Cauliflower & Broccoli Pasta

Adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1  Cauliflower (whole head, core removed, quartered and cut into small florets)
• 1  Broccoli bunch (remove bottom of stalks and then cut into small florets and similar sized chunks of soft stalk)
• 2 C       Onion (sliced 1/4 inch, lengthwise)
• 1/4 C  Garlic (chopped fine)
• 1 tsp   Rosemary (fresh, chopped fine)
• 1 TB    Lucini Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 TB    Lucini Fig Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 TB    Lucini Chili-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TB    Golden Raisins
• 1/2 C  Walnuts (toasted)
• 1/4 C  Parsley (chopped fine)
• 1 C       Lucini Organic Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (grated)
• Salt (sea or kosher)

Preparation:

Boil a large pot of salted water.   Saute the cauliflower and broccoli in olive oil in a large saute pan.  When the cauliflower begins to soften, season with salt and pepper and add the onion.   Saute over medium high heat until the vegetables are brown and tender.   The cauliflower and broccoli should still be slightly crunchy and should not look steamed.  Add the garlic and rosemary and remove from the heat, tossing and stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn; if it starts to brown, add a splash of water.  Add the chili oil, vinegar and the pine nuts.  Taste and correct the seasoning for salt, chili oil and vinegar.  When the pasta is done, drain and add to the cauliflower, adding enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the pasta thoroughly, then add the parsley and cheese, toss together and serve.

Fried Ravioli

Ingredients:

• 1 LB  Ravioli (i prefer to make my own cheese ravioli, but use your favorite)
  
• 2       Eggs (whisked well)
• 2 TB  Lucini Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  
• Salt
  
• Black Pepper (fresh, ground)
• 2 C    Bread crumbs
• 1 jar   Lucini 100% Natural Tomato Sauce
  

Preparation:

Heat oil 300F in a fryer or deep-sided pot. Beat the eggs with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper.  Dip each ravioli into the egg mixture and then coat with bread crumbs.  Fry 5 to 7 ravioli at a time, leaving plenty of room for the ravioli in the pot.  Drain the ravioli on paper towels. Serve with the tomato sauce (heated if you like).

Linguini Aragosta Fra Diavolo (Spicy Lobster) – Feast of the Seven Fishes

Ingredients:

• The meat from 2 (approximately 2 pound) Lobsters
• 1/4 C  Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TB    Garlic (minced)
• 1/2 tsp Hot Pepper flakes
• 1/2 C  White Wine (dry)
• 2 C  Lucini Organic Plum Tomatoes
• 4      Anchovies  (chopped coarsely)
• 2 tsp Oregano (dried)
• 2 TB  Salt
• 1 LB   Linguini (or Fettucini, Spaghetti, etc.)
• 3 TB   Italian (flat-leaf) Parsley (chopped coarsely)
• Black Pepper (fresh, ground)

Preparation:

Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat, and when it is hot, add the olive oil.  Add the garlic and stir until golden, about 2 minutes.  Add the hot pepper and lobster meat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the wine and tomatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer.  Add the anchovies and oregano and stir well.  Transfer the pot to the oven and cook until the sauce has thickened, 6 to 7 minutes.  Remove from the oven.

While the sauce is cooking, fill a 10-quart stockpot to half with water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the salt.  Add the pasta, stir, and cook until al dente.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, and add the pasta to the pot of sauce.

Add the lobster meat and parsley to the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. If the pasta looks dry, add the reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to combine between additions.  Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes (or Lucini Chili-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil).

Ravioli with Fig Balsamic Reduction, Pumpkin Seeds and Brown Butter

Ingredients:

• 16-24 oz  Ravioli (homemade or purchased, best with cheese or vegetarian ravioli)
• 6 TB          Butter (unsalted, high quality)
• 3 TB          Lucini Fig Infused Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp    Salt
• 1/4 tsp    Black Pepper (fresh, ground)
• 1/3 C        Pumpkin Seeds (roasted – pine nuts, walnuts and even pecans work well)
• 1/4 C        Lucini Parmigiano Reggiano (fresh, grated)

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm, stirring occasionally.  Drain ravioli onto a large serving platter.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat and allow to cool for about 1 minute.  Stir in the salt and pepper.

Reduce the fig balsamic in a skillet over medium heat.  Do not let the balsamic bubble wildly, as it will reduce too quickly and lose its liquidity.  Remove when it thickens by half.

Transfer the ravioli to the pan saucepan with the brown butter, sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and Parmesan and toss.  Add to serving bowls, then finish with the reduced fig balsamic.

Couscous with Dried Fruit

Similar to rice, couscous is as versatile as the dish it is served with or can be easily spiced to suit any recipe.  This couscous recipe makes a great side dish for chicken and fish dishes and also works well as a base for vegetarian stews and other entrees.  I use a wide variety of dried fruits, including: raisins, cranberries, apricots, prunes and figs.

Couscous is a great source of protein, fiber, niacin, selenium, and B vitamins.  It is made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating it with finely ground wheat flour.  Once coated, the wheat is formed into small finished pellets of couscous and sieved.

