and stir to distribute the shavings evenly. Pour into a 9-inch by 13-inch ovenproof casserole or similar dish.

Mix the bread crumbs, thyme leaves, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Sprinkle the macaroni and cheese with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Prepare to be overwhelmed with love and adoration from all you serve it to . . . :-)

Y'all have all heard the saying " When life gives you Lemons ~ make sweet tea ".
Or something like that...
The weather has been beautiful, so I have been digging in the dirt a little. I have uncovered my mint and planted 5 kinds of basil.
Just what I need for a savory pan of Sweet Pea risotto. . .Why not add some Lemon to it for our flavor of the week ! I have capitalized the recommended flavors.

Lemon and Sweet Pea Risotto
4 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup WHITE WINE
2 cups frozen petite peas
1 cup Parmigiano CHEESE, grated
3Tbs fresh MINT
3 TbS fresh BASIL
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of one lemon
SALT & PEPPER

Whir herbs and broth in a blender to mince herbs. Add lemon zest and juice. Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cover and keep the broth warm over the low heat.Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until lightly browned. Stir in the Aborino rice and cook until the edges begin to turn translucent. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until it is completely absorbed.
Add a couple of ladles of the warm broth mixture to the rice and stir. Cook, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to cook, stirring in a ladle of the broth every few minutes, until the rice is cooked through and the liquid is absorbed Add the peas and cheese. Stir in another splash of broth if the risotto is too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the risotto immediately with a sprinkle of Parmigiano, lemon and sprig of basil.Y'all enjoy~
Sandi

Shrimp and grits is my summer go-to meal. A day out by the pool and this is something to throw todether. I have posted several recipes (I never seem to make it the same way twice)
This is a recipe that I have kicked up with flavors. . . The creamy corn grits are made into individual ramekins with smokey gouda cheese. The shrimp are simply panfried wth thick bacon and butter.
Bacon Shrimp with Creamy Corn Grits
1-1/2 pounds (12 to 15 count) shrimp
4 pieces thick bacon
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup quick-cooking grits
1 can creamed corn
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cream
1 cup smoked gouda cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails attached. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cut the bacon into 1 inch cubes.
Preheat the oven to 325°
Butter four 4-ounce ramekins and set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoon of the butter. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds. Add in 1 cup of the cream, and simmer. Add the grits, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thick, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the creamed corn. Remove from the heat to cool slightly. Stir in the cheese. In a large bowl, whisk 1/2 cup cream and the eggs. Gently fold the grits mixture into the egg mixture until combined and evenly divide among prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan, place in the oven and pour enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
In a large skillet, fry the bacon cubes. Remove to a paper towel and drain almost all of the grease. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, flipping as needed. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the hot pan, Stir in sliced green onions and add the shrimp and bacon and toss to coat. Remove the pan from the heat.
Take the cooled grits and run a knife around the edge of the ramekin and invert onto a serving plate. Top with shrimp and bacon. Sprinkle with a few green onions
Y'all enjoy~
Sandi

When I was in Naples last fall I had a wonderful pasta dish made with the canned tuna that Italy is famous for. You might read this and think 'canned tuna, really?'

Yes. Really.

I don't know what or how they do it but canned tuna, packed in olive oil is a wonderful thing.

So when I saw tuna coming up on the schedule I remember those cans of Italian tuna I had in the pantry and decided to recreate the dish. I suspect that the chef who developed the dish for the restaurant was from the south - the olives and pepper flakes speak to that. The result is a zesty plate of pasta that will leave you wanting more.

This dish comes together quickly making it perfect for a weeknight!

Spaghetti with Tuna, Tomato, Olives, and Arugula

1 pound dried spaghetti
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (use the best you have!)
3 large garlic cloves, or more to taste, finely minced
2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
2 6-ounce cans Italian tuna packed in olive oil, drained
1 small can crushed roma tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted, black olives, quartered
Kosher salt
1/2 to 3/4 pound baby arugula

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and boil until al dente.

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-low heat. Add the garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook until garlic is fragrant and sizzling. Add tuna and shred it into fine flakes with a fork. Add tomatoes and olives. Season with salt. Keep warm over low heat.

Just before the pasta is ready, set aside 1 cup of boiling water. Drain pasta and return it to the warm pot set over moderate heat. Add the arugula to teh pasta mixture. Toss vigorously (a good set of kitchen tongs works well here). The arugula will wilt in the heat of the pasta. If the sauce is too 'dry' add in the reserved pasta water.

Divide among warm bowls and serve immediately.

Italians would faint if one served cheese with a dish containing fish. Faint away - er grated some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.