Masaharu Morimoto's Lobster Masala

There is a quote to which I can relate.  "I'm not a fighter, but in my mind I'm fighting every day.  What's new? What am I doing? I'm fighting myself. My soul is samurai.  My roots are not samurai, but my soul is."  The person who made this statement is Masaharu Morimoto.  The chef who fought culinary battles as the Iron Chef Japanese on the well-known television show, and who now is a well known chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. 

The reason why the quote resonates with me is that I too fight every day.  As a lawyer, I spend a lot of mental energy fighting on behalf of my clients, asking a lot of questions and, sometimes, even fighting with myself.  (That latter fight is the daily battle that propels me to be the best lawyer that I can be.)  Cooking is for me is a way to find solace from that fighting, but still challenge myself to do things that may seem, at least at first glance, beyond my capabilities.  

One such challenge involves Morimoto's cookbook, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking.  When I bought the book, I read through the recipes and, to be quite frank, I felt quite intimidated.  I thought to myself that these recipes were too complicated for me.  The book sat on my shelf for quite a long time.  The challenge went unanswered ... until this past New Year's Eve. 

Morimoto Special Spice

I always make a special New Year's Eve dinner for my beautiful Angel to celebrate the past year and to look forward to the new one.  I decided to undertake the challenge of making a recipe from Morimoto's cookbook.  The dish I chose was lobster masala, which Morimoto refers to as one of his signature dishes.  The recipe reminds me of seafood dishes that I have made with crab, even like classic Chesapeake Blue Crab, with whole crabs covered in a spice mixture (such as Old Bay).  The spice mixture used in this dish -- Morimoto Special Spice -- is a wonderful combination of chile powder, paprika, cumin, coriander, ginger, garam masala and cayenne pepper.  

The difference comes in the preparation.  The lobster is not steamed, as are the crabs.  Instead, it is sauteed.  Morimoto notes that, by sauteeing the lobster, the cook is able to control the ingredient and intensify the flavor.  I actually liked this technique, which is far easier to do with lobster than other live shellfish like crabs.

Finally, I like how the dish comes together.  The vegetable accompaniment helps to provide more color and sustenance with the lobster.   Morimoto notes that the vegetables can be changed with what is in season.  This is helpful because I could not find any golden beets.  So I used some yellow squash, so that there variety of colors remained in the dish.  Moreover, the lemon cream sauce is a simple sauce to make that provides relief to those who may find the seasoning to be a little too spicy.  While I thought the piquancy of the seasoning was just fine, the lemon cream sauce still was a refreshing touch when eating the lobster.

MASAHARU MORIMOTO'S LOBSTER MASALA

Recipe from Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 baby beets, preferably golden

12 baby carrots

12 asparagus stalks

`1/2 cup broccoflower or broccoli florets

4 live Maine lobsters (1 1/2 pounds each)

6 tablespoons olive oil, as needed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons Morimoto Special Spice (see recipe below)

Lemon Cream (see recipe below)

Ingredients (for the Morimoto Special Spice):

1 tablespoon chile powder

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground garam masala

3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Ingredients (for the Lemon Cream):

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons sugar

Juice of one lemon

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1.  Prepare the special spice.  Combine all of the ingredients for the special spice in a covered container in a cool dark place for up to 3 months.

2.  Prepare the beets.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Wrap the beets in foil and roast for 45 minutes or until tender.  When they are cool enough to handle, rub off the skins and half or quarter the beets. 

3.  Prepare the carrots.  Peel the carrots and trim to leave about 1/2 inch of the green stems.  Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add the carrots and cook for about 4 minutes, until just tender.  Drain and rinse under cold running running water.

4.  Prepare the asparagus.  Trim the asparagus to include the tips and about 4 inches of the stalks.  Use a swivel blade vegetable peeler to trim off the tough skin from the thicker part of the stems.  In another saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus and the broccoflower until just tender, about 3 minutes.

