Category Archives: Entree

Harvest Time

05 Friday Oct 2012

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Comfort food for fall.

From our bedroom window I can hear tractors harvesting grapes in the cool morning air.

It is finally beginning to feel like fall despite the 100-plus temperatures earlier in the week and the fact that my kitchen is still full of plums and tomatoes. I’m ready for for the change of the seasons, to light the first fire in what is now our dining room after moving everything around this summer and to spend more time at the stove than the grill.

While I wait for the cold weather to arrive so I can begin braising and baking, I think I’ll make this simple and uber delicious pasta dish from Tom and Diane’s book, “Not the Same Old Spaghetti Sauce.”

It reminds me of a pasta dish my mother made when I was growing up so it is the best of all autumnish dishes—nostalgic, comforting and tasty.

Fusilli with Pork Tenderloin Medallions
By Diane Darrow and Tom Maresca

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
3 cups drained, canned, Italian-style plum tomatoes, puréed in a food processor
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound imported Italian fusilli
Freshly grated parmigiano

Steps
Heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to fit the pork in a single layer. Brown the pork medallions over moderately high heat, about 1 minute per side. (If necessary, do them in batches.) Transfer the pork to a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook 1 minute. Don’t let the garlic brown.

Turn the heat to high, add the wine, stir and scrape up any the brown bits on the bottom of the pan and cook until the wine is reduced to a thick liquid — almost to a syrup, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat back to medium and return the pork medallions to the pan along with any juices that have collected on the plate. Turn the pork medallions  once to coat with the liquid.

Stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and several grindings of black pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover and cook on a simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is very tender. Stir and turn the medallions once or twice during the cooking. Five minutes before ready to serve, stir in the oregano.

Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the fusilli and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander, transfer to a serving bowl and mix with the pork sauce. (As suggested above, the pork can be presented along with the pasta or separately, as a second course.)

Pass the grated parmigiano at the table.

What to drink: A hearty dish like this wants a hearty wine to stand up to it. Try either a good Pugliese Primitivo or a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. A fruity, simple Zinfandel will work well too. Ample acidity and plenty of fruit are the keys to the match.

Chile-Infused Chicken Stew

23 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in Beer, Entree

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Braised in beer, chicken thighs are flavorful and tender.

I wish stews were prettier. I don’t think they’d win a popularity contest for top-of-mind dinners either, but if they were nicer to look at that might help their cause.

They are super satisfying on a cold winter night so it was a no-brainer when my friend Billy, who owns Port City Brewing Company, needed a recipe for a winter dish that used one of his brews, Optimal Wit.

Rather than take the red meat route, I chose chicken thighs, which are flavorful and cook faster than most meats. Then I added some dried ancho chile powder and roasted green chiles. The result: a perfect winter dish even if the weather is mild.

Chile-Infused Chicken Stew

Chicken thighs are the perfect meat for stew. Not as heavy as beef or lamb, but robustly flavorful and they cook quicker too. This chicken stew was made to be matched with Port City Brewing Company’s Optimal Wit, a brew that is crisp and aromatic, with complex citrus and spice flavors that evolve in the glass. Add a loaf of crusty French bread or warm tortillas and you’ve got a hearty meal for a winter’s night.

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon ground ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 pound chorizo sausage
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large red potatoes, skin on and cut into 8 pieces each
4 small carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
One 3.5-ounce can roasted and diced green chiles
2 teaspoons dried oregano
One 12-ounce bottle Optimal Wit
1 cup chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat dry. Remove any excess fat. Cut into 2-inch pieces and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ancho chile powder, salt and paprika. Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, stirring as needed, for about 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken back to the bowl.

Add the chorizo to the pot and cook until browned, about 3 minutes, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the bell pepper and onion. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.

Add the potatoes, carrots, chiles, oregano, beer and stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes until the liquid begins to thicken and the chicken is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Moussaka and Cab Franc

19 Thursday Jan 2012

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Not the prettiest dish ever, but one of the most delicious!

Moussaka. Not a word that exactly rolls off your tongue easily. But, oh boy is this moussaka delicious–I mean really, really delicious.

We had dinner with friends on Saturday, Michael and Tara, who cooked some spectacular Turkish food, including a moussaka with potatoes layered between the meat rather than eggplant.

It was super tasty and paired so well with the Napa Cabs that were opened I couldn’t resist making my own version on Sunday. This is the result. Try it—unless you grew up eating Moussaka your mother made from a recipe passed down from her Greek grandmother…

Moussaka

Anything cooked in a casserole dish is worthy of a Sunday dinner or a crowd, and this Moussaka is no exception. The rich combination of flavorful lamb, creamy potatoes and slightly tangy sauce however is not your ordinary casserole and the breadcrumbs on top take it to another dimension. No crowd? No worry. This dish tastes better the next day, so whether you have leftovers or need a make-ahead dish, this Moussaka is perfect for those occasions.

What to drink: We were lucky to enjoy a bottle of Sequoia Grove Cabernet Franc with this dish. It was like a little smorgasbord of robust and hearty flavors on a Sunday night.

Serves 4 to 6

4 cups milk
3 medium (about 1 1/2 pounds total) potatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground lamb
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup canned ground or crushed tomatoes
1/2 chicken stock or red wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground Aleppo or cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
4 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup high-quality bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Pour the milk into a large saucepan.

