Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce and Bibb Salad with Parmesan Butter Crostini

Today in the Stirring the Pot kitchen we have yet another shrimp dish.  In the past few weeks I've made garlicky shrimp, shrimp fried rice, and now Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce.  I've enjoyed all the shrimp dishes that I've made thus far, but this one is probably the most impressive and certainly has a restaurant-quality feel to it.  I can see making this meal for a dinner party, as a romantic meal for two, or even just for me and my girlfriends.  

 Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce

Adapted from Giada's Kitchen

Serves 4-6

1 pound penne pasta

1/4 cup olive oil (I used 1/8 cup)

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup bottled clam juice

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes.  Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the basil, 1/4 cup of the parsley, and the red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the wine and simmer for another 2 minutes.  Add the clam juice and cream.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the cooked shrimp, the drained pasta, and the remaining basil and parsley.  Toss together until all the ingredients are coated with the sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

Notes/Results:  Delicious!  I think the key to this recipe is adding a little extra garlic and possibly a little extra red pepper flakes (especially if you like it hot).  I think this is a very quick and impressive meal. 

I also made Giada's Bibb Salad with Parmesan Butter Crostini.  The salad is great and all, but it's the Parmesan Butter Crostini that steal the show.  Giada combines half a stick of butter with 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  When the crostini come out of the oven, they are coated with the butter mixture.  The butter soaks into the bread and the Parmesan cheese melts onto the surface of the bread.  Those Parmesan Butter Crostini are the stuff dreams are made of.  I have made them at least four times already.  They are great to serve alongside a meal such as this Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce, or any other meal for that matter.

Now Cooking the Recipes of Giada De Laurentiis

Kicked-Up Shrimp Fried Rice

I have two things to share with you today. 

1.   I'm obsessed with shrimp right now.  I've made a lot of shrimp dishes and I plan on making quite a bit more in the coming weeks.

2. I'm convinced no one has as many shrimp recipes as Emeril.  In fact, let's just refer to him as the King of Shrimp from now on. 

This recipe for Kicked-Up Shrimp Fried Rice is the second shrimp dish I've cooked from The King of Shrimp.  A third shrimp recipe might just be gracing my table tonight.  When I obsess over something I mean business. 

 Kicked-Up Shrimp Fried Rice

Adapted from Emeril's 20-40-60

Serves 4

4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

3 eggs, lightly beaten

salt and freshly grond black pepper

8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 1lb of peel and eat shrimp)

1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning

3 green onions, white and green parts separately minced

2 teaspoons minced ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

3 cups cooked white rice

1 tablespoon dark Asian sesame oil

2 cups (about 12 ounces) frozen stir-fry veggies, defrosted (I used red bell pepper and edamame)

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a large s

killet or wok over high heat.  When it is hot, add the eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper, and quickly stir until the eggs are fully cooked, moving the skillet off and on the heat as necessary, about 40 seconds.  Transfer the eggs to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.  Chop the eggs into small pieces when cool enough to handle.

Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining peanut oil to the skillet.

In a small bowl, season the shrimp with the Essence and a pinch of salt and pepper.  When the oil is hot, add the shrimp to the skillet, in batches if necessary, and cook until pink and lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil to the skillet.  Add the green onion bottoms (white portion), the ginger, and the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.  Add the rice and cook, tossing, until it is hot and golden, about 2 minutes.  Add the sesame oil and the stir-fry vegetables, and cook until heated through, 1 minute.  Add the soy sauce, the reserved cooked eggs, and the shrimp, and cook until everything is warmed through, about 1 minute.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with green onion tops, and serve.

Notes/Results:  I love fried rice and found this meal to be perfect in every way. I had leftover rice on hand so this meal was really quick for me.  Ten minutes of prep and ten minutes of cooking.  A  quick tasty dinner with minimal cleanup is always a winner for me!

I've also been enjoying the kitchen department at Marshall's (maybe a little bit too much).  One of my favorite finds is this Visionart Italian Wok for $12.99.  I thought this pan was so awesome with all it's colors and floral designs.  Of course I had to have it! 

So here's my advice.  The next time you have some free time (and a little bit of extra cash) head over to Marshall's and check out their little kitchen department.  I guarantee you will find something that you love.  I know I always do.

