Butternut oh Butternut, Where For Art Thou Butternut

With the possibility of another demo at the Copley Creekside Farmer's Market, I needed to come up with something fall in flavor.  After all, my demo was set for Oct. 10 (unfortunately I have since had to cancel, but for a very good reason).  So I decided I would try my hand at a butternut squash pasta sauce.  I'd actually never heard of such a thing until I saw a jar of it in the grocery store.  And loving butternut squash as I do, I had to try and make this.

It seems easy enough really, take a butternut squash and cut it in half.  Scoop out the seeds and then place it cut side down in a roasting pan with about 3/4 cup to 1 cup of water and roast at 350 for about 40-45 minutes.  My thinking was that I would roast it and then puree it and add whatever else to it after that for flavoring.  And while the squash is roasting, I threw in a few shallots to roast as well.  Two medium sized shallots was perfect.  I do these like I do garlic... cut off the top, place them in aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil.  Roast for 40 minutes or so, or until nice and soft.  They will squeeze out of the skin just like garlic does.

You can check to make sure it's done by piercing it with a knife.  If the knife goes in and comes out easily and cleanly, you're good to go.  Let the squash cool a little before handling it again and once you are able to touch it without burning yourself, peel off the skin.  Cut it into chunks and then chuck it in a blender with the roasted shallots.  You can use sauteed onions if you don't have shallots.

Now... what to add?  Well add the cooking liquid if there is any left, first.  This is a sauce after all, you don't want it the consistency of baby food.  If there isn't enough liquid left in the pan add a little more water or chicken broth to the sauce.  I would say you want at least 3/4 cup of liquid added to the squash in the blender, total.  From there I added salt, pepper and about 8 fresh sage leaves.   I happen to really love the flavor of butternut and sage and I had sage on hand.  But if you don't, you can use parsley.  I also added about 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil just for kicks and half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese and then let the blender rip on puree until it was all blended and smooth.

After my linguine was done cooking, I strained it and then put the squash sauce in the pasta pan to heat back up a little and then added the pasta, cooking them together for about 5 minutes tops.

 

It turned out quite nicely.  It had a creamy richness without adding any cream at all.  In fact, aside from the added cheese, this is actually a pretty healthy recipe... no cream, no butter.  I think the only thing I would do differently when making this again is add more sage.  It kind of got lost in the sauce.  This one butternut squash sauce recipe was enough for a pound of pasta.   Top with extra chopped sage if you like and some grated Parmesan.

If you make it, let me know how you like it!  

Mangia!

A Tale of Couscous and Farm Markets

Ms. Jane Snow, former food writer of the Akron Beacon Journal, very kindly asked me if I would like to do a cooking demo at a local farmer's market.  I was a little stunned to be asked quite honestly.  As with most things I quietly stay on my little corner of the internet, mind my own business and enjoy some feedback on my dishes/blogs from time to time.  This seemed a bit out of my comfort zone... talking in front of people and explaining a dish.  But she was persuasive and I eventually gave in.  My day to cook was to be June 13.  I needed to come up with a dish that would utilize what the market had to offer.  So I grabbed my friend Andi and we headed to the market a week before demo day to see the lay of the land, get a feel for what I'd be doing and find a vendor who would be able to provide the produce I needed.

Copley Creekside Farmer's Market is a smaller but really nice market.  This time of year there are a limited number of vendors, but as the season goes on, more will be added.

We took a walk around and I found a vendor that had asparagus and spring onions and that is what I had been thinking about making with an Israeli (or pearl) couscous.  I ended up stopping and chatting with Ralph DeSimone from DeSimone's Produce and Bakery in Litchfield.  I told him I'd be the guest "chef" the next week and would he have the asparagus and spring onions again next week so I can get them for my demo.  He said he would and asked what I'd be making.  So to say I hit it off with Ralph immediately would be a fair assessment I think.  He had no problem razzing me about how I, an Italian, was making Israeli couscous!  Funny guy you are Ralph!  I had to remind him that Israeli couscous/pearl couscous is pretty much what is used in Italian Wedding Soup and is in fact, a pasta. I think he forgave my couscous indiscretion after that :)

My plan was to make the couscous at home, but prepare everything else at the market.  I would have a burner, pans, general items like salt, pepper and olive oil, utensils and stuff to serve the finished dish in for samples all provided.  Jane had told me she always brings her own knife so I followed that advice.  I also brought my own kosher salt, thinking that the salt provided was probably table salt (I was right).