5.  Prepare the lobsters. Split the lobsters lengthwise in half down the belly.  Using a teaspoon, remove the dark "sand sack" from the inside the head, this is the only part of the lobster that is not edible.  Separate the claws with the knuckles attached and crack the claws with a heavy knife/  If not cooking immediately, wrap and refrigerate for no more than 2 hours.  The sooner you cook the lobsters the better. 

6.   Cook the lobsters.  Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a very large skillet over moderately high heat.  Add 2 lobsters to the skillet, meat side down, arranging the claws against the surface of the skillet.  (If the lobsters don't fit, use 2 skillets or cook them one at a time.)  Saute until the tail meat is golden in color, 2 to 3 minutes.  Turn the lobsters over and season the exposed meat of the lobster generously with 2 tablespoons of the Morimoto Special Spice.  Add additional oil and cover the skillet.  Cook until the lobster meat is opaque when pieced and the shells are bright red.  About 3 minutes.  Remove to a platter or large plate.  The claws will take 2 to 3 minutes longer.  Tent the lobsters with foil to keep warm.  Repeat with 2 more tablespoons of oil the remaining 2 lobsters, and 2 more tablespoons of the Morimoto Special Spice

7.  Prepare the cream sauce.  In a chilled bowl, using cold beaters, whip the ream with the sugar until soft peaks form.  Add the lemon juice and salt and whip until stiff.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.

8.  Finish the cook.  Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet.  Add the cooked beets, carrots, asparagus and broccoflowers.  Toss over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes to warm through.  Arrange the vegetables around the lobsters and serve with the Lemon Cream Sauce on the side.

ENJOY!

Pistachio and Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Roasted Asparagus and Rosemary Potatoes

One of the dishes on my "to-do" list was a recipe for Pistachio and Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, with Roasted Asparagus and Rosemary Potatoes.  I came across the recipe along time ago, when I was making dishes for my beautiful Angel when she was pregnant with our little guy.  Clare does not eat lamb, so I set aside the recipe for one of my "Steak Nights."  The "to-do" list for Steak Night was rather long, and, thoughts of the recipe sat, somewhat neglected in the recesses of my mind.

That was until very recently, when I had the urge to cook with a rack of lamb.  A rack of lamb is a cut perpendicular to the spine of the animal, and, usually consists of about eight (8) ribs and chops.  The rack of lamb cut is very popular, and somewhat expensive, especially if you purchase a "frenched" rack, where the ends of the ribs have been stripped bare of fat and meat.  A "frenched" rack of lamb provides for better presentation.   So, I bought one, because I could use a little help in the presentation department.    

Once I had my frenched rack of lamb, I proceeded to get the other ingredients.  The part of the recipe that piqued my interest is the "crust" of pistachios and fresh herbs.  I have seen many different recipes for "crusted" rack of lamb, but this was the first one that I saw which used pistachios.  Those nuts, along with the fresh rosemary and thyme, created an interesting combination of tastes and textures for the lamb. Apparently, it is also a fairly popular one, judging by the number of pistachio crusted rack of lamb recipes on the internet.  Some of those recipes did not include the fresh herbs, or, worse, added bread crumbs. Given the use of pistachios, bread crumbs seems kind of redundant for this dish, at least in my humble opinion.

Once I got home and made this recipe, I regretted not making it sooner.  The pistachio and her crust was delicious, and, as always, the lamb tasted very good.  However, I realized that I needed some more practice, both with respect to working with the crust and carving the finished product.  Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this recipe, and, as with so many other recipes, it will go on another list ... to make again.  Hopefully, it will not take as long to get back to the dish.

PISTACHIO AND HERB CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB WITH

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND ROSEMARY POTATOES

 Recipe from Erika Lenkert, Healthy Eating During Pregnancy, pg. 110

Ingredients:

4 small red potatoes, halved

5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound asparagus, stems trimmed

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1/3 cup dry-roasted pistachios

2 frenched racks of lamb (each rack 3/4 pound) 

     trimmed of all but a thin layer of fat

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

1.  Cook the potatoes and asparagus.  In a wide bowl, toss the cut potatoes in 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary to coat.  Season with salt and pepper and transfer, cut side down in a single layer to a rimmed backing sheet.  Roll the asparagus in the same wide bowl, coating with the remaining oil, and set aside.  Roast the potatoes for 35 minutes.  Add the asparagus in a single layer and roast the potatoes and asparagus for 10 more minutes, then keep warm.

