Tag: pasta
Gochujang Buttered Noodles (Ketchup Noodles 2.0)

Gochujang Buttered Noodles (Ketchup Noodles 2.0)

By | | Comments 2 comments

My Dad made dinner most of the time.  Every evening he would leave the office, shop for dinner ingredients, go back to the office, pick up my mom, then go home.  Once home, he donned his apron and cranked out a typical Chinese meal in about 30-45 minutes.  A typical meal consisted of a quick soup, stir-fried beef with vegetables, and steamed fish.  It takes me 30 minutes just to decide what to make let alone have it on the table. Yep, my Pop was Dinner Dad Extraordinaire.

But when I stop and think about it, my mom was the one who got us up, made us breakfast, packed our lunches, and made most of the non-Asian holiday meals.  I have been giving short shrift to my mom all these years.  She accounted for 2/3 of our daily meals and my favorite lasagne.  Aiyah, I can’t believe I “marginalized” my own mom.

The Real Deal

My mom was instrumental in trying new things in our house.  An early adopter of the microwave, yogurt (before it was fashionable and filled with fruit and sugar), and frozen food.  Fridays meant Date Night for the parents and Swanson’s TV Dinners for us, and thanks to Swanson’s genius ad campaign, we got to eat in front of the TV.

There are a couple of dishes that my mom made that trumped (sorry) everything else.  First, Avocado Sandwiches.  My mom was ahead of her time-avocados, mashed with a little bit of mayo, S & P, and a squirt of lemon juice, slathered on white bread.  The OG of Avocado Toast. She’d make a killing.

Second, Ketchup Noodles. Butter, noods, ketchup,  a little salt and pepper.  There you have it, perfection.

Which Brings Me to…

Gochujang Buttered Noodles.  A trademark Eric Kim recipe, easy, fast, and absolutely delicious.  I can’t give him 100 percent credit, this dish reminds me of my Mom’s Ketchup Noodles, think of his version as Ketchup Noodles 2.0.  Gochujang, the Korean, sweet and spicy chili paste replaces ketchup, and honey and vinegar bring a balanced sweet-tart flavor.  Fresh garlic adds punch. It’s delicious.  Another Eric recipe goes viral.

The Sauce

Gochujang or Korean Chili Paste comes in mild, medium or hot and can be found at most Asian grocery stores.  Trader Joe’s also carries a gochujang paste.  Do not confuse this with Gochujang Sauce which is thinner in consistency and probably contains sweeteners.   Use mild honey or agave syrup for the sweetener and rice vinegar or sherry vinegar for the acid, together they bring balance to the dish.

Reduce the sauce until you you run your spatula through it and it stays separate for a couple of seconds.  It will be syrupy and have a nice sheen.  Add your pasta and reserved pasta water (a little at a time to desired consistency).

The Noods

Asian pasta, like ramen or Taiwanese dry noodles, is my favorite for its texture, but spaghettini or linguine works in this dish.  The bottom line, use your favorite pasta.

Finish the dish by garnishing it with chopped scallions, sesame seeds, and crushed seaweed.  I also like to drizzle some sesame oil on top.

Enjoy!

Print

Gochujang Buttered Noodles

Ingredients

  • 1 pound spaghetti or other long pasta
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 12 garlic cloves finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • ¼ cup gochujang paste
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar or rice vinegar
  • Finely chopped cilantro or thinly sliced scallions optional

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the spaghetti and return to its pot.
  • While the pasta cooks, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-low. Add the garlic and season generously with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to soften but not brown, 1 to 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the gochujang, honey and vinegar, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reduces significantly, 3 to 4 minutes; when you drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan, it should leave behind a trail that stays put for about 3 seconds. Remove from the heat.
  • Transfer the sauce to the pot with the spaghetti and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Vigorously stir until the butter melts. Add splashes of the pasta cooking water, as needed, to thin out the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with the cilantro or scallions (if using) and serve immediately.
Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta: The Joy of Cooking and Baking

Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta: The Joy of Cooking and Baking

By | | Comments 2 comments

Gosh, she is going to think I am a stalker!  I read an article in the NYT about pastry chefs and how they are coping with the pandemic.  The restaurant industry has been hit hard but many have found ways to adapt to the new norm.  I am struck by the creativeness and ingenuity, not to mention the pastries-YUM, that have been born during COVID.

