Caramelized Onion Pasta with Madeira

Here's a simple last minute suggestion if you're interested in a Valentine's Day dinner idea that will really wow your sweetie without having to break the piggy bank! You may even have everything you need in your pantry already.

When I first saw this recipe on Food 52 I knew I had to try it.  Being an avid fan of caramelized onion anything, I was on board!  All you need is 1.5 pounds of regular yellow onions, some pasta, Parmesan cheese and a little fortified wine such as Madeira, but dry Sherry would work.  I used Madeira that I found for $5.99 a bottle at the liquor store.  

The onions are first caramelized in butter for an hour.  No, that is not a typo - One Hour.  Low and slow in the key to delicious, jammy caramelized onions. James Beard's original recipe calls for TWO sticks of butter.  Food 52's version has 10 Tablespoons of butter.  I used 8 Tablespoons and I think you could even reduce that to 6 Tablespoons.  The onions in the photo above have already cooked for one hour.  The pan was almost full of onions when I started so you can see how much they soften.  

At the end of an hour, a splash of Madeira and a good dose of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and you have a swoon-worthy first course or side dish.  I served mine as a meatless meal with some braised kale but this would be scrumptious with almost any kind of meat, poultry or seafood.  

The first time I made it I used sweet onions and found the pasta tasted just a little too sweet with the Madeira.  The next time, I used regular yellow onions and reduced the amount of Madeira.  Just right!  I really had a hard time keeping my fork out of the pan while I was taking these photos!  It’s so delicious!

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Adapted from Food 52 and James Beard

Printable Recipe

Serves 4 to 6 (small first-course portions)

6-8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds regular yellow (not sweet) onions, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt
2 Tablespoons Madeira (original recipe calls for 1/4 cup), can also use dry sherry
3/4 pound hot cooked pasta (I used fettuccine but papparadelle is also recommended)
Sea salt, for serving (if needed)
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Note:  Save a little of the pasta cooking water in case the sauce needs a little more liquid.

Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, being careful not to burn them.  Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking the onions slowly for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. They should be dark, caramelized and gooey. 

Add the Madeira to the onions and cook for a few more minutes, then add the cooked and drained pasta to the pan.  Add a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan, and toss the pasta with the sauce until mixed together. Add just a little pasta cooking water, if desired.

Serve with additional grated Parmesan and some sea salt, if needed.

Pea Gnocchi with Browned Butter Radishes

Every now and then you find a recipe suits the season perfectly! This is one of those recipes that celebrates spring and all you need to make it is a bag or two of frozen peas, fresh radishes, parsley, butter...and some time. 

Sandy d'Amato, a local, James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurant-owner, writes a weekly food column in our Sunday newspaper. This recipe was one that he featured in his column just a couple of weeks ago.

Since we had the entire family over for a triple birthday celebration Saturday night, I had the perfect excuse to make it.  I did test it on my husband the week before and it was given 2 thumbs up (RIP Roger Ebert).  The recipe is time-consuming, but when I made it for my family, I tried some time-saving steps that worked great.  

The peas need to be blanched, puréed and then pushed through a strainer to remove the outer skin of the peas.  I did this a day ahead.  You also need to bake a couple of potatoes and pass those through a ricer.  I did that a day ahead also.  Then, you need to either make your own clarified butter or buy ghee if your food market carries it.  It was really quite easy to make the clarified butter and I followed instructions I found after doing an online search.  I did that 2 days in advance. 

The morning of the party, I made and boiled the dumplings and sliced the radishes and kept them refrigerated so all I had left to do was sauté the dumplings and radishes - which I did right before everyone arrived and simply lightly reheated them at dinner time. 

  

Pea Gnocchi with Brown Butter Radishes

Adapted from Chef Sandy d'Amato
~from Savoring Time in the Kitchen

Makes 4 servings (about 70 1-inch dumplings)

1 pound Idaho potatoes (two 8-ounce potatoes)
1 pound peas (fresh-shucked or frozen); one-fourth reserved for garnish
1 egg
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
3/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces flour (about ¾ cup)
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces clarified butter
2 tablespoons whole salted butter
8 medium radishes, trimmed and sliced 1/8th inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup loose-pack fresh Italian parsley leaves, cleaned and dried

Bake potatoes 1 hour, until tender.  While still warm,  pass through a ricer or food mill into a bowl.  Cool and refrigerate, if necessary (Can be made a day ahead)

Blanch the ¾ pound peas in boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain and shock in ice water. Dry on a towel and purée in a food processor until fine. Pass through a medium strainer into a bowl to remove all skin (scaping off the bottom of the sieve occasionally to release the all of the strained pea purée.  (Can be made a day ahead).

