The pig and the butternut squash.
A match made in heaven, that’s what it is.
Butternut squash roasting with garlic, rosemary, coriander in the oven.
Pancetta crisping , pork chops sautéing.
So easy to do.
A great weeknight supper.
A grand candlelight dinner at home for two.
Pan Sauteed Pork Chops with Roasted Butternut Squash and Crisped Pancetta
With kudos to Jamie Oliver and Blue Kitchen
Preheat oven to 400.
Spray baking sheet with Pam.
1 large butternut squash, sliced in half lengthwise, peeled, seeds removed, sliced in half, then lengthwise again to make half moons
1 large tbsp coriander seed, crushed in mortar and pestle
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 long red dried chiles
8 garlic cloves, smushed
Several sprigs rosemary, stripped
Extra virgin olive oil
Spread butternut squash over baking pan sprinkle with the crushed coriander. Add the rosemary sprigs, add the peppers, add the garlic drizzle with olive oil season well bake 30 minutes.
3 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 large boneless pork chops
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
In a large cast iron skillet, heat a couple of good swirls of extra virgin olive oil. When oil is wavy add the chopped pancetta and cook about five minutes or so over medium high heat until crispy. Turn heat down a bit, so the oil doesn’t smoke and add the pork chops. Cover and let cook 5 minutes. Don’t disturb them.
Turn them over and cover and cook 5 more minutes. They’ll get a nice crust on them this way.
Remove from heat, let sit for a couple of minutes.
Plate the squash first, add the porkers on top of the squash and sprinkle with the cooked pancetta and chopped Italian parsley.
Serves 2 very happy peoples with leftovers for the lunch.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Pan Sauteed Pork Chops with Roasted Butternut Squash and Crisped Pancetta
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Ground Lamb Burgers with a Sweet Leek, Fennel and Sundried Tomato Confit
The blogger stands, yet again, in front of the refrigerator.
Ingredients present themselves.
Ground lamb.
Pancetta.
Fennel.
Prosciutto.
Leeks.
A light bulb goes off over said blogger’s head.
A bit of chopping, a bit of sautéing, a glass of wine, Joni Mitchell sings softly in the background.
A pretty damn good meal for a weeknight appears on the plate.
The blogger smiles.
Ground Lamb Burgers with a Sweet Leek, Fennel and Sundried Tomato Confit
1 lb ground lamb
2 ounce pancetta, chopped
2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Combine lamb, prosciutto and pancetta in bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add red pepper flakes and lemon juice and mix well. Form into nice sized patties and let sit thirty minutes.
1 small leek, rinsed well and chopped
3 fat garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 small fennel bulb, sliced
1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes in oil
¼ cup roasted chicken stock
In a large skillet over medium heat, add a couple of swirls of extra virgin olive oil and when the oil shimmers, add the leeks and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the fennel and garlic and cook another 10 minutes, adjusting the heat so they do not burn. Raise the heat and add the chicken stock and after it cooks down add the sundried tomatoes. Keep warm over low heat.
In heavy skillet over medium to medium high heat add a swirl of extra virgin olive oil. When it shimmers, add the lamb burgers and cook about 8 minutes, or until browned. Flip the burgers and cook until done to your taste, about 8 minutes for medium, 10 for well done.
Plate the burgers, top with the confit and enjoy.
Makes 3 good sized portions.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Claudia's Osso Buco
I am a huge fan of Osso Buco.
HUGE FAN.
I have made variations of this for years. However, in my entire history of
osso-buco-ing, there is one version that stands out.
In its own field.
And it’s this one from cookeatFret.
You know Claudia, if you don’t, you need to.
This chick can cook.
Especially rustic Italian. Her specialty.
Simple.
Easy.
Legendary.
Follow this recipe to the letter. I did not change one thing. I even served the green beans with it.
You make this, people will talk about it for years.
I know, I made this last year.
They’re still talking.
Claudia's Osso Buco from cookeatFret
veal shank sliced in 2 - 3 inch pieces
2 - 3 T olive oil
flour for dredging
salt and pepper
3 ounces pancetta - finely chopped
6 or 7 anchovies - finely chopped
white wine - 1 cup
veal or chicken stock - about 2 cups
lightly flour the shank pieces and lightly salt and pepper
brown the shanks well on both sides in the olive oil
remove to a plate and set aside
add the pancetta to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on low to medium heat
add the anchovies for about another 3 minutes and then the garlic for another 2
deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce it down almost all the way
add back the veal and cover the meat halfway with the stock
cover the pan and simmer for 90 minutes
remove the shanks carefully - i didn’t tie mine and they held together just fine
strain the liquid that’s left in the pan (i saved the pancetta pieces for a pizza later in the week)
and then return strained liquid - i had about 2/3 cup - to the pan and add about 2 or 3 T butter to make a sauce.
