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spaghetti bolognese

one of my colleagues brought this dish over when the baby was first born.

we devoured it.

i normally don't like nutmeg in savory dishes, leftover pasta, or meat sauce, but this dish broke all the rules!

because i can't have dairy, i used dairy-free margarine instead of butter, almond milk instead of cows milk, and skipped the cheese

i also didn't have any of the herbs except bay leaves, so i skipped them.

also, i'm normally not a mise en place kinda girl, but with this dish it's absolutely necessary, since everything goes into the pot rather quickly

i wouldn't skip the sausage - that really makes a difference in the flavor

the wine is also special

from here

oxtails

i'm back (sort of)

i had to finish my ph.d., move across the country, have a baby, and start a new job.

then i cooked a meal and it was good.

we'll see if i can keep it up!

oh and p.s., the baby doesn't like it when i have dairy, so this is now (temporarily) a dairy-free cooking blog

oxtails are not for someone who is at all squeamish about handling raw meat, since i had to divide my tail into joints and clean some bristles off the end of the tail

recipe from here (i didn't have any thyme or parsley, and i wanted to drink more of the wine, so only used a cup and subbed out the rest with more broth)

the meat the second day, after skimming the fat

verdict? while delicious, i think i would prefer this with meatier (than oxtail) short ribs or even brisket. It's just a lot of work to get the (skimpy) meat off the bone (although the marrow makes for a deliciously rich broth). Oxtails are also one of those things that, while technically offal, have become faddy enough that they are now a little pricey. If you live in a place where oxtail are cheaper than other cuts, by all means, go for it. If not, get a little more bang (as in meat) for your buck.

Spicy Mayonnaise-Free Pimento Cheese

3/4 cup sour cream:

4 oz. jar of pimentos, chopped, with juices:

jalapeno tabasco sauce, 1 T:

1/2 t black pepper, 1/3 t cayenne, 1 t garlic powder, 1 t onion powder:

1/2 t habanero tabasco

mix it all up

add in 8 oz. pepper jack cheese, just grated:

and 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese, just grated:

and mix it all up (I find a stand mixer helpful, plus it breaks up the cheese into smaller pieces, which i find aesthetically pleasing)

i GUESS you could make sandwiches with this pimento cheese - especially if you grill them up and serve them with tomato cheese.

But I prefer to eat it straight up, on square pretzels:

#pimento #pimento cheese #cheddar #tabasco #spicy

Easiest Pickled Onions, Ever

seriously.

this is an idea, not a recipe.

Next time you have leftover pickle juice (or, if you buy your pickles in bulk, stock up on the juice), toss some white onion slices in there.

I served these onions on ham sandwiches, but i can't wait to do this with pearl onions and serve them in martinis or bloody marys

#pickles #onions

sorry folks

wow - sorry for the long hiatus.

I'm currently in the throes of dissertation writing and, while i have still been cooking*, my limited free time has been spent recovering from writing, not writing more writing.

(*some. cooking some. I won't pretend that the pizza place on the corner doesn't immediately recognize my husband's voice when he calls and say, "oh hi Jason - the usual?", or that the guy at our favorite chaat house doesn't start making our order as soon as we walk in, not even waiting to hear what we want)

i thought i'd let you all know what i HAVE cooked in the month or so since i last posted, in order to whet your appetites:

Aunt Judy's Meatballs & Sauce

Aunt Judy's Fried Onion Patties

Uncle Ron's Black Beans

Slow Roasted Lima Beans, Two Ways

Asparagus Pesto Potato Salad

Scape and Leek Carbonara

Pineapple Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Cherry Mint and Bourbon Ice Cream

Pineapple Black Bean Salad

Roast Chicken

Chicken Stock with Carrot Tops

Green Beans in Parmesan and Butter

Pimento Cheese

Pickle-Marinated Onions

... aaand now I'm hungry - off to dial up dinner!