When ready to make the gnocchi, add the cooled and riced potatoes to the strained peas in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk egg with salt, nutmeg and pepper. Add to potatoes and peas and work together. Add flour and mix to just incorporate.  Do not overwork the dough.

Divide the dough into 5 pieces. Dust lightly with flour and roll out each piece with your hands into a rope shape about ½ inch thick and 14 inches long. Cut into 1-inch lengths to yield about 70 dumplings total.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about a tablespoon of kosher salt to the boiling water.  Quickly add half the dumplings, one by one, so they don't stick together. Turn heat to the lowest setting, cover, and let the dumplings poach 3 minutes. Remove and drain with a skimmer to a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with just enough oil to keep them from sticking together. Repeat with remaining half of dumplings and cool all of them (they may be covered and refrigerated until needed at this point).

When ready to serve, place 2 nonstick saute pans over medium-high heat. Divide clarified butter between pans. When butter is hot, divide dumplings between the pans and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until lightly brown.  Remove the dumplings to a large bowl. 

Divide the whole salted butter between the 2 pans. When the butter browns, divide the radishes and reserved peas between the 2 pans and stir for about a minute. Return the dumplings to the pans. Season lightly with salt and pepper (I love lots of pepper), toss and place on a serving platter.  Garnish with parsley leaves

Creamy Farro with Crispy Shiitakes

Have you had farro yet?  It's another one of those grains that, in the past decade or so, have become the darlings of the culinary world.  Here are a few quotes from a New York Times article on farro:

"Because farro contains a starch similar to that found in Arborio rice, it behaves much like risotto, releasing a creamy, binding liquid when cooked. But unlike risotto, farro doesn't become gummy; instead, it retains its tender, distinct bite, even if it sits awhile after cooking. Farro is rich in fiber, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and E. It grows best in barren, high-altitude terrain and is almost always grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Because it is so easily digested and so low in gluten, farro can often be eaten by people who are normally gluten-intolerant. According to the department of plant genetics at the University of Florence, farro is an ancient, unhybridized grain used for thousands of years in North Africa and the Middle East, where farro kernels have been found in Egyptian tombs. During the height of the Roman Empire, farro was used as a primary food and probably even as money. True farro is Triticum dicoccum, an unhybridized wheatlike plant that has two spikes and is in the wheat family."

Italy is the major producer of farro today. 

Since I've already had farro served risotto-style made by my son-in-law, I already knew how delicious it can be.  This is the kind of comforting dish that is perfect for the winter months. 

As you will see, it is prepared in a very similar fashion to risotto also.  This makes a wonderful compliment to many meat or poultry dishes.  I was asked for the recipe when I served it - it is delicious! 

Creamy Farro with Crispy Shiitakes

Adapted from Whole Living
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 cup farro (I was able to find the Roland brand at my local store)
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics brand)
Coarse salt
12 ounces wild mushrooms, such as shiitake or oyster, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices (I used all Shiitake mushrooms)
Red-pepper flakes
1 bunch spinach (10 ounces), stemmed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.  When hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add farro, stirring until toasted, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until farro is tender and creamy, 35 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and red-pepper flakes. Roast, stirring once, until crisp and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Warm farro over medium heat and add spinach, stirring until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and Parmesan. Pass additional Parmesan at the table.

Eggplant Parmigiana of Mamma Agata

Eggplant is one of those vegetables that I didn't eat growing up nor did my husband.  Fried eggplant marinara or eggplant parmigiana are dishes I have ordered when dining out but I've had both good and bad experiences, therefore eggplant has never become a favorite. That has forever changed with this delicious recipe!

In September, I was the very lucky winner of a cookbook called Mamma Agata: Traditional Italian Recipes of a Family That Cooks with Love and Passion in a Simple and Genuine Way from At Home with Vicki Bensinger.  Vicki teaches culinary classes and had learned about Mamma Agata's cooking school in Italy when she traveled there a few years ago.  A relationship was struck over the internet between Vicki and Mamma Agata's English-speaking daughter, Chiara, who also works in the cooking school. She graciously offered Vicki a copy of  cookbook for one of Vicki's readers. Thank you, Vicki and thank you, Chiara and Mamma Agata! 

Mamma Agata has cooked for many celebrities over the years, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Anita Eckberg, Pierce Brosnan and many others.. Now she has her own culinary school on the Amalfi Coast in the town of Ravello overlooking the sea.  It would be a dream come true to visit Mamma Agata's cooking school!

The cookbook was shipped from Italy and was signed especially for me. I am thrilled with it! The pages are filled with gorgeous photos of her home and gardens, family, the surrounding beautiful area and many interesting stories about her life. 

The wonderful thing about this eggplant parmigiana is that it tastes even better the second day so you can prepare it and bake it the day before and gently reheat it in the oven. It is time-consuming to make so you'll be happy you did it a day ahead.  Make it on the weekend to enjoy for a relaxed Sunday dinner or a weeknight meal.. It was simple, genuine and absolutely delicious! 

