Bolognese…. for days

02/05/2020 by Laura 1 Comment

We were surprised when we didn’t find this recipe here on the blog, since it’s something we make a couple times a year. With a little searching, it turns out we had posted it “way back when”. It was not our best work…I hope you find this updated, refreshed post much more appealing!

This is a “go big, or go home” recipe. It’s a bit of work and is best when left to simmer all day. We’ve adapted it to our biggest stock pot*, by tripling the recipe. We like to stock our freezer with this sauce, for a quick meal or to make an extra special lasagna. Use the best ingredients you can afford, including imported Italian tomatoes…they do make a difference.

* Le Creuset #34, 13.25 quarts. Weight is 21 pounds. Not sure how many more years I’ll be able to toss this baby around the kitchen!

Bolognese Sauce

Adapted from Food & Wine, September 2003, 25 Favorite Classics, by Marcia Kiesel

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 celery rib, finely diced

1 pound coarsely ground beef chuck

1 pound coarsely ground pork

1/4 pound mortadella, cut into 1/4-inch dice (optional)

1 small can tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

Two 28-ounce can Italian whole tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in the oil. Add the garlic, pancetta, carrot, onion and celery and cook over moderately low heat until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and pork and cook over moderate heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the mortadella and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, the stock, nutmeg and 1 tablespoon each of the parsley and basil and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick. I like to simmer this sauce at least 4 hours.

Reduce heat to very low, stir the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley and 1 tablespoon of basil into the meat sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

We like to serve this over pappadrelle or buccatini pasta, alongside a tossed salad and great Italian bread. Buon appetito.

Salmon Nicoise and Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

08/09/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

I knew I was kind of pushing my luck serving salmon two days in a row. Dave informed me that it is not much of a “hard-working man’s meal”. By hard-working, he means painting the second of four sides of the house. I think he was too hot and tired to protest. I did surprise him by making a beautiful plate of our favorite heirloom tomato bruschetta. We finally have tomatoes and basil all ripe together. If you are not growing your own tomatoes, you must splurge; at least once this summer, on a few from the farmers market and make this dish. A little fresh mozzarella and prosciutto make this a meal on its own!

Though Salad Nicoise is traditionally made with tuna, I often see it made with salmon as I have done here. Maybe it is a Pacific Northwest thing. Regardless, it is becoming my favorite preparation! And since it’s summer and we are having a French salad, I had to serve it with a lovely, dry rose! Someone needs to inform the folks who stock the wine in the cooler that people drink chilled rose in the summer. There were numerous choices on the shelf, and none in the cooler! Doesn’t it look beautiful with the salmon?

for the Salad Nicoise

for the dressing

Dijon Vinaigrette – not traditional – but my version!

2/3 cup of great quality olive oil

1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon tarragon

Fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste.

Whisk all together in a small bowl or measuring cup.

for the salad

4-6 small baby new potatoes, boiled gently until fork tender, drained and cooled

1/2 pound haricot vert – or any other small green bean, blanched until tender and cooled

2-4 hard-boiled eggs

a handful of heirloom cherry tomatoes

mixed baby lettuce

Nicoise olives (I could not find these at my regular store. I substituted the Lucques olives I had on hand. At least they were French!)

4 ounce portion of grilled salmon or one can of good quality tuna packed in olive oil, per serving

capers for garnish

fresh ground pepper and salt

Slice the cooled potatoes, place in a small bowl and pour a little of the dressing over them. Garnish with a small spoonful of capers. Stir gently to coat. Place the green beans in a small bowl and dress them in the same fashion. Slice the tomatoes, peel the eggs and chill until ready to plate.

To assemble the salad, place a handful of the baby lettuce on a chilled dinner plate. Sprinkle with a little of the salad dressing. Arrange the sliced potatoes, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, salmon or tuna, and olives in a pleasing pattern. Spoon a little more dressing over the salad. Bon appetite!

to prepare the Bruschetta

fresh baguette bread, sliced on the diagonal

olive oil

salt and pepper

chopped heirloom tomatoes, about 1 cup

finely minced garlic, 4-5 cloves

1/4 cup basil chiffonade

Brush the sliced baguette bread with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toast until the edges brown.

