the hungry bambino

I hope that everyone had a lovely holiday. Ours was fabulous — good food, good wine, good company, and good cheer! Pickle had the time of his life with his cousins Caitlyn and Luke. They literally ran around my parent's dining-room table for a half-hour chanting "Follow Rhys!" He was in heaven.

We eat later than most on Thanksgiving (around 6 p.m.) so that gives us some time to nosh on hors d'oeuvres in the afternoon while watching football and catching up. My assignment was to bring some of those snacks. My sister Heather was bringing a selection of cheeses and cured meats, so I thought I would balance that with some sort of dip/spread. I made Gourmet's recipe for muhammara — a Turkish roasted red pepper/tomato spread — and also my own recipe for a pumpkin seed/tomatillo "pesto" in which I baked some local goat's cheese.

The pesto literally came to me in a dream (yes, I even dream about food!). I thought pumpkin seeds were thematically appropriate for Thanksgiving. And I also thought some amped-up flavors were a good counterbalance to the traditionally clean and simple flavors of the dinner to come.

As you can see in the photo, this combo of dips would be perfect for the upcoming Christmas holiday, since it is a very appropriate red and green. Without further ado, here's the recipe and below that is our menu for the week.

Baked chevre with pumpkin-seed & tomatillo pesto
Ingredients
1/2 cup roasted and salted pepitos (pumpkin seeds)
1 bunch of cilantro, stems and all
3 scallions, cleaned, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 can of tomatillos (or 8 fresh tomatillos, blanched and peeled)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4-6 oz fresh chevre, sliced into three or four "coins"
tortilla chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, place the pumpkin seeds and blitz until roughly chopped. Add cilantro and scallions and pulse 3-4 times; add tomatillos and cumin and pulse until mixture begins to get smooth. With machine running, slowly pour olive oil in through the feed tube.

In a oven-proof 1-quart baking dish, place half of the pesto. Arrange the chevre coins on top and cover with the remaining pesto. Bake for 15-20 minute, until bubbly and warmed through and chevre is starting to melt. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Menu: week of 29 November 2009
Sunday: spaghetti and meatballs
Monday: tortellini en brodo with lacinato kale
Tuesday: Grilled cheese with ham and Bosc pear served with mixed greens vinaigrette
Wednesday: Meatball subs with roasted brussel sprouts
Thursday: Roasted butternut squash and beets in a cumin-shallot vinaigrette with hummus and whole-grain flatbread
Friday: Pizza with sauteed wild mushrooms and red onion

Happy eating, -s.

Canned cream of fill-in-the-blank soups makes me sad. What they try to replace in cooking really have no replacements. These classic sauces are foundations upon which other food is made.

As Thanksgiving and Christmas are close at hand, I thought I would delve into some of these sauces that can easily be made and elevate the standard green bean, cheesy potato, pot pie or mac and cheese casserole.

Béchamel (French) or Besciamella (Italian)
This sauce is the base for many sauces – a “mother” sauce as the French refer to it (love it!). All béchamel start with a roux, which is roughly equal parts butter and flour cooked into a paste to which hot milk is added. This mixture is cooked until thickened. Typically a little freshly grated nutmeg is added to a traditional béchamel, but the sauce can be further enhanced with other components. Fold in 4-6 oz. diced sautéed mushrooms and fresh thyme (ideal for green bean casserole). During the cooking process, replace half of the milk with chicken stock and you have a velouté (cream of chicken, anyone?). Add some grated cheese (gruyere, sharp white cheddar, parmigiano, etc.) to it and it becomes sauce Mornay (perfect for macaroni and cheese or cheesy potato casserole). Give it a try ... you won't be sorry and neither will your guests!

Here’s my favorite recipe … from one of my favorite chefs, Mario Batali.

Basic Béchamel

Ingredients
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.

Happy eating ... and cooking! -s.

photo from wholefoods website ... check it out here.

In this photo, Pickle is wearing his awesome new t-shirt from his Uncle Matt and soon-to-be Auntie Leah who live in Philadelphia. The t-shirt helps raise funds for Philly's farmers markets that Matt and Leah frequent. I think it sums up perfectly how I feel about farmers, too. And look at those gorgeous legs!

It's Thanksgiving week, so we'll be eating lean so we can indulge fully on Turkey Day. Can't wait. My mom cooks up quite the feast.

We hit the indoor farmers' market at the Monona Terrace on Saturday and you could tell everyone was loading up for their thanksgiving menus. Squash, carrots, onion, mushrooms, greens and potatoes were overflowing from baskets. An awesome sight to behold.

