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No Boil-Ahead Pasta – Spinach and Tomato Version

3 Jul

This idea started a few months ago, when going thru my daily fix of Serious Eats I found a Talk Thread about mac and cheese recipes where you didn’t need to boil the pasta ahead of time.  Based on that thread, that same day I made my Easiest Baked Pasta Ever!!!! Recipe post.

Inspired by the concept, I decided to give it a twist.  My friend Ana asked me to bring something to her daughter’s graduation family get-together a few weeks ago, because I would not be able to enjoy most of what she had ordered thru a caterer.  Wanting to show-off my skills with the audience, I created this recipe.  I am bold (sorry for all the modesty) because I had the guts to make a recipe for the first time for 12 people.

Thanks to all my prayers after the thought came to my mind of how scary it would be to screw this up… the recipe turned out great.  I actually learned a few cool tricks that I may incorporate into new recipe creations.   This pasta is super easy… just throw all the ingredients together in a casserole dish and voila!  The pasta is ready.  No need to even stir the pasta at all… what could be simpler???

 

 

NO BOIL-AHEAD PASTA – SPINACH AND TOMATO VERSION

2 cups whole wheat pasta – macaroni, penne or rigatoni would all work well
3 tbs melted butter or olive oil
2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded – I used a whole bar Cabot’s Hunter’s Dangerously Sharp variety
4 oz Fontina cheese, shredded
4 oz cream cheese
3 ¾ to a 4 cups of milk
1 tsp mustard
1 cup spinach – you can use fresh or frozen
½ cup chopped tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
  2. In a large casserole dish, about 9″ x 13″, toss the pasta and the melted butter or olive oil, whichever you’re using.  Spread the pasta as evenly as possible to allow for even cooking.
  3. Now, without stirring anything sprinkle the cheddar and Fontina cheeses on top of the pasta.  Add the spinach and the chopped tomatoes as evenly as possible over the cheese.  Add the cream cheese in small pieces on top of the spinach and tomatoes.
  4. Mix together the milk and mustard and pour carefully over the whole thing.  Try not to displace the pasta a lot.  The idea is that now the pasta is all enveloped in the milk and this makes the cheese kind of mix a bit with the pasta.
  5. Place in oven for about 45-55 minutes until golden brown on top.
  6. Allow the pasta to cool off a bit before serving it.

 

People loved the mini pieces of cream cheese… because we placed them kind of last, the cream cheese melts a bit, but does not disappear within the sauce.  Instead, they stay on to like soft pillows of cheesy goodness.  Everybody had something to say about the cream cheese bits… specially my mom and Ana.

I hope this inspires you to be brave and to try new dishes on people even if you’ve never done them before.  My advice… start small and this pasta is easy enough to be a sure hit.

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Some of you noticed the aluminum tray the pasta is in. So, just for clarity and transparency purposes…

I cooked the actual pasta in a glass Pyrex casserole 9″ x 13″ dish.  Because this pasta was to be consumed in the home of my friend Ana, whom I love dearly as if she were my own sister but who is undoubtedly a meat eater, and I didn’t want my Pyrex dish, that has never ever been touched by a non-vegetarian utensil to be forever ruined by someone, that even though, very well intentioned, might try to serve themselves with the same serving spoon as the other meat dishes there or wash it with the same rag as the other meat-including trays.  For that reason, I transferred the pasta when it was cooled off, into this disposable aluminum tray.  Aluminum is not my favorite, but is what’s most accessible at the grocery store and I am sure the majority of the people who consumed it didn’t even care.  I must say I was EXTREMELY LUCKY I was able to transfer it in one piece preserving the look and appetite appeal of the dish.   The photo was taken by friend Ana at her home, with her camera, as I forgot completely to take a picture while at home in the original glass dish.

I hope this clears out any confusion…

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Stewed Peas

23 Jun

Beans and peas are an acquired taste to me…  and it’s kind of weird because now that I am vegetarian I’ve had to learn to eat these to integrate some variety into my diet.  I would eat some petit pois as part of a paella or an arroz con pollo in my former non-vegetarian life, but I would never eat peas or beans over rice, for example, something that is sooooooo Latin. 

One of the best surprises is sweet peas.  I really like them now.  They are super sweet and delicious.   So the other day I was looking to repurpose a Mexican Salsa I had made which tasted me too much like a sofrito.  And I found that stewing some sweet peas in it was a great way to reuse the salsa and gave the peas the right amount of sauce to moisten the brown rice.  Add some sweet baked plantains (plátanos maduros) and you’re all set.

