Author Archives: Andy

PASTA WITH BASIL PESTO SAUCE

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1 pound of gemelli

2-3 cups young fresh basil leaves

½ cup olive oil

6 T. Parmigiano grated

2 T. Pecorino grated

2 cloves garlic

1 T. pine nuts

Salt                      

Wash and pat dry basil.  Crush a clove of garlic in the
mortar and add some basil (30 leaves per clove) and then a sprinkle of
salt.  Use the mortar to tear the basil until it turns into a bright green oily liquid.
Repeat the process until all of the basil and garlic are added.  Add the pine nuts and gently crush them into the mixture.  Next add the cheese.  When the cheese is mixed in, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and mix together.  At this point the pesto is ready to use. Cook the pasta, retaining some of the cooking water.  Drain the pasta and place it in a serving bowl.  Slowly mix in the pesto sauce and a few
tablespoons of cooking water as necessary if it looks dry.  Serve immediately with cheese.

PASTA: LINGUINE WITH MUSSELS

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  • 1 POUND LINGUINE

  • 2 POUNDS MUSSELS SCRUBBED WELL

  • ½ CUP OLIVE OIL

  • 1 CUP DRY WHITE WINE

  • 1 POUND CHERRY TOMATOES HALVED

  • 4 CLOVES GARLIC CHOPPED COARSLEY

  • 2 T. Italian parsley chopped

  • Salt and pepper

Remove any mussels that are broken and which do not close immediately if tapped.  Scrub the mussels well with a wire sponge or brush.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.  In a large skillet, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and sauté half of the garlic until golden.  Add the mussels and cover.  Cook for about 5-10 minutes or until the shells open – discarding any mussels that do not open.  Remove the mussels from the skillet with a slotted spoon and then remove all but 12 mussels from their shells.  Place all shelled mussels back into the
skillet with the remaining liquid.  In a separate skillet, sauté the remaining garlic in about ½ cup of olive oil.  When golden add the wine and tomatoes and
simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.  Add parsley, salt and pepper to taste.  Add this mixture to the large skillet containing the mussels and heat
together.  Add back the mussels remaining in their shells.  Meanwhile prepare the
linguine until al dente.  Drain and add to skillet with mussels.

RISOTTO FROM LIA ARNOLD

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  • ½ cup butter

  • 1 small onion

  • 1/3 pound field mushrooms

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 3 cups Arborio rice

  • 7 cups meat/chicken stock

  • ¼ cup parmegiano

Melt  half the butter in heavy pan and sauté onion until transparent not brown.  Slice mushrooms and add to pan.  Pour in wine and cook until almost evaporated.  Add rice and continue cooking until rice begins to change color.
Add ½ cup of stock.  Cook until absorbed.  Add another ½ cup and continue
like this until all stock is gone – about 20 minutes.  Add rest of butter and cheese, stir, cover and leave risotto to settle for about 2-3 minutes before serving.

SALAD FROM SANDIE KNOLLENBERG

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  • ½ cup olive oil

  • 3 T. red wine vinegar

  • 1 ½ t. sugar

  • 1 ½ t. mustard

  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped

  • ½ t. salt

  • Pepper to taste

Wisk all the above together for the dressing

  • ½ cup sugar

  • ½ cup pecans

Combine in skillet.  Cook over medium heat until sugar is melted.  Cool and break apart.

  • 1 head of leaf lettuce torn

  • 3 pears cored and chopped

  • 5 ounces of Roquefort and Feta cheese

  • 1 avacado chopped

  • 1 red pepper cut in strips

  • Pomegranate seeds

  • ½ cup thinly sliced green onions

BRACIOLE

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Sliced meat from round steak, sliced about 1’/2 inch thick and pounded to ¼ inch thick.  Two per person.

Filling:  raisins, pine nuts, parsley, basile, pecorino cheese and garlic chopped finely.  1 ½ T. of mixture per braciole, i.e 3 T. per person.

Brush pounded roundsteaks with a little oil.  Sprinkle filling evenly and press the mixture lightly into the meat.Roll up and brown rolls in olive oil.  Then use drippings in pan (but first remove all olive oil) and fresh olive oil to sautee onion and carlic.  Add two 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes along with some red wine.  Cook braciole in simmering sauce for 2 hours. Season with fresh basil, hot red pepper flakes.  Remove braciole and bring sauce to a boil for 10-15 minutes until thickened and measuring 5 cups.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour three cups of sauce over braciole and use remainder to coat 1 pound of freshly cooked pasta.