Thanksgiving really is the true seasonal meal of the year. Think about it ... Turkeys traditionally fatten up for the winter (fat = yummy and juicy); all the side dish components are in season: winter squash, cranberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts. For someone who strives to eat seasonally, this is the meal to go hog wild with relative ease.

I'll be posting (if time allows!) some homemade alternatives to using canned soup as a casserole base. Campbell's — watch out! They are easy, wholesome and taste a whole lot better (and have less sodium!) than the canned version while still making Thanksgiving a time to cherish the long-held traditions of the family table.

At the Market:
Butternut squash
Braeburn apples
Garlic
Mustard greens
Spinach
Tender baby lettuce

Menu: week of 21 November 2009
Saturday: Potato and sausage stew with spinach and homemade croutons
Sunday: Turkish-style braised green beans with Greek yogurt and whole-grain flatbread (a layover from last week; we had a house showing so we had to eat out.)
Monday: Sauteed mustard greens on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Tuesday: Whole-wheat panko-crusted chicken breasts with baby lettuce salad
Wednesday: Potato korma with basmati rice
Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday: TBD

Happy eating ... and Thanksgiving! -s.

Pasta is a working girl's best friend (okay, not that kind of "working" girl) . From my post on November 9, I requested ideas for quick-cooking meals and, being a good sibling, my sister Holley shared with me her go-to, post-work dinner that's quick and delicious. Here's what she wrote: "My quick go-to dinner is bucatini all'amatriciana from "The Italian Country Table" by Lynn Rossetto Kasper. All the ingredients are pantry and fridge staples - dried bucatini or spaghetti, whole canned tomatoes, onions, pancetta, Parmigiano reggiano, and red pepper flakes! The sauce cooks up while the water boils. Yum."

Yum indeed.

The beauty of pasta is that it can be simple (buttered noodles and Parmigiano) or elaborate (agnolotti, ravioli, lasagne, to name a few). For weeknight meals, I go simple by using this equation: pasta (white or whole-wheat) + vegetable (cut small for quick cooking) + protein (diced or minced) + herb/spice (minced for easy incorporation) + dairy = dinner.

Here are some fall/winter combinations that work well together and can be prepped and cooked while the water heats and the pasta is cooking (about 20 minutes, give or take a few). Note: All dishes would start with sautéing a diced onion or a thinly sliced clove of garlic in some olive oil and the final dish should be seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.

Equation 1: Orecchiette + frozen peas/fava beans + diced pancetta + mint + fresh ricotta
Sauté the pancetta until browned; add thawed peas. Stir in cooked pasta and mint; top each serving with a scoop of ricotta.

Equation 2: Penne + broccoli rabe + Italian sausage + chile flakes + Parmigiano reggiano
Sauté sausage until browned, breaking up large pieces with a spoon. Add broccoli rabe (cut into 1-inch pieces) and a pinch of chile flakes and sauté until rabe is crisp-tender. Add cooked pasta with 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Garnish with Parmigiano.

Equation 3: Rigatoni + squash + cannellini beans + sage/thyme + pecorino Romano
Sauté small cubes of winter squash until just beginning to soften; add herbs and beans (rinsed and drained, if using canned) and cook until heated through; add the cooked pasta and stir to incorporate. Top with pecorino Romano.

Equation 4: Linguine + cauliflower + chicken thighs + rosemary + Parmigiano reggiano
Sauté thin strips of chicken thigh with minced rosemary until thoroughly browned and cooked through. Remove with slotted spoon to a plate. Add cauliflower and sauté until crisp-tender. Return chicken and juices to the pan and stir to incorporate. Toss in the cooked pasta and top with shaves of Parmigiano.

Equation 5: Gemelli + mushrooms + Italian sausage + thyme + cream
Sauté mushrooms until all liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned; add sausage and lightly break up pieces with a spoon until browned and cooked through. Add thyme and cream and bring to a hard simmer, scraping up any of the brown bits left on the bottom of the pan. Add cooked pasta and stir to incorporate.

Equation 6: conchiglie + canned whole plum tomatoes + diced bacon + thyme + fresh ricotta
In with the onions or garlic, saute two rashers of bacon until browned and crisp. Add 1 cup of hand-crushed whole canned tomatoes and thyme and saute until liquid begins to reduce; Add cooked pasta and stir to incorporate. Top each serving with a scoop of ricotta.

What's your best pasta equation?
Happy eating, -s.

Sorry for the brevity, but here's what we're eating this week. Turkey, Lebanon, France and Italy are our culinary destinations ... which means lots of yogurt and flatbread. Delish.

