Recipe Ideas - Week #3: Baked Rigantoni with Bechamel Sauce - Rigatoni with Checca Sauce - Linguine and Shrimp with Clam Sauce - Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp - Savory Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I don't know about y'all, but food and wine, more food, more wine ... I was  avoiding my scale. Don't like what it told me.  I no longer have a scale.  Told Pat all I'm doing is eating.  She texts me ---

Well ... another week ... another table for recipe inspiration.  

First up ... WINES.  There were a few new wines in, but they were from Australia and France.  I thought too dry for pasta.  So I picked two of my favorites.  J Lohr Chardonnay and Roth Heritage.  Not only nice to pair with the pasta recipes I have, but a nice addition to Easter dinner. 

Montebello pasta was on sale, so I pulled some recipes from my personal chef days.  I have to say, pasta is comfort food for me.  As for wine ... a staple in my house.

Baked Rigatoni with Béchamel Sauce 

(Everyday Italian, Giada de Laurentiis)

1 tsp. olive oil

4 c. Béchamel sauce

½ lb. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into thin strips

1 c. freshly grated fontina cheese

½ tsp. salt, plus more to taste

pinch freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

1 lb. dried rigatoni

3 Tbl. butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 425^o.  Lightly coat a 13x9-inch glass baking dish with the oil. 

In a medium saucepan, stir the béchamel sauce over medium heat until hot (do not allow the sauce to boil).  Stir in the prosciutto, ½ cup fontina cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.  Set the cheese sauce aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the rigatoni and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender but still very firm, about 5 minutes (do not cook the pasta to doneness at this point, since it will continue cooking as it bakes in the oven).  Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.  Stir in the cheese sauce and season the pasta mixture with more salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared dish, then sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of fontina cheese and dot the top with the butter.  (The pasta can be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.  Uncover before baking.) 

Bake the pasta until the top is golden brown and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes. 

Yields: 6 servings

Béchamel Sauce

(Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian at Sur La Table)

6 Tbl. butter

8 Tbl. sifted flour

4 cups hot milk

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add sifted flour and whisk for 1½ minutes (do not allow to brown).  Gradually add hot milk, whisking constantly.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until sauce has the consistency of thick cream, about 15 minutes.

Yield:  4 cups

*****

Rigatoni with Checca Sauce 

(Everyday Italian, Giada de Laurentiis)

12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved

3 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, chopped

8 fresh basil leaves

3 Tbl. olive oil

4 oz. fresh Mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes or

                Mozzarella pearls

½ tsp. salt, plus more to taste

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

12 oz. Rigatoni

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, (tender but still firm to the bite). 

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, pulse the tomatoes, scallions, garlic, Parmesan, basil and oil just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree).  Transfer the sauce to a large bowl.  Stir in the mozzarella and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Yields: 4 servings

*****

Linguine and Shrimp with Clam Sauce 

1 can clams, chopped, drain and reserve ½ cup liquid

½ lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

2 Tbl. butter

2 Tbl. chopped parsley

1 can cream of mushroom soup

¼ c. milk

2 Tbl. grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb. linguine

Cook linguine according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, sauté clams, shrimp, parsley and garlic in butter about 5 minutes.  Add clam juice/liquid, soup, and milk.  Stir.  Simmer 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside until pasta is cooked.

Drain cooked pasta and return to pot.  Add clam sauce. Toss to coat.  Garnish with Parmesan. Serve.

Yields: 4 servings

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Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp 

1 lb. fettuccine

½ c. butter

2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c. half-and-half

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)

Garnish: Flat leaf parsley, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, in a small saucepan, heat butter, half-and-half.  When warm add Parmesan cheese.  Stir until all the cheese has melted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

When pasta is 2 minutes from finished cooking, add shrimp.  Drain.  Return pasta and shrimp to pot.  Add Alfredo sauce.  Toss to coat.  Garnish with parsley. Serve.

Yields: 4 servings

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I thought the following would be perfect for using up your leftover ham from Easter.

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Lastly, a coffee cake.  This would be the perfect morning comfort food for me.  Especially warm from the oven.

Recipe Ideas - Week #2: Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs - Herbed Sardine/Mussels Spread - Deviled Egg Salad - Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Hope everyone is doing well.  Not the easiest of times.  I know I'm turning to my crafting, food and WINE (FYI - Pat is having Cirrus Vodka delivered to her home - WHAT)!  It's another week of ideas -

I featured two Rose wines.  Both are new into the store this week.  They pair perfectly with quarantine.