Pimiento Mac 'n' Cheese

A short while ago my sweet friend Brenda, over at Brenda's Canadian Kitchen, pointed out her love of Rachel Ray's newest cookbook, Look + Cook.  After seeing all the great dishes that Brenda was cooking I decided to sneak a peek at the book myself.  I was really impressed with all the beautiful pictures, as well as all the fun recipes, and decided to purchase the book myself.  I quickly emailed Brenda to tell her how happy I was with the book and asked her if she'd like to do a little cook along together.  We decided on a laid-back approach of one recipe per month, posting the chosen recipe at any time during the month.  The first recipe in our little cook along is this super tasty and flavorful Pimiento Mac 'n' Cheese.

All of the recipes in Look + Cook stand out to me, but this recipe for Pimiento Mac 'n' Cheese really caught my eye. In this recipe Rachel really spices things up with with a generous dose of paprika and hot sauce.  I was a big fan of the spicy undertones in this macaroni and cheese and found myself craving it even after it was gone. This is a fantastic recipe that I will make again in the future.  Probably soon!

Pimiento Mac 'n Cheese

Adapted from Rachel Ray's Look + Cook

Serves 6

Salt 

1 pound cavatappi pasta (hollow, fat corkscrew-shaped pasta) or elbows (I used mini penne)

1 tablespoon extra virgin-olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (maybe a little more)

Black pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sweet paprika, plus additional for garnish

2 cups whole milk (I used 1%)

2 teaspoons hot sauce

3 cups grated sharp yellow cheddar cheese

2 (4-ounce) jars pimientos, drained

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.  Salt the water and cook the pasta to just shy of al dente.  Heat a large pot over medium heat with the extra virgin olive oil and butter.  When the butter melts, add the onions, garlic, and salt and cook for another minute.  Stir in the paprika.  Whisk in the milk and hot sauce and bring up to a bubble, then cook to thicken for a minute or two.  Turn off the heat and stir in half of the cheese in a figure-eight motion until melted.  Add the pimientos.  Preheat the broiler.  When the pasta is  nearly al dente, drain it well and add it to the pot with the cheese sauce.  Toss to combine.  Then under the broiler, 2 to 3 minutes.  Garnish with the chopped parsley and a generous sprinkle of sweet paprika.

Notes/Results:  This is a smooth and creamy macaroni and cheese with spicy undertones and lots of yummy garlic flavor.  One thing I liked about this macaroni and cheese is the fact that it goes under the broiler for just a few minutes, which allows it to be smooth and creamy instead of having the consistency of baked macaroni and cheese. A keeper recipe for sure!

This Pimiento Mac 'n' Cheese was February's choice for our Look + Cook Cook Along.  For the month of March Brenda has chosen Rachel's Individual Florentine Frying-Pan Pizza on page 213 of the book.  If any of you would like to cook along and need the recipe, shoot me an email and I'll be happy to send it to you.

Moosewood Mondays: Bulgarian Pepper Casserole

Lately I've been obsessed with the glorious combination of sausage, peppers, and onions.  I think I've indulged in this heavenly trinity of ingredients at least once a week for a full month now.  When I saw this recipe for Bulgarian Pepper Casserole, I knew it was something I had to have.

This recipe for Bulgarian Pepper Casserole was written meat-free, a combination of colorful bell peppers mixed with brown rice, lots of onions, 8 cloves of garlic, as well as tangy feta cheese and some very creamy whipped ricotta.  I added 1/2 pound of ground Italian sausage because I had some on hand.  Katzen suggests topping the casserole with sliced tomatoes and olives.  I didn't have any fresh tomatoes on hand so I just sprinkled with olives and popped it in the oven.  The end result was a gloriously cheesy, fully flavored, delicious casserole that is reminiscent of a stuffed pepper.  A great recipe!

