Giada's Calabrian Chile Pasta

When it comes to quick and simple weeknight meals, Pasta is King! Not only is pasta comforting and delicious, but it can be put on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Giada's Calabrian Chile Pasta is probably the easiest pasta dish around. From start to finish it can be on your table in about 20 minutes. The secret: you don't have to wait for a big pot of water to boil. For this dish, you cook the pasta in a skillet with about 1" of water, which takes only minutes to boil.

I loved this method of cooking pasta because not all of the water cooks out and the residual water, filled with the starch from the pasta, remains and helps to create a very silky smooth pasta sauce. All you have to do is add the Calabrian Chile Paste, Pecorino, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and chives. When you toss all that together in the pan you get the most luxurious pasta sauce, spicy and so silky and smooth.

I really liked this dish, and other reviewers on Food Network did as well. I enjoyed this method for cooking the pasta and will most definitely use it again. I am a little conflicted about the flavor of the dish. It was good, but I felt like something was missing. It definitely needs some garlic. I also think it needs more than a splash of lemon juice. I found I needed to add quite a bit to brighten up the dish. Overall, it was good, but it has the potential to be great. I'd like to play with the recipe a bit more, perhaps even trying different brands of Calabrian Chile Paste.

Calabrian Chile Pasta

Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4-6

1 pound penne pasta

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup grated Pecorino

1-pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 tablespoons Calabrian hot pepper paste

1/3 cup chopped chives

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon

1 teaspoon lemon juice, from 1/2 lemon or more, depending on taste

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Optional: add garlic, to taste, if you wish

Note: I omitted the cherry tomatoes simply because the grocery store didn't have them.

In a 10-inch high-sided saute pan, bring 1 inch of water (about 4 cups) to a boil over high heat.  Add the penne and salt.  Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, about 9 minutes (mine was about 7 minutes); there should be a little water left in the pan.

Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle the pecorino over the pasta; toss to coat. Add the tomatoes, chile paste, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil, and toss.

Note: If you'd like to add garlic I think it would be best to saute a few minced cloves in the skillet before cooking the pasta.

Just For Kicks {Spicy Favorites From the Stirring The Pot Kitchen}

Over at I Heart Cooking Clubs we're celebrating spicy dishes that give either a little bit, or a lot of kick! I'm having company this week and didn't have enough time to throw together a new dish, so I'm recapping with five of my favorite spicy dishes, as well as a shout out to a dish I've mentioned before, that are perfect for the summer months!

Here in the Stirring the Pot household, we love spicy dishes! They are simply are favorites. I've mentioned this dish several times on my blog, but Madhur Jaffrey's Delicious Chicken Bits is hands down our favorite dish I've ever shared on this blog. It's spicy mainly because it has quite a bit of cayenne pepper in it, but also because it is full of other spices like cumin, paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and thyme. It is a celebration of spices and is a must make for fans of spicy food.

And now onto my five favorites, in no particular order: (click on the link to be directed to the original post and recipe)

Heidi Swanson's Green Chile Whipped Cream Cheese

This whipped cream cheese is heavenly. Chopped up serrano pepper and garlic give it a truly wonderful flavor profile and it is remarkable and addictive on bagels for breakfast. Of course, this cream cheese is wonderful on just about anything. Trust me....it will not last long!

Curtis Stone's Potato & Zucchini Enchiladas with Fiery Habanero Salsa

Light and delicious veggie enchiladas with a super-fiery-not-for-the-faint-of-heart habanero salsa to set your mouth on fire! The avocado is not optional....it's necessary to cool your mouth down!

Rick Bayless' Queso Fundido Burger

This burger is a wonderful mix of flavors: chorizo, chipotles in adobo, poblano chiles, onions, and garlic.....and ooey gooey Monterey jack cheese. A tasty way to enjoy a burger this summer!

Rick Bayless' Pollo Pulquero

A lovely and unique meal for the slow cooker, this chicken is flavored with tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, and a splash of jalapeno pickling juice. The chicken is fall off the bone tender and this is a light and fresh meal that is perfect for spring and summer.

Rick Bayless' Jalapeno-Baked Fish

 A light and easy tomato sauce made with a hint of garlic and pickled jalapenos is the perfect way to jazz up fish for a nice light summer meal. This was a very pleasant dish and a great way to add a little kick to your regular old weeknight dinner routine. The potatoes really round it out and make it a nice little meal. 

What are some of your spicy favorites?

Spanish Roasted Potatoes

You know how you have a friend for a very long time and you feel like you know pretty much everything there is to know about them? Then all of a sudden they surprise you with a statement, goes something like "I don't eat eggs." Or maybe "I don't like peanut butter."  Dumbfounded you sit there wondering how in the heck you didn't know this vital piece of information. You're a foodie after all. You take this seriously.  It's almost an offense.

