Linguine with Soft-Shell Crabs

Recipe: Linguine with Soft-Shell Crabs
Page: 129
Date Cooked: June 2, 2012

If you weren't sure whether or not summer was here, the presence of soft-shell crabs in the grocery store and on every seasonal menu should be your cue. Moreover, the addition of corn, tomatoes, and basil in this recipe really lends itself to the season. This recipe is the last soft-shell crab recipe and the last pasta recipe I had left in this cookbook.

Ingredients: Soft-shell crabs, red onions, corn, tomatoes, unsalted butter, olive oil, pepper, salt, dried linguine, and basil

I put a pot of salted water to boil, for the pasta. I sliced the onions, diced the tomatoes, and cut the kernels off the corncobs.

(1) Sliced onions (2) Diced tomatoes (3) Corn kernels

In a large skillet, I heated butter and olive oil. I added the onions until they softened and then added the corn and tomatoes. Once the veggies heated through, I seasoned them with salt and pepper. Also, I cooked the linguine (by the way, I used spinach linguine) according to package directions and chopped the basil.

Left: Beginning to cook onion-corn-tomato mixture
Right: Chopped basil

In another pan, I heated up olive oil. I pat the crabs dry, placed them in the pan (shell side down), and covered the pan. Once the crabs achieved a golden color, I flipped them, covered the pan, and let them cook for a few minutes longer.

Cooking soft-shell crabs

I drained the pasta and added it to the skillet with the onion-corn-tomato mixture. I tossed the pasta with basil and seasoned with salt and pepper. I put the pasta on the plates and served it alongside the soft-shell crabs.

Linguine with Soft-Shell Crabs

This dish was light and delicious. It was really the perfect hot summer night meal. I think this dish speaks to the seasonality of the ingredients - summer corn, tomatoes, and soft-shell crabs. I loved the way it tasted and of course love the colors on the plate. Little fuss with a great reward.

Enjoy!

Tagliatelle with Beets and Cream

Recipe: Tagliatelle with Beets and Cream
Page: 124
Date Cooked: March 27, 2012

Whenever JW lists a recipe and recommends making your own pasta, I am always a bit giddy. I've done it now for three previous recipes: (1) Fettuccine with Calamari and Summer Squash; (2) Sea Scallop Fettuccine; and (3) Lasagna with Smoked Ham and Cabbage. If you ask me, nothing compares to fresh pasta. Furthermore, I have been somewhat obsessed with beets the last few months. So the combination of the two was one I was looking forward to.

Ingredients: Egg yolks, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, beets, leek, celery, carrots, celery root, red bell pepper, unsalted butter, heavy cream, and pepper

The Pasta. I combined egg yolks, flour, and salt in a food processor and pulsed until it formed a ball of dough. I transferred the dough to a floured counter top and kneaded. I then let the plastic covered dough rest. I divided the dough into pieces and rolled out sheets of pasta using my pasta maker. I then used the pasta cutter and cut the sheets into strips. The pasta was tossed in flour and laid out on the counter top to dry.

(1) Ball of dough (2) Sheets of pasta (3) Pasta

I trimmed down the beets and put them in a saucepan of water to simmer until the beets got tender. I then drained the beets, let them cool, and julienned them.

Beets

I proceeded to julienne a whole lot more vegetables - the leek, celery, carrots, celery root, and red bell pepper.

Julienned (1) Leek (2) Celery (3) Carrots (4) Celery root (5) Red bell pepper

With all the vegetables julienned to perfection, I brought a saucepan of water to a boil and one-by-one blanched the above veggies. I then melted some butter in a saucepan and added all the vegetables to cook for just a few minutes. Upon cooking, I added the cream to the pan and brought it to a boil. I seasoned the vegetables with salt and pepper, and removed the pan from the heat.

Cooking all the vegetables

Meanwhile, I brought a large pot of water to boil and cooked the pasta. I drained the pasta, tossed it with some butter and the vegetables. Right before serving, I seasoned the pasta with some salt and pepper.