Bulgarian Pepper Casserole

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

Serves 6-8 easily

1-1/2 cups uncooked brown rice

2-3/4 cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons freshly minced dill (or 2 tsp. dried dill)

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups minced onion

4-5 medium green and or red bell peppers, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 teaspoon salt (more, to taste)

fresh black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons basil

8 medium cloves garlic, half of them minced, half of them sliced (keep minced and sliced garlic separate)

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1-1/2 cups cottage or ricotta cheese (may be lowfat)

2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes

1 cup whole Nicoise olives (or sliced, pitted Kalamata olives) possibly more, to taste
Optional: 1/2 ground Italian sausage, cooked (my addition)

Place rice and water in a saucepan.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down as low as possible, and simmer without interruption for about 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender.  Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and stir in lemon juice and dill.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add onions, and saute over medium heat 5-8 minutes, or until the onions become soft.  Add peppers, salt, pepper, and herbs, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 more minutes, or until the peppers are tender.  Stir in the minced garlic (save the sliced garlic for later) and cook for just a minute more.  Remove from heat, and stir in the feta cheese.

When you are ready to assemble the casserole, preheat the oven to 375F.  Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Place the cottage or ricotta cheese in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade, and whip until smooth.

Combine rice, pepper saute, and whipped cheese in a large bowl, and mix until very well combined.  Transfer to the prepared pan, and spread into place.  Top with tomato slices, then scatter olives and slices of garlic in a liberated, random fashion over the tomates.

Bake uncovered at 375F until bubbly- about 30 - 40 minutes.  Serve hot or warm.

Notes/Results:  Something about this casserole just screams old-fashioned food to me.  It reminds me of my Mom's stuffed peppers, but in a casserole form.  I'm finding that Katzen's recipes are full of herbs, aromatics, and seasonings  which makes her recipes extremely flavorful.  I loved the use of all the fresh herbs in this recipe, as well as the use of 8 cloves of garlic.  I'm all for bringing on the flavor!  This is a keeper recipe and one that would feed a crowd.

If you're interested in participating with Moosewood Mondays, please click HERE for more information.  If you would like to play along, but don't have any Moosewood books, there is a wonderful website full of recipes HERE.

Triple Pork Split Pea Soup

 Up until now, I've only had vegetarian versions of split pea soup.  This version is MOST DEFINITELY not vegetarian.  Leave it up to Michael Symon to use not just one, but three forms of pork in his split pea soup.  In his original recipe, Symon uses bacon, ham hock and spare ribs.  I modified the recipe according to what I had on hand using bacon, ham hock, and ground sausage.  This recipe makes a huge pot of split pea soup that is so soul-satisfying and comforting.  It's thick, it's creamy, it's meaty, and it has just the right balance of spicy undertones from some ground cayenne.  Serve it up with crusty bread or some homemade biscuits and get ready for a nap.

Bacon, Ham, and Sausage...oh my

Split Pea Soup with Bacon, Ham Hock and Sausage

Adapted from Michael Symon's Live To Cook

Serves 8-10

4 ounces slab bacon, finely diced (1/2 cup)

1/2 pound ground sausage (Symon uses 1 slab of pork ribs cut into individual pieces)

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins

1 red onion, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 tablespoon kosher salt, or more to taste

1 pound split peas (1-1/3 cups)

2 big garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1 meaty ham hock

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Crusty bread, for serving

Saute the bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and it's cooked 5-10 minutes.  Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon, increase the heat under the pot to medium, and add the 1/2 pound ground sausage.  Brown and set aside with bacon.

Add the carrot, onion, celery, and salt and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes.  (You may find you need to add a little oil at this point).  Add the split peas, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, ham hock, cayenne pepper, black pepper, the reserved sausage and bacon, and 2-1/2 quarts of water.  Simmer, skimming the foam that will rise to the surface as the water comes up to heat, until the peas are tender, 2-3 hours.

Discard the bay leaf.  Remove the hock from the soup.  When it's cool enough to handle, pick the meat off it and add it back to the soup (discard the bone). 

To serve, divide the ribs amoung bowls and ladle the soup over them.  Eat with abundant crusty bread.

This is my submission to Symon Sundays being hosted by Ashlee over at Veggie By Season.

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Giada's approach on the everyday chocolate chip cookie is a little bit different than most.  Old-fashioned oatmeal is finely grounded and added to the batter to help ensure a chewy cookie without all the texture of the oats.  Little bits of crunchy toffee are added to the batter, as well as chopped hazelnuts.  The end result is a beautifully thick cookie with a chewy texture and lots of crunchy bits.  A perfect treat for your Valentine, or yourself.  You choose. 

