Fava Bean Agnolotti with Curry Emulsion

Ingredients:

filling:

2-3 lbs fava beans

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons mascarpone

kosher salt

pasta:

1 3/4 cups (8 oz) all-purpose flour

6 large egg yolks

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

1 Tbsp milk

sauce:

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 tablespoonse chopped scallions

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup creme fraiche

8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

eighteen 1-inch-long pieces ramps or scallions, blanched, drained and dried

This recipe comes from Thomas Keller's French Laundry cookbook. He has a different agnolotti for every season. After trying these, we can't wait for summer to come, and then fall and winter so we can try each one in season! They are truly delicious.

The first step is shelling the fava beans. Frankly, this is not a task for the impatient cook. I recommend putting in a good movie and settling down on the couch with the bag of fava beans and two bowls - one really big one for waste and a small one for the shelled beans. I shelled these while viewing Casablanca. "Here's looking at you, kid."

Lest you think you are done prepping the beans, not so fast... you must now remove the skins from each individual bean in order to prevent trapped gases from discoloring them while cooking. In addition you will remove the tiny germ from the side of each bean. If you think this is a little too much work, please, let me remind you. The finished product is really, really good.

Next, blanch the beans in a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Cool the beans in an ice bath to preserve color and to stop the cooking.

When the beans have cooled down, drain them on a towel.

Next, slice some good bread to make 3/4 cup of fresh bread crumbs.

Process the bread in a food processor to obtain fine crumbs. Measure out 3/4 cup for your filling and save any extra in the fridge for another use.

Add the beans to the bread crumbs and process until they blend together. Add 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tsp mascarpone cheese. Season to taste with salt.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until cool, up to 2 days.

Next, make the pasta dough. The following recipe makes twice as much as you will need, but if you double your filling then that is a problem solved :) Keep in mind that you can freeze these agnolotti for a future use, and trust me, you'll want them again.

Use an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook to mix together 1 3/4 cups (8 oz) all-purpose flour, 6 large egg yolks, 1 large egg, 1 1/2 tsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp milk. You should mix it for about 10 minutes. The recipe actually asks you to do all of this by hand, but after all that fava bean shelling I'm trying to cut you a break. Double-wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Using a pasta machine, roll the dough into sheets thin enough that you can see your fingers through it, but not thin enough to be translucent. You'll roll about 1/4 - 1/6 of the amount of total dough at a time. I took my dough to the second to last setting to achieve the desired thickness.

Trim the edges of the pasta sheet so that they are straight. Place the agnolotti filling in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip, then pipe the filling across the sheet leaving a 3/4 inch border on all sides. After you complete this step I recommend refrigerating the bag in between batches, as the filling does not hold its shape well at room temperature.

Pull the top edge of the pasta up and over the filling.

Next seal the edges by pressing down gently with your fingers along the length and sides of the dough.

Well done!

Next, shape the agnolotti by pinching seams in 1-inch increments along the length of the filled and folded dough. Leave enough "pinched" area between each pocket of filling to avoid unsealed agnolotti later on. The recipe recommends 3/4 inch but apparently I didn't read that part (see photo below). Indeed, some of mine did split, so be careful.

Cut along the length of the dough with a crimped pastry wheel, but do not cut too close to the filling.

Separate the individual agnolotti by cutting through the center of each pinched area, rolling the pastry wheel away from yourself. (Again, you can see I didn't allow quite enough space in between...learn from my mistakes!)

Place the agnolotti on a baking sheet dusted with flour or cornmeal. At this point you can boil them fresh in water, or freeze them for up to several weeks before cooking. Whether fresh or frozen they will cook for about 5 minutes. Before cooking them, prepare the sauce below.

In a pan over medium heat, toast 2 teaspoons of curry powder until fragrant.

Stir in the scallions and heat for another minute.

Pour in the 3/4 cup vegetable stock, the cream, and creme fraiche. Simmer and reduce to 1/2 cup.

Gradually whisk in the butter, about a tablespoon at a time.