Mix the diced tomatoes, minced garlic and basil together in a small bowl. Add a little olive oil to coat the tomatoes. Stir gently.

Spoon the tomato basil mixture onto the toasted bread. Garnish with a little more basil.

Grilled Pesto Rubbed Chicken, Caprese Salad and Summer Squash

08/06/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

I love the emails I receive every Monday morning from Saveur with Simple Weeknight Meal suggestions. This weeks Pesto-Rubbed Chicken grabbed my attention as I had both pesto and a chicken on hand. It’s still too hot to cook inside so knowing I could make this dish on the grill was a huge bonus. I did not make the Panzella salad suggested with the recipe, but I did throw together a quick Caprese salad with fresh garden tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. I grilled yellow summer squash and zucchini to serve alongside. It was a quick and flavorful meal. I will be turning the leftover chicken into amazing pesto chicken salad sandwiches. Stay tuned!

for the Pesto-Rubbed Grilled Chicken

1 whole chicken, 3-4 pounds – I chose to spatchcock it as it is so easy to grill that way!

4-6 ounces pesto, any flavor you like. My recipe is here.

My pesto is traditional Pesto Genovese. This preparation would be amazing with roasted red pepper pesto!

olive oil

salt and pepper

Loosen the skin on the chicken. Add the pesto under the skin and spread evenly with your hand. Work your way around the chicken until all the meat under the skin is covered with pesto. Rub the both sides of the chicken with about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper. Rub the remaining pesto on the outside of the chicken. Heat the grill to 450′. Place the chicken on the grill skin side down. Cook for about 20 minutes. Turn and cook another 20 minutes. Insert a thermometer to test for doneness. It should be at least 165″ in thickest part. Let chicken rest 10 minutes and then cut into serving pieces.

for the Caprese Salad

fresh garden heirloom tomatoes, sliced into serving sizes

fresh mozzarella, sliced into serving slices

fresh garden basil, torn

fresh cracked pepper and coarsely ground salt

very good quality fruity olive oil. My favorite is California Olive Ranch Arbequina

lettuce “cups” for serving

Layer the tomatoes, cheese and basil in the lettuce cups. Drizzle with olive oil. season with the salt and pepper. I also make this with fresh burratta frequently throughout the summer.

for the Grilled Summer Squash and Zucchini

Slice the squash into thick slices. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill on each side about 5 minutes, being careful not to over cook. Remove from grill, let rest. Slice for serving. Drizzle the squash with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar or glaze. Season with salt and pepper.

We had an amazing visitor while we were grilling this meal. A beautiful Peregrine Falcon decided to hang out for awhile in a cedar tree in our yard. He was absolutely stunning!

Quick Clam Linguine

06/04/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

This is one of our favorite, quick week night meals. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. It is especially good when you have oregano, parsley and basil available from the garden but dried herbs will do in a pinch! We first posted this about a year ago. We decided to post it again with new photos. I hope you agree, the photos are improving!

Ingredients

6-8 servings

36-48 ounces canned clams, drained, juice reserved

2 cups dry white wine

1 large white onion

8 cloves of garlic

juice of 1/2 of a lemon – about 2 Tablespoons

1 teaspoon dried oregano – or 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup fresh basil chiffonade*

1/2 cup good quality, peppery olive oil

fresh ground black pepper

kosher salt

optional – 3-4 per serving fresh, clean steamer clams in shell

fresh grated parmesan for serving

additional minced parsley for garnish

linguine, prepared according to directions

Drain the clams in a colander with a bowl beneath it to catch the clam broth. Set both aside.

Dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves, and set aside.

Chop the parsley, oregano and basil, and set aside.

Warm the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottom sauté pan. (It is a lot of oil, but it is the base for the sauce.) Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently about 5 minutes. Add in the oregano and the red pepper flakes. Sauté another 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper.

Add the white wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce about 5 minutes. Add the reserved clam broth and the lemon juice. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Stir in the basil, oregano and chopped parsley. If you are adding fresh clams, place them in the pan now. Yes – there are some mussels in the picture. Dave keeps thinking he does not like mussels. I cooked a few as a “test”. He still thinks he does not like them! Is there anybody else out there that likes clams but not mussels?

