Sicilian-style Spaghetti - Food for Thought 3

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There are other things, beside food, that make my mouth water.

The anticipation of a good book can actually do it.
From the moment I brought home Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving, it's been calling softly to me, day and night.

Read me. Read me. Read me. Read me. Read me!

I put it off for a few weeks, for a couple of reasons. One, I had a pile of other books that weren't exactly begging to be read, but deserved some attention due to how long they've been on my nightstand.
Two, I had a feeling Twisted River would be the perfect vacation book so I wanted to wait and take it to Arizona with me last week. And three, once I finished it, I knew it would be a long time before another John Irving book hit the shelves. It's like money in the bank, having one sit there, unread.
Just thinking about reading it made me salivate. Truly.

I have been a John Irving fan since I first read The World According to Garp back in high school. His style is incomparable. It's not just storytelling; it's stories within stories within stories, each one crazier, more outrageous and more compelling than the last.
(Please note the semi-colon. It is an homage to Mr. Irving who enjoys using them frequently.) His tone is comic even when the subject is not, and it is this, perhaps, that draws me in more than anything. Life is bizarre and John Irving simply states the fact more charmingly than any one.

There are themes that you'll find in almost every one of his book. Bears. Wrestling. New England. Exeter. Iowa. And deadly accidents.

Last Night in Twisted River has them all, and much more.
It's the story of a young cook and his son (who later in life becomes a famous writer), an accidental murder and their 37 year run from the local constable who wants the cook dead. They are aided by Ketchum, the gruff friend and ex-lover of the cook's wife. That is putting it very simply.

We get to know the world of logging and river driving  in New Hampshire before roads and technology. The North End of Boston, full of Italian immigrants and restaurants. Southern Vermont. The University of Iowa. Toronto and its rural, wind-swept islands.

Photo by JoshMaz

Oh and the food!
Dominic, the cook, has red sauce in his blood. His mama was Sicilian and taught him well. Even when he was cooking for the loggers in New Hampshire, he showed talent and creativity. Roasted, stuffed chicken with homemade cornbread, lamb hash with poached eggs, venison stew and pizza were menu staples.


The section set in Boston's North End takes place largely in a restaurant, Vicino di Napoli. In Iowa, Dominic works in an Asian restaurant, called Mao's. (The scenes where the cook and the owner's brother drive back and forth to New York's Chinatown are hilarious). And in Vermont, Cookie, as he is affectionately known, opens first a pizza place, then an Italian fine dining spot called Avellino.

There are many delicious descriptions scattered throughout the book -  Chinese braised pork buns,  calamari over penne, pizza dough sweetened with honey. Clearly, the author has eaten well!

Given Dominic's Sicilian background, I opted to make a pasta dish with typical Sicilian ingredients.

It has pine nuts, golden raisins and a touch of anchovy ( I promise you won't even know it's there). It cooks up quickly and has a that perfect mix of sweet, salty and spicy.

Yes, it's squisito!
But nothing will ever be quite as mouth-watering to me as a new John Irving novel.

Sicilian-style Spaghetti
from Tyler's Ultimate by Tyler Florence


1 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets

1/3 cup olive oil

2 anchovy fillets, mashed to a paste with the side of a large knife
(I used 1 Tbsp. anchovy paste instead)

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 lb. spaghetti

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

juice of 1/2 lemon

freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

dried red chili flakes (optional)


Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour olive oil into a large saute pan set over medium heat. Saute the anchovies and cauliflower until the oil is very hot and the anchovies are sizzling. Add 1/4 cup water and season with salt. Lower heat to a simmer, cover pan and let cauliflower steam for about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for about another 5 minutes more until the water has evaporated and the cauliflower is starting to brown. Add the raisins and pine nuts and toss through to warm. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, sprinkle panko onto a small baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread out in a thin layer on the pan. Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crunchy. (Be careful - it can burn quickly!)

Cook the spaghetti to al dente.

Drain the spaghetti and and place in a large bowl. Add about 1/4 cup olive oil and toss. Add cauliflower mixture, lemon juice and parsley. Sprinkle with bread crumbs, cheese and chili flakes to taste.

Green Olive and Goat Cheese Crostini

A few weeks ago I hosted my cooking group for dinner. The host plans the menu, gives assignments and makes the main course.
I decided on a light Mediterranean dinner, with Wild Salmon with Pearl Couscous, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Lemon Oregano Oil as the star.

It was good, but not star quality. The two dishes to take the prize that night were the Mixed Berries with Grapefruit Zabaglione (see The Best Thing I Ate All Week) and this appetizer, Green Olive and Goat Cheese Crostini.