One of the pastry chefs featured in the article is Joy Cho.  Her resume, boys and girls, is that of a heavyweight-pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, Ivy League education…and yet she found herself out of a job when the pandemic hit.  THIS led to her booming Brooklyn home business of absolutely scrumptious Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes.  Inspired by a Brownie Bundt Cake pan, these Gem Cakes are all the rage…in Brooklyn.  Lucky for us she shared her recipe on Epicurious so those of us who are geographically challenged could try them.

The Gem cupcakes (in my case) were a big hit with the fam and friends so I set my sights on a couple of other recipes she created.  Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta was first on the list followed by Banana Mochi Cake.

The Real Deal

This Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta fusion is an explosion of flavors, spicy and sweet from the Gochujang, acidity from the tomatoes, saltiness, and umami from Parmesan Cheese-all bound together by butter and cream. It’s delicious.  She bakes, she cooks, SuperCho spreading joy everywhere.

Not familiar with Gochujang?  Think of it as the Korean counterpart to Miso, the Japanese all-purpose condiment.  Made of red chilies, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and sweeteners.  It’s complex and delicious.  You can find it at most Asian markets or online.  Look for the spice level icon!  It runs the gamut from mild to hair on fire heat level.

Slide the cherry tomatoes into the oven and while they are roasting, start your sauce.  Gochujang and tomato paste are browned in a pan, don’t skimp, you want the sauce to deepen in color and really caramelize. It reminds me of cooking Indian food, flavor is coaxed from spices and aromatics by frying them first.  Add cream and stock to the Gochujang and tomato paste, reduce it, and then add the Parmesan Cheese.

Finally, add the roasted tomatoes and a bit of honey (really rounds out the sauce nicely so don’t skip it).  It’s all about getting the most flavor out of each ingredient and then binding them together. Serve the sauce over rigatoni but feel free to pick any shape hearty enough to stand up to this thick, rich sauce.

This is so good.  Put it on your pasta bucket list. NOW

Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta

A spicy, rich, delicious pasta dish made with tomatoes and Gochujang (Red Pepper Paste). The Korean twist on this pasta dish will have you asking for seconds.
Course noodles, One dish meals
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword cherry tomatoes, gochujang, joy cho, pasta
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Roasted Tomatoes

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • 2-3 tablespoons gochujang Korean red chile paste, depending on your spice preference
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 T Honey or Agave Syrup to taste

Pasta

  • 8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta shape of choice, should be able to stand up to a thick sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cherry tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, until they soften and begin to burst.
  • While tomatoes are roasting, prepare sauce. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and add minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and gochujang to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste and gochujang caramelize. It will begin to brown and stick to the bottom of the pot in places, so reduce the heat if they begin to burn.
  • Add the heavy cream and chicken broth and bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken and the tomato paste and gochujang are fully dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the Parmesan and several generous cranks of freshly ground black pepper. Season the sauce with salt to taste and a couple drizzles of honey.
  • Continue to reduce the sauce until it thickens, about 5 minutes, then gently stir in the roasted tomatoes.
  • Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some pasta water to thin the sauce if it seems a little thick.
  • Drain the pasta, then toss it in the warm sauce and serve immediately with a few more cranks of black pepper and Parmesan Cheese. Garnish with a few sprigs of parsley or basil.
Instant Pot Meets Ragu’ Sauce-A Meat Cute?

Instant Pot Meets Ragu’ Sauce-A Meat Cute?