Since this cookbook is over 15 years old, new copies are expensive.  However, you can scroll on the right side of the Amazon page and  Shop for Used Copies of Mama Agata's Cook Book HERE (Affiliate Link). 

Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmigiana) 

Printable Recipe
Serves 4

My Notes: 

The recipe may seem daunting at first but just take it one step at a time.  It is well worth the effort!

I only used half the amount of Peanut oil to fry the eggplant slices. I used a large cast iron skillet. The smoked cheese (I used gouda) imparts a wonderful, earthy flavor to this dish - do not eliminate.  Since I could not find Japanese eggplants, I used baby eggplants. I did not make Mamma's fresh tomato sauce below as it is no longer fresh tomato season here. I used a good-quality bottled marinara sauce. There is a product called Wondra which I used for coating the eggplants. It is a very fine flour, hopefully similar to the 00 Italian flour which I could not find.  I used regular mozzarella as I didn't read the recipe carefully enough when I made my shopping list!  If you do use mozzarella in water you have to plan another day ahead to remove the moisture as stated in the recipe.

Ingredients:

8 eggplants (long, thin and firm, such as Japanese eggplants)
Sea salt
1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups Parmigiano/Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 lb smoked Provolone cheese (or any similar smoked cheese such as Gouda)
1 3/4 oz 00 farina flour (or white pastry flour) to coat the eggplant
20 basil leaves
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying (NOTE: Do not use olive oil)
1 cup of Mamma Agata’s Tomato Sauce (recipe below), or any tomato sauce you like

Mamma Agata’s Secrets:

The type of eggplant that Mamma Agata uses is very important in this recipe. The eggplant needs to be long, thin and firm; Japanese eggplants work well. Ultimately, the shape, firmness and (low) water content is critical to the success of a good Eggplant Parmigiana. Less water in the eggplant means more flavor in your dish and not soggy eggplant Parmigiana!

Buy fresh mozzarella cheese (in water). Two days before making your eggplant Parmigiana, remove the cheese from the water and place in a covered bowl in the refrigerator to dry out. Otherwise, all of the water contained in the mozzarella will leak into your eggplant and you will have a soggy eggplant Parmigiana.

Preparation of the eggplant:

Wash the eggplant and remove the top and end of each eggplant. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin of the eggplant lengthwise (i.e. along the length of the eggplant) in stripes, like a zebra, keeping some of the skin on the eggplant to preserve the essential vitamins and flavor of the eggplant.

Once the eggplant is peeled, slice it lengthwise into long pieces about 1/2 inch thick. Do not slice too thin, as it will reduce in size during cooking.

Layer the eggplant slices around the edge of a colander/strainer; sprinkle each slice of eggplant with a pinch of sea salt. Allow the salted eggplant to sit for thirty minutes, to assist in draining out excess water and removing the bitter taste from the eggplant.

After thirty minutes, gently squeeze out excess water from the eggplant slices, 3-4 slices of eggplant at a time, starting from the top of the slices to the bottom. Do not rinse off the salt, as eggplants are like sponges and will absorb the water.

Place the flour on a plate. Dip each slice of eggplant into the flour to cover on both sides. Work quickly, as you do not want the eggplant to absorb too much flour or they will become too soggy to fry.

Frying the eggplant:

Using a deep frying pan, pour in at least a quart of oil, leaving one inch from the top. Do not overfill the frying pan with ingredients. The oil should be very hot, at least 374 degrees Fahrenheit.

Test to see if the oil is hot enough by placing a small potion of the ingredients in the oil. They should float to the top and start to bubble. Seed oils are the best for frying because they have a high burning point. Peanut and vegetable oils are great.

Fry the eggplant slices until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oil and place them onto a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

Preparing the eggplant Parmigiana:

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Gather the ingredients, including the tomato sauce, mozzarella and provolone cheeses, grated Parmigiano cheese, and slices of eggplant.

Now, begin to layer your eggplant Parmigiana in a baking dish as follows:

Tomato sauce (use SPARINGLY – too much will make it soggy)
Eggplant, almost two layers in one
Parmigiano cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Smoked provolone or Gouda cheese
Fresh basil leaves

Repeat this process twice, creating three layers in total. The top layer may be higher than the baking dish when it is ready for the oven.

NOTE: The third layer is the top layer and should only include Mamma Agata’s Tomato Sauce and Parmigiano cheese, without mozzarella and provolone cheese. Also, place a cookie sheet or aluminum foil on the rack below your baking dish, as this dish tends to leak out or spill over when baking.

