Rigatoni with Pistachio Pesto

Most women get excited over a new pair of shoes. However, lately, a new gadget or piece of kitchen equipment gets my heart racing. Don't get me wrong, a new outfit for going out to dinner (always nice to let a skilled chef handle the cooking once in a while) or for hosting a dinner party is always fun, but my new marble mortar and pestle is quite pretty too. Had been searching for a reasonably large mortar and pestle for quite some time. Even searched for one while I was in Italy a few months back. I envisioned walking into a cute little family run shop and finding the perfect rustic, perhaps weathered, mortar and pestle to take home; no such luck, apparently they get passed down from generation to generation and are difficult to find in stores nowadays. Nonetheless, this was a great find (in Washington, D.C. of all places) and one serious mortal and pestle; perfect for grinding spices, whipping up a batch of aioli, or making pesto by hand. Also great therapy after a long, frustrating day at work, and good for strengthening your upper arm muscles.

Another weekend, another day of shopping at the farmers' market. This time I brought home some Thai basil, amongst my other purchases. Eager to use my new mortal and pestle, I decided to make a batch of fresh pesto with a healthy dose of pistachios (in place of pine nuts) to accompany a bowl of rigatoni. While Thai basil is not typical for making an Italian pesto (traditionally made with Genovese basil), sometimes you have to adapt to what's available. Of note, Thai basil imparts anise/licorice notes; an usual but nice touch to pesto.

I had a rendition of this dish (Paccheri al Pesto di Pistachio) when I was on the tiny island of Filicudi (population 400) in the Aeolian Islands (off the coast of Sicily) this past summer. One of the best plates of pasta I've ever encountered -- the perfect balance of just the right amount of basil, pistacchio, lemon, and oil, and the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. This is my homage to paccheri al pesto di pistachio, based entirely on my fond memories (of both the meal and time spent on this remote, serene island -- wish I was still there -- ahh, to dream).

Rigatoni al Pesto di Pistachio...

Making pesto by hand the old-fashioned way (putting a little muscle into it)...

 

A squeeze of lemon and some zest brightens up the dish...

Rigatoni al Pesto di Pistachio

1/2 pound pasta (such as rigatoni)

1/2 cup pesto (recipe below)

4-5 anchovies in oil, rinsed, and mashed with fork

zest of half of lemon

squeeze of lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

ground pistachios for garnish
olive oil

Note: don't be afraid of the anchovies. They provide a subtle but nice addition of salinity to the dish.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente (reserve some pasta water). Heat a large skillet with a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Add the mashed anchovies and stir for 30 seconds. Toss in the pasta, some pasta water (enough to form a little sauce on the bottom of the pan), pesto, lemon zest, squeeze of lemon, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until well incorporated and warmed through, about 30 seconds. Serve hot.Garnish with a nice sprinkling of ground pistachios, and some coarse sea salt.

Pesto
1 large bunch of basil (Genovese, Thai)
1-2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup ground pistachios (can grind with mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or food processor)
salt and pepper

Note: pesto can be made in a blender or food processor.

Start by pounding the garlic with a pinch of salt until smooth. Add ~ 1/3 of the basil leaves. Slowly add more basil, pound some more; repeat with the rest of the basil. At this point the basil and garlic should be a fine mince. Add the oil, a spoonful at a time, and pound into the crushed basil.Stir in the ground pistachios.

Rock Shrimp and Eggs

Eggs and Shrimp. Shrimp and Eggs. Is this breakfast or dinner? Brunch or lunch? Revuelto de gambas (or eggs with shrimp) is a very typical tapa served all over Spain. This is the third post in my series A Taste of Spain. Part 1: Squid and White Beans with Balsamic Reduction; Part 2: Chickpeas with Black Sausage, Pine Nuts, & Raisins. The great thing about this dish is that it can be eaten just about anytime of day--as a  hearty breakfast, a light lunch or dinner, or even a midnight snack. Great for a relaxing Sunday brunch with a glass of cava.

It really doesn't get much easier than this. With just a few ingredients and a hot skillet, you'll have yourself a tasty plate of food, that takes literally minutes to prepare. But there is one catch, properly cooking the egg makes all the difference in the overall outcome of this dish. The egg should be a bit loose; more than you are usually accustomed to, I would suspect. To get that perfect egg, use a non-stick pan and a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Don't over stir, instead think of these as folded eggs rather than scrambled (lift and fold the eggs rather than stir). The eggs should have the texture of soft curds, light and fluffy, and a bit runny.