Ingredients:

• 2 C      Chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 C      Couscous
• 1/4 C  Dried Fruit (chopped small)
• 1 TB    Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 TB    Lucini Fig Infused Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt
• Black Pepper (fresh, ground)

Preparation:

Bring the stock to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add the dried fruit and couscous.  Cover the pan tightly with a lid, remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Add the olive oil and vinegar and stir well with a fork – couscous should be light and fluffy, not gummy.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pasta Salad

This simple pasta recipe is great as a side dish for meals at home or a certain hit when you bring it to BBQs and picnics, a nice variation to traditional macaroni salad.  The Lucini olive oil and artisinal vinaigrette are a healthier alternative to the usual mayonnaise-based dressings and add a lot more flavor to the dish.  Just about any fresh vegetable works well here, so add or substitute your favorites.  I find using about 1.5 – 2 cups of fresh veggies per pound of pasta works best.    I have added pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, onions, pineapple, roasted peppers, finely diced carrots and celery, eggs, cooked mushrooms, corn, leftover greens and even cubed turkey, ham and Spam in the past.

Ingredients:

Use any vegetables you like

• 1 LB      Pasta (fresh or dried)
• 2 TB     Lucini Tuscan Basil Olive Oil (Robust Garlic works as well)
• 1/4 C    Lucini Delicate Cucumber & Shallot Vinaigrette
• 1/4 tsp  Salt
• 1/4 tsp  Black Pepper (fresh, ground)
• 1/4 C     Roasted Red pepper (chopped small)
• 1 C          Peas (fresh, shelled or frozen)
• 3             Scallions, (chopped small)
• 1/4 C     Olives (chopped, black, red or green)
• 1/4 C     Lucini Organic Parmiggiano Reggiano

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to directions until al dente.

Drain pasta well and coat with salt, pepper, olive oil and cucumber vinaigrette until well distributed.  Add vegetables and stir well.  Refrgerate for at least 1 hour (I find overnight is best).  Bring salad up to room temperature, top with grated parmesan and serve.

Pesto

Why flax seeds?  I have been reading a lot about omega 3 lately and trying to work it into my diet more often (rather than relying solely on supplements).  One of the best sources of omega 3 is ground flax seeds and thinking about the groundness of the seeds led me to pesto – the root of the word is the same as pestle and both derive from the Latin “pestâ” (to pound or crush).  It seems that many people have negative connotations for flax seeds – that the texture is weird or flavor will be unpleasant.  But, i’ve tested this recipe on some discerning palates and everyone thought that the nuts used were either 100% walnuts or a mixture of walnuts and pine nuts.  Be sure to taste before and after adding the salt – I usually avoid salt in pesto recipes, but because the Lucini Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano is so rich and flavorful and has less of a salty profile than generic Parmigiano Reggiano, I do add salt to this preparation.  As always find it better to start with a little less – you can add more, but if you start with too much, fixing the taste is difficult.

Ingredients:

• 1 C           Basil leaves
• 1 TB        Garlic, chopped (add more if so desired)
• 2 TB        Walnuts
• 2 TB        Flax Seeds, ground
• 1/8 tsp  Salt
• 1/2 C      Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 C      Lucini Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano (if using another cheese, be careful with the salt!)

Preparation:

Grind the flax seeds.  Combine the garlic, flax seeds, walnuts and salt in a food processor (or a mortar and pestle, for a more ‘authentic’ consistency) and blend until the mixture forms a paste.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, blending slowly.  Add the Parmigiano 1 tablespoon at a time, blending for short beats until the mixture forms a thick paste.  The pesto can be put in a container, topped with a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil and then stored for several weeks in the refrigerator.  Without this preservation layer, the pesto discolors very quickly and the garlic flavor will turn bitter in a matter of days.

Macaroni and Cheese

This macaroni and cheese recipe is quite simple to prepare, but full of wonderful complex flavor.  This is a fun dish to prepare with children, especially cheese lovers, who can help out by mixing together the different cheeses.  (Here is a great article and a video with tips for getting kids interested in the kitchen.)  The spices are optional and are excellent candidates for replacement. Using basil, oregano and parsley instead of those listed below provides an Italian twist, while chili powder, oregano and cumin make a Mexican mac and cheese.  Almost any short pasta will work, but tubes and options with ridges will ‘grab’ more of the cheesy goodness.  Cavatappi, cavatelli, farfalle, fusilli, gemelli, orecchiette, penne, rotini and, of course, macaroni/maccheroni are all excellent choices.

Ingredients:

1 lb      dry Pasta (see the list above or just use your favorite)
4 TB    Unsalted Butter
1/3 C  all-purpose Flour
4 C       Milk , heated
8 oz    Extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated large
4 oz    American Cheese, grated large or chopped
4 oz    Asiago cheese (fontina and gruyere work in a pinch)
Salt
Black Pepper, ground
1 tsp   Mustard Powder (aka dry mustard and mustard flour – do not use ‘wet’ prepared mustard)
1 tsp   Smoked Paprika (optional)
1 tsp   Hot sauce (or more, optional)
1/4 C  Parmesan cheese, grated fine
1/4 C  Bread Crumbs, preferably homemade

Preparation:
Boil a large pot of well salted water. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°. Grease a deep casserole (3 or 4 quart) with olive oil (or butter).

