Creamy, Spicy Sausage, Green Beans and Gnocchi

I haven’t made a blog post in a long while. Life got in my way. But I was still cooking. Still recording everything. And I’m back.

Lately, I’ve needed comforting. This dish is the ultimate comfort food. Puffy little pillows of gnocchi, hearty sausage, creamy Parmesan sauce, and green beans because we have to eat our vegetables.

Servings: 4-6
Hardware:  A cutting board and knives, measuring spoons and cups, a large skillet (I prefer cast-iron), a large pot, a heavy wooden spoon, a large bowl, and a large slotted spoon
Time:  Cook time: 30 minutes, active time: 20 minutes, Dinner in about 40 minutes

 

 

 

 

 Ingredients:

• 1 pound of spicy Italian sausage
• 12 ounce of gnocchi
• 8 ounce of fresh green beans
• ½  tablespoon of butter
• ½  tablespoon of olive oil (maybe more)
• 4 garlic cloves
• ¾  cup of low sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup of heavy cream
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper

1. Wash and dry the green beans. Snip off the ends and cut them in half. Mince the garlic. Roughly chop the parsley. Remove the sausage from the casing. Put the large pot of salted water onto boil. Set everything aside. 
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in the skillet on medium. Add the sausage. Cook and crumble the sausage until it is no longer pink. This should take 8-10 minutes. Remove the sausage and place it in the bowl. 
3. In the same skillet, toss in the green beans and minced garlic. Add a little salt. Toss enough to keep the garlic from burning. You may also need to add more oil if the skillet dries. 
4. While the green beans are sautéing, place the gnocchi into the boiling water. Gnocchi cook in 3-4 minutes. They are done when they float. Use the slotted spoon to scoop the floating pasta out of the pot and place it into the skillet with the beans. Cook, tossing frequently, until the gnocchi are golden brown on all sides. 
5. Return the sausage to the skillet. Add in the chicken broth and cream. Turn the skillet down until the sauce is at a low simmer. Simmer until the sauce is the desired thickness, maybe 5 more minutes. 
6. Stir in the cheese, taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the parsley over the dish before serving.

 

 

Pasta Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara is an authentic Italian dish consisting of pasta, eggs, hard cheese and black pepper.

The dish originated in Rome.  The authentic dish uses guanciale, which is cured hog cheeks and Pecorino Romano cheese. Obviously, I have substituted bacon for the  guanciale, but if you can find it use it. Pecorino Romano is sharper than Parmesan, but they are pretty interchangeable. Finally, the original dish does not use garlic. However, I love garlic and it is wonderful with bacon.

So, I guess that I am not giving you an authentic Italian dish, but an Italian dish with American leanings. It’s me, I am the Italian dish with American leanings.

Read through the entire recipe. The final steps must be done while the pasta is still hot enough to cook the eggs.

Pasta Carbonara

Servings: 4-6  
Time: Prep Time 10 mins: Cook Time 20 mins, Dinner in 40 minutes
Hardware:  A large pot, measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board and a knife, a large skillet, a small bowl, a very large ceramic or glass bowl, a large metal tablespoon, a whisk, tongs

Ingredients

• 1/2-pound thick cut bacon
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 egg yolks
• ¾ cup grated Pecorino cheese, more for serving
• 16 ounces spaghetti
• Salt
• Fresh  ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped parsley (optional.

1.  Put a large pot of salted water on to boil  
2. Dice the bacon and mince the garlic, set aside. If you are using parsley, chop it now.
3. Put the yolks into the small bowl and whisk vigorously, set aside
4. 
   While the water is coming to a boil, heat the skillet over medium and slowly cook the bacon until it is crispy. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant, for a minute or two. Remove from the heat and place the bacon, garlic, and a good deal of the bacon fat (two tablespoons) into the large bowl.
5. The water should be boiling now. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
   
6. When the pasta has only a minute or two left to boil, begin to rapidly whisk the egg yolks. SLOWLY, add a tablespoon of the boiling pasta water, but never stop moving the whisk. Add another tablespoon of boiling water, whisking the entire time. Do this until you have added 4 tablespoons of boiling water to the yolks. You are tempering the eggs. This way, you won’t get scrambled eggs as you finish the recipe.
7. Working quickly, when the pasta is al dente, use the tongs to add it to the bacon. It is okay if you get a little water in the mix.
8. Add the egg yolks and cheese and toss the pasta using the tongs. The hot pasta will cook the tempered eggs. If you want a little more sauce, add pasta water, a tablespoon at the time, until you are happy. If you are using parsley toss it in now. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Serve right away

 

 

Pork Milanese

Milanese is a very old recipe. During the 1^st century BC, Romans ate dishes of thinly sliced, breaded, fried meats. It is very similar to the Austrian dish Wiener Schnitzel.