I like to use the smaller rock shrimp. They have a bit of sweetness to them. But any old shrimp will do. You can incorporate local flavors into the dish. Depending on the season, you can add fresh asparagus, green peas, spinach, mushrooms, Spanish chorizo...

1/3 pound rock shrimp (or other small shrimp)
3 large eggs (duck or chicken), lightly beaten
1 small red pepper, thinly sliced

3 gloves garlic or garlic scapes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
large pinch smoked hot paprika 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
Sprinkling of coarse sea salt

Alternatives: Add roasted asparagus, green peas, spinach, mushrooms, Spanish chorizo

Heat a small amount of oil in a saute pan. When hot, add the sliced red pepper and cook over medium heat until softened and slightly charred. Set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of oil and paprika in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute a few minutes until it just begins to color. Add the shrimp and season with salt. Cook the shrimp, 1 minute per side -- until just pink. Add the eggs, parsley, chives (optional), pinch of salt, black pepper, and roasted red peppers. With a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, lift and fold the eggs rather than stir. Cook the eggs just a minute or two; eggs should be creamy and a bit of liquid should remain. Garnish with chopped parsley and chives.Sprinkle a little coarse sea salt on top.

This dish is best with eggs fresh from the farm. The yolks from eggs that I buy from my local farmer's market have a deep orange color compared to the rather pale yellow conventional (factory farmed) variety; and makes for a creamy, luscious egg. These hens were very photogenic and even turned around to face the camera so I could snap a few pictures.

Mint Chip Gelato

Was happy to find chocolate mint at the farmers' market the other day. One breath and I was overtaken by the intoxicating aroma of mint and sweet chocolate. Before long, I had a gallon of milk and half a dozen eggs in my bag -- the foundation for some excellent gelato. I have to say, this gelato came out just as I had imagined. A creamy texture, a strong mint flavor, and specks of dark chocolate from homemade "chocolate chips" scattered about. The chocolate lattice is a whimsical touch, and requires minimal effort. Just melt some chocolate, dip in a whisk, and shake it all around (being somewhat careful not to make a complete mess).

While it takes a bit of effort to make homemade gelato, you should be up for the challenge. As with all recipes, au naturale is the way to go -- no preservatives, food coloring, artificial flavorings or stabilizers/emulsifiers -- just milk, cream, eggs, sugar, and mint leaves, nothing more. You may look at these photos and think, this can't be mint gelato, it's not green. If your gelato is neon green, chances are food coloring and artificial mint flavors conjured up in some laboratory are the culprit.

Not sure I can technically call this gelato. The main difference between gelato and ice cream is the amount of air added during the freezing process. The more air in any frozen product, the higher the risk of ice crystal formation, and the colder and icier the mouthfeel. Ice cream can have as much as 50% (or more) added air. Gelato, depending on the flavor, will likely have no more than 15 to 20%. To compensate for the amount of added air, a larger amount of heavy cream is typically added to ice cream. Thus, gelato is typically lower in fat (and cream); this particular version of gelato has a higher milk to cream ratio (2 cups of whole milk to 1 cup of heavy cream). Nonetheless, gelato or ice cream that is made with quality ingredients will always taste best!

Mint Chip Gelato
Adapted slightly from Making Artisan Gelato by Torrance Kopfer.

Makes 1 quart

2 cups whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 cups (lightly packed) fresh mint leaves (used chocolate mint)

4 large egg yolks 

1 cup heavy cream 

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

5 ounces dark chocolate (used 72% cacao) see below for making chocolate chips

Pour the milk into a medium-size saucepan. Add about ½ cup of the sugar, place over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture registers 170°F. Remove from the heat, add the mint leaves, and stir to make sure that they're fully submerged. Cover and let steep for 2 hours. (The longer the mint leaves steep, the stronger the mint flavor will be).

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean, medium-size saucepan, pressing on the mint leaves to remove as much flavor as possible. Discard the mint leaves and place the steeped mixture back on the stove top over medium heat. Warm, stirring occasionally to keep the bottom from scorching, until it registers 170°F.

In a nonreactive, medium-size bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup of sugar until foamy and slightly thickened. 