CHILE: TEXAS WHITE FROM NM

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  • 1 pound white beans soaked overnight and drained or a 48 oz jar of great northern beans drained

  • 1 ½ quarts chicken broth

  • 1 onion chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic chopped

  • 1 t. salt

Bring beans, broth onion, garlic and salt to boil.  Simmer
for at least 1 ½ hours.

    • ½ onion chopped sauted 3-5 minutes in 1 T. canola oil

    • Add:  1 4 oz can chopped green chilies undrained

    • 2 t. ground cumin

    • 2 t. oregano

    • 2 t. coriander

    • Pinch salt

    • Pinch cloves

Cook for 20 minutes.  Then add to bean mixture.

Roast 4 chicken breasts, remove meat and dice.  Put chicken in four bowls.  Spoon chili on top and sprinkle with ½ cup shredded Monteray Jack Cheese and 4 green onions sliced thinly.

STILTON AND WALNUT CRACKERS

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    • 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

    • 8 oz Stilton cheese crumbled at room temperature

    • 1 ½ cups flour

    • 2 t. kosher salt

    • 1 t. ground pepper

    • 1 large egg with 1 T. water

    • ½ cup roughly chopped walnuts

Mix butter and cheese.  Add flour salt and pepper.  Form into a 12 inch log.  Brush the log completely (all sides) with egg wash.  Then roll in walnuts until outside of roll is covered.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.  Cut into 3/8 inch thick slices and place on sheet pan covered with parchment paper.  Back at 350 degrees for 22 minutes.

GAZPACHO

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    • 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled

    • 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded

    • 4 plum tomatoes

    • 1 red onion

    • ]3 cloves garlic minced

    • 23 oz. Bloody Mary Mix

    • ¼ cup white wine vinegar

    • ¼ cup olive oil

    • ½ T. kosher salt

    • 1 t. ground pepper.

Roughly chop cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and onions into 1 inch cubes.  Put each begetable separately into food processor until it is coarsely chopped.
Do NOT over process.  After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Mix well and chill before serving.

PASTA: ED GARRUBBO’S RIGATONI AND MEAT BALLS

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  • 1 pound rigatoni

Sauce:

    • 1 28 oz can peeled Italian tomatoes

    • ½ cup olive oil

    • 1 onion chopped

    • 4-6 basil leaves

    • 1 t. salt

    • 1 t. pepper

Cop onion and fry in olive oil until golden brown.  Puree tomatoes and add to onion.  Add basil, salt and pepper.  Cook on low heat, uncovered for 1 hour until reduced.

Meat Balls

  • 1 pound chopped sirloin

  • ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 T. Parmigiano cheese grated

  • 1 t. salt

  • ½ t. white ground pepper

  • 2 eggs beaten

  • Milk as needed for bread

  • 4 slices Italian bread without crusts

Mix together dry ingredients and add beaten eggs.  Dip bread in milk, squeeze out most of liquid and mix into egg mixture.  Add meat and mix by hand.  Shape into 2” max meatballs.  In large skillet heat about ¼ cup olive oil.  When hot, place meatballs in skillet with enough room to flip easily. Cook on low heat until brown on all sides.  Remove and add to tomato sauce and cook for about an hour.

 

PASTA LASAGNA WITH SPINACH

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    • 1 pound lasagna

    • 1 pound spinach, cooked and chopped with liquid pressed out

    • 1 pound mozzarella cheese chopped

    • 16 oz ricotta cheese

    • ½ cup parmagiano cheese grated

    • 2 eggs

    • ½ t. each of salt and pepper

    • 1 28 oz can peeled tomatoes with basil

    • 1 onion chopped finely

    • ½  T. olive oil

    • 1 tsp salt and pepper

Sauté onion in olive oil until golden brown.  Puree tomatoes
and add to onions with salt and pepper.
Cook on low heat uncovered for 1 hour until reduced.

In large bowl mix eggs into ricotta, add ¾ of the mozzarella, the Parmigianino and the salt and pepper.

Cook the lasagna for ½ of the suggested package cooking time, drain and set aside.  Coat the bottom of a 9 x 11 pan with a little olive oil and then cover with ¾ cup of sauce.
Then a layer of lasagna, a layer of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the
spinach, ¾ cup of the sauce.  Repeat layers until you reach the top.  Cover
top with layer of lasagna and ¾ cup sauce, the remaining mozzarella and
generous sprinkle of Parmigianino.  Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 350 for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and cook for 10-15 minutes until top is brown.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.