By | | Comments 0 Comment

In these tenuous times, I find myself making comfort food-homey dishes that surround your soul like a warm blanket.  One of my family’s all-time favorites is a long, slow-simmered ragu’ spooned over a bowl of pasta.  This usually requires a little forethought, prepping the ingredients, followed by hours of simmering on the stove.  Yes, it is so worth it but…

Well, whaddya know, I can make a rich, luxurious, delicious ragu’ in a fraction of the time with an Instant Pot.  I adapted a recipe I found on Chunky Chef and badabing-badaboom, a meat sauce that would win the approval of the Old Stoves in North Beach. Yay, I don’t have to start the sauce in the wee hours of the morning.

Winner, Winner, Pasta for Dinner

A ragu’ is essentially a meat sauce, this version is best described as a Ragu Alla Bolognese since it includes tomatoes.  Purists probably would omit the seasonings and require only meat and sofrito (onion, celery and carrot trinity) for the sauce. I like the flavor boosters.  You can add a bay leaf too if you like. DON’T ASK ME WHY.  I googled in vain for a definitive description of the flavor a bay leaf adds, you’ll just have to trust me.  Just remember to remove it at the end, along with the thyme sprigs.

No Mincing Here

The Instant Pot isn’t the only time saver.  Prep for the onions, carrots, and celery means pulling out your food processor.  This makes quick work of mincing the veggies.  Really, who wants to stand there chopping veggies into itty bitty pieces for a sauce.  Not me.  Yep, dust off that food processor and put it to work.  I also use it to puree the tomatoes.  Don’t wash it out after the veggies, just run the tomatoes by pulsing a couple of times and add.

Mantra:  Scrape the Bottom of Your Pot

Saute’ the meats and the soffritto making sure to scrape the bottom of the instant pot A LOT.  Twofold purpose:  One-Those little brown bits are flavor bombs so you want to keep them. Two-If left on the bottom of the pot, they will trigger the scorch-safety feature on the pot and turn OFF.  Ugh.  Make SCRAPE your mantra any time you saute’ in the Instant Pot.

Other than that, it’s pretty straightforward.  The sauce needs only 20 minutes (well, with pressure up time count on 30-35 minutes).  In about an hour you will be at the table saucing your pasta, passing the Parmesan, and enjoying a nice bottle of  Chianti (no fava beans please). Nom, nom, nom.

After adding the cream and basil you will have the voluptuous, unctuous sauce. Yes, I had to spell check both words.  Perfect on a bowl of pappardelle or tagliatelle or plate of ravioli.  Just dreaming of the pastabilities.

On a recent jaunt into the City, I headed to my favorite Italian Deli in the Marina, Lucca, to grab a meatball sammie for lunch. I also stocked up on their housemade ravioli and gnocchi from their freezer.  I came away with mushroom gnocchi and veal ravioli that were PERFECT with this ragu’.  The sauce and pasta freeze beautifully so a quick dinner is always at hand.

Lucca has been a favorite stop for a long, long time.  As a kid, I would get a sammie and chips before walking down to Hunt’s for an Icee and donut.  Those were the days.

All smiles digging into my bowl of mushroom gnocchi topped with amazingly quick to make Ragu’.

Print Pin

Instant Pot Ragu Bolognese Sauce

A delicious ragu made in your pressure cooker that taste like it has simmered all day!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian-American
Keyword Instant Pot, pasta, Ragu'
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • food processor

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef I use 85/15
  • 1/2 lb. Italian sausage mild or spicy or use ground pork
  • 4 oz pancetta diced Feeling lazy? TJ's carries diced pancetta in a 4 oz package!
  • 1 medium yellow onion minced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and minced
  • 1 stalk celery minced
  • 7 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine Ok, in a pinch you could use white wine
  • 28 oz whole tomatoes pureed
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup beef broth - reduced sodium preferred or the mushroom soaking liquid
  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped Soaked in 3/4 cup warm water until soft,
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes omit if using spicy Italian Sausage
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or 1/2 cup whole milk or BUTTER a good chunk
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or more if you like basil, use additional to sprinkle on top of dish
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese at the table