Carefully temper the egg yolks with the hot milk mixture by slowly adding about half of the hot liquid to the eggs, whisking continuously. Pour the heated egg mixture into the saucepan with the hot milk and return to the stove top. Stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula, cook the mixture over medium heat until it registers 185°F or is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon or spatula, taking care to make sure the mixture does not boil. Remove from the heat.

Pour the heavy cream into a clean, large stainless-steel or glass mixing bowl set over an ice bath.

Pour the heated custard through a fine-mesh sieve or strainer into the cold cream, add the vanilla extract (if using), and stir until fully incorporated. Stir occasionally until the mixture has fully cooled. This should take about ½ hour. Remove the mixing bowl from the ice bath, dry off the bottom of the bowl if necessary, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

When ready, pour the chilled mixture into the ice-cream maker and process according to manufacturer's specifications. When the gelato is about 2 minutes from being done, slowly add the chocolate chips. 

Remove the finished gelato from the ice-cream maker and place in a plastic container. Cover with plastic wrap by pressing the wrap gently against the top of the gelato, affix lid to container, and place in the freezer to fully harden before serving.

Note: For a stronger mint taste and a more vibrant color, reserve ½ cup of the mint leaves. Crush the reserved mint leaves and add to the custard after the first steeping.

Chocolate mint steeping in hot milk...

Chocolate Chips
Chop the chocolate into small piece. Fill the bottom half of a double boiler with water, making certain the bottom of the top half doesn't touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer. Place the chocolate in the top half, and place over the simmering water. Be careful that the water doesn't boil or splash into the chocolate, because any moisture will cause it to seize. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Dip the whisk in the chocolate and shake it back and forth in all directions on the parchment paper as in the picture below. Place in the freezer to harden. When hard, break into little pieces to mix in with the gelato; leaving a fewer bigger pieces for garnish.

Note: if you do not have a double boiler, you can create your own with a saucepan and metal bowl.

A bit of edible abstract art with melted chocolate and a whisk...

Flatbread with Harissa Hummus, Shrimp, and Basil-Mint Pesto

I like to experiment with new flavor combinations. While the crust for this flatbread is prepared the same as your typical pizza dough, the toppings couldn't be more different -- no cheese, no red sauce, no meat. Rather, this flatbread is topped with harissa hummus, grilled shrimp, and a pesto made from basil and mint -- Middle Eastern inspired flavors.

This flatbread is loosely based on a recipe by Bobby Flay. While similar in concept, I've tweaked the  recipe quite a bit, putting my own culinary spin on it. Added a nice amount of harissa to the hummus, which gives the hummus a welcome smoky element (from the dried ancho and guajillo chiles), and opted for a basil-mint pesto rather than a cilantro-based iteration. Mint pairs quite nicely with harissa; in fact, mint is readily found in the many preparations of this North African condiment. You can prepare the hummus, harissa, and pesto in advance, which makes assembling this dish a breeze.

This flatbread would serve as a nice passed appetizer at a dinner party. Or, enjoy on its own as a light lunch (perhaps, with a green salad and a glass of rose).

In the warmer months, you can prepare the flatbread on a grill. A charcoal grill would be my preference, as it imparts that nice smoky bbq flavor. The flatbread needs but a mere minute or so per side. Otherwise, a hot pizza stone in the oven is a more than capable substitute.

    Harissa humus, harissa, basil-mint pesto...

   

Harissa Hummus

1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 tablespoons tahini
¼ cup harissa
½ lemon, juiced
1 garlic, smashed with salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender until very smooth.

Basil-Mint Pesto
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or even pistachios)

1 or 2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Add the basil, mint, toasted pine nuts, garlic, and salt and pepper to a food processor or blender. Slowly add the olive oil and blend until all ingredients are well incorporated and smooth.

Assembling the Flatbread
Refer to this post for the dough recipe (provides enough dough for 8 flatbreads)

For each flatbread:
4 large shrimp
Harissa hummus
Harissa
Basil-mint pesto
Mint leaves for garnish
Toasted pine nuts for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling on top
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Note: you can freeze any left over dough (lightly oil the dough and place in  a zip lock bag).

Place the pizza stone in the oven and preheat on broil for at least 30 minutes. Cut a piece of dough weighing about 4 1/2 ounces. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a long wide strip. Slide the pizza onto the baking stone and bake until the crust is golden brown about 5 to 6 minutes.

Peel the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick skillet with ~1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the shrimp and cook, about 1 minute per side. Set aside.

