When Last did a Recipe Surprise you?

[hjshorter]

Thanks Matthew. Think I just figured out dinner tonight.

[MatthewB]

Thanks Matthew.  Think I just figured out dinner tonight. 

Heather,

You doing this tonight? I've a pot of water on the stove & I'm about to chop spinach.

Start another thread, perhaps?

[hjshorter]

Actually, I discovered pork chops that needed attention. So, tomorrow.

Let me know how you like it. Mine will have Fourme d'Ambert instead of Roquefort, since that's what I got.

[maggiethecat]

Yes, Matthew, report in full, please. This recipe is on the schedule in the next week or so. (Lots of Gorgonzola in the fridge.)

[MatthewB]

Wonderful dish though perhaps not quite as astounding as the recipe that started this thread. (Let's see what others think.)

A couple of notes . . .

How do you keep chopped spinach from clumping?

Next time, I think I'd add a bit more work to this & deep-fry some thinly sliced shallots in peanut oil while waiting for the water to boil. I think the dish needs some shallots & crunchy fried shallots seem right to me. (Just distribute over the top after plating.) Thoughts?

[Alex]

How do you keep chopped spinach from clumping?

Pre-cooking, I'd wash and spin-dry before chopping rather than after. During cooking, I'd try to stir constantly. (I don't know if that'd help, but it sounds right.)

Actually, I wouldn't cook the pasta and spinach together at all. I'd drain the pasta, return it to the pot with a little of the cooking water, then add and toss the ingredients one at a time -- the butter until it melts, the spinach until it wilts, then the cheese.

Crispy shallots sound great.

[hjshorter]

Matthew, would the recipe work with chard? I was thinking it would provide a more bitter counterpoint to the bland pasta and rich cheese.

[MatthewB]

Matthew, would the recipe work with chard?  I was thinking it would provide a more bitter counterpoint to the bland pasta and rich cheese.

Sounds like a great idea!

BTW, if you don't want to bother with crispy shallots, do you have any Durkee's onion rings in your pantry?

[hjshorter]

Heavens no.

(And if I did, do you think I'd admit it on egullet?)

Using chard wasn't exactly a burst of inspiration. I just happen to have it in the fridge, whereas spinach would require a trip to the grocery store. Call it a burst of laziness.

[Dave the Cook]

I can't believe you prefer Durkee's to French's.

edit: oops. Just found out they're the same thing! The History of French-Fried onions

[Dave the Cook]

We had the blue cheese (Maytag) pasta tonight, to good reviews all around.

Clumping is a definite problem. Constant stirring was useless, and only partly because the spinach cooks for a mere thirty seconds. I think the problem is here: Bittman calls for a rough chop, which is hopelessly vague. A rough chop for, say, onions, is quite different to my mind than a rough chop for spinach. I'm all for rusticity and artistic interpretation, but sometimes precision must be given its due. I think to be successful, we're talking about 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces. If you want it folksy, tear it by hand.

I employed, with minimum shame, the French-fried onion option. Frankly, I don't think deep-fried shallots could have been better. Though perhaps a comic gambit, a great idea nevertheless, Matthew.

[hjshorter]

Dave, I browned some shallots, then sauteed the spinach in the same pan and still had a clumping problem. I think it would be less perceptable with a shorter pasta, something like orrichiette (sp?).

We used gorgonzola, which was definitely underwhelming. Next time I will get some Roquefort and see if that improves things. It also needed some brightness, like a squeeze of lemon.

[MatthewB]

I employed, with minimum shame, the French-fried onion option. Frankly, I don't think deep-fried shallots could have been better. Though perhaps a comic gambit, a great idea nevertheless, Matthew.

Actually, no comic gambit on my part.

Employed properly, French-fried onions are a component of any serious cook's arsenal. (Well, not *any* but you get my drift.)

[hjshorter]

Saw them at the grocery store the other night but walked away. I knew I should've put them in the cart!

[Dave the Cook]

Thanksgiving's coming! They're on sale, and they're everywhere. What do you suppose the shelf life is? Can I lay in a year's supply just for this dish?

edit: yes, a squeeze of lemon. Wine might be better, but I can't think of a way to incorporate it and burn off some alcohol, too.

[Dave the Cook]

Good news: I solved the spinach-clumping problem. I bought a bag of frozen chopped spinach, nuked it just enough to defrost, then squeezed the water out of it. When the pasta hit the "Done minus one minute" stage, I dumped the spinach in. It spread out immediately, forming a green layer reminiscent of a fertile swamp (in a good way, of course). I drained the pot, poured the contents over the butter and cheese, and distributed the spinach with a minimum of fuss.

Bad news (or maybe not): the quality of the cheese makes all the difference in this dish. The first time, I used Maytag, and the dish was a unanimous hit. This time, I saved $1.20 a pound by buying Bel Gioso. The dish was panned. I'm sure it wasn't the change in spinach, because everyone complained that while the pasta seemed to be properly sauced, it simply didn't taste like cheese. My total savings with the less expensive item were 30 cents. Not worth it; lesson learned.

Lemon juice was a nice additional touch, though it couldn't save the dish.

[hjshorter]

Thanks for the spinach tip.

If you want to feel classier about the fried onions, pick up some crispy fried shallots at an Asian market. I picked up some on Tuesday.

[Dave the Cook]

I am completely cool with French's fried onions for this dish.

It's a good thing, too, because there isn't an Asian market within 20 minutes of here. (You haven't had bad Chinese food unless you've had it in the north Atlanta suburbs.)

Edited November 6, 2003 by Dave the Cook (log)

[jat]

I had some incredible heirloom tomatoes last night. Try a simple combination

of rasberry vinaigrette with hazelnut oil, and herb, all a good combo.

For dessert: Best tasting blueberries with simple cream: heavy whipping cream,

vanilla paste, and sweetener. Just a couple ingredients make it. I've got tons of these, and will continue to post.

[hjshorter]

I am completely cool with French's fried onions for this dish.

It's a good thing, too, because there isn't an Asian market within 20 minutes of here. (You haven't had bad Chinese food unless you've had it in the north Atlanta suburbs.)

Awww. Maybe I'll ship you a couple of jars.