This is one of those recipes that doesn't look like much. I mean what's the big deal - some olives, some goat cheese. Eh.
But it's the sum of its parts that makes it incredibly delicious.
I'll definitely be making this again soon.

Note: This was made indoors, using a grill pan set over 2 burners. You could also use a regular, outdoor grill if you happen to live in that part of the country where it's warm this time of year. Not that I'm jealous or anything.

Green Olive and Goat Cheese Crostini
from Bon Appetit


1 tsp. fennel seeds

1 cup imported, brine-cured green olives, pitted and chopped

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

2 tsps. fresh thyme, chopped

1 1/2 tsps. finely grated orange peel

1 baguette, sliced on the diagonal,  into 16 pieces, approx. 1/2" thick

1 6 oz. log soft, fresh goat cheese, cut into 16 rounds

Toast fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, shaking skillet occasionally, about one minute. Transfer seeds to a medium bowl. Add olives, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, orange juice, thyme and orange peel to bowl and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
(This can be done up to 2 days in advanced, covered and chilled. Bring back to room temperature before using.)

Prepare grill, or grill pan set over stove. Brush both sides of bread with olive oil. Grill on one side until lightly golden, about one minute. Turn bread over with tongs. Immediately top each slice with goat cheese round. Grill until bottoms are golden and cheese softens slightly.
Transfer crostini to platter. Spoon olive mixture onto each piece and sprinkle with pepper.

A Love Poem... to You

Brownies, muffins, chocolate cake
These are things I like to make
Pancakes, pound cake, gelato too
All these things I make for you

You like them all, just as well,
At least that's what your comments tell

Each of your comments
Makes my day
I love to hear what you have to say.

I adore you all,
Each fan and friend
Hugs and kisses,
To you I send

You're the cream in my coffee
My raison d'etre
Even if I haven't
Met ya.

Love to you
My valentines,
No recipe today
Just these rhymes.

Thai-Style Chicken with Sweet Chili Sauce

My past few posts have been sweet indulgences.
Nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.

But splurges need to be balanced out with real food.
Or so I'm told by my trainer, Joe.

On Tuesdays we confess to Joe every glass of wine, every cookie, french fry and spoonful of gelato that passed our lips over the weekend. Doing so keeps us (mostly) honest. Problem is, Joe loves food as much as we do and we end of comparing recipes along with our reps.

Joe, I don't think you'll find fault with this one.
It's become a family favorite, because it's so delicious and fresh, as well as healthy.
I even added in more vegetables than the recipe called for. I am that good.
I also upped the quantities a bit because last time I made it my son complained that there wasn't enough for four. If you have a sixteen year old boy, you'll understand.

This comes from the pages of The Steamy Kitchen, a wonderful cookbook and blog by the same name.
The author, Jaden Hair, is terrifically funny and talented. Her Asian style cooking is light, refreshing and best of all, easy.

Thai-Style Chicken in Sweet Chili Sauce
 adapted from The Steamy Kitchen by Jaden Hair


Cornstarch slurry: 2 Tbsps. soy sauce plus 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 lb. boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

 2 Tbsp. high heat cooking oil, such as canola

3 shallots, thinly sliced

2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, slivered (optional)
(I have never been able to find these. Leaving them out won't make a big difference.)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 lb. broccolini or broccoli, stems and heads

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (available in Asian section of your grocery store)

1 small handful fresh Thai basil or Italian basil leaves

In a large bowl, make the cornstarch slurry by stirring together 2 Tbsp. soy sauce and cornstarch until the cornstarch has dissolved. Add the sliced chicken and toss to coat well. Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes, while you prep the vegetables.

Set a wok or large frying pan over high heat. When a bead of water sizzles and evaporates upon contact, add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the chicken slices in one layer and cook for 2 minutes on each side. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Remove the chicken from the pan, keeping as much oil in the pan as possible. The chicken will not be cooked through at this point, but will be added back in later to finish cooking.

Lower the heat to medium and add the shallots, garlic and kaffir lime leaves, if using. Stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the red and yellow peppers and broccolini to pan. If the pan seems dry, add a little water or chicken broth.
Stir fry for about 1 minute until vegetables are slightly softened but still bright in color, with some crunch.
Pour in the fish sauce, soy sauce and sweet chili sauce and stir well. Add the chicken pieces back to the pan and let it all simmer together for about 2 minutes. Check to see if chicken is cooked through. Sauce should be glossy and slightly thickened.
Turn off the heat and stir in basil leaves.

Serve with rice.

An Excuse to Eat Nutella. Like I Need One.