Start your pasta water. Once pasta water comes to a boil, add the reserved clams into the sauté pan. Reduce the heat to very low. Do not simmer the sauce after you have added the canned clams, you want to just warm them. (Overcooking will make them tough and chewy.) I am sure you know to NOT eat any clams or mussels that did not open up, right?

Adjust the sauce for seasoning. You may need a little more salt or pepper. To serve, place a portion of fresh hot linguine on a plate or bowl. Top with the sauce and garnish with fresh grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and the steamed clams, if using. Serve with a tossed salad and crusty baguette bread top sop up the broth.

Heirloom Tomato, Basil and Buratta Salad

09/07/2013 by Laura 3 Comments

I hesitated posting this, as it is so simple. Then I thought about February in Seattle. I will want to look at these photos in a few months to remind myself there is hope….the rain will stop, the sun will shine, the ground will thaw, we will plant a garden, and we will have gorgeous heirloom tomatoes once again.

We are to have a few more record-breaking days in the low to mid-eighties this week. The best summer I can remember in Seattle. Knowing the tomatoes will soon stop, I decided to treat myself one (hopefully not, but probably so) last time to an heirloom tomato, basil and burrata salad. It was the perfect chance. Dave was away at a gig, and I did not need to prepare a full meal. Dave does not like burrata nor would he ever consider a tomato salad a meal. He would probably fall over dead to know we paid $30 for this at Boulevard in San Francisco last summer! Anyway, spring for the buratta and heirloom tomatoes(if you don’t have them in your garden)….treat yourself, it is worth it!

Buratta, Heirloom Tomato and Basil Salad

Heirloom Tomatoes

Basil

Buratta

Fruity Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic Glaze

Fresh Ground Salt and Pepper

I arranged my tomatoes and cheese on a pile of wild arugula, which is not visible. (Also something I love that Dave does not care for!) Garnish with fresh basil, cracked pepper and salt and a drizzle of EVOO and balsamic. ENJOY!

Summer In a Jar…Fresh Basil Pesto

08/29/2013 by Laura 2 Comments

Just like everything else in the garden, the basil was ready to be “dealt” with! What could possibly be better than Fresh Garden Pesto? If only you could have smelled the aromatic combination of basil, garlic, pine nuts, oil and cheese as it whirled together in the food processor; forming the most undeniably summeriest and tastiest of all condiments! We managed to stock the freezer with 3 pints of this little slice of summer. I’m already thinking about a Thanksgiving turkey sandwich with pesto mayonnaise or a bowl of fresh tomato soup on a rainy January day, brightened by a swirl of pesto. Oh yeah, we like it on pasta too!

Laura’s Fresh Basil Pesto

Inspired by: Ina Gartner’s Barefoot Contessa Parties!

1 1/2 cup pine nuts

15 cloves chopped garlic (more or less, your call)

10 cups packed basil leaves (no stems)

1-3 teaspoons kosher salt

1-2 teaspoons ground black pepper

4 cups, approximately, very good quality olive oil

2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Food processor fitted with the sharp blade

You will need to adjust these ingredients proportionally based on how much basil you are trying to use. Additionally, the water content of the basil itself, will impact the amount of oil needed. The quality and flavor of the pesto is determined by the quality of the basil, oil, cheese and nuts you use.

Start by pulsing the pine nuts and the garlic in the food processor, until they are coarsely chopped and evenly combined.

Add the basil leaves in batches and continue to pulse the mixture to thoroughly combine.

Once all basil has been incorporated, it is time to drizzle in the olive oil. Work slowly, stop often, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue to add oil until the pesto has reached your desired consistency.

Add salt and pepper. Adjust to your taste. Toss in the grated cheese and give it one more brief whirl! Spoon into clean glass jars or freezer containers. If freezing, be sure to leave about 1/2 inch of head space to allow for expansion. Add a thin layer of olive oil before sealing to ensure basil does not turn brown.

When the Fall rains come followed by the Winter snow, you can laugh them off, knowing you have a few jars of summer, tucked away in your freezer.

Summer Harvest: Peach and Roasted Beet Salad, Garden Bruschetta and Half Sour Pickles

08/10/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

This week, I tried to keep pace with everything the garden was throwing at us! There were pickles to be made, raspberries to be preserved, green beans, beets, peaches that had to be eaten. What can I say, it’s a tough job and somebody’s got to do it!