2.  Prepare the pistachio/herb blend.  Blend the parsley, thyme, and remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary in a blender or food processor until minced.  Add the pistachios and blend or process until minced.  Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and pulse until combined.  Set aside.

3.  Prepare the lamb.  Season the lamb with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high.  Sear the meat one rack at a time by cooking the ribs until brown, turning once, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the lamb to a large roasting pan, meat side up, and coat them with Dijon mustard.

4.  Roast the lamb.  Gently press the pistachio mixture onto the meaty portion of the rack (not the bones).  Roast the lamb until a thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into the center (do not touch the bone) registers 155 degrees Fahrenheit (for medium), 20 to 25 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board.

5.  Finish the dish.  Let stand for 10 minutes, then gently cut the meat into individual ribs.  Serve with the potatoes and asparagus.

ENJOY!

Grilled Turkey Thighs with Lemon-Garlic Asparagus and Roasted Potatoes

Turkeys are tough birds.  This is a truism both while the birds are alive and after their death.  Both wild and domesticated turkeys have an aggressive disposition.  The bird's behavior has been documented numerous times, like the case of a wild turkey named Godzilla who harasses a homeowner in Detroit or the turkeys who chase after runners in the neighborhoods of Boston.  While turkeys may be beautiful in appearance, they are very nasty in character.  

Turkeys can be difficult in death as they can be when they are alive.  They can present a lot of challenges to cooks, who sometimes struggle to present a dish of juicy, tender meat for their guests.  This is especially true when it comes to cooking turkey breasts.  The breast meat can dry out very fast, requiring brines to ensure that the meat remains moist and flavorful.  

By contrast, turkey thighs are much easier to work with as a cook.  The main reason is that the fat content in the thighs is higher than in the breast, making the meat a little more forgiving when being cooked.  That fat also provides a lot more flavor than what can be found in the breast.  For these reasons, I have used thighs for a number of recipes, including Turkey Paella, Beer Braised Turkey Tacos with Chipotle Guacamole, and Turkey Biryani.

While I love all of those recipes, my favorite way of cooking turkey is using the grill.   I have grilled turkey thighs on a number of occasions, including when I made Batali-Style Turkey Thighs with Snap Peas and Agliata.   I prefer grilling to other methods of cooking, such as braising or roasting, because it is easier to get the skin to become crispy without drying out the meat.  For this reason, I am always trying to think of new and different ways to grill turkey thighs, which led to this recipe.

I started with the idea of creating a rub that has an Italian inspiration.  The combination of flavors -- onion, garlic, rosemary, thyme and crushed red pepper -- is perhaps a classic in Italian grilling.   It is one that can easily be used to grill steak or chicken.  It also works very well with turkey thighs. 

One cannot serve turkey alone, so I needed some sides.  Given I was using the grill, I decided to make some asparagus because grilling asparagus is my preferred way of preparing the vegetable.  I also made a potato dish, but, given that grill space would be taken up with turkey thighs and eventually asparagus, I chose to roast the potatoes in the oven while I worked on the rest of the course.  

Overall, this dish was a success.  The turkey was moist and the rub did its part to infuse flavor into the meat.  I would have liked to have gotten the skin a little crispier; but, the thighs reached the desired temperature before that could happen. When given the choice between crispy skin and moist meat, I choose the latter every time. 