Tagliatelle with Beets and Cream

After this recipe, it is safe to say that I am a julienne master! Oh my goodness, so many vegetables to julienne - it was a bit crazy. I am quite lukewarm about this recipe. It really ended up being so-so. I wanted another texture or flavor, just something. The fat of the heavy cream weighed the recipe down. Though the vegetables were fresh and delicious, they were all cooked in the same fashion and got lost in the dish. I craved a spicy element or maybe even some acid - it just wasn't there. I also was hoping for a visual payoff with all those veggies and what not. However, the beet color just got on everything and it didn't look as beautiful as I hoped. Unfortunately, I would have to say this was a whole lot of work for an OK outcome.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Spicy Clams

Recipe: Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Spicy Clams
Page: 133
Date Cooked: February 6, 2012

There is something about a bowl of pasta that just screams comfort to me. Then, with a bit of seafood mixed in, I am definitely on board. JW speaks wonders about Manila clams in the intro to this recipe. He goes on and on about how sweet and wonderful they are. Unfortunately, these clams are from the Pacific and aren't really available in Central PA. Luckily, in the recipe itself he gives the option of using cherrystone clams. The strange part is the two clam varietals couldn't be more different. Manila clams are small and cherrystone clams are among some of the larger clams. Nonetheless, I hoped it wouldn't take away from the dish.

Ingredients: Cherrystone clams, red tomatoes, yellow tomato, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, garlic, dry white wine, red pepper flakes, dried whole wheat spaghetti, brine-cured black olives, unsalted butter, tarragon leaves, salt, and pepper

While I put some salt water on boil, I starting prepping the other ingredients. I scrubbed and cleaned the clams and put them into the fridge. I coarsely chopped the tomatoes, minced the peppers, and peeled some garlic cloves.

1.Cleaned cherrystone clams 2. Minced bell peppers 3. Chopped tomatoes 4. Peeled garlic cloves

I cooked the spaghetti in the boiling water. I also combined the wine and red pepper flakes in a saucepan and set it to simmer.

Simmering white wine with red pepper flakes

In a Dutch oven, I combined the clams, garlic, and white wine mixture and brought it all to a boil. I cooked it until the clams opened.

Cooking clams

Once the clams opened, I added the butter, tomatoes, peppers, olives, and tarragon to the pan. I brought all the ingredients to a boil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Side note: I ended up taking the clam meat out of the shells, just because the clams were so large.

Clams with tomatoes, peppers, olives, and tarragon

Finally, I drained the pasta and tossed it well with the clam sauce....

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Spicy Clams

This recipe was a winner. Beautiful colors in the dish - the red and yellow of the peppers and tomatoes, the olives, and the green tarragon. The clam sauce was super flavorful. It was hearty but not heavy. I really enjoyed the dish. Perhaps if I get a chance to get those Manila clams, I will give this recipe another shot. I'm sure I wouldn't mind eating it again.

Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Cremini Mushrooms and Onion Marmalade

Recipe: Fettuccine with Cremini Mushrooms and Onion Marmalade
Page: 126
Date Cooked: October 14, 2011

Mushroom production is actually centered here in Pennsylvania. So after a few major rains, I knew the grocery stores would be fully stocked of mushrooms and it would be a perfect time for a mushroom based recipe.

Ingredients: Red onions, butter, salt, pepper, Pinot Noir, rosemary, parsley, cremini mushrooms, garlic, dry sherry, and dried fettuccine

The first step was the onion marmalade. I sliced the onions into thin slices and melted butter in a pan. I added the onions along with salt and pepper and allowed it to carmelize. I then added the wine to the pan and let it reduce for a bit. Finally, I stirred in the herbs and covered the pan to keep the mixture warm.

Making Onion Marmalade

Next it was on to the fettuccine with cremini mushrooms. I submerged the mushrooms into a bowl of cold water and let it sit for a bit. I found it funny that JW made a note about how people seem to be vehemently opposed to washing mushrooms. So much so, he states the following: "In truth, what happens in the forest? Doesn't it rain?" And I agree with him. It is a simple way of getting rid of most of the dirt and much faster than wiping them individually.

Submerged mushrooms

After the mushrooms soaked, I drained them on paper towels, and patted them dry. I then halved the mushrooms and minced the garlic.

