grains, beans & pasta

Creamy Corn Grits

December 16, 2010

Recipes for combining cheese and grits are common throughout the South. Most cheese grits recipes call for cheddar, but we like this combo with Italian fontina from Sarah Belk’s Around the Southern Table; it’s mild nuttiness complements the subtle corn flavor of grits. Serve as a side to breakfast eggs and sausage, or serve as a side with grilled shrimp or bird.

4 c. water

Kosher salt

1 c. uncooked stone-ground grits

4 Tbls. butter, unsalted

1/3 lb. Italian fontina, grated

Freshly ground black pepper

Bring salted water to boil in a heavy saucepan. Pour grits in slowly while continuously stirring to combine. Cover and simmer 18-22 minutes, or until water is completely absorbed.

Stir in butter and cheese to melt. Season with salt and pepper. Serve right away.

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Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

November 8, 2010

Serves 4

For Gnocchi:
1 lb. fresh, organic spinach
1 Tbls.yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tbls.unsalted butter
2 Tbls. pancetta or bacon, finely chopped (optional)
3/4 c. fresh ricotta
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 c. freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Kosher salt

For Sage Butter:
1/2 stick (4 Tbls.) unsalted butter
2 sage leaves

1/2 c. parmigiano reggiano
Freshly ground black pepper

Make sure to discard all wilted and discolored spinach leaves. Wash in 2-3 changes of clean, cold water – until well cleaned (no soil traces). Drain. Cook in a large pot or wide pan with only the water that clings to the leaves and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until the spinach is tender. Drain well and squeeze the spinach lightly to remove as much moisture as you can. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and saute until soft and golden. If you are using pancetta or bacon, add it to the pan and cook for about one minute with onion and butter.

Add spinach and saute for another 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste for seasonings and add a little salt if needed.

Place all contents in a large bowl. Add ricotta and flour, mixing thoroughly with a heavy spoon. Add egg yolks, parmigiano reggiano, and nutmeg, and make sure to incorporate all the ingredients evenly.

With clean hands, form small pellets by rolling a bit of the mixture between your palms. Ideally they should only be about 1/2-inch thick in diameter. If the mixture begins to stick to your hands, dust them lightly with flour. Set these pellets aside on a large plate while you prepare the water to cook the gnocchi.

To Cook: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop gnocchi in the boiling water, just a few at a time. Two to three minutes after the water returns to a boil, remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and put them in a buttered serving dish. Add more gnocchi to the boiling water, repeating the above procedure, until all the gnocchi are cooked.

To Serve: Melt butter. Add sage leaves until they turn slightly crispy. Pour over the gnocchi, toss, sprinkle the grated cheese over, and add black pepper to serve.

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Curried “Leftover” Rice

October 17, 2010

What to do with leftover rice? We had at least 2 cups worth:

Heat a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbls. butter and melt. Add 1-2 teaspoon each of mustard and cumin seeds. When they begin to pop, add one whole thinly-sliced onion 1/2-1 teaspoon (depending on how spicy you like things) of red pepper flakes and 2 small bay leaves. Saute gently until the onions have softened. Add leftover rice and stir to combine and gently cook over low heat to warm the rice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with Shrimp with Garlic and Chilies.

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The Classic Roman Poor Man’s Dish: Cacio e Pepe

September 21, 2010

The Italian for sheep is la pecora, thus all Italian cheeses made from sheep’s milk are called pecorino. In Mediterranean culture, the sheep predates the cow and the first cheeses to be made were made with ewe’s milk. Today there are many different kinds of pecorino, with romano being the most common.

Spicy, simple, and inexpensive, the tangy flavor in this pasta comes from the addition ofpecorino romanoand the creaminess of the sauce comes from a few tablespoons of starchy pasta water. It is a good quick dish to know how to make.

Serves 6

¾ lb. of spaghetti or linguini
2 Tbls. unsalted butter
2 Tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 Tbls. freshly ground pepper (depending on how spicy you want it!)
A bit of the pasta cooking liquid (about ¼ c.)
½ c. of freshly grated pecorino romano
½ c. freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

Boil your spaghetti according to box directions, until perfectly al dente.

In a separate pan, on low-medium heat, add your butter, oil and 1/2 of your pepper and allow the butter to melt. Stir and turn off heat.

When pasta is done, add a bit of the cooking liquid to your melted butter/pepper/olive oil sauce and stir again. Turn heat down to low. Add your spaghetti and toss once. Turn off heat.

Add your cheeses and the rest of the pepper and toss the spaghetti again in the pan. Plate and top with a sprinkle more of pepper and cheese.

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To Look For: Sprouted Flour

August 13, 2010

Sprouted flour was passed on to us from Suzanne’s Erin. It is made from sprouted grain berries (kernels) that are allowed to sprout for about two days, dried at a low temperature to preserve the vitamins, minerals and enzymes and then ground into flour. Compared to regular flour, it is more nutritional and flavorful. As it becomes more popular, look for it at your local natural foods store or you can buy it online.

Recipe: Sprouted Flour Morning Glory Zucchini Bread

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Best Baked Beans

June 3, 2010

A classic side dish for the grill. The dried beans make this dish stand-out.