These statements tend to slide by others without any concern at all, but I find myself somewhat baffled by these types of statements. You don't like eggs? How in the world can that be? You don't like peanut butter? Well then you must be crazy for certain. Not so long ago I had a friend tell me she didn't like rice. I was so perplexed by her statement it turned into a one hour debacle about how in the world you couldn't like rice. I think I even went so far as to tell her that she must be making it wrong because there was no way she couldn't like rice if it was made properly. I mean how can I know you for so long and all this time you were hating rice behind my back? Say what?

I guess I could understand if someone said they didn't like okra or oysters,  BUT eggs? Peanut butter? Rice? No way! Unacceptable! Of course, I say all this with a sense of humor, but I do really get baffled and feel the need to tease people when I hear that they don't like what I consider to be core foods.

Speaking of eggs, you are seriously missing out if you don't eat eggs. I could honestly put a fried egg on top of just about anything, except maybe chocolate, and call it a meal. These Spanish Roasted Potatoes, for example, would be even better with a glorious fried egg sitting on top. A little bit of egg yolk oozing out onto the potatoes? Right? Thank you for agreeing.

However, I will say that these potatoes really don't need anything extra. They were absolutely delicious and crave worthy as is. Crispy and coated with flavor on the outside and creamy and tender on the inside.  The half teaspoon of cayenne pepper lends a spiciness that is just about right, not too overwhelming. A little squeeze of lime over the potatoes does wonders to brighten up all the flavors. We gobbled these up in record time.

Now let's just hope no one tells me they don't like potatoes. I might very well jump outta my chair...

 Spanish Roasted Potatoes

Adapted from Curtis Stone Website

Serves 4-6

4 medium russet potatoes (about 3 pounds total), peeled

3 serrano chilies

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

To parboil the potatoes: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Add the whole peeled potatoes and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked through but the center is still firm. To test for doneness, insert a small sharp knife into the center of the potatoes. It should meet with some resistance when inserted into the center of the potatoes.

Using a large slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the boiling water and set them on a plate for 5 minutes to steam dry and cool slightly. Cut the potatoes crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick discs or wedges.

To roast the chilies:  Set the chilies directly over the burner flames on the stove and cook, turning as needed, until the skins are blistered and nearly black all over. Transfer the chilies to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until the chilies are cool enough to handle. Peel the chilies and then cut them into thin strips. Set the chilies aside.

To fry the potatoes: In each of 2 large nonstick frying pans, heat 1/4 cup of oil over medium-high heat.  Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the pans, dividing equally to ensure you do not overcrowd the pan, as this will cause the potatoes to become soggy, not crisp and brown as desired. Sprinkle half the salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper over the potatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown on the bottom. Turn the potatoes over and sprinkle with the remaining salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown on the bottom and tender in the center. Stir in the chilies.

To serve:  Arrange the potatoes (also known as patatas bravas) on a small platter, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Theme: July Potluck!

Hamburger {Chappal} Kebabs with Fresh Red Chutney

Spicy little burger kebabs studded with lots of chile pepper and cilantro then kissed with a touch of cumin and coriander seed.  These kebabs are delicious served with a spicy and refreshing red chutney on some flatbread, but would also be great served over rice with vegetables. 

These kebabs are meant to be very spicy.  There are two whole green chiles in the kebabs themselves and then they are served with a fresh red chutney that has a pretty hefty dose of cayenne.  I'm sure you could tone them down if you wanted to.

Hamburger Kebabs with Fresh Red Chutney

Adapted from Quick & Easy Indian Cooking

by Madhur Jaffrey

Serves 4-5

1 tablespoon chickpea flour*

1-1/2 pounds finely ground beef or lamb

6-7 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

2 hot green chiles, chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 lightly beaten egg*

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Additional items for garnish, such as: sliced chile peppers, sliced red onion,  lettuce, and fresh red chutney (recipe below)

*Note: I'm sure you could substitute regular all-purpose flour in place of the chickpea flour.  Also, I just used one egg white in place of the 1/2 lightly beaten egg.

Put the chickpea flour in a small cast iron frying pan and stir around over medium-heat until the flour has turned a light brown color.  Put into a bowl.  Add in all the other ingredients except the oil and mix well.  Form ten 2-inch balls.  Flatten the balls to make ten 3-1/2 inch hamburger-like patties.

Put 1 tablespoon vegetable oil into a large skillet and set over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, put in as many kebabs as the pan will hold in a single layer.  Cook about 2-3 minutes per side, or until they have browned on both sides and are cooked through.  Remove to a warm plate and finish cooking all the patties.  These kebabs can be served with rice and vegetables but are best cut in half (lengthwise) and rolled up in a flatbread, such as naan or chapati, or even store-bought pita with a little salad and some fresh red chutney. 

Fresh Red Chutney with Almonds

Adapted from Quick & Easy Indian Cooking

Makes about 1/2 cup

1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

20 small mint leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon blanced, chopped almonds

1 teaspoon chopped dill, optional*

Into the container of a blender, put the red pepper, mint, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in the order listed.  Blend until smooth.  Add the almonds and blend again.  A few bits of almonds can be left unpulverized.  Pour into a bowl and check for seasonings.  You may mix in the dill at this point, if using.  

Theme: Kebab Krazy!