Left: Halved mushrooms Right: Minced garlic

I melted some butter into a deep pan, added the garlic, and cooked till it was a light brown. I then added in the mushrooms along with salt and pepper; and let it simmer until a little liquid from the mushrooms were released. I included the sherry and allowed the mushrooms to cook for a few minutes longer.

Cooking the cremini mushrooms

Finally, I cooked the fettuccine until al dente and reserved some of the cooking water. I added the pasta along with the cooking water to the reheated marmalade and tossed well. I plated the fettuccine and topped it with the mushrooms and some black pepper.

Fettuccine with Cremini Mushrooms and Onion Marmalade

So I have mixed feelings about this recipe. The flavors were all solid. I enjoyed the marmalade and the cremini mushrooms. Everything worked well together but it was a little on the dry side. However, I had some leftovers the following day and the dish was amazing. Not dry at all. The flavors were much more intense and overall delicious.

Since I had two experiences that were quite different, I'm not sure how to rate this recipe. I wouldn't completely rule it out but I suppose I would have to think of a few changes.

Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Calamari and Summer Squash

Recipe: Fettuccine with Calamari and Summer Squash
Page: 135
Date Cooked: August 6, 2011

I came off of a high with the last seafood pasta dish and figured I would just keep going. Furthermore, I fell in love with my pasta maker and decided that instead of using dried fettuccine (like the recipe calls for) I would just go ahead and make it on my own. This pasta dish promises the taste of summer with summer squash and sweet onions - so I was excited to give it a shot.

Ingredients: Sweet onions, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, squid, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, spinach fettuccine, and red pepper fettuccine

The first step was to get everything in its place. I thinly sliced the onions, took the kernels off the corn, julienned the zucchini and squash, and cut the squid into rings.

Left: Corn kernels, sliced onions, and julienned squash and zucchini
Right: Squid rings

I heated some oil in a large skillet and sauteed the onions for a few minutes. Later, I added the zucchini, squash, and corn and sauteed all of it together. Finally, I added the vinegar and thyme and stirred it all together.

Sauteed onions, zucchini, squash, and corn

I then removed the vegetable mixture from the skillet, wiped it out, and sauteed the squid just for a few seconds. Once the squid had cooked, I added the squash mixture back to the skillet. The entire mixture was stirred well and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Squid and vegetable mixture

In the meantime I cooked both the spinach and roasted red pepper fettuccine and tossed it into the squid-vegetable mixture. Then it was time to plate...

Fettuccine with Calamari and Summer Squash

The one thing about this dish was that it was visually stimulating. The colors were absolutely beautiful. Heck I would even say my picture rivals the one in JW's book. And...it tasted just as good as it looked. I'm going to have to give some credit to the amazing produce I bought at the farmers market the day before. I honestly think that was the reason why the dish actually tasted like summer. Nonetheless, it was amazing how the ingredients went together so well. The crunch of the zucchini and squash, the sweetness of the onions and corn, and finally the pasta - yummy! My own critique would be that the recipe definitely made more than "4 main-course servings." But I just ended up with some leftovers and I wasn't complaining. Overall, it was an incredibly good dish and I would definitely make it again!

Enjoy!

I would like to thank Jill Harvey with all the help julienning that squash and zucchini!

Sea Scallop Fettuccine

Recipe: Sea Scallop Fettuccine
Page: 130
Date Cooked: August 1, 2011

Soon after I hand-rolled the lasagna sheets for the "lasagna with smoked ham and cabbage", I fell in love with the taste of home-made pasta and decided I needed to buy a pasta maker. It tasted so good but I couldn't see myself rolling it out with a pin every time. It arrived and life took over, so it sat in the box for a while. However, I finally took it out and it's inaugural pasta came from a JW recipe and here it is.

Eggs, all-purpose flour, salt, sea scallops, shallot, lemon, parsley, white wine, heavy cream, olive oil, and pepper

I began with the pasta making. In a food processor I combined the egg yolks, flour, and salt; and pulsed till a ball of dough formed. I then kneaded it for a few minutes and then covered it with plastic wrap to rest for a bit.