Serves 2 happy humans!
Click here for a printable recipe!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Short Ribs Braciole
Fine and you?
It’s been a nice holiday break around the Red Brick Ranchero. Wild “goings-on”, as they say.
Standing rib roast, flourless dark chocolate truffle cake and one of the better Christmas Eves ending with my great great great somebody’s eggnog that makes your eyes water to grilled lobster tails and old and new friends gathering on New Year’s Eve. Never a dull moment!
This past weekend, Groom requested short ribs. And being the loving person that I am, I said,
“well, if we must.”
I know, I know. But I love short ribs.
This recipe is from Andrew Carmellini’s new cookbook, Urban Italian. And it’s a good one.
I’d seen Braciole in several cookbooks, usually a flattened piece of beef rolled with cheese, prosciutto and hard boiled eggs, browned and braised in a simple tomato sauce.
This recipe takes the simplicity of the tomato sauce, the salty flavor of pancetta and spicy crushed red pepper to make a memorable meal from short ribs.
No eggs., no rolling up anything. Just easy.
Fine with me!
Short Ribs Braciole
Liberally Adapted from Urban Italian by Andrew Carmellini and Gwen Hyman
¼ pound pancetta, diced
2-3 lbs boneless beef short ribs, trimmed of fat as much as you care to do
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 large spoonful garlic confit, smashed
Crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups whole canned San Marzano tomatoes
½ cup red wine
¼ cup pine nuts, chopped
A couple of swirls of extra virgin olive oil
½ bagel, not toasted and whirled in food processor til bread crumb texture
1 tbsp Turkish oregano
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2-3 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Over medium high heat, cook pancetta in large Dutch oven til the fat renders, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. Season short ribs with salt and pepper to taste and add to pan. Brown on all sides and remove from pan. Add onion and cook til softens, about five minutes. Add garlic confit and a couple of good shakes of crushed red pepper flakes.
Add the ribs back to the pan and squeeze the tomatoes into the pan along with their juice. Bring to a low boil, cover and put in the oven to cook for 2-1/2 hours or until you can stick a fork in the ribs and they fall apart. Take out of the oven and add the red wine to bring the sauce together. Let sit over very low heat.
Toast the pine nuts over low heat about five minutes and then add a bit of extra virgin olive oil and then add the bagel crumbs. Add oregano and fresh parsley, stir well, remove from heat and grate in the cheese.
Plate the short ribs, (we served it with a couple of new potatoes), top with pine nut mixture and serve.
Serves 3-4 generously.
(I did this in the slow cooker, setting it on high for 3 hours. Worked beautifully!)
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Pan Seared Scallops with Fresh Thyme and Summer Vegetables
It’s that time of year when the farmer’s market is filled with fresh vegetables and one’s thoughts turn to…the pig.
I can’t help it. We have been so good this summer. The pig has barely made an appearance at any of our dinners.
Sometimes I feel like I’m running a seafood restaurant.
Tonight I just couldn’t stand it anymore. We had beautiful sea scallops, fresh “peaches and cream” corn, red bell peppers, fresh lima beans.
And all I could think about was the pancetta. Sitting lost and alone in the fridge.
It positively threw itself into the hot cast iron skillet.
The rest is history.
Fabulous edible history.
Pan Seared Scallops with Fresh Thyme and Summer Vegetables
1 pound large sea scallops, patted dry
2 pieces pancetta, diced
A good swirl extra virgin olive oil
Several sprigs fresh thyme
2 ears peaches and cream corn, cut from cob
1 red bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 cup fresh lima beans
2 green onions, diced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat good swirl of extra virgin olive oil in cast iron skillet. Throw in the pancetta and let it brown til crisp. Remove from pan and let the pancetta drain on paper towels.
Be sure the scallops are as dry as possible and put them in the hot cast iron skillet. Let cook, undisturbed until they are golden brown and caramelized on the bottom. Turn and season with lots of freshly ground black pepper and a bit of coarse salt. Cook a couple of minutes til done and remove to a bowl and sprinkle with fresh thyme bits (stripped from the stem, not chopped).
Add the green onion and red bell pepper and cook for several minutes, until soft. Add the limas and the corn and cook for about five minutes until done. Toss with the scallops and fresh thyme and sprinkle with the pancetta.
Serves 3 generously.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Pan Fried Rainbow Trout Fillets with Pancetta and a Zucchini Tian
Total déjà vu.
Once again I’m standing in the kitchen with pig(pancetta) in one hand and fish (fresh rainbow trout) in the other and the pig and fish thing takes charge.
I turn around and there’s a zucchini, a potato and a couple of tomatoes and garlic cloves sitting there looking at me on the counter top.
My brain starts working and the games begin.
This turned out even better than I thought it would.
