SobaAddict70

they're actually quite good. the only gnocchi that seems to beat their's is (1) Marco Canora's (at Hearth) and (2) Tom Colicchio's (at Craft). but I haven't done the restaurant thing in a long time, so maybe things have gone south. If chestnuts are available at Eataly, then I may ditch the gnocchi and pick up ricotta cheese instead from USGM so I can make ricotta gnocchi with chestnuts and wild mushrooms. (the idea gears in my head are already working overtime.) or pair the chestnuts with arborio for risi e castagne, which you can serve for either dinner or dessert. *looks up at Scotty* ETA -- my Italian friends on Facebook also tell me that risi e castagne can be eaten for breakfast. can be sweet or savory.

weather permitting, a trip to USGM might be in order tomorrow, so I can see what's on hand. Lucy (see report here: http://www.echonyc.c...reenmarket.html ) says that last Saturday, black radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac and winter greens were available, along with the usual chicken, chicken parts, RABBIT and eggs. hopefully it won't be snowing. I'm thinking of getting a chicken for either roast chicken or chicken stock. and if my basket isn't laden down with goods, maybe a side trip to Eataly is in order. on the "to get" list: wild mushrooms, gnocchi, chestnuts, bottarga di tonno (tuna bottarga) or bottarga di muggine (mullet bottarga). maybe some cheese. dinner tonight will feature oysters and beets. more later.

nope, but now that you mention it, that's something that maybe I should blog about. it fits the "simple" theme which my blog revolves around, in addition to the "seasonality" theme. I'm sure a case can be made for seasonal smørrebrod with limited ingredients. I've always loved the concept of pairing eggs with caviar. I've been thinking about it lately. I may do a version of spaghetti carbonara, but one with caviar instead of the required pancetta/guanciale. last night: Fennel and arugula salad, with cremini mushrooms and fried farm egg The egg was fried in olive oil, which I don't do enough of. There was a slideshow recently in the NYT re José Andrés' method of cooking an egg in olive oil that results in a perfectly fried egg -- http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/09/12/dining/20120912-SPANISH.html It's something I need to explore more often. *puts it on my list of things to do* but in order to pull that off, I will have to get a much smaller skillet than the one I currently have. Stufato di verdure, rosemary sourdough bread As I explained to a friend on Facebook, it's not "zuppa di verdure" because the vegetables were stewed in their own juices for the better part of an hour. I added some water towards the end in order to prevent scorching. Contains onion, carrot, celery, celery leaves, turnips, parsnip, green beans, garlic, escarole, crushed tomatoes and tomato juice, Italian parsley, fresh thyme, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese. There will be a recipe posted to the blog tonight for this winter version. If you do a search, there is a recipe from June 2012 for a summer version, with slightly different vegetables (peppers and zucchini play a big part), and basil. I have a spring version in mind, without tomato though, that uses ramps and fava beans. ETA -- forgot to add that there's also fennel in the mix. Sometimes, when the list of ingredients gets so long, I tend to omit one or two things. LOL.

Scrambled eggs on crispy toast, with American lumpfish caviar, shallots and Italian parsley Winter greens (green chard (both stems and leaves), watercress) with lemon and garlic, homemade tagliatelle I have one more ball of tagliatelle dough in the fridge, so there'll be more of that later in the week.

thanks huiray. tonight: Insalata di ceci e porri (chickpea and leek salad) For most people, I recommend slicing the leeks thinner than you see above, which will alleviate the "harshness". Or blanch it if you prefer. I have a high tolerance for raw onion/leek; it doesn't bother me. Contains chickpeas (which were prepared from dried), leeks and Castelvetrano olives. The dressing is red wine, red wine vinegar, Italian parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Not a bad first attempt at homemade tagliatelle, eh? I guess I should also mention I don't have a pasta machine -- mostly because I don't have any room in my kitchen to put one. BTW, this is the recipe I used: http://www.saveur.co...ade-Tagliatelle Tagliatelle con zucca, funghi e pancetta (tagliatelle pasta with winter squash, wild mushrooms and pancetta) I should have begun making fresh pasta a long time ago. You'll be seeing a lot more from me in the near future, like ravioli for example.