1 pound dried pebble, navy, cattle, moro, tepary or yellow indian woman beans
1/2 c. molasses
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 c. ketchup
2 Tbls. Dijon mustard
1 sprig rosemary
2-3 slices bacon, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak beans overnight. Next, rinse and place in a large stock pot. Cover with water and add a generous amount of salt. Bring to a boil then let simmer for about 2 hours, adding water if needed. (If you do not have time to soak the beans, you can still make this recipe – however, the cooking time may be a little longer, depending on the type of beans). Note: Save about 1 cup of the cooking water to thin the sauce and add to beans if they become dry when baking.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place beans in a casserole-style dish. In a bowl combine molasses, brown sugar, ketchup and mustard. Add a little of the reserved water to thin the mixture just a bit, not too watery. Pour over the beans and mix. Stir in rosemary sprig and, as an option, place a few slices of bacon on the top of the beans for extra flavor. Put in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until beans are bubbling and liquid has thickened, checking occasionally so that the beans to not become too dry. Add more reserved liquid, if needed. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving. They can be served hot or at room tempearature.

Tip: We like to order our dried beans from Rancho Gordo, which has the best variety of heirloom beans.

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Fresh Pea and Mint Pesto

May 18, 2010

Use this on pasta or to top crostini.

1 c. peas
2 Tbls. mint
2 Tbls. almonds, blanched and peeled
2 Tbls. pecorino or parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
2 Tbls. olive oil
1 Tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix everything in a food processor, or you can use a mortar and pestle.

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Fusilli with Sausage and Asparagus

April 13, 2010

Extra flavor is added to this pasta by removing the meat from its casing before it is sauteed. This recipe is a good one for weekday cooking – it takes about 20-25 minutes to make.

Serves 6

2 Tbls. olive oil, plus a bit more for tossing
5 mild Italian sausage, casing removed
1 bay leaf
1 bunch asparagus
1 lb. fusilli pasta
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
1 lg. handful basil leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat and add loose sausage. Over high heat, mash meat into the pan while stirring and cook until just brown. Turn off heat and remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and the bay leaf. Wash asparagus and snap off their woody stems. Cut asparagus on the diagonal into about 2-inch pieces. Turn the heat back on and add asparagus to pan. Saute over medium heat until asparagus is just tender.

Cook fusilli in a generous amount of boiling salted water until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of salted water, then drain thoroughly. Stir cream into sausage and asparagus, along with the drained pasta, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste. If pasta is a bit dry, add a little reserved salted water and a bit more olive oil to taste. Serve with extra cheese and red pepper flakes.

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Farm Market Find: Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Creamy Polenta

March 1, 2010

Found in the fall and spring, wild mushrooms can be easily sauteed and served on crostini, with polenta, or as a rustic, yet elegant side to seared scallops or roast chicken. They are so delicious and worth every penny.

Serves 4

1-2 pints wild mushrooms
1 Tbls. butter or olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
3/4 c. chicken stock or water
1/4 c. good white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. chopped chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c. polenta
3 Tbls. butter or olive oil if you prefer
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Wash mushrooms by breaking them in half and swishing around in a bowl of lukewarm water until dirt settles to the bottom. Drain to dry. Peel and finely chop shallots and garlic. Add butter, shallots and garlic to a saute pan. Cook for a few minutes until soft. Add mushrooms, stir and add stock (or water), wine, and thyme. Cook for about 20 minutes, until stock is almost absorbed. Turn off heat and cover.

In a large stock pot, bring 6 cups of water with one teaspoon of salt to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and slowly add polenta stirring with a whisk until completely mixed together. It will start to make really big bubbles. Turn down to as low as it will go and continue to stir from time to time with a wooden spoon until polenta becomes thick, about 40 minutes. Stir in butter or oil and Parmesan cheese.

Serve polenta topped with sauteed mushrooms and chopped fresh chives.

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Red Beans and Rice

February 15, 2010

This recipe is adapted from the February 2010 Cook’s Illustrated magazine. Although it is perfect around the time of Mardi Gras, it is a Louisiana staple that is served all year round. Give yourself some time and be patient as you let the beans simmer on the back burner. You can accomplish something else while the beans cook.

Serves 6

1 lb. bag of small, dried red beans
4-5 slices of bacon, for flavor, the bacon can also be omitted
1 med. onion
1 green pepper
1 celery rib
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 c. chicken broth
5 c. water
8 oz. andouille sausage
3 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 c. long-grain rice
1 Tbls. butter
Kosher salt
2 scallions and hot sauce (optional for garnish)

To Soak or Quick-Cook Dried Beans: Soak dried beans overnight by placing them in a large pot or bowl with about 4 quarts of cold water and 3 Tbls. salt or, if you do not have time to let them soak, you can quick cook them in a large Dutch oven by bringing the water to a strong boil over high heat, cover with a lid, turn off the heat and let them stand for about 1 hour. Once the beans have soaked or have been quick-cooked, drain and rinse.

To Cook Beans: Finely chop onion, green pepper and celery. Cook slices of bacon in a large Dutch oven, until brown. Add onion, green pepper and celery. Saute over medium heat until vegetables soften (this is a variation of a mirepoix). Finely chop or mince garlic. Add to the pan with thyme, paprika, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in beans, chicken broth, and about 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and continue to cook vigorously for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until beans start to soften and liquid begins to thicken.

Cut andouille sausage in half lengthwise and the cut into slices. Add to pan with 2 tsp. red wine vinegar. Cook until beans are tender, about 30 minutes.

To Cook Rice: Rinse rice in a fine mesh strainer under cold water until water runs clear. Heat butter in a large saucepan. Add rice and cook, until grains become chalky about 2-3 minutes. Add water, salt and bring water to boil. Stir ingredients then turn heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let stand for about 10 minutes.

To Serve: Chop scallions. Taste beans for seasoning and to see if they are tender, add salt and pepper, if needed, and an additional 1 tsp. of red wine vinegar. Stir. Serve over rice with chopped scallions and hot sauce.