The morning of the demo I made way too much couscous at home and watched the dark clouds roll in.  Oh please, please clear up by 3 pm!!! And *sigh of relief* it did clear up.  It turned out to be quite a beautiful day.

Nick took half a day off to help me out and that was a big help.  We got to the market, checked in with the folks in charge and headed to our tent to set up.

Market dude Roger came by to see what I needed and after realizing there had been a miscommunication (he thought I needed electricity for a crock pot... the horror!), he went and got me a gas burner.  And what a cute gadgety gas burner it was!  It even had a little barrier around it so the wind wouldn't blow out the flame.  That came in very handy because the wind was absolutely insane that day.  It was so bad that several vendors ended up taking down their tents because they were blowing all over the place.

Now it was time to get a cookin!   My sous chef Jane went and got me my produce and I got the burner going and ready to cook.  I had a little washing station so I could rinse off the veg and then got to chopping.

Asparagus, spring onions (scallions) in some olive oil with salt and pepper.  This was the first batch.  Ralph had snuck in some garlic scapes, much to my joy, but I was going to sneak those home.  Alas, I I didn't... I used them in the second batch and it was even better than the first!   But I'm ahead of myself here.   I sauteed the asparagus and onions until they were cooked through then added the couscous and sauteed it all together.  Using broth as needed so the pan didn't get too dry.

If you've never had Israeli or pearl couscous, I really urge you to try it.  It has such a nice texture to it, it's easy as can be to make (only takes about 10 minutes) and it's very inexpensive (I buy Bob's Red Mill tricolor pearl couscous at Marc's for $2.50 a bag).   The package says to cook it in water, but I always cook it in broth.  It just adds another layer of flavor.  So once the whole concoction is heated through it was time to start serving.  People came by off and on, and everyone who tried it really seemed to like it, even Ralph!  I had a lot of fun and would definitely do something like this again if asked (unless it's like 90 degrees or something, then I'm out!).

So without further ado, here is my recipe for the Asparagus and Spring Onion Couscous

Asparagus Couscous

1 bunch (1 lb) asparagus (trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces)

6 spring onions (or scallions), chopped

1 t. Kosher salt

2 T olive oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 cup uncooked Israeli Couscous cooked per package instructions but change out the water for chicken broth

Heat 2 T olive oil in a saute pan and add asparagus.  Sprinkle with 1/2 t salt and saute for about 2 minutes on high.  Turn heat down to medium and add 1/2 cup chicken broth and cook until about half the broth is cooked down and asparagus is starting to get tender.  Add the spring onions and the second 1/2 t salt.  Turn up to medium high and cook/saute onions and asparagus for about 10 minutes.  Add more broth or a little more olive oil if pan starts to get too dry.

Add cooked couscous to the pan and saute together for about a minute. Stir in parsley.   Serve.

I ended up having a lot of extra couscous after making two batches of this dish so I made a couscous salad out of it.  And if I do say so myself, it is pretty damn good!

Couscous Salad

1 cup uncooked Israeli Couscous cooked per package instructions but change out the water for chicken broth
1 medium sized zucchini, chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
1/2 cup olives, chopped (I used regular black olives but kalamata's would be so much better!)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (or more if you like!)
1/4 cup of fresh mint, chopped

Cool couscous completely after cooking.  You may want to sprinkle it with a little olive oil and stir so it doesn't all stick together.  The zucchini and the onions remain raw, you don't need to cook them at all.  Then just put all your chopped ingredients together with the cooled couscous in a big bowl and stir it together with your favorite dressing.  Mine is 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, about a teaspoon (give or take) of kosher salt and a good heavy Tablespoon of honey.  Whisk all dressing ingredients together and pour over salad, stir and refrigerate for a few hours.  Stir it occasionally.  When you take it out to serve, if the olive oil has solidified some (which it tends to do when refrigerated, bring salad to room temp before serving.  No one wants to eat chunks of olive oil!). 

Mangia!