Pasta dough in the process

I divided the pasta dough into 3 pieces and worked with one at time. I rolled the dough through the pasta maker using one setting at a time until the next-to-thinnest setting. All the sheets were dusted with flour and allowed to dry on the counter. Once the sheets dried, I ran them through the fettuccine cutter. The fettuccine was then tossed with some flour and left out to dry.

1. Rolling out pasta dough 2. Pasta sheets 3. Fettuccine

I then put a sliced shallot, parsley, and wine into a saucepan and allowed it to simmer for some time. JW recommends placing the tough muscle from the scallop into this mixture as well. Unfortunately, my grocery store doesn't carry scallops with the muscle on, so I went without it. I strained the liquid, returned it the saucepan, and let it reduce. I then added the heavy cream and allowed the sauce to simmer until it thickened. Once ready, it was removed from the heat.

Left: reducing the wine mixture Right: cream sauce

With the pasta and sauce out of the way, I focused on cooking the scallops. I rubbed the scallops with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then heated them in a large skillet to get a sear on each side. I made sure to follow JW's warning in the shellfish section of this book as well - "It's a crime to mess around too much with scallops."

Searing the scallops

I removed the scallops from the skillet and placed them on a plate. I poured the cream sauce into the skillet and kept it warm. During this time, I cooked the pasta until just tender. I then placed the drained pasta into the skillet with the cream sauce.

1. Heavy cream sauce 2. Boiling pasta 3. Pasta with heavy cream

I tossed the pasta into the cream sauce and seasoned it with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. I then proceeded to plate the pasta and added the scallops on top.

Sea Scallop Fettuccine

I cannot say enough about this recipe. It was delicious. Everything was spot on perfect. The pasta recipe was exactly right and it tasted wonderful. Quite possibly some of the best pasta I have ever had (not to talk myself up too much). The sauce was super yummy. The lemon in the pasta complimented the scallops. Everything about this dish was marvelous. Pure deliciousness! Perhaps it is too soon to rave about the pasta recipes in "A Great American Cook" but I'm well on my way there.

Enjoy!

Lasagna with Smoked Ham and Cabbage

Recipe: Lasagna with Smoked Ham and Cabbage
Page: 136
Date Cooked: April 18, 2011

I love the taste of fresh pasta and try to get it whenever I can. I have however, been intimidated to make it. Quite possibly the reason why it took till recipe #29 to do so. If I wasn't a firm fresh pasta believer before, I most definitely am now!

Ingredients: Spinach, basil, egg yolks, flour, salt, onions, garlic, shallots, red bell peppers, olive oil, pepper, napa cabbage, ginger, ham, butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and mozzarella cheese

Like I previously mentioned, I have never made pasta on my own. Luckily, I was surprised to discover it wasn't as difficult as I assumed. First the spinach was blanched and then completely cooled. The spinach, basil, and egg yolks were all pureed together. Then the flour and salt were added and pulsed together till a ball of dough formed. The dough was kneaded on a floured surface and then set aside to rest for a bit. Since I didn't have a pasta machine (which the instructions call to use), I rolled out the dough to my best ability with a rolling pin. And I think it did the trick!

1. Dough in food processor 2. Kneading on floured surface 3. Rolled out dough

The rolled out dough was then cut into sheets and cooking in boiling water. Once tender they were removed and immersed in cold water to halt the cooking process.

Cooked spinach and basil lasagna sheets

With the pasta done, it was on to the hard part: the filling! Now this recipe is for 8 main course servings and consequently there was a lot of ingredients and a lot of chopping. The onions, garlic, and shallots were thinly sliced. The peppers were stemmed, seeded, and chopped. The ginger was peeled and minced. And finally the cabbage was shredded and ham was sliced into thin strips. *Whew* *Thanks Nathan*

The onions, garlic, and shallots were cooked together until tender. Then the peppers were added to the mix.

Sauteed onions, garlic, shallots, and peppers

The pot was removed from the heat. The cabbage, ginger, and ham were added to the onion mixture. The filling was then salted and peppered.