GRILLED TURKEY THIGHS WITH LEMON-GARLIC ASPARAGUS 
AND ROASTED POTATOES

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

Ingredients (for the turkey):

2 turkey thighs, trimmed

1 tablespoon of dried rosemary

1 tablespoon of dried thyme

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon of sea salt

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

Ingredients (for the asparagus):

1 pound of asparagus

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper

Sea salt, to taste

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients (for the potatoes):

1 pound of small potatoes, washed and halved
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

 1.   Roast the potatoes.  Bring a pot of hot water to a boil.  Add the potatoes and boil until the potatoes start to become tender.  Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool.  Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, place them in a bowl with the olive oil and garlic.  Mix thoroughly so that the oil covers the potatoes.  Season liberally with salt and pepper.  Heat an oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spread the potatoes out on a non-stick pan.  Roast the potatoes in the oven for about 7 to 8 minutes.  Flip the potatoes and continue to roast until they are fork-tender, yet crisp.

2.  Prepare the turkey and asparagus.  Grind the rosemary, thyme, black pepper and sea salt.  Place ground mixture in a small bowl and add garlic powder, onion powder and crushed red pepper.  Mix thoroughly.  Rinse the turkey thighs and dry them well.  Apply the rub to all parts of the turkey thighs.  Wrap and refrigerate for two to three hours.  Trim the asparagus and place in a ziplock bag with the olive oil, garlic powder and lemon juice.  Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt.  

3.  Grill the turkey and asparagus.  Heat the grill on medium high heat.  Grill the turkey thighs, skin side facing up for about ten minutes.  Flip the thighs and continue to cook for about eight to ten minutes, until the turkey approaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  During the last five minutes of the grilling, grill the asparagus, turning occasionally to prevent burning and remove the asparagus as soon as they have softened and crisped along the edges.

4.  Finish the dish.  Once the temperature of the thighs is between 160 to 165, remove the turkey thighs from the grill and tent with some foil.  Allow the turkey thighs to rest for about five to ten minutes.  Slice the thighs and portion out the slices on the plates.  Serve immediately with the some of the roasted potatoes (garnished with the parsley) and grilled asparagus. 

ENJOY!

Cream of Asparagus Soup with Rice

I was never a fan of vegetables when I was a kid.  (Truthfully, I was not a fan of anything green when I was a kid.)  Over time, my views and opinions about green food have changed and evolved.  No vegetable represents that change more than the asparagus.  

The cultivation of asparagus dates back to ancient history.  In fact, the name "asparagus" is Greek for "sprout" or "shoot."  The Greeks gathered wild asparagus for dishes, as did ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians.  However, those wild green fleshing sprouts were especially popular during Roman times.  The Romans were the first to grow and cultivate the sprouts, especially around the Tiber River region.  After the harvest, Roman cooks would have made dishes such as aliter patina de asparagis frigida (Cold Asparagus with Woodock) or other recipes, like the one that appeared Apicius' 3rd century cookbook, De Re Coquinaria.

While the Romans loved those spears, I used to hate them.  I shunned them whenever they made a presence on the plate.  That began to change a few years ago. The principal reason is that I found a way to cook it that really appeals to me ... grilling.  Marinate the stalks in a little olive oil, with some herbs, lemon juice and salt.  After a short period of time, throw them on the grill, turn a few times, and you have a very tasty side dish. A dish that I could eat over and over again.

Recently, we hosted a dinner with a theme that featured recipes from Maryland.  The theme was America in Miniature, which featured recipes that highlight the produce and products of that wonderful state.  One such produce is the asparagus.  There are many farms, such as Godfrey's Farm in Queen Anne's County, that grow the spears.  Indeed, as recounted by Lucie Snodgrass in Dishing Up Maryland, Godfrey's Farm started out as an asparagus farm, cultivating and harvesting as much as 160 acres of the vegetable. The farm sold its produce principally to a plant owned by Green Giant in Delaware.  When the plant closed, Godfrey's Farm began making its harvest available to others, including consumers at farmers' markets.

For the dinner, we made a Cream of Asparagus Soup with Rice.  Asparagus seems to be an odd ingredient for a soup, but it worked.  However, what made this noteworthy was the use of rice.  The rice served to thicken the soup, eliminating the need for heavy cream.  Instead, just a couple of cups of whole milk were required to add that "dairy" element to the soup.  Overall, the soup turned out well.  I would make this recipe again, but, grilled asparagus remains my favorite way to eat those spears.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH RICE

Recipe from Dishing up Maryland, page 24

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds asparagus

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

4 cups of chicken stock or vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly black pepper

1/3 cup of white rice

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Creme fraiche (optional).