Day Owl is $13.99 and Diroa $15.99.  Both are California.








The first recipe is a revisit of Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs.

YES.  You can also prepare this recipe in your slow cooker.

Not in the photo (oopsies!) is Aneto Vegetable Broth.

*****

I wanted to sample this recipe out, but havnen't had the chance.  It really is yummy.  



Don't fear the sardine!

Herbed Sardine/Mussels Spread

1 c. sour cream or crème fraiche (or full fat Greek yogurt)

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Tbl. parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp. thyme or other fresh herbs of choice

¼ tsp. smoked paprika plus more for sprinkling

¼ c. diced red onion

1 tin Matiz Sardines (in Olive Oil - in Lemon Essence – Wild Spicy) or

Matiz Mussles in Oil and Vinegar, drained

Stonewall Kitchen Sea Salt Crackers or sliced baguette

Salt and pepper to taste

Put sour cream or crème fraiche in a bowl. Put in all of the ingredients except for the sardines/mussels, and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Spread on cracker or bread.  Top with piece of sardine, or a mussel.  Garnish with onion, parsley and sprinkling of paprika.

Yields: 1¼ cups spread

*****

Lastly, another revisit - Deviled Egg Salad and Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs.

Recipe Ideas - Week #1: Candied Carrots - Seafood Stuffed Portobello - Italian Olive Bread - Shrimp and Chorizo Skillet - Spicy Italian Sun Dried Tomato Seasoning

Rodney is letting me run with my idea of setting up a table with recipe and product ideas.  With all the crazy going on, I thought it would be inspiring for customers to try new things, or revisit what I've done in the past.  Plus, for any new customers ... it's all new.  Here's this weeks inspiration.

I featured 2 wines  -

     Ruffino Orvieto: $12.99. A nice, refreshing change from your everyday varietal.  Pairs well with seafood and chicken.  

     Red Diamond Merlot: $6.99!!! Great buy. Pairs well with meat.  Nicely balanced. Perfect price point for cooking.  It's a sipper (not tannic)!

Candied Carrots

1 lb. baby carrots, steamed or 

     boiled until just tender, well drained

1 Tbl. unsalted butter

2  Tbl. Stonewall Kitchen Orange Cranberry Marmalade

Salt and white pepper

1 tsp. flat-leaf parsley, optional

Melt butter and Orange Cranberry Marmalade in a large skillet over medium-high heat until bubbly.

Add carrots and stir to cover with glaze. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in parsley, if desired, and cook until carrots are hot.

Serve at once or gently reheat over medium-low heat, adding a little water if necessary.

*****

Seafood Stuffed Portobello

1 large Portobello mushroom, cleaned, stemmed, gills removed

1 TFM seafood cake – Ultimate or Maryland Crab, Supreme Shrimp,

     Spicy Shrimp and Bacon,  World Famous Salmon

Olive oil

Paprika

butter

Preheat oven to 375^o.

Rub outside of Portobello with olive oil.  With mushroom opening face up, place seafood cake in center of mushroom and gently press so it fills center of mushroom.  Dot with butter.  Sprinkle with paprika.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until mushroom is tender.

Yields: 1 serving

Note: This recipe is a combination of a recipe from Howard (our store Asst. Mgr. who retired this week) and one when I was a Personal Chef. 

*****

Next recipe can be a side dish, or snack; one my family enjoys.  I use Sable & Rosenfeld Olive Bruschetta, but you can use any olive salad you enjoy.  I adapted this from a recipe when I was personal cheffing.

Italian Olive Bread

1 loaf Italian Bread, sliced vertically

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 green onions, sliced

½ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. garlic salt

1 (16 oz.) jar Olive Salad, drained Sable & Rosenfeld, Mediterranean Olive Bruschetta  or   Boscoli

1 c. shredded Mozzarella

¼ c. grated Parmesan Cheese

In a medium mixing bowl, add cream cheese, green onions, paprika and garlic salt.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Add olive salad and mozzarella.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Spread the mixture evenly onto bread halves.  Top with Parmesan cheese.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake in a 350^o preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until warm and toasted.

Slice and serve.

Note: Can slice bread, as if for sandwiches, and make above for individual slice.

*****

Recipe for customer favorite - Shrimp and Chorizo Skillet.  Oh so delicious. 

*****

Spicy Italian Sun Dried Tomato Seasoning  

Add to: 

    - pasta sauce 

    - seasoning your breading.  

    - EVOO with some salt for a bread dipping sauce.