Pasta Primavera

Primavera, is defined as the "first flowering".  When we add pasta to the front of the word it means wonderfully light spring vegetables tossed with pasta in a creamy sauce. This recipe, is just that!           Below is an easy, light recipe that can either work as a main dish or a side.



Ingredients:  (For 2, double if 4)

4-5 oz of Pasta, such as rotini, penne or linguini

Vegetables for two such as: broccoli florets, asparagus tips, carrots (sliced into thin coins), green beans (cut into thirds), peas (fresh or frozen), red pepper (sliced into thin strips), halved grape tomatoes
Herbs such as dill, tarragon, basil and/or parsley (choose at least one up to all four)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, sliced thinly

3/4 cup of low-salt chicken stock
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan, shaved Parmesan (optional) for serving
1/4 cup of evaporated milk
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp of butter
1 tbsp of olive oil
salt & black pepper to taste


Directions:


Pre-cook pasta in well-salted boiling water 3 min. shy of al-dente.  Drain, rinse and set aside.

Prepare sauce:  Heat 3/4 cup of low-salt chicken stock, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of evaporated milk, zest and juice of one lemon, salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, while lightly whisking.  Turn heat down to a simmer once boiling, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.  Then turn off heat, add herbs and set aside.

In a small dutch oven or medium sized skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add sliced shallot and minced garlic, stir.  Add the vegetables that need the longest cooking time to the pan with 2 tbsp of water.  Cover and steam for 4-5 min.  Open lid, and add rest of vegetables with another tbsp of water to de-glaze. Stir. Keep warm.

Warm pasta bowls, while re-heating your sauce.  Next, add pasta and sauce to vegetables. Turn up heat to medium.  Bring to a gentle boil, stir.  Reduce slightly.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Spoon into bowls, top with a little shaved cheese, drizzle of great olive oil, few basil leaves or extra minced parsley.

Ingredients for my Primavera.

Vegetables ready for their saute.

Making the Sauce.

Ready to plate!

Sweet Potato Tomato Clam Chowder

Presence of one sweet potato, transforms an ordinary tomato clam chowder into a quintessential soup! Herbaceous and citrus notes come from the addition of fennel and lemon.  Creamy, from a quick puree and a touch of evaporated milk, creating a perfect foundation for briny clams.

Ingredients:

2 24-28 oz. can or box tomato, crushed or strained
2 8 oz bottles of all natural clam juice
2 6 oz cans chopped or minced, drained and rinsed
6-8 oz of fresh clams, if available or substitute an additional can like above

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
2 carrots, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes
2 stalks of celery, sliced crosswise, 1/4 inch
1 large red pepper, seeded and diced, 1/4 inch
1 large onion, preferably sweet, diced, 1/4 inch
1/2 fennel bulb, cored and diced, 1/4 inch with a few fronds
2 cloves of garlic, minced

3-4 fresh Bay leaves
1/2 cup of dry white wine
2 tbsp. of butter, unsalted
2 tbsp. of good olive oil
2 tbsp. of tomato paste
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tsp. of kosher salt
several grinds of black pepper
1 tbsp. Worchestershire
1/2 tsp. of fennel seed
1/4 tsp. of crushed red pepper or aleppo flakes

1/3 cup of evaporated milk

serving options:  shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, drizzle of really good olive oil and/or balsamic glaze



Yield: 3-4 quarts

Directions:

*Melt 2 tbsp. of butter and 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat, add fennel seeds to toast.

*Add onion, red pepper, celery and carrots to dutch oven, stirring frequently.  Wait a few minutes, before adding the sweet potato and fennel.  Set a cover askew on the pot, and let cook for ten minutes.

*Deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine.  Take cover off, increase heat to medium high reducing liquid to a few tbsp.

*Add 2 tbsp of tomato paste and minced garlic.  Stir, and wait a minute before adding tomatoes, two 8 oz. bottles of clam juice, 1/4 tsp. of red pepper flakes, zest and juice of a lemon, and 1 tbsp. of Worchestershire.  Add 2 tsp. of kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. of ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil, and turn heat down to a simmer.  Stir and cook for 30 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

* Carefully remove 3-4 cups of the soup to a blender.  While holding top of blender, puree.  Return puree back to soup with the addition of 1/3 cup of evaporated milk, and prepared (rinsed & drained) clams.  Bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for five minutes.  Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Chopped fennel, with butter, garlic and aleppo flakes.

Toasting of the fennel seeds

All finished!

Wonderful creamy chowder filled with veggies and clams.

Perfect, for easy entertaining.

Healthy Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Healthy Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Just in time for the fall season!  These delicious, moist, healthy muffins, will become an instant autumn hit with your friends and family.  Easy to make, with a few ingredients you probably have right at home.  If whole wheat pastry flour isn't your thing, substitute general all purpose flour.  You may also want to substitute raisins for the cranberries, or even chocolate chips. Make this recipe to accommodate for your audience.