Remove the dough from the oven. With a spatula spread a layer of hummus on top. Top each flatbread with four shrimp. Place a teaspoon of pesto and harissa over each shrimp. Garnish with a few mint leaves. Drizzle a little olive oil over the flat bread and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and  toasted pine nuts.

You can see the yeast in action...the dough has been sitting at room temperature over night and has risen nicely, with lots of little air bubbles.

Roasted Squash Tostada with Pickled Anchos & Chipotles, Roasted Corn, and Homemade Salsa

Being back in Chicago, if only for a long weekend, was fantastic. After living in the windy city for the past 10 years, there are a few restaurants I really miss (recently moved to Washington, D.C.). Not sure if Big Star fully qualifies as a restaurant, more of a bar that serves good food. Nonetheless, it has quickly become a favorite hangout. An old gas station turned into an eatery (primarily serving tacos) and watering hole (with a well-chosen selection of beer and whiskey). It has a large outdoor patio; a nice place to enjoy a beer and people watch. On weekends when the weather is nice, Big Star is a magnet for locals, and snagging a coveted table in the sun can take some time. 

The food at Big Star is simple, but always satisfying. Given its Midwest heritage, the menu features a healthy amount of very tasty meat, pork in particular. Notwithstanding, I really enjoy their selection of vegetarian tacos and the like. This particular tostada was inspired by my most recent visit to Big Star. More specifically, Tostada de Calabacitas ("little squash") -- roasted summer squash & zucchini, epazote, crema, pickled ancho chiles, pepitas, and queso fresco.

Made a variety of condiments -- roasted corn, roasted tomato salsa, and pickled chiles -- to accompany the tostada. You can make as many or as few condiments as you prefer. Enjoy them alone or in combination on top of the tostada. What I particularly enjoyed were the pickled anchos. Anchos (dried poblano peppers) are fairly mild (heat-wise) with a fruity -- hints of raisin and figs -- taste. If you like more heat or a bit of smokiness, you can use a combination of ancho and chipotle morita (dried jalapenos) peppers. I also added thinly sliced onions and garlic to the pickled chile preparation.

Pickled Ancho and Chipotle Chiles

4 ounces chiles (anchos or chipotles or a combination)

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar

With kitchen scissors, cut chile peppers crosswise into thin strips. Place in mixing bowl. Add onion, garlic, vinegars, oil, salt and sugar. Mix well. Transfer to an air tight container. Refrigerate for at least eight hours or up to several months. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Fresh, sweet corn picked earlier that morning, along with a hitchhiker (worm). This may have been the juiciest corn I've ever eaten. The kernels were so plump and sweet. Corn season is quickly coming to an end, probably only a week or two left, so get some fresh corn while it lasts.

Pan Roasted Corn

Adapted from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen
2 ears of corn
1 small chile (such as jalapeno, anaheim, fresno), stemmed and sliced crosswise into rings
1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Cut the kernels from the corn cobs (over a shallow bowl, to prevent making a big mess). Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the corn and chiles to the dry pan and stir for 8 to 10 minutes until the corn kernels have browned a bit.

In a small cup combine the lime juice, salt, and water. Stir until the salt is dissolved.

Sprinkle the cilantro over the corn, then drizzle the liquid, cover, and remove from the heat. Let sit a few minutes and taste for salt.

Oven Roasted Tomato Salsa

2 pounds tomatoes (used Roma)

1 small onion, sliced thickly

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1-2 jalapeno peppers, depending on desired level of heat

2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce

sea salt to taste

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the tomatoes, onion slices, garlic cloves, jalapenos, on a sheet pan in a single layer. Season with salt, and toss with olive oil to coat. Roast in the oven about 30 minutes until the tomatoes, garlic, and jalapenos are soft, and the onions slightly caramelized.

Transfer to a food processor. Add the cilantro, canned chipotles, and water. Season with salt to taste. Pulse about 10 times, until mixed but still slightly chunky. Serve warm.

Assembling the Tostada

Zucchini/squash, cubed, tossed in oil, salt and pepper, and roasted in the oven until soft
Mexican crema, creme fraiche, or full-fat yogurt
Queso fresco, crumbled (or your favorite variety of cheese)
Cilantro, chopped
Roasted pepitos (pumpkin seeds)

Pickled anchos and/or chipotles, onions
Pan roasted corn
Oven Roasted tomato salsa
Tostadas

Spread some Mexican crema, creme fraiche, or yogurt on the tostada. Place a layer of roasted zucchini/squash on top. Layer on some roasted corn, pickled chiles and onions, and salsa. Top with queso fresco, roasted pumpkin seeds, and chopped cilantro.