Smoked ham and cabbage filling

With the pasta and filling ready it was time to layer. A baking pan was buttered and sprinkled with some grated Parmesan cheese. The layers went as follows: noodles --> 1/3 cabbage mixture --> butter --> Parmesan cheese --> 1/3 mozzarella --> and repeat.  The finishing layer of noodles was sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Layers of lasagna

The pan was placed in the oven until the lasagna was golden brown and bubbly.

Lasagna with Smoked Ham and Cabbage

I realize that you may have read this entry screaming at the screen and asking any or all of the following:

• "Ham and cabbage?!?"
• "Where is the tomato?!?!"
• "Where is the ricotta?!?!?"
• "What kind of lasagna is this?!?!?"

My response to you is

• Yes. 
• Not there. 
• Not there. 
• And the amazing kind of lasagna. 

Seriously, I never imagined lasagna would taste soo multi-dimensional. It was different and surprising - but all in a gloriously good way. The filling was phenomenal. I could have just eaten spoons of that. The ginger was also a nice surprise and worked well with the cabbage and ham. It felt fresh and surprisingly light (especially considering the butter, Parmesan, and mozzarella). I would eat and make this again in a heart beat. Oh and the lasagna noodles were perfection - cooked wonderfully and tasted delicious.

Not only am I definitely a fresh pasta convert, but I'm a lasagna convert too!

Enjoy!

Pasta With Asparagus

Recipe: Pasta with Asparagus
Page: 128
Date Cooked: September 21, 2010

Pasta dishes are my go-to's when I'm in the mood for something quick, filling, and tasty. Not only do you get an architectural pasta shape feeling in your mouth but also an assortment of flavors. With that in mind, I decided to give Jonathan Waxman's "Pasta with Asparagus" a try.

Ingredients: Asparagus, cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, basil leaves, olive oil, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, orecchiette, unsalted butter, and Fontina cheese

People have a tendency to overcook asparagus and Jonathan Waxman warns you of that as well. "The spears should be cooked just right, not too crunchy or too limp." Furthermore, many people shy away from asparagus because they think it's bitter - much of this has to do with how one cooks asparagus. Accordingly, the asparagus were trimmed at the part where the bitterness ends (the natural snapping point) and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. The tomatoes were then halved. Garlic was minced. And finally, the basil was julienned.

In the bowls: Halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2-inch pieces of asparagus
On the cutting board: Julienned basil and minced garlic

The one thing I really appreciate while preparing food is the contrasting colors of all the ingredients. The red of the cherry tomatoes in contrast with the green of the asparagus and basil is just pleasing to the eye.

The best part of this recipe is this is pretty much the end of any kind of real prep work (I had to grate the Fontina on my own, because I couldn't find it already grated). The rest is just cooking. The olive oil is heated in a large skillet and the garlic is sautéed. Add the tomatoes and the asparagus and cook till the asparagus is just tender (approximately 8-10 minutes). The mixture is then seasoned with salt and pepper, removed from the heat, and covered.

The sauntered mixture of garlic, tomatoes, and asparagus

The pasta is then cooked to al dente based on the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, bread crumbs are placed on a baking sheet and toasted in the oven. Word to the wise: don't forget about the bread crumbs in the oven. I hate to admit it, but I burned the first batch and had to do it a second time. Also once the pasta has cooked, Jonathan Waxman suggests keeping about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Drained pasta with reserved cooking water

And now putting everything together. The asparagus mixture is reheated over low heat and the butter is added. The orecchiette was added by spoonful and tossed. I never had to use the reserved cooking water, which is there just in case the pasta appears dry. The basil, cheese, and bread crumbs are added one at a time and tossed after each addition. Then it's all done.

Pasta with Asparagus

The pasta was good but to be honest I wasn't wowed by the flavor combination. Tomatoes, asparagus, basil, and garlic in a pasta is quite ordinary - but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Fontina cheese is not a cheese I pick up often and I really enjoyed the nutty-type flavor of the cheese. The one component that didn't see to resonate with me were the breadcrumbs. I assumed it would provide an added texture, but it just didn't do it for me. All in all it was good and the flavors were fresh.

Enjoy!