Strawberry and Goat Cheese Scones

oven at 375, baking pan greased

2 c flour, 2 T baking powder, 1/2 t salt, 1/3 c sugar

cold butter

cold goat cheese

butter cut into flour, along with zest of 1 lemon

then goat cheese cut in

1/2 c heavy cream, 1 egg, 1/2 t vanilla mixed together, then added until dough *just* comes together

1 c strawberries chopped erratically

gently mixed into dough

dough rolled onto lightly floured board. Cut into 3x3 strips (like a tic-tac-toe board), then each square cut on the diagonal (= 18 scones)

Baked 20-25 minutes

Served with Honey Thyme Butter

#goat cheese #strawberry #scones

chiocciole with proscuitto and asparagus

Softened the prosciutto in olive oil first

the tomato gets dunked for 20 seconds in the boiling water before the pasta goes in

peeled and pureed

thickened the sauce with ca. 1/2 c pasta water

#pasta #asparagus #prosciutto #chiocciole

Creamy Cucumber Slaw

large cucumber, peeled and seeded

salted in colander

After cucumber sat for 30 minutes, was rinsed and dried in paper towels

1 T each Arugula and Oregano. Salt and pepper to taste

juice of 1 lemon, 2/3 c sour cream, 1/3 c greek yogurt (I would have added 2 cloves of minced raw garlic, but this was for a child)

Served on top of Spinach Ricotta and Feta Casserole

#sour cream #yogurt #cucumber #oregano #slaw

Spinach Ricotta and Feta Casserole

from here, with some adaptations (fresh oregano, tomatoes on top, served with cucumber slaw)

oven at 375, greased 9x13

thinly sliced tomato, salted and set aside

sliced onion softening in 1/3 c olive oil

meanwhile: 1.5 c ricotta

4 eggs

meanwhile: 1 lb ribboned spinach in to wilt over onions

meanwhile, again: 1 T oregano in ricotta mixture

plus salt and pepper, to taste

and 1 c crumbled feta

onions and spinach added to ricotta mixture

mixed and spread in greased pan

tomato slices, gently pressed in paper towels

then arranged on top of casserole

Baked for 40 minutes, served with creamy cucumber slaw.

Food was a gift, so no plated shots ...

#feta #ricotta #spinach #casserole #tomatoes

Bruschette with Ricotta, Dry Pesto and Walnuts

toasted mini bruschetta, ricotta, walnut pesto, walnuts

#pesto #ricotta #bruschette #walnuts #italian

Asparagus Carrot and Pasta Salad with Three Cheese Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette

1 bunch asparagus, 4 carrots

walnut pesto, zest and juice of 1 lemon

ricotta

goat cheese

parmesan

salt, pepper, white wine vinegar, olive oil, to taste

2 quarts water, 1 T sea salt, brought to a boil. Add pasta, stir once, add lid and turn of heat. Stir after 1 minute. Add carrots after 7 minutes.

Add asparagus 2 minutes later

drain

Sauced. Refrigerated.

#ricotta #goat cheese #parmesan #pasta salad #carrot #asparagus #italian #pesto

Mango Rhubarb Crumb Cake

This is essentially Smitten Kitchen's Big Crumb Coffee Cake with a few changes (more ginger and salt in the crumbs, mango in the filling). I make some version of this cake pretty much every week rhubarb is in season.

Made a double recipe, since I needed to take a dessert to a party (a pig roast, no less), but I'll give you the measurements for a single recipe (just ignore the weights given in the photos)

STEP ONE: 3 parts sliced rhubarb

to one part mango (roughly 1/2 lb. of fruit)

1/4 cup sugar, 2 t cornstarch, rounded t ground ginger (the good, fresh stuff)