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to make a roux. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Bring sauce to a simmer and continue to whisk until it thickens. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 more minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of the American cheese and 1/2 cup of the Asiago (or Fontina). Add the paprika and hot sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine the remaining cheddar, American and Asiago cheeses. Spread one third of the pasta over the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with half of the shredded cheese and a third of the sauce. Repeat, using another third of the pasta with the remaining cheese and half of the sauce. Finish with the remaining pasta and sauce. Sprinkle parmesan and bread crumbs over the top.

Bake until bubbly and golden, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving for a consistent presentation.

A splash of Lucini Basil – Infused Extra Virgin or Lucini Chili – Infused Extra Virgin olive oils on the plated mac and cheese before serving adds yet another dimension of great flavor and aroma.

Sardine and Sun-dried Tomato Pasta

I have been reading a lot lately about the health benefits of sardines and trying to work them (and similar fish such as mackerel) into my cooking repertoire.  This recipe utilizes sun-dried tomatoes; their sweetness stands up well to the oils (omega-3!) and saltiness of the fish.  If you do not have any vegetable or poultry stock available try orange juice for a fresh citrus twist.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz        dried Pasta (i use fusili or penne, but choose your favorite)
• 2 TB        Lucini Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1               small red Onion, chopped
• 2 TB        Garlic, minced fine
• 3 TB        Pine Nuts (or Flax Seeds)
• 1 can       Sardines in olive oil (3.75 oz), chopped large
• 1/2 C      Vegetable Stock (Chicken Stock will also work)
• 1              dried Chili pepper, crushed
• 1/4 tsp  Black Pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp  dried Oregano
• 1/4 C      Sun-Dried Tomatoes (dried or olive oil-packed)
• 1/3 C      Lucini Organic 3 Year • Parmigiano Reggiano

Preparation:

Boil a large pot of well salted water.

As the pasta is reaching boil, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and pine nuts; cook for two more minutes.

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until almost tender (‘al dente’).

Stir in the stock, chili pepper and oregano.  Bring to a boil and reduce stock by a half.  Add the sardines and sun-dried tomatoes and when they heat through, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the pasta is  ready.

When the pasta is ready, drain well and add it to the sardines.  Turn the heat off and mix well in the pan.  Let stand for 2 minutes to absorb the flavors of the sauce.  Add the parmesan and mix again.  Divide onto serving plates, and top with more grated Parmesan cheese, if so desired.

Spring Break – Yes, it’s that time again!

Weather Channel predictions aside, Spring Break is only five weeks away. Are you ready? Whether you’re headed for Ft. Lauderdale, San Diego, or points beyond, shorts, sleeveless dresses, flip-flops and sandals will definitely be the attire of the week.

So, I ask again – are you ready? I know I’m not! This winter has been just a bit much and the weight seemed to just appear out of nowhere. Cold winter nights just go too well with Lucini’s Umbrian Lentil or Rustic Minestrone soups, carbonara con coniglio, risotto con bresaola e valtellina casera,

carbonara con coniglio

risotto con bresaola e valtellina casera

and all the other heavy taste treats of winter.

All good things must come to an end, though, and my winter eating has ended! Luckily, oranges, grapefruit, clementines, and all the other delicious citrus are in season and better than ever. Paired with a traditional basil-tomato sauce over pasta and presto! you have the perfect ‘get in shape’ meal.

Insalata di arancia alla siciliana

One of my personal favorites is insalata di arancia alla siciliana (recipe follows) served with Lucini tomato-basil sauce over spinach and ricotto ravioli with grated Lucini stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano

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Spinach and ricotta ravioli with Lucini Tomato-Basil sauce

Another preference of mine is insalata di pomodoro con mozzarella (recipe follows) and a pan-fried chicken breast (I use just a teaspoon of Lucini’s extra virgin olive oil to ‘fry’ the breast). Or try pasta al dente – any type – drizzled with Lucini’s extra virgin oil olive and dusted with Lucini’s stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano and mixed baby greens with a drab of Lucini Tuscan Balsamic vinaigrette. The ‘light’ possibilities are endless…..and delicious, too! And don’t forget to exercise….

Insalata di arancia alla siciliana

3-4 large navel oranges peeled and sliced in thirds

1-2 large pink grapefruit peeled and sliced in thirds

2 green onions chopped

1/4 cup Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teasp salt

1/4 teasp red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients together and toss. Leave standing at room temperature until served. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Insalata di pomodoro con mozzarella

1-2lbs cherry or sweet grape tomatoes

fresh mozzarella in water (boccincini)

2-3 fresh basil leaves torn into small pieces

1 1/2 teasp dried oregano

1/4 cup Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and toss. Leave standing at room temperature until served. Refrigerate any leftovers.