Ingredients (For 10-12 muffins, depending on size)

1 cup of all purpose flour

1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour

2 teasp. of cinnamon

1/2 teasp. of allspice

1 1/8 teasp. of baking powder

1 1/8 teasp. of baking soda

1/2 teasp. of fine sea salt

1 15 oz can  of pumpkin puree

2 eggs, room temperature

4 tablespoons of butter, melted and cooled

6 well-rounded tablespoons of either vanilla or plain yogurt

1/2 cup of light brown sugar

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 teasp. of vanilla

1 cup of dried cranberries, plumped in very hot water for five minutes and strained

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl measure and sift all dry ingredients together.

In a large bowl combine all of liquid ingredients together, and whisk well.

Prepare dried cranberries, and set aside.

Slowly sprinkle dry ingredients over wet ingredients while whisking.  When almost all of dry ingredients are added, change whisk in for a rubber spatula to gently fold in all of dry ingredients.

When ingredients are combined fold in plumped cranberries.

Prepare muffin pan with paper cups, if using, and spray well with Pam.

Fill muffin cups, heartily.

Baking time will vary depending on size of muffin tin.  Approximately, 20-28 minutes for heartily filled tins.

Butternut Squash Soup

It's that time of year for soul-warming Butternut Squash Soup.  Silky, smooth with hints of spice to temper the sweetness of the fall squash.  This recipe adds a little tomato to bring depth to the soup, without dominating.  The spices I have chosen will complement the warm flavors of the squash.  Acidity is added in the form of apples and lemon.  My final touch is evaporated milk, to fully round out the flavors.  I do hope this recipe will become a family favorite.  It's wonderful, to serve during the holidays.

Ingredients

2 small or 1 large butternut squash, cut in half crosswise & lengthwise, remove the seeds

4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, preferably low-sodium

2 stalks of celery, sliced 1/8 inch thick

2-3 carrots sliced into 1/8 inch coins

1 onion, peeled and diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

2 tbsp. of good quality tomato paste

3 tbsp. of light brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp of unsalted butter
1 tbsp of good olive oil

1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. of lemon juice

1.5 cups of water, plus additional for pureeing

1/2 cup of evaporated milk 

for cheesecloth sack: a few bay leaves, thyme, star anise and cinnamon sticks

1/4 tsp. of allspice

1/4 tsp. of cayenne

salt & pepper, aggressively especially if using low-sodium stock

Serving suggestion:  Macy's Cheese Stix and shredded cheddar, balsamic drizzle & fresh chives

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400.  Roast squash, skin side up, for 40 minutes, till soft.

Saute the celery, carrots and onion with 1 1/2 tbsp of butter, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, 2 tsp. of kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, for five minutes.

Add your minced garlic with 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Stir for 30 seconds.

Add 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, 1 1/2 cups of water, 3 tbsp. of light brown sugar, 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp. of lemon juice.  Stir and bring to a boil.  

Turn down heat to simmer.  Simmer, until squash is ready.

Cut a 5 x 7 square of cheesecloth.  Add spices on a diagonal, and tie up with kitchen twine.  It should look like a little satchel.  Drop into simmering liquid.  

Once squash has cooked and cooled for ten minutes.  Remove skin, and chunk squash into large pieces.  Place in simmering liquid.  Cook for an additional 10-15 min. Let soup cool for a bit.  Remove cheesecloth satchel.

Ladle soup into a blender or use an immersion blender.  Puree, while adding 1/2 cup of evaporated milk.  If soup, is too thick just add additional water.

Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Awaiting the oven

Vegetable Saute

Addition of Tomato Paste & garlic.

Cheesecloth with spices & herbs

Roasting away!

Roasted Squash

Cooling off for the big Puree

Summertime Pasta

Smoked mozzarella, sweet tomatoes, artisanal pasta and fresh basil all unite to create this summer classic.  I'm hopeful this will become a once a week mainstay during the warm months.  With the 
addition of just a few ingredients, this dish comes together so easily.

A variety of tomatoes, will make this dish sing!  I prefer the smoked mozzarella because it's not watery.  Once the tomatoes are seasoned they will create their own sauce with good olive oil, and minced garlic or shallot.  Optional ingredients I sometimes add are chopped olives and capers, grated lemon zest.

Ingredients:  for 4 servings

3 medium to large homegrown or local tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
A variety of smaller baby tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup of very good quality extra virgin olive oil
ample amount of fresh basil, washed and torn
8 oz of diced smoked mozzarella
10-12 oz of artisanal pasta with a moderate shape ( I prefer fusilli for this dish)
2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of balsamic
drizzle of honey to taste
1 or 2 garlic or shallot, minced (can be soaked for 5 min. to soften the flavor)
nice hearty sprinkling of herb sea salt or good quality salt
hearty dose of black pepper
a small dose of crushed red pepper or Aleppo flakes
nice quality grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Optional:  grated zest of a lemon; 1 tbsp of rinsed and chopped capers; 10-12 olives, chopped, balsamic drizzle

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together except the pasta.  Let sit for 30-90 min, stirring gently every 15-20 min.

Prepare a good size pot to boil your pasta.  Add two rounded tablespoons of salt.  When water is ready, boil pasta till it reaches al dente.

Drain pasta and add to tomato mixture.

Taste and adjust seasonings.  Let sit for five minutes.  Toss and taste again.

Plate and sprinkle with extra grated cheese and/ or balsamic drizzle.