STEP 2: 1/3 c brown sugar, 1/3 c white sugar, 1 t cinnamon, 1/2 t ginger, 1 t fleur de sel (vel sim.),

whisked together

1 stick (!!!) melted unsalted butter

butter mixed into dry

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour

flour kneaded into the butter mixture

STEP 3:

in the mixer (paddle attachment): 1 c all-purpose flour, 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 t baking soda, 1/2 t baking powder, 1/4 t salt

in a separate bowl: 1/3 c sour cream

2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 2 t vanilla extract

mixed

6 T softened butter, together with a spoonful of sour cream mixture, added to flour in the mixer, mixed on medium speed until flour turned pebbly. Half of remaining sour cream mixture added, beaten 30 seconds. Ditto on the second half.

the components

batter (except 1/2 cup) into a greased 9" cake pan (Deb recommends an 8x8)

topped with fruit and remaining batter

big ol crumbs

baked at 325 for 45 minutes (it may take longer)

served with heavy cream

#mango #rhubarb #crumb cake #smitten kitchen

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

this is my husband's specialty

pound of bacon

at least 3 onions

4 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes, 4 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water

2 t black pepper, 1/2 T green tabasco, 1/2 T habanero tabasco (or 1 T of your favorite tabasco flavors, to taste)

1 bagfrozen okra

give it a nice slow, gentle simmer

#bacon #southern food #okra #tomatoes #spicy

Bourbonified Root Beer Float Sherbet

3/4 cups sugar dissolved into 3 cups milk

T root beer extract

t vanilla extract

t Booker's Bourbon (check out the proof on that bad boy)

The alcohol from the extracts and bourbon help to soften what is essentially frozen milk (esp. since I used 1% milk)

Churn it, then freeze it.

#sherbet #ice cream #booker's bourbon #root beer #vanilla

Three Cheers for butter: Butternut Squash and Browned Butter Risotto and Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts

this was for a special occasion

roast your squash in a 350 degree oven with a little seasoning and oil.

for the risotto proper: brown 3/4 stick of butter, stir in 1 c arborio rice and toast for a few minutes. Add in some chopped sage. Deglaze with 1/2 c white wine or low sodium broth. Add broth one ladleful at a time (stir until absorbed between each addition) until risotto is creamy, but rice still has some bite to it. Stir in 1/2 cup grated cheese (parmesan vel sim.) and then fold in squash.

for a browned butter feast, brown a little more butter in a saute pan. Add in onions and, once onions have gone translucent, quartered or halved brussels sprouts. Kick the heat up to get some nice caramelization. Saute until sprouts turn a bright green and onions start to brown.

#Browned Butter #Beurre Noisette #Risotto #Sage #Butternut Squash #brussels sprouts

Salad of Sauteed Asparagus

Sauteed in olive oil (trimmed to fit in my pan).

Finished with a couple glugs of white wine vinegar, grinds of black pepper, pinch of sea salt.

#sea salt #asparagus

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

i missed Italy a little bit less when I ate this.

1/4 lb. pancetta, sliced paper thin, then chopped.

1 garlic clove, 1/3 c. olive oil, pancetta, 2 T butter (all of these fats are necessary - they're part of the sauce). Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic clove is soft and slightly golden (in other words - don't crisp up the pancetta, just render the fat off of it)

while the meat cooks, lightly beat 3 eggs. Place them near the oven, so they come to room temperature (this is to avoid curdles)

about 1/2 c. grated parmesan (I shredded the cheese and then measured it)

All of these components (cooked pancetta (now off the heat), eggs and cheese)were ready and waiting right as the water started boiling.

Cook the spaghetti a little more al dente than you typically prefer.

BEFORE you drain the pasta, scoop out 1/2 c. of the water.

Add 1/4 c of the water to the oil/pancetta mixture and turn the heat back up to medium. After a minute, add in the drained pasta and toss until the mixture is evenly incorporated throughout.

Turn off the heat.

Add the cheese and eggs and QUICKLY and THOROUGHLY toss toss toss everything with tongs. Add more pasta water if you want to thicken the sauce.

Lastly, crack about 1/2 t of black pepper over the pasta and toss it a little more.

voila:

(I couldn't take any pictures of the tossing process, since it's crucial to act quickly)

this dish is super rich.

it's best when served with something acidic, like this sauteed asparagus salad:

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