I love the simplicity of this dish. It is easy to make and delicious. You will see other recipes suggesting you serve it with pasta or rice. Milanese is traditionally eaten over arugula tossed with Parmesan. Fresh lemon juice is squeezed over the entire dish.

Pork Milanese

Milanese is normally made with veal. I couldn’t find veal and I know that many people don’t eat veal, so I substituted pork. (Although, I had I found veal, I would have eaten it.) You can use traditional Italian breadcrumbs, but panko are crispier. If you do not have a meat mallet, you can use a heavy cup or a skillet. Get a meat mallet for heaven’s sake, though.

As always read through the recipe before starting

• Servings:  6
• Time:  Cook time: 20 minutes, cook: 15 minutes, Dinner in about 40 minutes
• Hardware:  Measuring cups, plastic wrap, a meat mallet, a cutting board, 3 shallow bowls or dishes, a skillet, a large spatula for turning, paper towels, optional: a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet

 

 

 

 Ingredients

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup flour
• 3 large eggs
• 6 boneless center cut pork chops
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan
• 3 lemons
• Arugula salad and freshly grated Parmesan for serving.

1. Cut the lemons into wedges. Set aside
2. Thoroughly dry the pork.  Working with one pork chop at a time, place it on the cutting board and cover it in plastic wrap. Use the mallet (or a heavy skillet or coffee cup) to pound the chop until it is ⅓ inch thick. Repeat until all the pork is pounded thin. Generously salt and pepper it on both sides.
3. Place the flour into one of the shallow dishes. I use glass pie plates for this purpose. Beat the eggs in the second dish. Then put the panko into the third dish. You can kind of crush the crumbs up a little.
4. Add enough oil to the skillet to cover the bottom. Heat over medium. If you cook at a higher temp, the breadcrumbs will burn before the pork finishes. You want the oil to be hot enough that flour sizzles when sprinkled into it. You may need to add more while cooking.
5. Dip each chop into the flour and shake as much from it as possible. Then dip it into the eggs and then into the crumbs. When you place the chop into the crumbs, press down and make sure that it is covered. When you are breading always go-dry, wet, dry.
6. When the oil is sizzling, fry the pork chops without them touching. Fry on each side for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Don’t crowd, you may need to cook in batches. Add more oil if the pan gets dry. Use the spatula and not a fork to flip the meat. Remove the finished pork chops to the cooling rack. You can keep them warm in the oven on the lowest setting. Placing them on a cooling rack will keep them  crispy.
7. To serve, toss the arugula with the freshly grated Parmesan. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the salad. You can either slice the pork and serve it over the arugula with another lemon wedge or serve it beside the salad with the lemon.
8. Simple and delicious!

Seared Pork Tenderloin with a Pepper, Caper, Mustard Sauce

Seared Pork Tenderloin 

Pork tenderloin can sometimes be dry. This easy recipe comes out tender and moist every time. It also only takes about 15 minutes to make.

I have included a recipe for a Pepper, Caper, Mustard Sauce but you can change the recipe up by using any sauce you like. You can also use herbs and spices or a dry rub on the pork before you cook it. You can skip the cornstarch if you want.

Servings: 4-6
Time:  Prep: 5 minutes; Cook: 15 Minutes-Dinner in 20 minutes
Hardware:  a measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board and knives, a paper towel. a gallon, plastic bag, a heavy bottom skillet (I prefer a cast iron skillet), tongs, a thermometer, a bowl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1-pound pork tenderloin
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• Cooking spray

1. Cut the tenderloin into bite size pieces. You can cut it into medallions, but I like the look of an uneven rough chop. Pat the pieces dry.
2. Generously salt and pepper the pieces and place them and the cornstarch into the gallon, plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake like mad to coat.
3. Heat the skillet on medium high and spray generously with cooking spray.
4. Shake the cornstarch from the meat and add it to the hot skillet. Don’t crowd the pork because if you do it won’t sear. It will steam. You may have to cook in batches.
5. Allow the pork to sauté for about four minutes. Flip it with the tongs. After 4 more minutes, begin to check the smallest pieces with the thermometer. Using the tongs, remove the meat and place it into the bowl as soon as the thermometer reads 145˚. Do not overcook!

 

Pepper, Caper, Mustard Sauce

You can use any sauce that you like. In reality, this meat is so juicy and tender that you don’t need a sauce, but here you go. This is also good for pork chops.

Hardware:  a measuring spoons and cups, a whisk (I use a flat whisk), a food grinder (we have a dedicated coffee grinder to use for this), a small strainer, the pan and pan drippings that you just cooked pork 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup white wine

1. Rinse the capers. Place the capers, peppercorns and garlic in the food grinder. Pulse the grinder a few times until the peppercorns are broken down.
2. Don’t wipe out the skillet you cooked the pork in. Just melt the butter in it, using the whisk to scrape up any brown bits left in the pan. 
3. Add in the peppercorn mixture and the mustard while continuing to whisk. Slowly add in the white wine. Taste and adjust the salt. Allow it to simmer on low until it is thick enough to cling to the back of a spoon. 
4. You can return the pork to the pan or serve the sauce in a bowl and allow your guest to spoon on as much as they want.

