September 3, 2010 | Pasta,Vegetables
Do you see my single plum in this photo? It’s the only one from the very same tree that gave me such bounty last year, and I’ve been patiently waiting for it to ripen so I can shake it down and eat it.
Meanwhile, my zucchini plant continues to take over the neighborhood, despite my threats of ripping it out on September 1st. Alas, here it is the 3rd and I’m actually offering up another zucchini recipe. This is so easy Read the Rest »
September 1, 2010 | Entrees,Pasta,Sauces
This dish is good. I mean really good. And simple. And uses ingredients that are in season. Need I say more? You have to try it!
The other day I was staring at this pile of heirloom tomatoes and more zucchini (it’s never ending) and wondering what to make that would be different.
I also had several pieces of salmon left from two large filets I had trimmed for dinners over the weekend. Plus I had purchased a bottle of vodka to make limoncello (that will be posted soon!). And as I went digging on the internet I landed on my blogging friend Elaine’s traditional Penne with Salmon in Vodka Sauce, which inspired me. People often ask me how I come up with recipes and this is a perfect example: I have a few ingredients I’m trying to use, I see a recipe that inspires me, then I take off and create my own riff on the dish.
Begin by sauteing sliced zucchini and shallot in some olive oil, then add tomatoes to it. By using the zucchini in this dish it’s sort of like a Spaghetti alla Nerano meets a classic Penne with Vodka Sauce.
Next add the vodka and cook off the alcohol from the vodka and simmer the vegetables with the cream…
…before adding the pieces of salmon to cook in the sauce.
Finally, gently toss in the cooked penne pasta and garnish with parsley to serve. The Italians would never put cheese on this dish because it has seafood in it, but feel free to add some Parmigiano if you like it!
Penne and Salmon with Vodka Sauce
Serves 42 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
salt and pepper
3 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound salmon, cut into 1″ cubes
8 ounces penne pasta, cooked and drained
parsley, for garnishHeat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add shallot and zucchini; season with salt and pepper and saute until slightly soft, then add tomatoes and continue cooking until tomatoes break down and release their juices. Add vodka and bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute, then add heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Add pieces of salmon, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes, just until salmon is cooked through. Remove from heat and toss with the cooked penne; garnish with fresh parsley.
August 30, 2010 | Desserts,Fruit
My daughter arrived back from New Zealand, rented an apartment in Breckenridge, and started her senior year at CU all in a week. Her pace makes even me, the always on the go person, feel dizzy. In spite of her schedule – she lives in the mountains so she can snowboard, ski, hike, and rock climb but commutes to Boulder for classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays – she has asked me to do a weekly cooking lesson with her on Wednesdays. Read the Rest »
August 28, 2010 | Fruit,Salads
Let me just say up front today, I am not a fan of melon. I actually don’t really like any kind of melon, which is a shame because my CSA farm produces some of the juiciest, most enticing melons around. I feel really guilty when we don’t eat what’s shared with us from the farm, so in an effort not to waste food, I decided to make a savory salad with the Charleston Gray heirloom variety the farm sent to us this week and guess what? I liked it! Read the Rest »
August 25, 2010 | Breakfast,Technique
There might not be any other food that is so singularly simple yet good as an egg. I love them hard boiled, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out right. You might remember awhile back I did a post with a link to an incredible video that showed how you could actually blow a whole hard cooked egg right out of it’s shell by including a touch of baking soda in the cooling water. Since then I’ve been a bit obsessed reading everyone’s technique for exactly how to perfectly cook them in order to ensure the center isn’t overcooked and sulfurous tasting. Turns out it’s pretty darn easy. Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and put in an ice bath to which you have added 1 tablespoon baking soda. Peel and enjoy!
Some comments on the process. This first egg is a farm fresh egg from my CSA – fresh eggs are notoriously hard to peel, and this one was just run under cold water right after the standing time, not soaked in the baking soda ice water. It was a disaster peeling it…
…and you’ll notice that the center yolk is just barely undercooked.
This egg is as farm fresh as the first one but cooled in the baking soda ice bath for about 5 minutes. It’s not a perfect peel, but it was pretty good for a fresh egg, and certainly much easier after soaking in the baking soda ice bath.
And you’ll notice that the carry over cooking from that extra few minutes of cooling down resulted in a perfectly cooked yolk.
Just might make deviled eggs for my dinner party Friday since I’ve got this down now – stay tuned!