oh, those meatballs look great. vegetarian dinner tonight (the beets appetizer is vegan, everything else is lacto-ovo vegetarian): "Turnips" -- turnip and watercress coleslaw The dressing consists of Greek yogurt, milk, sea salt, black pepper and lemon zest. Garnished with a scant pinch of panch phoron (purely for texture). "Beets" -- roasted beets, sautéed baby portobello mushrooms with shallots, sea salt, black pepper and thyme The beets and mushrooms were cooked separately, then plated and finished with lemon juice. Lenticchie con burro e prezzemolo (lentils with butter and parsley) In a small pot, combine 1/2 cup lentils in 2 cups water, along with 1-2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain, then discard garlic and bay leaf. Taste for salt and pepper. Then, stir in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and the juice of half a lemon. Mix well. Taste once more for salt and pepper, if needed, then serve immediately. Soft-cooked egg, parsnip "home fries" The "home fries" are just thinly sliced parsnips that were fried in unsalted butter and olive oil, then finished with sea salt, black pepper, thyme and lemon juice.

Well, my default treatment for most vegetables is to simmer briefly in lightly salted water, chop them coarsely and then cook in olive oil, along with garlic and herbs. It's available here in NYC at USGM (Union Square GreenMarket) as "cheese cauliflower". I use it in just about anything where normal cauliflower might make an appearance. Try slicing them thinly, then briefly fried in olive oil, with anchovy, currants, pine nuts and peperoncini. Or simmered in lightly salted water, then fried in unsalted butter, along with green beans and slivered almonds.

tonight: Shaved fennel and celery salad, with "popped" pumpkin seeds and miso-mustard vinaigrette The salad is fairly straightforward -- thinly sliced fennel, celery and shredded watercress. The pumpkin seeds were "popped" in olive oil, then lightly seasoned with sea salt. Miso-mustard vinaigrette 1/4 teaspoon yellow miso 1/2 teaspoon stone-ground mustard 3 teaspoons rice vinegar 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil freshly milled black pepper, to taste Combine first three ingredients, then whisk in olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. Taste for pepper. No need for salt, due to the miso. And now for something out of left field: Beet bourguignon, Umbrian lentils. Adapted from David's and Luisa's recipe, at Green Kitchen Stories: http://www.greenkitc...et-bourguignon/ with minor tweaks. I added a few more vegetables such as turnip, fennel, shallots and shiitake mushrooms to give it a little more "heft". I seem to have been on a vegan kick lately.

Awesome.

Thanks Dejah, The BBQ sauce consisted of the reduced stock from the heads of the shrimp, onions, garlic, sectioned meyer lemons, homemade Creole spice blend, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and butter. The ratio of Worcestershire sauce to butter was 4 Tbs WS to 1 stick of butter. Less butter than many recipes called for but still too much for me. I'll go less next time Your chicken dish looks very rich and inviting. I've done Thai dishes with coconut milk but not Brazilian. Soba, the chickpeas look really good. I've done it with spinch many times. Are your chickpeas canned or homemade? I just can't get my pressure cooked garbanzos to look that pretty. The chickpeas were soaked for 24 hours, then cooked in 5 cups water, a clove-studded half onion and some coarsely chopped carrot for a little over an hour. The ingredients for the tapa consist of onion, olive oil, pimenton, cumin, sea salt, black pepper, garlic, almonds and watercress. (I adapted the recipe so that it'd be vegan and based on what was on hand in my pantry.)

tonight: Chickpeas with winter greens and almonds This is a vegan version of the tapa "garbanzos con espinaca", with watercress instead of spinach. Try to use dried chickpeas instead of canned, as the difference in taste is immeasurable. The chickpeas can be cooked a couple of days beforehand, if time is an issue. The recipe will be on the blog later this week. Inspired by David Tanis' version here: http://www.nytimes.c...th-Chorizo.html Spaghetti con le sarde e finocchio (spaghetti with sardines and fennel)

