Daily Unadventures in Cooking » Italian

Italian Sausage and Veal Ragu

katerina — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:20:33 +0000

It’s time to take a pause from all the salads and grilled food, I think you all need some meaty comfort food. At least we did. Ragus are Italian based meat sauces, usually served on pasta and usually cooked long and slow.

This is a sauce which uses crushed fennel seeds, raw fennel as an aromatic, and Italian sausage, with, well, obviously: fennel. That said, the anise flavour is in subtle enough quantities that it adds an extra sweetness to the overall sauce and brings out the light flavour of the veal and pork. Grab your sweetie and a bottle of chanti.

Shrimp with Tomato and Feta Polenta

katerina — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:25:06 +0000

Am I alone in my cravings for polenta? I just love curling myself under a blanket on the couch with a big bowl to dig into. I relish plunging my fork in to find the nuggets of cheese and meat that are encased inside it’s pillowy depths. Oh my, it sounds like a rather private activity doesn’t it? I swear this can be family friendly, this polenta-thing. Really.

Now, since I’m Italian, this is a shrimp and polenta recipe, but really it is very similar to a shrimp and grits recipe. Ever wondered what the difference is between grits and polenta? Not much. The main difference is that grits have been treated with lye to make them a more nutrient soluble food. Traditionalists will also say that grits are made from hominy whereas polenta is purely cornmeal.

Polenta is also a great way to clean out your fridge. Stir cooked stews, roast vegetables, or grated cheese into your polenta and you will have an easy weeknight meal. Plus, compared to many comfort carbs like potatoes or pasta, cornmeal is a skinny jean friendly choice. It’s even gluten free. For the record, gluten is not somethig I care about, but my jeans fitting can affect me greatly since I would rather cook than shop.

Pork Loin in Milk Recipe

katerina — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:47:43 +0000

The sauce that this pork recipe produces is truly unique—in flavour and in texture. In fact it basically curdles and turns brown, but it’s a good thing. The flavour is nutty and the lemon really bursts through. Next time I may blend the sauce for a prettier presentation. Or not, it is really up to you.

If you spend anytime on Chowhound you may have heard of an infamous Marcella Hazan recipe of a pork loin braised in milk. This pork in milk recipe has since been adapted by Saveur and Epicurious and undoubtley hundreds of others. An Italian classic recipe by Marcella which I hadn’t tried? For shame.

When I make this again— and I will make this again—I will probbaly use a slightly different cut of pork. The pork itself was a little dry and I think a pork butt might be better as suggested by the Chow boards.

Pork Loin in Milk Recipe
(serves 2-4)
Adapted from The Classic Italian Cookbook and Saveur

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb boneless pork loin
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, degermed and halved
1 small handful sage leaves
5 strips lemon zest
1 3/4 cup whole milk

Pat pork dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a medium dutch oven to medium-low heat and add oil and brown pork well on all sides, remove to a plate. Roughly clean out any browned bits with a paper towel. Add butter, garlic and sage and cook, stirring regularly until garlic just starts to brown. Add pork back to the pot with any juices. Scatter lemon peel around and add milk. Cover the pot partially and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, flipping meat occasionally until tender and milk has reduced and turned into lightly golden curds, about 3-4 hours. Remove meat to a cutting board and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with sauce.

Ham and Mushroom Lasagne Recipe

katerina — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:12:36 +0000

Every year for J’s birthday I give him his choice of what he wants for dinner, anything goes. Frequent choices are lamb shanks, spaghetti bolognese or penne with zucchini. This year he told me to cook whatever I wanted that I thought he would like. I chose to adapt a lasagne from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking as he loves Italian food.

This lasagne is quite different then the traditional american lasagna with no tomato sauce at all. The dried mushrooms give the sauce a rich, earthy depth of flavour and the bechamel is creamy and delicious. While the ham is nice, I think a vegetarian version omitting the ham would also be fantastic. Oh and J was very pleased. Though he is fond of what he ate as a child, he said it might be the best lasagne he has ever had. Thanks again Marcella.

This is definitely a weekend meal as there are many steps and it probably takes at least 60 minutes of labor even before baking. If you are looking for something quicker and simpler it tastes quite similar to this creamy linguine with ham and peas. However, the work you put into the lasagna will be worth it, I promise.

Ham and Mushroom Lasagne Recipe
(makes 8×8 lasagna, about 6 servings)
(Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking)

1/2oz dried porcini or boleto mushrooms
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup whole Italian tomatoes, drained and chopped
1-2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1/2 dozen large white or cremini mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
1 portobello, washed and thinly sliced
1 package italian Lasagna noodles
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup ham, thinly sliced into strips
1 2/2 cups freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano

Add dried mushrooms to 2/3 cup warm water. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. Carefully remove mushrooms without disturbing water too much. Pour soaking water through a cheesecloth or paper towel lined wire strainer and set aside. Rinse mushrooms under water and carefully remove any grit, squeeze dry, roughly chop and set aside.

In a large saute pan with a lid, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring regularly. Add chopped reconstituted mushrooms, tomatoes, parsley and mushroom soaking water. Turn heat down to medium low and partially cover. Simmer gently until liquid is gone. Add fresh mushrooms turn up the heat to medium high and stir regularly. The mushrooms will release liquid. Cook until liquid is absorbed again and mixture is generally dry. Taste and correct for seasoning. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook lasagna noodles to package directions, leaving slightly al dente. Drain and set aside. (You can keep them from sticking in several ways, separated on damp dish towels or oiled parchment paper.)

Preheat oven to 400F. Make the bechamel. In a sauce pan melt the 4 tablespoons of butter, bring heat to medium and whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to a gently simmer, whisking until nice and thick. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to start. Than correct and taste for seasoning. Reduce heat to low and stir occasionally while assembling lasagna.

Now it is time to assemble the lasagna. First gently butter an 8×8 dish. Put down a layer of noodles then scatter with a layer of mushrooms, using about 1/4 of the mushrooms. Top with a quarter of the ham, then 1/5 of the bechamel and 1/5 of the cheese. Top with another layer of noodles. Do 3 more layers like this. The last layer should end with noodles, then the last of the bechamel topped with some cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes covered with aluminum foil, remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Spaghetti with Truffles Recipe

katerina — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:32:00 +0000

What would you do if you had one black truffle? Would you use it sparingly, or use it all up in one amazing meal? Amazing meal, obviously. According to Marcella Hazan, “This dish should be reserved for lovers“. Yes, yes indeed reading that was enough to convince me this was the recipe to use my one truffle with. Plus, I am a sucker for pasta.

I like this dish because it is so simple that I was really able to taste the truffle on it’s own. Pungent, earthy and very mushroom like. Delicious. I have never bought or used truffle oil before but I have already sourced some in Vancouver and can’t wait to try more! I understand that canned truffles can also be pretty good, any suggestions? There some great suggestions on Wednesday, I am sure risotto would be delicious, but what is your favorite way to use truffles?