Pasta and Greens, Sausage and Beans

Pasta and Greens, Sausage and Beans

Pasta and Greens, Sausage and Beans might sound like a carb overload, but after tasting this deceptively simple dish, you won’t care.  Beans and greens are a classic pairing in Italian cucina povera (poor food).  Adding sausage and pasta elevates  the dish some, but not too much. This is comfort food, meant to be easy on your budget and something you can just throw together in a hurry.

Usually this is made with Swiss chard, but I am not a fan. You can use any green you like. Even collards.  You will need to adjust the cooking times depending on the greens you use. The magic of this dish is in the different textures. To this end, do not overcook the pasta and use Parmesan shavings and not the shaker cheese stuff.

 

Servings: 4-6

Time:  Active time: 15 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Dinner in under an hour

Hardware:  a large pot, a colander, measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board and knife, a large skillet with a lid, a plate, tongs, a can opener, a large ladle

 Ingredients

• 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 4 sweet Italian sausage links
• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1-15-ounce can cannelloni (white kidney) beans
• 8 ounces of baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons of shaved Parmesan
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• water
• salt

1.  Wash the spinach.
2. Place links in the skillet and add enough water to cover them.
3. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 -12 minutes.
4. Pour off about half the water and return the skillet to the stove. Cook on medium high, uncovered, until the water evaporates. Continue to cook, turning often until the sausage is browned. Turn off the heat and remove the sausage to the plate. Allow the sausage to rest while you put on the pasta water.
5. Put the pasta onto boil and cook following the package directions. DO NOT overcook. Throw the spinach in during the last 2 minutes of boiling.
6. While the pasta is boiling, slice the sausage into bite sized pieces. Return the sausage, all the juices, the rosemary and the entire contents of can of beans to the skillet over medium low heat. Add 2 ladles of pasta water and the pepper flakes. Bring to a very low simmer. You are just allowing the flavors to meld; you are not cooking anything. Don’t allow this to cook for more than 2 minutes.
7. Add the drained pasta, spinach and Parmesan cheese to the sausage and gently toss everything. Taste and adjust the salt.
8. Serve right away with crusty bread.

Instant Pot Pork Belly BBQ

Instant Pot Pork Belly BBQ

Pork belly is much more than just unsmoked bacon. It has juicy fat layers wrapped around the meat and when cooked properly has a similar texture to pork loin. But is luscious because of that fat. That may not sound like your thing, but that just means more for ME!

The first time I cooked pork belly, I did it low and slow in my Dutch oven. Tonight, I made it in the Instant Pot. If you like BBQ, you will love this. Instant Pot BBQ Pork Belly tastes like you simmered it forever. In reality dinner was ready in took less than an hour, with only 10 minutes top of prep. And it was so, so, so, so very good.

You can use any of the sweeteners but NOT all three. I used soy sauce to give the meat a more appealing color and a little jolt. You could substitute Worcestershire sauce, but I would use less as it can be overpowering. Finally, you can use 1½ cups chicken broth rather than water and Better Than Bouillon, but BTB is magic and I would definitely try it if you haven’t.

Servings: 6 sandwiches

Hardware: A cutting board and knives, measuring spoons and cups, an Instant Pot®, a strainer, silicone oven mitt and a wooden spoon

Cooking time: Active time: 10 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Sandwiches in an hour

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds pork belly, sliced into chunks
• Cooking spray
• 1 large red onion (8 ounces)
• Sweetener (1 tablespoon honey OR 1 tablespoon honey OR ½ tablespoon molasses)
• 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1½ cups water
• 1½ cups of your favorite BBQ sauce-you can use more or less-depends on how sloppy you like your BBQ (We like Sweet Baby Ray’s Original)  
• Rolls, pickles, pickled jalapeños, mustard other sandwich toppings

 

Browning first adds depth

1. Quarter the onion and slice the pork belly into chunks.
2. Spray the inner pot with cooking spray and set on sauté. Add the pork belly and brown for 4-5 minutes. Add the onion, sweetener, Better Than Bouillon, soy sauce and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn off.
3. Place the lid on the IP, making sure the valve is set to ‘sealing.’ Turn on the pressure cook setting and set for 25 minutes. When time is up, allow to naturally release for about 15 minutes and using the silicone oven mitt move the valve to ‘release.’
4. Strain everything from the pot and discard the liquid. Return the meat and the BBQ sauce to the IP and heat through.
5. Serve immediately on your favorite sandwich bun. Offer your guests pickles, pickled jalapeños, mustard and any other sandwich topper that you think they might like.