Everything looks great, especially the pastrami. Mostly leftovers tonight (from Thai takeout -- fried chicken with Thai herbs and spices, sticky rice, pickle salad), but there were these two starters: Olive, tangerine and cherry pepper salad, with watercress and honey-roasted shallots Takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. The shallots were briefly marinated in 2 tablespoons olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon honey, then roasted at 350 F for 20 minutes. The dressing consists of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper. This combination isn't so strange -- it's essentially an updated version of a salad I did around this time last year, with sherry-roasted shallots, olives and Cara Cara oranges, pictured below: There was also this: Crostini di fegatini (chicken liver crostini) Typically you'll see a smooth paté where the liver is cooked, then blended or puréed. I prefer this "rustic" style. We'll just ignore the fact that I don't own an immersion blender (yet). This is also a more minimalist version -- nothing but shallots, capers, chicken liver, sea salt, black pepper, Italian parsley and olive oil. I've seen recipes that call for a full soffritto, along with chicken broth, porcini mushrooms and butter, to somewhat pared down versions that have Vin Santo, butter, olive oil, chicken heart, sage and red onion. To me, all that misses the point -- although they are certainly delicious -- because I want nothing but a pure, "clean" liver taste that comes through without too much distraction.

Dejah -- the Zuni chicken bread salad is one of my favorites. looks awesome. tonight: Crostini di bietoline (beet greens crostini). Just beet greens, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar, sea salt, peperoncini. Topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. You can omit the vinegar; I added just a touch for a hint of acidity. Totally doable in 20 minutes -- chop some garlic, add it to a cold pan along with some olive oil. warm the oil over medium heat. once the garlic turns a pale gold, add the greens, along with a scant pinch of salt and the peperoncini. cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the greens are wilted according to your liking. add some wine vinegar if you like. spoon atop toasted bread slices (in this case, you see slices from a baguette), drizzle with extra-virgin oil, top with cheese, then serve immediately. Ditalini ("little thimbles") e ceci This version has beet greens, kale and a little leftover plain white rice from some Chinese takeout. Besides the vegetables and pasta, it differs from my previous version because the battuto contains leek in addition to the pancetta, celery, carrot and onion.

Vegetarian brunch for Inauguration Day: Chickpea and celery salad, with roasted leeks and Spanish figs Adapted from this NYT recipe, but omitting the farro and garlic: http://www.nytimes.c...d-Currants.html (because farro isn't gluten-free, and I want people afflicted with celiac disease to be able to play too) This version is vegan and will be on the blog later this week. Poached farm egg, pan-fried potatoes and cauliflower greens, with cumin carrot "chips" Cumin carrot "chips": slice carrots thinly either by hand (as I did) or with a mandoline, then toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil, a small pinch each of sea salt, black pepper and cumin, then arrange on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 F for 6 minutes, then at 375 F for 3-5 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet, then use as needed.

Spaghetti with roasted cauliflower, olives and figs This is a play on pasta con cavolfiore, using what was in my pantry tonight. Takes about an hour, prep time included -- and uses two pots total: one to cook the pasta, and one to roast the cauliflower. The roasted cauliflower is just that -- cauliflower florets seasoned with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper, then roasted at 375 F for 35 minutes. To that, add cooked spaghetti, chopped Castelvetrano olives, slivered pickled cherry peppers and chopped dried Spanish figs. Mix well. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, taste for salt and pepper, sprinkle some chopped parsley, then serve immediately.

That depends on the season. Since it's the middle of winter where I am, here are a few ideas: Fennel, celery, cheese. Or pair with sliced mushrooms instead of celery. Dress with a lemon vinaigrette -- extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper, herbs of your choice. Or, fennel with radicchio, endive and honey-roasted shallots. Peel and trim shallots, then drizzle with honey, balsamic vinegar and olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast the shallots at 350 F for 20-30 minutes. Combine with the greens. You can make a dressing out of the shallot pan juices if you like, or the lemon vinaigrette above. Or, try sliced fennel, watercress, roasted chestnuts and sliced Cara Cara oranges, Make a dressing of 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon white wine, sea salt, black pepper and about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk the vinegars together in a small bowl, then whisk in the sea salt, black pepper and extra-virgin olive oil. You can use that dressing for any salad, not just this one. (Or sub in red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and red wine, for the white wine vinegar and white wine. I would use that for salads with meat, for example.)

glad it worked out. it's definitely on my "to do" list if I see them at USGM.

You could probably do a version of lion's head meatballs that had kohlrabi instead of water chestnuts, come to think of it.

Try shaving it (done with a vegetable peeler or sharp small kitchen knife) and serving it in a salad with young turnips and baby radishes. Or julienned, lightly sautéed in butter or olive oil, and combined with greens, mushrooms and bacon/pancetta/lardons. Or, if you have access to a mandoline, make a kohlrabi galette. It's an adaptation of this turnip galette from Saveur -- http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Turnip-Galette

sign me up for 20 dumplings.