 

 

 

STEWED PEAS

1/2 cup Mexican Salsa – try this recipe, because I am not sure how this would turn out if you use Salsa from a jar
3/4 cup frozen sweet peas
1 tbs olive oil
Kosher salt, to re-season if necessary

 

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add the salsa.  Cook until you start seeing the tomatoes and onions start of get soft and translucent.
  2. Add the frozen peas.  No need to thaw them at all.  The heat from the pan will do it for you.
  3. Cook for about 10 minutes until the peas get a really pretty bright green color and the sauce looks cooked.

 

Serve over rice or use as a filling for a pastelón or lasagna…  I also have added some toasted almonds for the added protein and it tasted awesome.  Trust me…

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Florentine Mac & Cheese

16 Jun

I’ve already shared with you my passion for Mac & Cheese.  It’s a paradox… because when someone is feeling down and out, people usually seek their comfort foods to make themselves feel better.  But here’s the thing… when I am feeling “under the weather” I crave cheese like there’s no tomorrow, but cheese and wheat products are the least I should have during that time…

So lately I have been trying my best to stay away from cheeses – trying to make other types of food…  rices, stews, etc.  But I could not hold-off any longer.  That tub of ricotta cheese was calling me every time I opened up the fridge…  so without further ado, here’s my version of a quick stove-top white mac and chesse with fresh baby spinach…

 

 

FLORENTINE MAC & CHEESE

¼ pack of whole-wheat macaroni pasta – although any short tubular pasta will do
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbs sofrito
1 cup half-and-half
½ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup Parmesan
2 oz cream cheese
¼ cup vegetable stock
1 tbs cornstarch
Kosher Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
3 – 4 handfuls of fresh baby spinach – this would also work with about 1 cup of thawed and squeezed-dry frozen spinach
  1. Bring to a boil a large pot of water, season liberally with salt.  Add macaroni and cook for about 10 minutes, until al dente.
  2. Meanwhile, we make the sauce…   In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil and sofrito and sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the half and half and heat for a few minutes.   Add the ricotta, cream cheese and Parmesan.  Let the cheeses melt into the sauce.
  4. Add the fresh spinach.  Stir every so often to wilt the spinach into the cheese mixture.  Cover for a few minutes so the steam helps in the wilting process.
  5. In a small dish, mix together the vegetable stock and cornstarch to make a slurry.  Add to the cheese mixture to thicken.  Stir a few times to ensure everything is well incorporated.  The sauce will start to thicken as it comes to a soft boil.
  6. When the sauce has reached your desired consistency, which to me is that it looks creamy enough to coat the macaroni, turn it off and keep covered.  The spinach will fully wilt with the remaining heat in the pot.
  7. Drain the cooked macaroni and return to the hot pot.  Add the cheese mixture and combine well.  Let the macaroni with cheese sauce stand for 5-10 minutes… the sauce will thicken a bit upon standing.

 

Serve with a nice Tomato Salad on top… super comfort food in my book.

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Blue Cheese Polenta – To celebrate the Top Chef finale

12 Jun

Yesterday was the finale of Top Chef Chicago, from my sunny Island of Puerto Rico. 

I was rooting for either Stephanie or Richard to win.  To me, these were my favorites from the get go. 

                                       

They have both been extremely creative and innovative in their cooking, but what captured me from both was they were always nice, civil, collaborative and very complimentary to all their partners.  Here’s a few examples:

  • I loved the episode where the chefs had to work based on words from the Second City Improv troop and no one wanted to work with Richard because he had just won immunity and how cool he and Dale worked together making the winning dish for that episode. They collaborated well and they complimented each other’s work and ideas…
  • I loved how during Wedding Wars and Restaurant Wars both Stephanie and Richard were teamed together and they collaborated with other team members to ensure no one from their team was going home that week. Nobody was trying to take credit for anyone else’s ideas, no one wanted to steal the show… they just wanted to win for the team’s members’ sake.
  • I believe that in the Wedding Wars episode specifically, Richard won the elimination challenge and without hesitation he said he wanted to give the win to Stephanie. Stephanie then suggested they split the prize of a $2,000 Crate and Barrel gift certificate.
  • I loved during the first part of the finale, when Stephanie assigned sous chefs to everyone that she chose based on which sous chef who would get along with each chef, because she wanted the kitchen to be harmonious.
  • How Richard in last night’s episode asked Stephanie to draw knifes first… another gesture of his gentlemanliness.