Big Star, Chicago, IL. Enjoying tacos, beer, and sun on the outdoor patio...

Kimchi Pancakes and Pan-Roasted Shishito Peppers with Pickled Feta

I love savory pancakes, and those incorporating kimchi are my new muse. For those of you who have never sampled kimchi, it's a little bit spicy, garlicky, salty, sour, and crispy. Usually buy jarred kimchi and add it to the pancake batter. That was my plan all along. I'm trying to simplify my life. Not everything has to be made from scratch, right?

However, this past weekend I was in Chicago and made a stop at my favorite farmer's market. Before I knew it, I had two bunches of breakfast radishes in my bag, along with an assortment of chiles, green onions, chives, carrots...no turning back now. It's really not all that difficult to make kimchi after you track down a few key ingredients -- fish sauce, Korean red chile flakes (aka gochugaru), and dried shrimp. This recipe for breakfast radish kimchi comes courtesy of a friend, who also happens to be a chef at Naha in Chicago. She makes fantastic kimchi. I tweaked the recipe a bit, and added some shaved carrot and Nappa cabbage to the mix.

If you don't like kimchi, you can easily omit and replace it with grated or thinly sliced vegetables, such as carrots or zuchini/squash, or even chopped seafood, such as shrimp, mussels, squid (alone or in combination). Be creative.

A lovely assortment of radishes...won me over.

Kimchi Pancakes
makes 4 9-inch pancakes
2 cups flour (half all-purpose, half rice flour)
2 eggs lightly beaten
5 scallions, roughly chopped
15-20 chives, roughly chopped
1 cup chopped *kimchi (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon olive oil

*substitute with your favorite store-bought kimchi

Mix the flours, eggs, with 1 1/2 cups water to form a smooth batter. Stir in the scallions, chives, and kimchi. 

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom with the oil. When hot, ladle 1/4 of the batter and spread out evenly into a circle. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes on the first side, flip and cook another 5 minutes on the second side. Cut into squares.

Dipping Sauce
1 tablespoon + plus 1 teaspoon Korean chile flakes (aka gochugaru)
2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1  tablespoon + 1 teaspoon water

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Gochugaru, Fish Sauce, & Dried Shrimp

Homemade Radish Kimchi
2 bunches breakfast radishes (or other varieties of radishes), chopped in half

1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons grated garlic
1/4 cup Korean chile flakes (aka gochugaru)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon dried shrimp, minced (optional)
5 to 6 green onions, roughly chopped
4 to 6 Nappa cabbage leaves, roughly chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and sliced thinly with a vegetable peeler or mandoline
1 heaping tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of sea salt

Salt the radishes, cabbage, and carrot. Let sit for an hour. Rinse and drain.

Mix the radishes, cabbage, carrot, garlic, ginger, chile flakes, fish sauce, dried shrimp, and green onions in a bowl. Toss to combine all the ingredients. Transfer to an air-tight glass jar. Let sit at room temperature for a day, until the natural juices start forming. Refrigerate and enjoy.

Pan-Roasted Shishito Peppers with Pickled Feta

To go with my kimchi pancakes, I pan-roasted shishito peppers and topped them with pickled feta. Must admit that I cannot take full credit for this creation. Rather, this dish was inspired by one dish that I had recently at may favorite Chicago restaurant, Avec. So simple, yet so good; that's what makes Avec such a great spot, and what I aspire to model my style of cooking around. Not that the restaurant needs any further praise, as it is "hopping" just about any day of the week. I've had shishito peppers before, but never with pickled feta. What a great combination -- mildly spicy shishito peppers pair nicely with the briny, salty feta. Pickled feta is also a great accompaniment to sandwiches, salads, and any number of roasted vegetables (such as beets).

Pan-Roasted Shishito Peppers

Shishito peppers

1 tablespoon olive oil
Pickled feta (see recipe below)
Coarse sea salt to taste

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shishto peppers and cook turning occasionally, until the peppers have softened and charred in spots. Top with some crumbled, pickled feta, and coarse sea salt.

Pickled Feta
4 ounces feta, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 5 sprigs of thyme (used lemon thyme)

Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Toss lightly. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

And to end this post, a few shots of one of my favorite cities...I miss you Chicago. I promise to come back and visit you soon!