Great dinners all. David (Ross) and PC's photos are the standouts for me. Tonight, something relatively simple and created on the spur of the moment. Rigatoni, with mushroom ragu. Originally I was going for "spaghetti with onion, anchovy and mint". Then, just before I took out the jar of anchovy from the fridge (they're packed in olive oil, and I keep them refrigerated), I spied a bowl of mushrooms that had clearly seen better days, so decided to toss those in. The addition of the mushrooms meant that I was veering away from a Sicilian-style pasta dish. Prepare dried pasta according to package directions. Cook until al dente, then drain the pasta. Reserve a half cup pasta cooking water. The ragu is simple enough -- cook sliced onion, thinly sliced button mushrooms and cremini mushrooms in olive oil over low heat until golden brown. Then stir in 2-3 chopped oil-packed anchovy fillets, minced celery leaves, julienned mint, and a small pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes (to taste). Add cooked pasta to the pot, along with a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too dry. Mix well. Cook until the pasta is warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Taste for salt, then serve at once. A little shaved Parm-Reg cheese does wonders.

Here's my version of RRO's list (btw, I'm glad you've returned to posting regularly as I've missed you ). Vegetables and pasta rank high, but that's because of my current eating habits. As an aside, the change didn't happen overnight. It was a gradual transformation. I joke sometimes that "I fell asleep underneath an apple tree and woke up an eater-of-salads instead of an eater-of-doughnuts. Sautéed shrimp with chanterelle mushrooms and frisée Scrambled eggs with lobster roe Squid, poached in olive oil, with citrus zest, ramps and herbs Cabbage, with onion and pancetta Bai qie ji (Chinese white-cut chicken), with Hainanese chicken rice Ricotta gnocchi, with corn and heirloom tomatoes Prosciutto, with roasted apricots Sweet crêpes, with Honeycrisp apple compote and vanilla ice cream Caramelized onion tart Shiro plum tart (with a pate sucrée base), creme anglaise Tortilla de patatas Stufato di verdure (a Tuscan vegetable stew that consists of vegetables cooked in their own juices, along with various flavorings such as anchovy, chopped olives, olive oil, vinegar, wine and/or herbs) Mujadara Pollo alla cacciatora Penne, with fennel, mint and fried breadcrumbs Minestra di zucchine e scarola (zucchini and escarole soup, with garlic croutons) Peas with pancetta Lentils, with butter and parsley Whole wheat spaghetti, with Jersey tomatoes, Campari tomato confit and mint Tagliatelle, with parsnips and pancetta Oeufs en cocotte Slow-cooked wild turkey egg, roasted asparagus, fried polenta cakes Sweet blueberry-lemon soup, with sweetened polenta and ricotta salata Homemade jiaozi, with Cantonese roast duck, brussels sprouts and serrano pepper Corn fritters, slow-roasted tomato confit and fromage blanc Fava bean and heirloom tomato ragoût Celery, braised with wine, butter and herbs Radicchio salad, with honey-roasted shallots, Cara Cara oranges and chestnuts Pan-roasted black sea bass, with buttermilk corn chowder Arugula and Bordeaux spinach salad, with fried farm egg, and homemade salt-and-vinegar potato chips Broiled marinated sardines, with greens and heirloom potatoes Rock shrimp, with Indian spices and heirloom tomatoes Fagiolini e patate (green beans and potatoes) Tomato and crispy sourdough bread salad, with Spanish chorizo, almonds and poached farm egg Some of these are deceptively simple-sounding, but they're all doable and perfect for dinner (or breakfast/lunch) for one. ETA: A few of them are appetizers, side dishes, salads or first courses, or in some cases, dessert. Just to be clear.

Thanks, Kim and Patrick. You can use any herbs other than sage or rosemary, btw. One version I'm familiar with contains thyme, but I didn't use it because those are what I had on hand.

I cooked seasonal, mostly meatless meals for an entire year. When you limit your toolbox to food that only appears for a brief window of time, the possibilities expand, and you find that you have more ideas than ever before. It worked for me.

I eat A LOT of parsley, so whenever I make spaghetti con vongole, I just go crazy. I must have used something like 5-6 tablespoons worth of finely minced parsley leaves and stems. I go through something like 2 bunches a week of either flat-leaf or regular parsley.