They are plain ol’ nice people… and I believe that your intention and feelings are transferred into what you’re cooking and therefore experienced by those who eat your food.  I am very happy that in the final in Puerto Rico, the first female Top Chef was crowned – Stephanie…    

And to Richard… I am confident that in great Top Chef and American Idol fashion, he’ll get as much exposure and experience as much success as Stephanie.   Look at Sam and Marcel from Season 2 and at Casey from Season 3.  I will stay tuned to see what he’ll do next.  I may have to travel to Atlanta soon to try his cooking… maybe some not-so-perplexed tofu in green curry that please… does not taste like beef.  If you saw the show you know what I am referring to.

Well…  after all that, I wanted  to watch the show while eating some food worthy of the Top Chef finale show…  I debated if I was going to do something Puerto Rican or something more gourmet… I think I landed somewhere in between the two.  I made Blue Cheese Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms and a Tomato Salad.  I am telling you, this Blue Cheese polenta is a knock-out and super simple and quick to make. 

My initial inspiration was drawn from a recent post from my dear friend Kathleen at Kathleen’s Vegetarian Kitchen.   I saw it and then yesterday, I improvised from what I remembered. 

 

 

BLUE CHEESE POLENTA

1 ¼ cup of half-and-half
3 tbs quick cooking polenta – I used Colavita brand that cooks in 5 minutes
2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Ground Pepper
2 oz of Danish blue cheese – of the blue cheese of your choice
A few Marcona almonds to garnish – or any other toasted almond will also work
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the half-and-half to almost a boil.  Season it with salt and pepper while you’re waiting for the temperature to rise.  Be careful not to over-salt, because you’ll later on add Parmesan and Blue cheese which are both salty.
  2. Whisk in the polenta and continue to whisk until the polenta starts to thicken.   When it starts to thicken, add the Parmesan cheese.
  3. Remove from heat and add the blue cheese.  Stir to combine so the cheese melts in the polenta.
  4. Serve and add the almonds as garnish.

 

I am telling you… this polenta ROCKS!!!!!   It’s super creamy and super tasty.  I had polenta before and I was not a great fan.  Now I am willing to make this for company.  I see a dinner party in my future…

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Potato Leek Soup

2 Jun

Ever since I read in the book French Women Don’t Get Fat that one of the reasons our French female counterparts were much thinner than us in the Americas was because they consumed a great amount of leeks… this beautiful green vegetable has captivated me immensely.

I always thought French women were thinner because they ate smaller portions, they walk everywhere and that to the French overall, quality is much more important than quantity.  And thinking about the Latin/Hispanic culture, so completely opposite to that of the French – quantity is more important that quality of the ingredients, where so many people live sedentary lives and take the car to go to the corner store… we should incorporate more leeks into our diet… actually, not should, we MUST!!!

Let’s start with this Potato Leek Soup.  It’s super easy and relatively quick to make.  I enjoyed the flavor a lot and most of all, I loved the fried Leek Rings as garnish…  hey, I speak French, love the French culture, but can’t take the Puerto Rican out of me…  This was a recipe I learned from Alton Brown in Good Eats.

Check it out…

 

POTATO LEEK SOUP

½ lbs of leeks, cleaned and dark and tough leaves removed
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
3 small potatoes, I used russet – washed well,  peeled and diced small
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup Half and Half
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

  1. First you need to clean the leeks well.  They always come full of sand and dirt in between the layers, even more so when you’re buying organic.  You can cut the leek lengthwise without disturbing the root end so that the leek will sort-of “fan out”.  Submerge in a sinkful of cold water and shake it well to dislodge any sand and dirt trapped in between the layers.  Or you can just run it under cold water. (Note to self:  in my dream kitchen I want a sink for the sole purpose of cleaning produce…)
  2. After the leeks are cleaned… finish cutting the root end and slice thinly.  I use the white part and the tender green parts of the leek.  These are somewhat expensive in Puerto Rico, so I try to use most of it as possible… 
  3. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the leeks with a heavy pinch of salt.  Sweat the leeks for about 5 minutes.  Lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. While this is happening…  prep the potatoes.  I usually leave the skin on my potatoes, because in the thin film between the peel and the flesh is where a lot of nutrition lies, but in this case, because it’s a creamed soup, the skins will just get in the way.
  5. Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth.  Increase the heat to medium hi and bring to a boil.  I covered it to make it happen faster.  Once it reaches the boiling point, reduce the heat to low, maintain covered and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 30 minutes.
  6. Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.  I still left some chunky pieces of potatoes and it was a nice contrast to the smooth soup.  Stir in the half and half and add additional salt and pepper to taste.

 

The soup will remain warm enough to eat while you make these Leek Rings, which actually were incredible…

I also learned in the Good Eats episode that this soup is also called Vichyssoise, especially if served cold.  I am not too fond of cold soups so we’ll keep on calling it Potato Leek Soup.

Bon Appetit!!

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