Woo-hoo!
 World Nutella Day is finally here.
An excuse to eat Nutella out in the open.
I can take that jar that's been hidden behind the chicken broth in the pantry, just to the left of the arborio rice, and dip my knife proudly into it. No hiding shamefully with it in the garage today (just checking my tire pressure - be right in!).
I'm thinking Nutella for breakfast (on a banana), lunch (Nutella panini) and dinner (Nutella chicken mole anyone?).
There's even a Nutella cocktail. It's Friday isn't it?

So what if World Nutella Day is a pretend holiday (may I remind you that so is Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and Administrative Assistant Day)? It's the delicious brainchild of Sara Rosso at Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso, now in it's fourth year.

My entry this year is Nutella Rugelach. Traditional rugelach are mini pastries, made with a cream cheese and butter dough, and filled with apricot jam or brown sugar and nuts.
Delish.
But not quite as yummy as this decadent version.
The rolling part requires a little muscle, which is fine. You'll burn a few calories.
Permission granted to have another rugelach.

Nutella and Toasted Hazelnut Rugelach
adapted from Alice Medrich's Cookies and Brownies


Dough:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 Tbsps. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold

8 oz. cream cheese, cold

Filling:

1 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

1 13 oz. jar Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread (you won't use all of it)

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix. Cut the butter into eight pieces and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until the the butter pieces are the size of breadcrumbs. Cut the cream cheese into four pieces and add to the mixture. Process until the dough begins to clump together, about 30 seconds. Remove from processor and divide into four equal pieces. Press each piece into a flat circle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350.
Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator. Roll between two pieces of wax paper into a 12" circle, approx. 1/8" thick.  Peel the top sheet of wax paper from the dough and place it on the counter or a cutting board. Flip the dough over onto the paper and peel off the second sheet.

 Spread a thin layer of Nutella over entire circle of dough, then sprinkle generously with hazelnuts.

Cut the dough like a pie into 12 equal wedges. Roll the wide outside edge of each slice up around the filling towards the point. Place the roll, point side down, on a cookie sheet (lined with Silpat if you have it). Repeat with remaining wedges, placing cookies about 1 1/2" apart. If at any time the dough becomes too soft, return it to the refrigerator to firm up for a little while.
Roll, cut and fill the remaining pieces of dough.

Bake about 25 minutes or until light golden brown at the edges.
Remove from oven and set baking sheets on cooling racks.
Cool completely before storing or stacking.
They're best the day they're made, but can be stored airtight for a few days.

Note: I brushed the top of each rugelach with a little beaten egg and a sprinkle of vanilla sugar before baking. It doesn't change the taste, but they look pretty.

See the World Nutella Day website for LOADS more chocolate-y, hazelnutty recipes.

Pop on Over for Breakfast

You may have heard this before: I am a big fan of having dessert after breakfast.
Not everyday, mind you. This would be foolish and self-defeating.

But on Sundays it's a nice treat and an excuse to bake something.
Breakfast dessert isn't like dinner dessert.
It shouldn't be gooey or too chocolate-y (a little is good) or too rich.
Something sweet and light is just right after your bacon and eggs.

This weekend I made sugar-crusted popovers, inspired by a post by David Lebovitz. I love his blog and his cookbooks. You probably would too.
I made his gelato last summer and I think it was the best thing I made all year!

The popovers are waaaay easier than the gelato. I had them in the oven in about 5 minutes.

Sugar-Crusted Popovers
adapted from David Lebovitz


For the popovers:

2 Tbsps. butter, melted

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsps. sugar

1 cup flour

additional softened butter for greasing pan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease a nonstick popover pan or 9 wells of a muffin tin (with 1/2 cup indentations), with softened butter. Place 2 Tbsps. melted butter, eggs, milk, salt and sugar in a blender and blend for a few seconds. Add the flour and whiz for about 10 seconds more, just until smooth.

Divide the batter among the 9 greased molds, filling each 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the popovers are golden brown all over.

Remove from the oven. When popovers are cool enough to handle, remove from pan and set on a cooling rack. You may need a small knife to help get them out.

For the sugar coating:

Mix 2/3 cup sugar with 1 tsp. ground cinnamon. Melt 1/4 cup butter.
Brush melted butter all over each popover, then dredge it in cinnamon sugar, coating them completely.
Let cool on a wire rack.


The Best Thing I Ate All Week

Mixed berries with grapefruit zabaglione. So simple. But the flavor of the zabaglione is a real wow! with the berries. A perfect dessert, after dinner or breakfast.
Find the recipe here.
What's the best thing you ate all week?