Instructions

  • Use the "Saute" function on Instant Pot. Add olive oil to the pot. Add the beef, Italian sausage, and pancetta and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks. Drain the liquid into a bowl, leaving the meat mixture in the pot, skim off the oil and reserve. Return it to pot when the tomatoes and broth are added. It's all flavor babee.
  • Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for 4 more minutes, or until softened. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot as the onions and peppers cook and give off liquid, this will prevent scorching and the auto-shut off feature.
  • Add garlic and cook until fragrant, ~30 seconds. Add red wine and cook, stirring often, until reduced, about 2 minutes.
  • Add remaining ingredients, except basil, fresh parsley and cream. Stir, once again scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure no browned bits remain.
  • Cancel the saute, and place lid on Instant Pot, making sure the valve is set to "SEALING", DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO, lol. Press the Pressure Cook or Manual button and use the +/- buttons to set the timer for 20 minutes.
  • Once the timer beeps, use quick pressure release and vent. When the pin drops, remove lid. Remember, ITS HOT so be careful.
  • Select "saute" and select LOW. Stir in heavy cream or milk, parsley and basil. Simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until desired consistency is reached, about 5 minutes.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over pasta with grated Parmesan cheese and additional chopped basil if desired.

Notes

  • Make sure you scrape the bottom of your Instant Pot while sauteing FREQUENTLY! If any particles are stuck on the bottom the pot will turn off to prevent burning.
  • You can omit the mushrooms, I like the earthiness it adds. Substitute the mushroom soaking liquid for beef broth if desired. Or for the double whammy, heat the beef broth and use it as the soaking liquid for the mushrooms.
  • If you do not want to add dairy, drop a hunk of unsalted butter (4-5 T) into the sauce. The cream or milk is added to cut the acidity of the tomatoes and mellow the sauce, the butter kind of does the same.
  • I love this sauce over rigatoni or pappardelle. Also on gnocchi, it is divine!
“The Triple P” Pulled Pork Pasta (Rigatoni with Pork Ragu)

“The Triple P” Pulled Pork Pasta (Rigatoni with Pork Ragu)

By | | Comments 0 Comment

If you are like me, an empty nester still transitioning from cooking for a family of 5 to cooking for 2, you probably still have some (ok, alot) of that luscious roast pork left.  As much as I love tacos, I can eat only so many.  Back to Sam Kass’s book, Eat A Little Better, to try one of the many recipes that makes use of that delicious roasted pork.

BINGO. Found another winner. Rigatoni with Pork Ragu.

The ragu’ comes together in minutes.  Chopped onion, garlic, are sautéed before adding the tomatoes and roasted pork.  Simmer until it is reduced to a lovely thick, rich sauce.  Voila’, a comforting, warm and homey lunch or dinner on the table. I added a pinch of chili pepper flakes, as suggested, for a little kick.  Make a big batch, this sauce is better a day or two later after the flavors really come together.

Better yet, it freezes beautifully.  Luckily, I threw the remaining sauce in the freezer on the way out of town.  We arrived home a week later, travel weary and hungry but happy with one of two new college graduates in tow.  I pulled out the sauce, boiled some pasta and minutes later we were all standing around the kitchen island enjoying our bowls of pasta.  Yummy eats and no more tuition.  Life is good.  Hmmm, Jordan comes home tomorrow, hope I have enough sauce left until then.

Rigatoni with Pork Ragu

Print Pin

“The Triple P” Pulled Pork Pasta (Rigatoni with Pork Ragu)

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons EVOO
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves smashed
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
  • 3 pounds ripe tomatoes cored and chopped or one 28 ounce can tomatoes in juice
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2-3 cups coarsely shredded cooked pork shoulder I used 2 cups, its a lot of meat
  • 1 pound rigatoni or pasta of your choice should be a thick pasta thats holds up well to the sauce
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Italian parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium high heat until it shimmers. Add onion, garlic, chili pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook stirring occasionally until the onion turns a nice golden brown ~6-8 minutes.
  • Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste and pork. Let the mixture come to a simmer, while stirring, break up tomatoes. Continue to simmer over low heat until sauce has thickened. This will take approximately 25 minutes with fresh tomatoes and 15 minutes with canned tomatoes.
  • Season to taste with salt.
  • Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain well, toss with sauce and sprinkle with parmesan.
  • Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately. Have additional parmesan on table.