Transfer the sauce to a blender. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of stock and blend for 30 seconds to emulsify the mixture. Strain through a chinois into a wide pan.

Now, boil the agnolotti for 5 minutes. Drain.

Add to the curry emulsion and toss over low heat to coat with sauce.

Portion the agnolotti into bowls and top with chopped scallions, or blanched ramps or garlic sprouts if available.

Veal Scallopini with Tomato, Oregano, and Capers

This is a very tasty recipe that I learned from Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Having previously eaten veal that was dry and tough in restaurants on more than one occasion, I was pleased to find that I could make quite appealing veal very easily at home. I have been making this recipe for so long now, and so many times that I haven't looked inside the cookbook for years. Hence I am sure I have altered it somewhat to fit my own personal cooking needs and conveniences.

It is one of my old standbys, a recipe that I make when I don't know what else to make and am too pressed for time to look for new recipes.

It doesn't take too long and is very easy.

To serve approx. 4 people, or 2 adults and 3 little ones as in our household, the ingredients are:

1 lb thinly pounded veal slices for scallopini

about 1/2 c. flour

salt and pepper

vegetable oil, enough to coat your frying pan

1/2 c. white wine

1 large can of imported Italian plum tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

1 T. oregano

1 T. capers, or a lot more if your children adore capers like ours do...

1 T. butter

First, season the veal with salt and pepper.

Then, dredge each slice with a thin coating of flour.

Pour a small amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, just enough to coat the bottom.

Fry the veal slices until browned, turning once to brown both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

They will look something like this:

If you need to brown multiple batches of veal, deglaze the pan with the wine between batches in order to prevent burning leftover particles from the previous batch. Set aside the cooked veal and glazing liquid in a bowl.

Once all the veal is cooked, deglaze the pan once more. Then add the chopped tomatoes. Pour any liquid from the reserved veal into the pan as well, and cook this sauce for about 30 minutes.

Toward the end of the cooking time, add the oregano and the butter. This time I forgot the butter, and didn't even notice until I typed this out. Thus, if you're watching your fat intake, you too can "forget" the butter with no ill consequences.

When it is done cooking, add the capers.

Briefly reheat the veal slices in the sauce.

Serve the veal topped with the sauce.

Enjoy with a green vegetable or salad!

Asparagus Salad with Parmesan Dressing

I have to share the delicious dinner that Bill and I enjoyed tonight. I found the recipe in this month's bon appetit magazine. Mmmmm...

5 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly shaved with vegetable peeler
1 1/2 cups water
5 Tbsp minced shallots, divided (from about 2 large)
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 lbs large green asparagus spears, trimmed (may use 1/2 white asparagus if available)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
12 oz oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced
cracked black peppercorns

Bring cheese and 1 1/2 cups water to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until milky liquid forms, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Strain into small saucepan; discard solids in strainer. Boil over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Add 2 Tbsp shallots and vinegar. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Cook all asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl of ice water to cool completely. Drain. DO AHEAD dressing and asparagus can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill dressing. Wrap asparagus in paper towels, the plastic, and chill. Bring dressing to room temp before using.

Preheat oven to 350. Place asparagus on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss; arrange in single layer on sheet. Roast until crisp-tender about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 3 Tbsp shallots and mushrooms and saute until mushrooms begin to wilt, about 5 min.

Divide asparagus among plates. Spoon mushroom mixture over. Drizzle with Parmesan dressing and sprinkle with cracked black pepper.

I left the mushrooms out since Bill does not like the texture, and substituted pine nuts instead. I also forgot to reduce the dressing. Oops! Good excuse to make this yummy dish again :) We ate this salad with a side of harvest grains cooked simmered with sun-dried tomatoes.

Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Yukon Gold Potatoes

Truth be told we are not that big on chicken around here. However, I use chicken stock frequently for dishes that don't actually contain chicken meat. Since I buy whole chickens for making the stock, quartering the chickens and reserving the meat, this leaves me with chicken pieces that I then need to find recipes for. I know, what a burden, right?! :-D Until now, I really only knew one excellent way to prepare chicken... more on that later... then this week I found a new chicken recipe which is actually quite good! I found it on Epicurious.com. You can link to the actual recipe, which I have rewritten here to illustrate the steps as I did them, by clicking on the link in the title. The photos are my own.

Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Yukon Gold Potatoes
Bon Appétit | March 2009

by Greg Atkinson In this simple chicken bake, the skin gets good and crispy, and the juices make the vegetables extra-succulent. Yield: Makes 6 servings 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 6 large chicken thighs with skin and bones (preferably organic; about 2 1/4 pounds total) 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg 2 pounds unpeeled medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick spears 2 pounds medium carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick spears Preheat oven to 450°F. Place chicken in a single layer in a baking dish. Coat chicken pieces with olive oil and set skin side up. Mix salt, thyme, 1½ teaspoons pepper, and nutmeg in small bowl. Sprinkle half of mixture over chicken. Roast until chicken starts to brown and some fat has rendered, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine potatoes, carrots, 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining salt/thyme mixture in large bowl. Transfer thighs to medium bowl; set aside. Transfer potato-carrot mixture to same baking dish; turn to coat with drippings. Roast until vegetables soften, 30 minutes. Place thighs on vegetables; pour accumulated juices from chicken over. Return baking dish to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked and vegetables brown, 15 minutes longer. As you can see we served ours with some green beans. It was really tender and juicy and well-seasoned.

Spicy Lentil Salad

This recipe has countless health benefits including lots of fiber, heart-healthy fat, turmeric (anti-inflammatory/anti-cancer properties), yogurt (the "good" bacteria); and it's delicious!

From The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook...

1 cup brown rice
1 cup brown lentils
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 cardamom pods
3 star anise
2 bay leaves
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
8 oz broccoli florets
2 carrots, cut into julienne strips
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas, thawed

Mint and Yogurt Dressing
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tsp cumin

1. Put 3 cups water with the rice, lentils, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, and bay leaves in a pan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce, cover, and simmer gently for about 50 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the whole spices. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Whisk 2 Tbsp of the oil with the lemon juice and fork through the rice mixture.
2. Steam or microwave the broccoli and carrots until tender. Drain and refresh in cold water.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large pan and add the onion, garlic, and red bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, the add the garam masala and coriander, and stir-fry further 1-2 minutes. Add the broccoli, carrots, and peas and toss to coat in the spice mixture. Add to the rice and fork through to combine.
4. To make the dressing, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, mint and cumin seeds together, and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 6. Per serving: 380 calories, 20 grams protein, 15 gms fat, 50 gms carbohydrate, 10 gms dietary fiber.

I forgot to add the peas in mine...but, it was still great.

Potato Leek Soup

I've been away from the blog for a bit... out of town, Easter holidays, Spring Break from school... we've been keeping it simple around the house and I haven't been doing much advance meal planning, not to mention taking the time to photograph my spur-of-the-moment meals... Here is one simple meal that I did take the time to capture.

Potato Leek Soup:

1 large bunch of leeks, bottom parts only, sliced thinly

5 medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes

1 large pat of butter for sauteeing the leeks

1 quart of chicken stock

2-3 cups of water

salt

white pepper

First clean the leeks very, very well under running water. They tend to trap a lot of dirt within the many tight layers, so you will need to "unwrap" them before washing.

Then slice the leeks thinly.

Saute them in a heated pan with a large pat of butter. Stir frequently, over medium heat, until the leeks are very soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Peel and wash the potatoes, and slice very thinly. Add to the pot along with the chicken stock and/or water. You can use any combination, all chicken stock, all water, or some of both, but you will need at least 6 cups of liquid to cover the vegetables. Add a pinch of salt and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes.

At the end of 30 minutes, when the potatoes have cooked through, you will need to puree the soup. You can use a blender, immersion blender or a food processor if desired... I used my food mill. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into serving bowls and serve hot. I garnished our soup with a bit of wild green onions that spring up in our backyard; they are kind of like chives.

I bet it would go well with some of that Irish Soda Bread below!

Bon Appetit!