First up is a wonderful, refreshing Peach and Roasted Beet Salad. Yup – you read that right!

The recipe is inspired by one I found on our local co-ops website, PCC Natural Markets.

Ingredients

10 to 12 small beets: red, yellow and Chiogga
3 green onions, sliced in 1/4′ slices on the diagonal
2 yellow peaches or nectarines, peeled, seeded, grilled, cooled and sliced into chunks
5 ounces baby arugula
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

For the Dressing

1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 cup olive oil

Scrub the beets. Place in a roasting pan, toss them in a generous dash of olive oil. Roast them at 350′ for about 35 minutes or until you can easily insert a knife tip into the largest one. Put the beets in a zip lock bag and place them in the refrigerator. Once cool, the skins will slide right off.

I grilled the peaches for a few minutes to intensify the flavor. I chilled them before assembling the salad.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar. Shake well, and refrigerate.

To plate the salad: Arrange the arugula, beets, peaches on a serving plate. Add the diced onions. Garnish with the crumbled goat cheese a sprig of rosemary. Drizzle with the dressing.

Sautéed Green Beans, Laura’s Way!

Green beans have been a part of summer my entire life. My grandpa grew them, my mom grew them and I continue to grow them today. I remember one summer driving with my mom, cross country for one of their West Coast to East Coast moves. Every dinner, for two weeks, was served with green beans! I’ll never forget the look on the server’s face at the restaurant in Springfield, MO, when I let out a big “OH NO” after asking her what the vegetable of the day was! We explained our situation, and we all had a good laugh!

Sauté a diced, sweet onion in a good amount of olive oil in a large sauté pan, that has a lid. Add a desired amount of diced bacon (or not) and cook most of the way done. Add the beans. I had a combination of wax beans and Royal Burgundy purple beans (they turn green when they cook). Saute about 5 minutes. Add about 3/4 cup of DRY VERMOUTH. Yup – an old restaurant trick. Bring to a slow simmer, cover, and steam about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and fresh dill.

Garden Fresh Bruschetta

One of our favorite summertime treats is straight from the garden bruschetta. Diced tomatoes, finely chopped garlic and fresh sliced basil, all tossed with the best olive oil and placed on a toasted slice of baguette! YUMM! We had some fresh mozzarella on hand, so I added a pinch to each, glorious serving.

Half Sour Pickles

I absolutely LOVE the fresh, bright green pickles that are served “all you can eat” style at any good deli! I had no idea how simple they were to make! Thanks to a very productive pickling cucumber plant, I now have my own jar of half sours, bubbling away in my refrigerator. I found the recipe in The Victory Garden cookbook.

Ingredients

12 pickling cucumbers, about 3-4″

4-5 cloves of garlic (original recipe calls for 1)

6-8 sprigs fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon dill seeds

1 tablespoon pickling spices

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 1/2 quarts of water

Thoroughly clean the cucumbers. Halve or quarter them. Wash the dill. Peel and flatten the garlic. Pack the cucumbers, dill, garlic, dill seed and pickling spice in a large glass jar, a pickle crock or a big glass bowl. You will want to make sure the pickles will be covered with at least two inches of the water.

Bring the salt and the water to a boil. Boil a full two minutes. Pour the brine over the cukes. Cover the jar with cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band. Let the pickles sit on your counter for 2-3 days. The brine will get cloudy as fermentation occurs. Once fermented to your taste, add the 1/4 of vinegar, cover and refrigerate. They will keep forever under refrigeration, but believe me, they won’t last that long!

Raspberry Jam

I am not quite sure what motivated me to purchase a flat of raspberries at the farmers market, with everything else going on! I do have raspberries in the garden, but only enough to add to my morning yogurt or smoothy each day. You can see, they were hard to resist. I love using raspberry jam in my thumbprint cookies at Christmas. This year, they will be extra special 100% home made!

Raspberry Jam*

I used 6 pints of fresh raspberries, about 4 cups of sugar, and the juice of one lemon. I mashed the berries a bit with a potato masher. I cooked the berries, sugar and lemon juice to a temperature of 220′, per my candy thermometer. I processed the jam in 12 1/2 pint jars, for about 20 minutes. It is absolutely delicious!