Bake the eggplant Parmigiana in the pre-heated oven for about one hour. After one hour, turn off the heat in the oven, leaving the dish in there for an additional ten minutes with the oven door slightly open. Then, remove the Eggplant from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 40 minutes before serving.

 

Mamma Agata’s Tomato Sauce (or use you favorite marinara sauce in a jar)

Ingredients:

1 quart of vine-ripened Roma tomatoes (pureed)
10 fresh cherry tomatoes
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic
3 fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Add the olive oil, garlic and basil to a large saucepan. NOTE: Do this at the same time and do NOT heat the oil first.

Heat the ingredients over a high flame to release the natural oils contained in the fresh garlic, enhancing the flavors of the tomato sauce. Be careful not to allowe the garlic to burn or smoke. The garlic and oil should be on high flame for one to two minutes.

When the temperature of the oil begins to rise, add the tomato puree and fresh vine-ripened cherry tomatoes to the pan.

Cook the sauce, first over a high flame just until the sauce begins to boil. Then, lower the flame to simmer the sauce for a total of thirty minutes (including the time it took to bring it to a boil.)

Tomato Soup with Cheesy Polenta Garnish

I love tomato soup!  I have fond memories of sitting in my mother's kitchen as a little girl and having her make tomato soup and a cheese sandwich for me.  The cheese sandwich always got dunked in the tomato soup. Yum! Of course, my mother would open a can of tomato soup and just add milk and Voila - soup.  

The cheesey polenta was my version of the cheese sandwich for dunking :)   This wonderful, tomato soup and polenta were a delicious combination!

Tomato Soup

Adapted from The Soup Bible
Printable Recipe

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 lb tomatoes, peeled and quartered (I used Pomi)
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 small bay leaf
5 tablespoons whipping cream (optional - I used Fat Free Half & Half)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and low, cover pan, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

With a blender or food process, puree the soup in batches. Return pureed soup to the saucepan.

Stir in the cream, if using, and reheat gently. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve warm garnished with baked polenta and chives or fresh thyme.

Baked Polenta

Adapted from Several Recipes

Makes a large baking sheet of polenta.

1-3/4 cups stone ground corn meal
3-1/2 cups water (or chicken stock)
Kosher salt
4 cups additional water (or chicken stock)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

9 x 13 inch glass baking dish
Large rimmed baking pan lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper.

Add 1 teaspoon Kosher salt to the 3-1/2 cups of water in a medium to large saucepan and bring to a boil. Bring the additional 4 cups of water to a boil in another pan nearby.

Slowing add the corn meal to the pan with the salted water and whisk gently. Turn the heat down to low. Simmer gently and add water from the nearby pan in ladles-full as the polenta becomes thick. Keep simmering and adding additional water, as needed, to keep the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pan until the desired consistency is reached (for baked polenta you want it to be slightly thicker - like thick oatmeal). This will take about 30 minutes.

Add the Parmesan cheese, minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the polenta into a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish and spread evenly. Allow to cool slightly on the counter top, then place into refrigerator for at least one hour, or covered, with plastic wrap until the next day.

After the polenta has chilled sufficiently and you are ready to prepare it, preheat the oven to 450 F. Cut the chilled polenta into squares or diamond shapes with a sharp knife or rounds with a biscuit or cookie cutter. Place the cut polenta on the lined baking pan. Brush with melted butter or cooking spray and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the edges.

Ladle hot tomato soup into bowls and top with a slice of polenta. Garnish with fresh chives, parsley or thyme.

Browned Onion Kugels - A Great Side Dish!

I tasted my first-ever Browned Onion Kugel at a gourmet party hosted by friends a few years ago. If you love onions, you'll love this very versatile side dish. Originally from a 2005 issue of Gourmet Magazine, this recipe was a big hit at our gourmet group. Since we were having BBQ pork ribs for dinner, I decided to recreate the recipe at home for a side dish in lieu of potatoes.

Kugels have a German and Jewish history but no matter what your background I am quite certain you will love these. Try this recipe for a nice change-of-pace side dish to your next meal!

Browned Onion Kugels
Adapted from a February, 2005 issue of Gourmet Magazine:

Using a muffin tin makes the kugels party-worthy and also creates lots of crunchy, browned sides.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 main-course or 12 side-dish servings

6 ounces medium egg noodles (1 3/4 cups)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3 cups chopped onions (2 large)
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 1/4 cups small-curd cottage cheese (10 ounces)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika

Special equipment: a muffin tin with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Cook noodles in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water, then drain well.

Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat and brush muffin cups with some of butter or spray with canola oil cooking spray. Add onions to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 20-30 minutes. I like to use my heavy cast iron skillet for this - they get beautifully caramelized.

Transfer onions to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients until well blended.

Divide mixture among muffin cups and bake until puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Loosen edges of kugels with a thin knife and cool in the muffin pan 5 minutes before serving.