Menu: week of 15 November 2009
Saturday: Pizza delivery and wine
Sunday: Winter squash lasagne with a salad of baby greens
Monday: Leftover lasagne with a crisp apple and walnut salad in a sherry-maple vinaigrette
Tuesday: Turkish poached eggs with yogurt and spicy sage butter; served with whole-grain flatbread
Wednesday: Lebanese Lentil-and-Rice Pilaf with Blackened Onions
Thursday: Turkish-Style Braised Green Beans; served with whole-grain flatbread
Friday: Croque-Monsieurs with a salad of baby greens

Happy eating, -s.

My oldest and dearest friend, Jamie, asked for some squash recipes. She too hit the last farmers' market on Saturday and loaded up her son Eli's stroller with this autumnal booty! So, what to do with squash? As I posted here, I really love roasted squash. Once roasted, you can do so much with it! Thai, Italian, Middle Eastern, French, South American, the list goes on and on.

So, James, here you go! Roasted squash, three ways ... all pretty fast, too!

Thai red curry with roasted squash and coconut milk
Serves two adults

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 knob of ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
1 tablespoon red curry paste; I like Thai Kitchen — add more or less depending on how hot you want it.
1 tablespoon fish sauce, again Thai Kitchen is great
1 can organic coconut milk, do not use the low-fat kind
1 cup roasted squash, cubed
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions
Start a pot of jasmine rice — white or heirloom, whole-grain.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add red curry paste and stir to incorporate. Reduce heat to medium and add coconut milk and fish sauce and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Fold in squash and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until the squash is warmed through. Taste for seasonings; add a little more fish sauce, a squeeze of lime or some salt is needed. By now, your rice should be done and dinner is ready. Spoon curried squash over rice and garnish with some cilantro.

Pasta with sautéed sausage, sage and roasted squash
Serves two adults

Ingredients
1 red or yellow onion, diced finely
8 sage leaves
1/2 pound Italian sausage, pork, chicken or turkey — remove casings, if needed
¼ cup chicken stock (broth) or water
1 cup roasted squash, cubed
8 oz. of pasta — orecchiette, gemelli, rotelle, conchiglie
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Put large pot of water on to boil. Cook pasta according to directions.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves and cook for about a minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel to drain.

In the same pan, with now-fragrant sage oil, add onion and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the sausage and sauté with onions until no longer pink, breaking up large pieces with your spoon. Add stock and bring to a simmer, using your spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the pan. Add squash, stirring gently to coat. Turn burner down to low until pasta is cooked and drained.

Once pasta is done, add to sauté pan and stir to incorporate. Serve with a few, now-crispy sage leaves as a garnish on each bowl. A copious amount of grated parmigiano reggiano would only improve it.

Black bean and squash empanadas
Makes 4 empanadas

Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup roasted squash, cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or 4 oz. goat cheese crumbled
1 egg, beaten to blend in small bowl (for egg wash)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cumin and cayenne; cook for 1 minute. Add black beans and squash, stirring to incorporate. Using back of a fork, mash bean filling slightly; season with salt and cool.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 14-inch square. Cut each into four squares. Place a heaping ¼ cup of filling in center of the squares. Sprinkle each mound of filling with cheese. Brush two adjacent edges of squares with egg wash. Fold 1 corner over filling to opposite corner, forming triangle. Using fork, press edges to seal crust. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil (easy clean-up!); brush entire surface of each empanada with more egg wash. Bake empanadas until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes. Serve hot with a salad of mixed greens.

Happy eating, -s.

Tip No. 3 will be coming your way soon. Would love to hear from readers as to what their go-to, quick dinners are ... I may just add them to my repertoire.

Okay, so Saturday was the last outdoor farmers' market of the season at the Dane County Farmers' Market. And, boy, did it go out with a bang. The weather felt more like early September than early November. Everyone was in high spirits and the produce didn't disappoint either. We stocked up on Gentle Breeze Honey and our favorite maple syrup as both vendors won't be at the winter indoor market. I also bought some beef short ribs from my favorite grass-fed beef farmer for a long braise in the oven some coming weekend.

Pickle continues his descent into Picky Land. My former beet-green-eating, winter-squash-loving child won't eat! I just don't know what to feed him at this point. I made him potato and corn chowder this weekend and he wouldn't let it come near his lips. This is the same child who ate bowl after bowl of pureed corn soup this summer. Good grief, as Charlie Brown would say. If anyone has ideas, I am willing to try them! With that, here's what we bought and what most of us will be eating this week.

At the market:

Apples

Apple cider

Beef short ribs

Bibb lettuce

Brussel sprouts

Daikon radish

Honey

Leeks

Maple syrup

Mushrooms

Red Russian Kale