Directions:

1.  Prepare the asparagus.  Rinse the asparagus well and pat dry.  Snap off and discard the tough ends.  Cut each of the asparagus spears into three pieces.  Place a dozen tips in a small dish and set aside.

2.  Prepare the base of the soup.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring constantly, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the asparagus pieces and cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add the stock, salt, pepper and rice; cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  

3.  Steam the asparagus tips.  Steam the reserved asparagus tips in a steamer for 3 minutes.  Plunge them in ice water, drain, pat dry and then slice each in half lengthwise.

4.  Finish the dish.  Puree the soup using a handheld immersion blender (or in batches using a blender), gradually adding the milk until all of it is blended into the soup.  Return the soup to the stove and heat it through.  Garnish each serving with the asparagus tips, chopped parsley and a dollop of creme fraiche if desired.

ENJOY!

Fettuccine with Asparagus Puree

This dish represents a first for me, a recipe made from something I found on Pinterest.  I started using Pinterest several months ago, primarily as another source of recipes.  However, I did not find much that interested me and, as often happens, I stopped going to Pinterest for ideas.  Recently, however, I decided to give it another shot.  I set up Pinterest Boards for Chef Bolek and started to look for recipes again.  

Fortunately, I found some recipes that I wanted to try to make.  One of those recipes is Fettuccine with Asparagus Puree, which I found on a board set up by Chef Marcus Samuelsson.  Chef Samuelsson is one of the few chefs who I follow on various social media (like Pinterest).  Chef Samuelsson has a very interesting back story.  He and his sisters were born in Ethiopia, adopted by a Swedish couple and raised in Sweden.  Now, Chef Samuellson is a very successful chef with restaurants that I hope to visit someday, like Red Rooster in Harlem and the American Table Brasserie and Bar in Stockholm.

Although I was never a fan of asparagus when I was a kid, I have recently began eating more of the vegetable.  My preferred way of making asparagus is to grill it, but, this recipe provides an interesting twist to using those spears.  This recipe places the asparagus at the center of a sauce.  The other ingredients -- spinach, garlic and pine nuts -- makes this sauce into a sort of a pesto.  The recipe calls for the sauce to be served with spinach fettuccine.  While I would ordinarily make my own pasta, I was very happy to use some fresh, store-bought pasta.  This made the recipe very quick and easy to make. 

FETTUCCINE WITH ASPARAGUS PUREE RECIPE

Recipe adapted from one by Joanne Bruno, 

available at Marcus Samuelsson

Ingredients:

1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and halved crosswise

3 handfuls of baby spinach

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

12 ounces fresh spinach fettuccine

Directions:

1.  Bring water to boil.  Bring two pots of salted water to a boil.  Use a larger pot to cook the pasta and a smaller pot to blanch the asparagus. 

2.  Blanch the asparagus.  Drop the asparagus into the pot of salted water.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spears are bright green.  Transfer to a bowl of iced water.  Let sit for a minute or two and drain.  

3.  Make the asparagus puree.  Add the asparagus to the blender, along with the spinach, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and 3/4 cup of the pine nuts to the processor.  Puree the ingredients.  With the motor still on, drizzle in the 1/4 cup of olive oil until a paste forms.  It should be the consistency of a pesto.  Add in the lemon juice and salt, to taste.

4.  Cook the pasta.  Cook the pasta until al dente.  Drain and toss with the asparagus puree.  Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts. 

One final note.  If you want to "Chef Bolek" this recipe, then you should add some torn prosciutto (about 1/8 of a pound per serving) over the pasta, with a healthy serving of Parmesan cheese.  The addition of the prosciutto makes this very delicious vegetarian dish into an equally delicious carnivore dish.   

ENJOY!