*Note – there are 100’s of fabulous step by step instructions on the internet, for canning jams. I was in a hurry and did not shoot the entire process, just the final product. It is fun and easy and I encourage you to give it a try with your favorite fruit or berry!

Ravioli with Creamy Pesto, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Basil, and Pine Nuts

08/01/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

I absolutely adore summer when my garden, or the farmers market, dictate what is for supper. Last week we purchased beautiful, locally made ravioli from La Pasta. It has been in the back of my mind since we brought it home and popped it in the freezer. Also in the back of my mind was a jar of “The World’s Greatest Pesto” (per the signage) that I brought back from Eataly a few weeks earlier. While I have everything on hand to make pesto, it was one of those days I wanted something quick. All this coupled with the bumper crop of ripe cherry tomatoes, I knew what we would make for dinner!

Ingredients

4-6 Ounces Pesto, homemade, store bought, your favorite one

6 ounces fresh cream

1 pound fresh ravioli (ours was a 4 cheese blend)

12 -15 oven roasted cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup slivered basil, plus a little more for garnish

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus a little more for garnish

Directions

Roast the cherry tomatoes in a 375′ oven in a small pan coated with olive oil, for about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before placing in oven. Remove from oven and set aside.

Toast the pine nuts over low heat in a small frying pan. Watch carefully as they easily burn. Remove from heat and set aside.

Grate the parmesan cheese, set aside.

Slice the basil, set aside.

Fill a pasta pot with water. Add salt, bring to boil. Meanwhile – prepare the sauce.

Warm a large sauté pan over low heat. Add a touch of olive oil. Add in the pesto and warm.

Add the parmesan, the basil and the cream. Stir gently to melt the cheese and warm the sauce.

Prepare the ravioli according to directions. (Fresh ravioli usually cook perfectly in about 8 minutes.) Drain the ravioli. Add to the sauté pan.

Add the toasted pine nuts, slivered basil and roasted tomatoes. Garnish with parmesan cheese. Serve with a cold, crisp salad, crusty Italian bread and a light Pinot Grigio.

Enjoy!

Tomatoes, Basil, Zucchini – Laura’s Summer Risotto

07/25/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

Tonight’s dinner was inspired by a posting by Andrew Scrivani who taught the Food Photography class I took last weekend, at CreativeLIVE.com. The beautiful Tomato and Basil Risotto was created by Martha Rose Shulman, and featured in the NY Times. Andrew shot and styled the photo that was published with the recipe.

While I have a couple ripe tomatoes in the garden, I did not have enough for this recipe. A quick trip to the Farmer’s Market (there is one everyday in the summer, somewhere in Seattle) and we were ready to go. I knew Dave would not be happy with the original vegetarian version of this recipe, so I decided to add in Chicken Italian Sausage and Speck (smoked Prosciutto). Oh, I also added some diced zucchini….I am adding diced zucchini to everything right now!

Laura’s Summer Risotto

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil, for sautéing

2 quarts of chicken stock

1 pound Italian chicken sausage, removed from casings

5 slices of Speck or Prosciutto, cut into strips

1 small zucchini, diced

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 large diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup dry white

1 additional diced large tomato (I used up my small red and yellow cherry tomatoes)

1/2 cup julienned fresh basil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese – reserve a little for garnish

Put the broth into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat.

Brown the sausage in a little olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the diced zucchini and the Speck. Sauté about 5 minutes. Add a good splash of wine (about 1/3 cup), steam for a minute. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Sauté the onion about 5 minutes. Add the rice and continue to sauté about 5 more minutes. The rice will snap and pop.

Add the 3 diced tomatoes, thyme, garlic and salt and pepper. Sauté until the tomatoes have broken down a bit, bout 5 minutes.

Add the remaining wine and stir until it has evaporated and been absorbed by the rice. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladleful’s (about 1 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice, and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often and when you do, stir vigorously. When the rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy (al dente), in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done.

Stir in the reserved sausage mixture.

Add one more ladle of stock to the rice. Stir in the additional diced tomatoes, basil and Parmesan and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it isn’t). Serve right away with a garnish of Parmesan and basil.