 

 
Garlic Rice-Love Letter to Rice

Garlic Rice-Love Letter to Rice

By | | Comments 0 Comment

On one of our weekend food treks, hubby and I headed to East San Jose in search of egg rolls and banh mi. Right in front of the entrance to the market was a display of different dried pasta on sale including tiny little pasta shaped like letters. Woohoo!  Haven’t seen pasta letters in ages. When the kids were little I would make rice pilaf using alphabet pasta. The kids loved it and called it “letter rice.”  They would spell their names and challenge each other to spell as many words as possible on their plates. We were totally bummed when our market stopped carrying our beloved alphabet pasta. A search of other markets came up empty so  I resorted to using star and rice-shaped pasta. Not the same, but a good life lesson for my kiddies…you can’t always get what you want.

Alphabet Soup? Nope, Rice

I took a picture of the display with my phone and sent it to the kids with the exclamation “LETTERS!” then I bought a couple of bags (ok, more than a couple) to have on hand for when they come home.

Letter rice is a fusion of rice pilaf and Hainanese Chicken Rice, a Singaporean dish of poached chicken and rice.  Use the broth from the poached chicken to cook the rice for a double-flavored whammy.  First sautéed the rice with the Asian trinity of garlic, ginger and onions, toss it in a rice cooker (because I don’t know how to cook rice any other way), and cook in the reserved stock.

IT IS STUPID EASY

Maybe not as easy as making plain rice but with little effort you can jazz up your rice making it delicious and fun to eat.  Kid-tested, kid- approved.

Mains that aren’t “saucey” beg for letter rice as an accompaniment.  Letter rice in our house accompanies barbecued ribs or chicken, grilled fish, and STEAK. Yum.

Like many of the recipes, this one lends itself well to changes.  Tweak the Asian trinity.  Replace onions with shallots, or use only garlic and omit the ginger and onions.  Having steak?  Use beef stock instead of chicken. Vegetarian? Use mushroom or vegetable stock instead.  I throw in dried mushrooms to intensify the flavor.  You can use all rice and skip the letters but why would you skip the cute-shaped pasta.

The recipe is easy to remember.  For every cup of uncooked rice, use 1 fat clove of garlic (or 2 skinny ones), 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ginger, and 1/2 shallot.  For each cup of rice or pasta, use 1 tablespoon butter or oil.  Saute’ the aromatics first, and when they begin to brown add the pasta and rice.  Watch garlic, do not let it burn or it will taste bitter.

The quirky part of this recipe is I only know how to cook rice in a rice cooker (I should be embarrassed-I am).  I use the cup that comes with the rice cooker to measure my rice but a standard 1 cup measure for the pasta.  For 2 cups of rice,  use 1 cup of pasta and fill the rice cooker with the stock up to the 3-cup line.  Yep. Easy peasy if you have a rice cooker…

Print

Love Letter to Rice (Garlic Rice)

asian rice pilaf
Course dinner, Rice, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword Garlic Ginger Rice, pilaf, rice
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups long grain or basmati rice (measured in standard cup that comes with the rice cooker its equivalent to 3/4 cup
  • 1 standard measuring cup any small shaped pasta stars, letters, acini de pepe, or orzo
  • 3 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil or 50/50 of each

Aromatics

  • 3 large cloves of garlic finely chopped (garlic lovers or those living among vampires feel free to increase the amount of garlic)
  • 1 shallot finely chopped (or 1/4 yellow onion or 1 green onion green and white parts, finely chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger optional

Liquid

  • Homemade or low sodium chicken broth can substitute beef or vegetable stock approximately 3-4 cups
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup dried sliced shiitakes or dried mushroom mix optional

Garnish:

  • green onions
  • cilantro leaves
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

  • Melt butter or oil in pan
  • When butter is fully melted add garlic, shallots and ginger and saute' over medium heat until garlic begins to brown.
  • Add pasta and rice to pan. Stir to coat rice and pasta with oil thoroughly.
  • Put rice and pasta mixture in rice cooker and fill to the three cup line. If using dried mushrooms add them at this point.
  • Set to cook and you're done!