Lucca - An Italian Gem in Canton

It was a lovely Saturday evening with some lovely friends.  Dinner at Lucca to try out what new creations Chef Josh Schory has put on the menu for Spring/Summer.  With a 6:30 reservation, we walked in around 6:40 thanks to Google maps sending us on a wrong turn.  Then again, do I blame Google maps or the weird way the streets run in Canton?   Ahh, that's neither here nor there, we made it and weren't too terribly late.  The night started off right with a lot of great conversation in our group of six.  Our waitress was very attentive and came by often to see if we had made drink or appetizer decisions.  When it was clear we hadn't, she left and then came back again to tell us that Chef Schory has created an amuse bouche for the table.  Isn't that a pleasant surprise!  Before too long each one of use received a perfectly cooked scallop with lemon aioli and a dollop of mango salsa on the side, sprinkled with pepper powder.

Not being much of a seafood gal myself, I thought this was absolutely beautiful to look at and pretty darn tasty to eat.  Perfectly seared scallop, creamy and flavorful aioli, juicy sweet mango and a little spice from the pepper.  Great balance and a very nice way to start what would be one excellent meal. 

Even though I'm not a seafood gal, I am a sucker for calamari so when I saw it on the menu, I pretty much had blinders on to the rest of the offerings under appetizers.  I've never been able to find a calamari appetizer that I've loved more than the one at the new defunct LeFever's in Cuyahoga Falls, but that doesn't mean I ever stop trying!  This one was cornmeal dusted and fried, with cherry peppers and roasted garlic aioli.

I'm glad I gave this one a shot.  I had to share this plate of calamari but I could have easily devoured it all on my own.  The outside was crispy, the inside tender and delicious.  The garlic aioli was a perfect compliment.  Some of the peppers were a little too hot for me, but so what.  That certainly is no big deal.  It didn't beat LeFever's but it was damn tasty.

For my entree I chose Chicken Picatta with Parmesan Risotto.  I do love a picatta but he had me at risotto.  It arrived at the table with three pieces of chicken breast, succulent and juicy in the classic lemony sauce with capers, and the risotto.

I really enjoyed this dish, so much so I didn't even mind the capers (which I'm usually not too keen on).  The risotto was creamy and cheesy.  All in all, a winning choice.  And at $14, a deal too!

Nick chose the Gnocchi with Pesto Cream and Parmesan Tuile.

Isn't that stunning?  The Parmesan Tuile surrounded the gnocchi like a crown.  It was almost too pretty to eat.  Almost.  It broke apart easily and scrumptiously.  And inside the crown were the most delicate gnocchi I had ever tasted.  They were soft and pillowy.  The sauce was beautiful and I loved the whole pine nuts in it. 

It was a lovely night all around... beautiful surroundings, good food, good company and a relaxed meal.  We weren't rushed in and out as is often the case when one goes out to eat anymore.  And we didn't break our bank account.  Yes, I will be going back to Lucca.

Mangia!

Ramps!

Ramps, that elusive spring vegetable that I can't ever seem to find in a store or at a farmer's market.  I guess I'm not quick enough since the window of opportunity on getting them is so brief.  But this year, I was hopeful that I could actually get my hands on some.  The town of Penninsula was having their first ever ramp festival, Ramp Up Penninsula, last weekend.  Not only was I confident that I was going to be able to purchase ramps, but that I'd also get to try some food from vendors who would be cooking with ramps.   Win win!

Yes, I did get to try some yummy food... like potato, bacon and ramp pierogi's from The Pierogi Lady, ramp focaccia bread from Sweet Mary's Bakery, and pumpkin rosemary ramp street pizza from Stray Dog Carts.

And I did get to buy some!   They were selling for $12.00 a pound, which I guess is not a bad price although it does seem kind of steep to me.  I got half a pound and then was faced with the decision what to use them in.  I decided to make a ramp Israeli couscous.  I do love my Israeli couscous.

I started out by washing the ramps thoroughly.  Like their cousin, the leek, they do get a lot of dirt in them and need to be cleaned pretty carefully and meticulously. 

Aren't they perty?  So fragrant, so fresh and so yummy!  The whites and the greens are both edible so after cleaning them, I chopped and then put them in a saute pan with some olive oil and salt/pepper.