I got out my handy dandy mandolin and sliced the potatoes, tomatoes and garlic and zucchini. I stood them up in the individual gratins in layers and drizzled with olive oil, seasoned at the last with lots of freshly ground black pepper. They went into the oven for 35 minutes. In the meantime, I crisped the pancetta and removed it to a platter. The trout is floured and seasoned and cooks in the fat the pancetta released. Trout removed, Meyer lemon and capers added off the heat.
She shoots.
She scores.
Pan Fried Rainbow Trout with Zucchini Tian
Preheat oven to 400.
1 small zucchini
1 baking potato
3 small tomatoes
2 fat cloves garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Slice the zucchini, baking potato, garlic and tomatoes very thin. Put a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in baking dish ( I did these individually, but it would certainly work just fine in a 8x8 pyrex dish). Start with potatoes, and take 4-5 pieces and stand them up, the sprinkle a bit of garlic, then a couple of sliced tomatoes, then garlic, then a bit of zucchini, then garlic and repeat til you use up all the veggies. Drizzle with olive oil, season with the black pepper and run in the oven. They cook about 35 minutes.
2 rainbow trout fillets
2 ounces pancetta, diced
Extra virgin olive oil
A cup of all purpose flour seasoned well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
1 tbsp capers, drained
1 Meyer lemon
Heat large cast iron skillet and put a good swirl of extra virgin olive oil in the pan over moderate heat. Add pancetta and cook til crisp. Remove from pan . Dredge trout in flour mix on both sides and put in hot skillet. Cook on both sides til golden brown. Remove trout from pan and remove pan from heat.
Add capers and lemon juice and stir to combine.
Plate trout and put caper lemon sauce over and garnish with pancetta. Serve tian on the side.
Serves 2.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Shrimp with Pancetta, Rosemary and Thyme
I love to cook. Always have.
We would put on some r&b and smooth jazz, open the wine and start cooking. Charley is a great cook. She’s also one of those people who preps food well. Every time I’d turn around, she’d have the mise en place in place. Love her!
We did this recipe a lot. A little pancetta sautés in a pan and shrimp, rosemary, garlic and thyme are thrown in the pan to cook and finished with a buttery sauce. Perfect over pasta, your fingers, bread. Whatever.
Eat a little bit, get up and dance to Al Green, sit down and eat some more!
Shrimp with Pancetta, Rosemary and Thyme
¾ pound 21-25 shrimp, tail on
3 fat cloves garlic, sliced thin
A couple of good swirls extra virgin olive oil
A tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
A tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Coarsely ground black pepper
2.5 ounces pancetta, diced
1 small lemon, juiced
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp butter
Put the shrimp, garlic, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, pepper in medium bowl, Mix well and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Heat large skillet, put a swirl of olive oil in it and heat. When shimmery, add the pancetta and cook, stirring until crispy. Add shrimp mixture and saute until pink and cooked through.
Remove from pan.
Raise the heat and add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Stir until reduced by half. Add the 2 tbsp butter and swirl until sauce is thickened and reduced. Add the shrimp mixture back in and combine well.
Works wonderfully with cavatelli!
Serves 3.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Sketti
Sunday nights were always special when I was growing up. That’s because it was “sketti” night. When I was nine, we spent Sunday nights at our house or the Robinsons. My brother and I loved Sunday nights. The Robinsons were childhood friends of my dad’s and had four children. Ed Sullivan was always on the tv and then Bonanza. Oh, Lordy! How we loved Little Joe. And usually we would have “sketti” for dinner. A thick, meaty, chunky, tomato-ey spaghetti sauce that had simmered for an hour or so on the back burner while we played outside, ran through the house, disrupted the parental cocktail hour ; then came in and flopped down in front of the tv. In January of 1964, the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan for the first time. And I do believe that’s the only time I ever stopped eating in order to watch a tv show. This recipe is a variation of one by Patricia Wells. It’s a grown up “sketti” that’s easy to make. Add a little Beatles on your stereo and you might be age nine again on a Sunday night surrounded by music, food, good friends and love.
Sketti
1 pound ground chuck
4 oz prosciutto, chopped
4 oz pancetta, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
2 medium leeks, cleaned, white parts chopped
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup minced sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
2 bay leaves
Large pinch dried French thyme
Large pinch dried Turkish oregano
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
1 14 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup red wine
In good sized Dutch oven , do about three swirls of extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium heat and add chopped leeks.
Add tomatoes, wine, sun dried tomatoes and cook on low for about an hour or longer, if you like.
Serve over thick hearty noodles, or rigatoni. A bright Arugula salad with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste would be a fine accompaniment.
In Italy, this sauce probably would not be served with Parmesan cheese. But I don’t live in Italy, so I say do what feels right to you!!!
This recipe is for you, Juan.