Back from school for the summer, Jordan requested “char Siu” style barbecued ribs and letter rice which prompted this post!  Here is the marinade for the ribs. Grill over indirect heat for 25-30 minutes in a covered bbq.  Flip and baste halfway through, then baste ribs with honey and grill over direct heat to slightly char ribs.

Do Not Play with Your Food, LOL

I remember my mom yelling at my brother and me “STOP PLAYING WITH YOUR FOOD, JUST EAT IT!”  Where is the fun in that?
Corn Porn (Sweet Corn Pesto with Pappardelle and Zucchini)

Corn Porn (Sweet Corn Pesto with Pappardelle and Zucchini)

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Ha, bet that got your attention!  It was a bit sneaky and underhanded but I think you will thank me in the end.  Summer means fresh corn on the cob.  For as long as I can remember we have been cooking our corn in a pot of water.  A dash of sugar, a splash of milk or cream, bring the water to a boil, in goes the corn, a couple of minutes later-done.  It took my daughter to get us to try something new, to think outside the pot if you will.  GRILLED CORN.  Yes it takes longer, is a bit more work as you need to turn the corn every few minutes to develop a nice char, but WOW.  It is so worth it!  Grilling intensifies the flavor of the corn and the char or grill marks turn otherwise monotone cobs into something sexy and edgy. See, corn porn!

Grilled corn deserves more than just a sprinkle of salt and a pat of butter.  Don’t get me wrong I love buttered corn on the cob but its delicious with a squeeze of lime and spicy mayo, or a dash of chili powder and cumin topped with cotija cheese or hubby’s favorite, a smear of pesto and sprinkling of parmesan.  Can you say YUM?

DSC04223

We also use grilled corn in this lovely pasta dish I found on the blog SpoonForkBacon, Sweet Corn Pesto with Pappardelle and Zucchini Noodles.  Easy and quick, the recipe calls for corn two ways, ground into a thick pesto with almonds (or use pine nuts) and parmesan cheese. Pieces of grilled corn are tossed in at the end.  We jazzed it up by adding some crispy bacon (I don’t think the bloggers of SpoonForkBacon will mind) and chili pepper flakes.  If you want to keep this meatless add sautéed mushrooms instead of bacon.  The pesto is quite thick so reserve the pasta cooking water to thin it down.  Adding zucchini strands not only lightens the dish considerably but adds a bit of color.

Print Pin

Corn Porn (Sweet Corn Pesto with Pappardelle)

A delicious twist on a summer pasta dish using corn as pesto!
Course dinner, lunch, One dish meals, pasta
Cuisine American
Keyword Candied bacon, Corn, pasta, Pesto
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes

Ingredients

Sweet corn pesto:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon diced shallot
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
  • 1 heaping cup fresh corn kernels
  • 2-3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons slivered almonds toasted
  • 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 zucchinis thinly sliced lengthwise (use a mandolin or a potato peeler for long, thin strips)
  • 8 ounces pappardelle pasta
  • 1/2 cup charred corn kernels off your grilled corn on the cob!
  • 4 strips of bacon cooked until crispy and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves or cilantro

Instructions

For pesto:

  • Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, corn, chili flakes and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor. Allow mixture to cool, about 5 minutes. Add oil and almonds and pulse until mixture is evenly and finely ground. Remove to a small bowl.
  • Fold in Parmesan and adjust seasonings. Set aside.