The aroma while the ramps are cooking is absolute heaven!  It's a little bit like garlic, a little bit like leek and oh so heavenly.   I didn't cook them very long, just enough to soften them slightly.  And while they were cooking, I made the couscous.  Just follow the package, easy peasy.  Except I cook the couscous in chicken broth instead of water, for more flavor.

Once they are both done, combine and saute together for a few minutes just to meld the flavor of the ramps into the couscous.   

And serve.  Delish!  Oh wait, that was kind of Rachael Ray of me wasn't it?   Yumm-o!  Eh, that was too.  Well back to my own tag line it is... Buon Cibo mia Amici

Original Steaks and Hoagies... O.M.G

I've been to Philadelphia and I had some amazing food there.  Truly.  In fact, I have no qualms about saying that the roast pork and broccoli rabe sandwich from DiNic's in the Reading Terminal Market is by far the best sandwich I have ever had in my life.

But I also went to the famous Pat's for cheesesteak and thought it was just kind of meh.  Not bad mind you but I didn't think it lived up to the hype.  So when I started to hear about Twinsburg's Original Steaks and Hoagies, I just kind a shrugged and said, "yeah so?"  But the more I heard about it, the more intrigued I became.  And then I hear they do a version of the pork/rabe sandwich and that was that!  I had to go.   The first time I went, thinking the roast pork was that days special (they don't make it daily), they didn't have it.  I opted for an Italian hoagie:  Proscuitto, Genoa salami, capicola with sharp and mild provolone.  It was pretty damn stellar, especially with their special Bay Fries (fries seasoned with Old Bay).  Killer!

I don't find myself in Twinsburg all that often, but my vets office is practically right across the street from Original Steaks and Hoagies at 10735 Ravenna Road (330-998-6586) and my kitties had an appointment this past Saturday.  OK, I'm going! 

I arrived around 5:30 pm and was a little sad and a little surprised to find that there was practically no one there.  But I was there, so I ordered an original cheesesteak with onions, sweet peppers and Cheez Whiz.  Cheez Whiz isn't something I would normally consume but that is the traditional way to have a Philly Cheesesteak so I decided to give it a go.  And of course, Bay Fries.  While waiting for the sandwich, you could hear the cook in the back slamming away at the grill with his spatula, cutting up the meat.  You can actually watch him if you want.

And then it arrived at my table....

Just look at that for a minute.   You can get the small for $7.25 or the large (pictured here) for $8.50.  Do you even see a reason to ever order the small when it's only $1.25 more for the large?  I don't either.  And the first bite was heaven!  I couldn't believe how incredibly delicious the sandwich was.  And an absolute mess!  But who cares.  It was so good I couldn't believe that I actually got something else the last time I was there.   The meat is so full of flavor, the onions sweet and the sweet peppers are a nice burst when you hit one.  The traditional Amoroso roll is soft and absorbs all the meat juice.  And the Whiz, the Whiz melts into the meat so beautifully.  And the best part of ordering a large is getting a half to take home and have later or the next day.  Although it really took every ounce of willpower I had to not start snacking on it on the way home!

In addition to the sandwich, Bay Fries of course (although I have to admit, the sweet potato tots were a consideration).

These are some seriously good fries.  Crisp outside, fluffy inside and seasoned perfectly.  The serving is definitely generous too.

While eating the cook came out and asked how everything was, and I told him right then and there that this sandwich blew Pat's in Philly away.   Sorry my Philly friends, but it's true!   He said that was no the first time he's heard someone say that.  I'm not surprised. 

I asked about the roast pork sandwich and was told that it isn't ever a scheduled thing, just when the mood hits, so I got myself on an email mailing list to be informed of when they will make it.  I don't think they can top DiNic's but I'm willing to give it a try.  If it even comes close I'll be one happy girl!!