Andalucian Asparagus

It is spring time and, of course, thoughts turn to all of those wonderful vegetables that happen to be in season right now.  One of those vegetables is the asparagus.  This vegetable has been around for centuries.   The earliest reference to asparagus can be found on an Egyptian frieze that dates back to 3,000 B.C.  

Fast forward to recent times, and I can say that I was never a big fan of asparagus.  I never ate it as a child or even as an adult.  I have only begun eating the vegetable in recent years.  Although my favorite way to prepare asparagus is to grill the vegetable, I have been looking at other preparations.  

I recently came across a recipe for Andalucian Asparagus, which is apparently a homage to the way the vegetable is prepared in southern Spain. The asparagus season is a very important one in Spain, and its availability leads to dishes like this one.  The recipe calls for using the thin asparagus, although the ones I used were a little more on the thicker side.  The recipe also calls for removing the crust from the bread used to make the topping; however, I did not want to waste that crust.  So, I just left the crust on the bread.

ANDALUCIAN ASPARAGUS

Recipe from The New Mediterranean Cookbook at 295

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds of young asparagus

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves peeled

12 blanched almonds

1 2-inch slice of crusty country-style bread, 

     crusts removed, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon very good quality sherry vinegar

Sea salt

Directions:

1.  Prepare the asparagus.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Trim the asparagus, rinse and set aside.

2.  Prepare the topping.  Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic, almonds and bread and saute, stirring occasionally, until all the ingredients are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Do not let them burn.  Transfer the almonds, garlic and bread cubes with a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender.  Add the vinegar and about 1/2 teaspoon salt and process briefly until the mixture is a coarse meal.  

3.  Saute the asparagus.  In the oil remaining in the pan, saute the asparagus over medium low heat until the stalks change color and start to become tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. (You may need to add another tablespoon or two of oil.)  Remove the asparagus and place in an ovenproof gratin dish.  Bring a cup of water to a boil and pour it over the asparagus.  Then sprinkle the almond-bread mixture over the top.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the asparagus is thoroughly cooked and most of the liquid has boiled away.  Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

Penne Rigate with Asparagus-Pistachio Pesto

One of the most interesting chefs and television personalities is Andrew Zimmern.  I am a big fan of his television shows, especially Bizarre Foods.  Andrew has a very interesting and inspiring personal history.  He moved to Minnesota in the 1990s to receive treatment for chemical dependency and alcoholism.  After he finished the treatment program, he found a job at a French restaurant called Café Un Deux Trois.  Although Andrew washed dishes and bussed tables, he closely watched the chef, who had spent a few years learning under Chef Bouley in New York City.  Andrew watched the chef closely, and, when a line cook called in sick, Andrew took the job as a line cook.  After a few weeks, Andrew climbed the ranks and took over the kitchen.

I have been wanting to make some of Andrew's recipes for quite a while.  Recently, I came across a recipe for Rigatoni with Asparagus-Pistachio Pesto.  This recipe dates back to Café Un Deux Trois.  Andrew recalls that the the old chef at the restaurant claimed to have gotten the recipe from Chef Bouley.  Whether or not that is true, Andrew notes that the recipe is delicious.

And, Andrew is right.  This recipe is very delicious.  I made two changes to his recipe.  First, I substituted rigatoni with penne rigate.  Really, this dish could be prepared with any pasta, although I think rigatoni and penne rigate, as well as fusilli or orcchiette, would be the best pasta for this dish. Second, I used regular Parmesan cheese rather than Parmigiano Reggiano because I was making this dish for my beautiful wife, Clare.  Given she is pregnant, unpasteurized cheeses -- like Parmigiano Reggiano -- are off the table.  However, regular Parmesan is pasteurized and it works as a good substitute. 