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, recipe found online

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces English toffee candy  (recommended: Heath or Skor bar), finely chopped
• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, and chopped
• 1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
  

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely chop the oats in a food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer,  beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the toffee, hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.

For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough onto sheet, spacing 1-inch apart (do not flatten dough). Bake until the cookies are golden (cookies will flatten slightly), about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

Notes/Results:  This is an awesome cookie recipe, one that you can tell will be a winner from the time you starting mixing the ingredients.  They were great when eaten warm right out of the oven, but were even better (in my opinion) when they were allowed to cool and the toffee had a chance to set up.

Now Celebrating the Recipes of Giada De Laurentiis

Recipe #60 - Stirring the Pot: Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Salsa Verde

I don't know about you all, but sometimes there are just posts that I don't want to write.  This post is one of them.  Theoretically, this meal should have been wonderful.....but it wasn't.  The pork shoulder, while wonderfully seasoned and slow cooked, should have been meltingly tender and mouth-watering.  It wasn't. I'm not faulting Tyler's recipe at all.  If anything, the blame is on me.  Somehow or another, I chose a bad cut of meat that was tough, fatty, and almost impossible to cut.

Does this ever happen to you all?  Do you occasionally make a recipe to find out that you're working with a bad cut/piece of meat?  It doesn't happen often, but I seem to experience this at least once or twice a year. At any rate, I really wish this recipe had not turned out so poorly because the pork roast smelled so heady with aroma as it cooked in the oven.  I think this recipe, when done correctly, would be fantastic.

Tyler's recipe for the pork consists of rubbing a herb paste made from toasted ground fennel, garlic, rosemary and sage all over the pork to create a crispy and flavorful outer coating.  Tyler pairs what should be a wonderfully tender pork shoulder with grainy mustard mashed potatoes and tangy and sweet salsa verde.  With the right pork shoulder, this would be an incredible meal. The recipe can be found on Tyler's blog, HERE.

Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Salsa Verde and Grainy Mustard Mashed Potatoes

Adapted from Stirring the Pot

Serves 6-8

1 4lb. boneless pork shoulder

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

4 tablespoons kosher salt (1 tablespoon for every lb. of meat)

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 recipe Salsa Verde (see recipe, below)

1 recipe Grainy Mustard Mashed Potatoes (see recipe, below)

1 sprig fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Place the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack insert.  For the rub, toast the fennel seeds in a small saute pan over medium heat until fragrant.  In a food processor combine the toasted fennel seeds, garlic, rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper.  Pulse to combine.  With the motor running, gradually pour the oil through the feed tube to form a paste.  Rub the herb paste on the pork.  Cover the pork with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325F  Allow the meat to stand at room temperature for 3o minutes.  Loosely cover pork with aluminum foil; roast about 3 hours, until juices run clear (160F).  Let the meat stand for about 15 minutes before slicing.  Serve with Salsa Verde and Grainy Mustard Mashed Potatoes and garnish with parsley.

Salsa Verde

Soak 1/2 cup golden raisins in warm water until softened; drain.  Rinse 1/2 cup salted button capers.  In a food processor combine raisins; caper; 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots; 1 cup fresh Italian parley; the  juice of 2 lemons; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; and 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Pulse for 30 seconds, until combined.  Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Grainy Mustard Mashed Potatoes

Heat 1 cup whipping cream and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts; set aside and keep warm.  Place 3 large peeled Yukon gold potatoes in a saucepan; add cold water to cover.  Place saucepan over high heat; bring to boil.  Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt; reduce heat.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.  Drain.  Pass potatoes through a food mill into a bowl.  Stir in cream and butter mixture.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Stir in a 1/4 cup olive oil and 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard.

Notes/Results:  The herb paste created a wonderfully flavorful and crispy coating on the outside of the pork shoulder.  Unfortunately, my pork shoulder was pretty much inedible.  As a lover of all things mustard, I did enjoy the grainy mustard mashed potatoes, although it's hard to knock plain old mashed potatoes.  The Salsa Verde was a nice accompaniment, sweet and tangy.