The owner, Billy from Philly, owned three Laspada's Original Steaks and Hoagies in the Philadelphia area, so he knows his stuff!  The shop features other Philly specialties as well, like Herr's chips and Tastycakes for dessert.  It's so worth to go give them a try.  As for me, I think I may find myself in Twinsburg a little more often :)

Sweet Basil

I had heard good things about Sweet Basil Pizza in Westlake, OH here and there.  Billing itself as Neopolitan style pizza, I've been wanting to give it a try since I don't think I'll be heading to Naples any time soon, much to my dismay.  So I asked my friend and occasional partner in food crime, Tom over at Exploring Food My Way, if he wanted to give it a try with me.  He did, so we did :)

Sweet Basil Pizza is located at 26235 Center Ridge Rd., Westlake, OH.  It's not exactly around the corner from where I live, but a good pizza should be worth the trip.  When we walked in we were immediately drawn to the specials board... one in particular really, the goat cheese, roasted red pepper sauce and spinach pizza.  Hmmm.... we'll keep that in mind.  The decor is minimal but you can see the dough being hand tossed from any seat in the place.  That was pretty cool.  Oh hell, the fact that it's an actual pizzeria, one where you can go in and sit down, order, have a drink and enjoy your pizza there was pretty fantastic.   It seems that the art of the pizzeria is dying in favor of take out.  Everyone is always in such a damn hurry anymore.  I loved that we could just go in and enjoy the atmosphere, talk (because it wasn't too loud even though the music choices left much to be desired in my opinion!) and enjoy dinner. 

We decided to order two 12 inch pizzas, the goat cheese one we were eying earlier and the meat lovers (sausage, ground sirloin, bacon and pepperoni).  But first we wanted to try the bread sticks and I am SO glad we did!

They were delish and piping hot from the oven.  Four bread sticks were perfect for the two of us and we pretty much devoured them in no time flat.  In fact, I am shocked we even got a photo!   They were definitely garlicky, but in my world that is not a bad thing (sorry Mom).  The marinara that was served with them was also pretty tasty and I usually skip it.  It was chunky and complimented the bread well.  I honestly could have made a meal out of these chewy, yummy breadsticks.

And then it was time for the pizza.   It is thin to win and does not take long to bake so it doesn't take long for it to arrive, and bubbly hot from the oven.  Let's start with the goat....

The sauce is good and again, garlicky.  In fact, maybe they should change then name from Sweet Basil to Aromatic Garlic.  They were not shy with it and that is not a complaint.  I very much enjoy garlic in large (but edible) quantities.  I'm not exactly sure what the spice was in this pizza, perhaps red pepper flakes in the sauce, but it wasn't too hot.  It was just a nice bit of spice.  I loved the crust.  Thin to win with just the right amount of crunch and the right amount of chew. 

Next up is the Meat Lovers...

 

Looks yummy doesn't it?  Well it was!  It was.  The meats were all thinly sliced and crisped up nicely.  The sauce was nice.  There wasn't a lot of cheese, but that didn't matter with all that tasty meat on it.  You can't get much better than crispy pepperoni and crispy bacon.  

All in all, I think Sweet Basil was definitely worth the drive and I would definitely go again.  Who's in?

Pesto is the Quiche of the '80s

Last week when I received my bi-weekly farm share I was thrilled to see a big bag of basil.  Now, I grow my own basil but for whatever reason, no matter what variety I buy, I don't get those big luxurious pesto making leaves.  I get a lot of small leaves, tons in fact, but not those big succulent leaves that I really equate with pesto.  So when I saw that bag pesto was the only thing I had in my mind for it.

First step, wash it. 

Isn't it gorgeous?  It's washed, spun and then stems removed and then it doesn't really look like as much as I thought it was going to be.  So I went out and picked some of mine to add to it, and also in this weeks basket I also got some sage so I put that in.  Hey why not huh?  

So into the food processor it goes.  And to it I added four big cloves of garlic (also in the basket).  I didn't have any pine nuts so I added almonds, which I did have (about a handful)

And then set the thing a whirrin!  Once all the ingredients are chopped nicely I began to drizzle in the olive oil with the processor running.  I would say all in all, about three quarters to one cup of extra virgin olive oil was used.

In total, I got about a cup of pesto.  Maybe a little more. You're probably wondering where the Parmesan is.  Well, I forgot it!   I totally forgot to put it in so when it was done I stirred some in. 

Now, what do with this pesto now that it's made?   Of course you can also make pasta.

But I have also used it on grilled chicken...

And I even put some in the calzone I made (broccoli rabe, sausage, leeks and provolone with a little pesto mixed it)

 

Mangia!