PENNE RIGATE WITH ASPARAGUS-PISTACHIO PESTO

Adapted from recipe by Andrew Zimmern and available at Food & Wine

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of pine nuts

1 1/2 pounds of asparagus, cut into 1 inch lengths

3 medium carrots, chopped

1 medium shallot, chopped

1/2 cup packed basil leaves

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon of honey

2 teaspoons of thyme, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon zest, finely grated

1 teaspoon of cumin

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus more for tossing

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 pound of Penne Rigate

1 cup of vegetable broth

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/4 cup unsalted roasted pistachios, very finely chopped

1/3 cup parsley, chopped

Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

1.  Toast the pine nuts.  Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the pine nuts in a pie plate and toast for about 3 minutes, until golden brown.

2.  Begin preparing the pesto.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the asparagus with the carrots and shallot and process until finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Stir in the basil, garlic, honey, thyme, lemon zest, cumin and the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until the vegetables are soft and just starting to brown. Season with salt and pepper.

3.  Cook the pasta.  Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a baking sheet and toss with olive oil.

4.  Finish the pesto and the dish.   In a very large skillet, combine the cooked vegetables with the chicken stock and butter and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 4 minutes. Add the pasta, pine nuts, pistachios and the reserved 1/2 cup of pasta water and cook, tossing, until the sauce is thick and the pasta is coated. Stir in the parsley and chopped bacon and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to bowls and serve, passing the grated cheese at the table. 

ENJOY!

Vegetarian Curry

Every once in a while, I come across a recipe about which I am skeptical. This recipe was one of them.  I found the recipe in one of my pregnancy books when I was looking for a dish to make for my beautiful Angel, Clare.  I read through the ingredient list -- asparagus, carrots, red bell pepper, tofu, zucchini, etc. -- and it did not seem to appetizing to me.  Still, I know that Clare likes those ingredients, except for zucchini, she has never been a big fan of that ingredient.  So, I decided to make this recipe, despite the use of zucchini.

Clare's dislike would not be a problem for this recipe, because I did not intend to buy any zucchini.  Instead, we had a cucumber that had been sitting around our kitchen for a day or two and I wanted to use that ingredient.  Clare is also not a big fan of cucumbers and, generally speaking, cucumbers do not always make the best substitutes for zucchini.  I did not want to throw the cucumber away, so I added to this recipe as a substitute.  In the end, I have to say that the substitution of the zucchini with the cucumber did not matter. 

More importantly, I have to admit that, despite my initial skepticism, this recipe turned out very well.  This is a healthy dish, which I made even healthier by using brown rice instead of plain white rice. I think that what made this dish good for me was the choice in curry powders.  I used a tablespoon of sweet curry powder and a teaspoon of Penzey's Maharajah Curry Powder.  All of this exposed a secret about the carnivore in me ... cook a bunch of vegetables in a curry and I will eat them ... along with the tofu.

VEGETARIAN CURRY

Recipe from Eating for Pregnancy at 206-207

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons of canola oil

2 tablespoons of minced or grated fresh ginger, or to taste

1 garlic clove

1 cup sliced baby carrots or shredded regular carrots

1/2 red bell pepper, quartered and thinly sliced

1 medium zucchini, washed, halved lengthwise and 

     into thinly sliced

12-16 ounces of asparagus, washed, tough ends trimmed and 

     cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 15-ounce package of extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into 1/2 inch

     cubes and blotted dry with paper towels

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of milk curry powder, or to taste

1 14-ounce can of light or regular coconut milk
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon of quick dissolving flour, to desired consistency

Juice of 1 lime or to taste

Salt, to taste

Directions:
1.  Saute the vegetables.  In a large non-stick skillet or large walk, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium high heat.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, and asparagus and/ saute for 3 minutes.  Transfer the cooked vegetables to a serving dish and cover with foil.  Set aside. 

2.  Saute the tofu  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet or wok and heat over medium-high heat.  Add the tofu, scallions and curry powder and saute for 3 minutes.  Add the coconut milk and cook for 3 minutes, or until hot.  Sprinkle in the quick dissolving flour and stir to mix.  Add the reserved vegetables and mix gently, then stir in the cilantro and lime juice.  Adjust the seasoning.

3.  Plate the dish.  Transfer the curry to a serving bowl and serve immediately with brown rice (made according to the instructions on the package).

ENJOY!