Peel the potatoes. Use a mandolin or vegetable peeler to cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add the potatoes to the pot of milk as you cut them.

When all of the potatoes are sliced, push down into the milk and bring the milk to a boil on low heat. Remove from the heat and drain over a bowl to reserve the milk. Rinse out the pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the lamb, onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and increase the heat a little to medium-high. Cook until nearly dry, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the oregano, parsley, Aleppo pepper and half of the salt and half of the pepper. Set aside.

Melt the butter in the saucepan from the potatoes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the reserved and remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the goat cheese and remove from the heat. Stir in the other half of the salt and pepper.

Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom of a casserole dish (about 13X9X2-inch). Arrange one-third of the potatoes over the oil, starting in the center and overlapping the potatoes just slightly in a circle until the entire bottom of the baking sheet is covered with a single layer. Spread one-third of the meat mixture over the potatoes. Spoon one-third of the béchamel over the meat. Repeat the layers twice.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole and bake until the potatoes are tender, 60-70 minutes. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to set. Serve warm.

Acini di Pepe (Baby Pasta) with Kale and Sangiovese

06 Thursday Oct 2011

Posted by in Entree, Red Wine, Vegetarian main course

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A bowl of comfort--Italy's baby pasta, kale, parm and olive oil.

When I first moved in with Jack, I got off on the wrong foot with one of our neighbors. Sadly for me, this same neighbor is a great chef who served one of the most delicious pasta dishes I’ve ever eaten at the Napa wine auction that year, but have always been afraid to ask for the recipe.

When we visit one of his restaurants, Pizza Azzuro or Norman Rose, I scan the menu looking for that dish. But it’s never there.

The pasta dish was made with acini di pepe, a tiny, tiny pasta shape Italians serve babies, with a mix of vegetables diced nearly as small. I really like acini di pepe; it’s comfort food at its best — filling, tasty and you can eat it with a spoon — and it lets the other ingredients strut their stuff.

As time has marched on, I can only remember how much I loved that pasta dish and not everything that was in it. It was for the most part simple and I’m guessing a lot of the flavor was butter. I do know it didn’t have any kale, but it did have zucchini and Parmigiano—lots of it.

This is the next best mix I’ve been able to create. No butter, but lots of buttery olive oil and nutty Parmigiano mixed with the bitter kale and oh yes, the last summer squash.

Acini di Pepe with Kale
Serves 4

What to drink: Chianti Classico. We just discovered Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico ($20ish retail) at Cotogna in San Francisco. The brilliant David Lynch has created a wine list that has a flat rate for every bottle ($40), making ordering really about what’s inside the bottle and not your wallet.

12 ounces acini di pepe
1 bunch kale, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 small yellow squash, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 ounces Parmigiano, grated

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 9 minutes.

Wash and dry the kale. Put it in a large bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and garlic and cook until barely tender, 2 to 4 minutes, stirring too cook evenly.

Drain the pasta, reserving a small amount (about 2 tablespoons) of the water. Pour the pasta and reserved water over the kale. Add the squash and the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil (the better the oil, the better the finished dish will taste) and stir until the kale is wilted completely. Let cool slightly. Stir in the Parmigiano and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.

Pizza Bowls and Zinfandel

28 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Entree, Red Wine, Vegetable

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A round squash stuffed with pancetta, tomato sauce and cheese tastes like pizza, but with less guilt.

Last week I picked up a few gem squash at Big Ranch Farms. I had intended to stuff them with one of my fallback fillings—pancetta, goat cheese and panko. But, then as I was dicing the pancetta I thought, “too bad Josh won’t like this.”

That made me pause and think about what he would like.

Pizza instantly came to mind and then I had the “brilliant” idea to marry the two (thank goodness hot dogs didn’t pop up in my thoughts!). I had all of the ingredients in the recipe below already in the house because they are my go-to items for the nights when I need to make dinner for Josh in a hurry.

I used the pancetta, but this recipe could be fun—and more kid-friendly—with some sliced pepperoni instead.

We ate these “pizza bowls” with a baguette and a small arugula salad. It was a delicious meal.

Pizza Bowl and Zinfandel
Serves 4 as a main course

What to drink: Zinfandel. I can’t help myself: I love zinfandel and pizza. Zin is usually a big red so it can stand up to the bold flavors of any kind of pizza topping. Ravenswood is always a favorite and another Jack and I like a lot is Rusina Triskelion—a red table wine made with zinfandel grapes. If you can’t find it, you can’t go wrong with a Ravenswood Zin.

1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 baseball-sized globe squash or long zucchini
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup precooked marinara or tomato sauce
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
Crushed red pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Put the pancetta in a skillet and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cut the tops off the squash and using a paring knife cut in a circle to remove a cone shaped piece of the pulp. Using a small round spoon, scoop out the remainder pulp, leaving the sides 1/4-inch thick. Be careful not to cut through the sides or press to hard and break them. (If using long zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the center to create a canoe-like container.) Chop the pulp into a coarse mixture and set aside.

Increase the heat slightly under the pancetta to medium-low and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Stir in the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and cook until any liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.

Add the marinara and breadcrumbs to the pancetta mixture. Stir in the oregano, salt and pepper. When completely cool, stir in the mozzarella.

Divide the filling among the squash. Arrange in a small baking dish and bake until the squash is tender, 45 to 50 minutes for Gem squash, about 30 minutes for Ronde de Nice or zucchini. Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve with the crushed red pepper.

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