For pasta:

  • Place zucchini strips onto a baking sheet (will probably need a couple) lined with a cooling rack. Lightly sprinkle each strip with kosher salt and set aside. Allow zucchini to “sweat” for about 15 minutes.
  • While zucchini ‘sweats’, cook pasta. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a handful of salt and pasta and boil for 5 to 7 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally.
  • Drain pasta (reserve cooking water) into a colander and add salted zucchini strips. Gently toss together.
  • Transfer pesto to a large mixing bowl (add a bit of the reserved pasta water, start with 1/4 cup) and top with pasta and zucchini noodles. Toss together until all the noodles are coated and evenly mixed together. Use additional pasta water if it seems dry.
  • Add corn and basil or cilantro and adjust seasonings.
  • Gently toss together, top with bacon and additional basil, serve immediately.
  • Pass additional parmesan.

Makes 3-4 servings

     
    You Had Me at Tomato (One Pan Pasta)

    You Had Me at Tomato (One Pan Pasta)

    By | | Comments 0 Comment

    Every year Wes, the garden guy in our house, plants tomatoes.  We pick out a mix of cherry tomatoes and heirlooms and usually by this time we are enjoying fresh vine ripened tomatoes. Our jaunts to the weekly farmer’s market include plums, nectarines and berries but we smugly walk by stalls with the expensive heirloom tomatoes.  Not this year, the plants never took off and our yield was small.  The lone bright spot was a variety called Tomato Blush.  A small tomato, golden yellow with a hint of red that salvaged our dismal tomato season.  Sweet and meaty, great in salads  or pastas, it will definitely be in the mix next summer.  If you had a bumper crop this year, suggestions and tomato advice would be appreciated!

    DSC02165

    This recipe has been making the rounds, first on Martha Stewart and then on some of my favorite blogs including Lottie and Doof and Food52, its quick, easy and yummy.  A great dish to showcase homegrown tomatoes or those pricey tomatoes from the farmer’s market.   I love this, you throw all the ingredients, including dry pasta, into a pan and 12 minutes later, voila’, a tasty dish on the table and only one pan in the sink!

    Print Pin

    One Pan Pasta

    Ingredients

    • Adapted originally from Martha Stewart but found on Food52 and Lottie and Doof!
    • 12 ounces linguine
    • 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes halved or quartered if large
    • 1 onion thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
    • 4 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
    • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
    • black pepper
    • 2 sprigs basil plus torn leaves for garnish
    • 2 green onions chopped
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
    • parmesan cheese
    • Coarse salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 4 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
    • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

    Instructions

    • This is so incredibly easy, it's crazy. Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, basil and onions in a straight side skillet. Add water or stock and olive oil. Bring to a boil over high heat. Using tongs stir and move pasta around pan as it boils. Cook for additional 9 minutes until pasta is al dente and liquid is reduced. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with basil and serve immediately with lots of parmesan cheese.
    • I use stock for that extra zip. You could add some dried porcini also for added flavor.
    Spicy Noodle Salad, A Pasta for All Seasons – Summer

    Spicy Noodle Salad, A Pasta for All Seasons – Summer

    By | | Comments 2 comments

    Summertime!  This is the PERFECT summer potluck dish, Spicy Noodle Salad.  It can be made the night before, it keeps well, and it’s vegetarian, (yes, you can add a protein like chicken if you want).  Peanut allergy?  As much as peanuts are perfect in this salad, pine nuts make an excellent stand-in.  I have made this so many times I’ve lost count, it’s my go-to-crowd pleaser recipe.  Try it.

    For those of you who HATE cilantro, I know it’s not your fault-it’s a genetic thing, I can’t think of a substitute BUT, lucky you,  for a tasty noodle salad that doesn’t need cilantro, try Super Summer Somen Salad.  Need a Gluten-free option, try this Pho-tastic Chicken Noodle Salad that calls for rice noodles!

    Make this our own, needs to be more savory? Add an additional tablespoon of soy sauce.  If you want a brinier taste try soy Dashi which starts with a fish base stock.

    Enjoy!

    Print
    5 from 2 votes

    Spicy Cold Noodle Salad

    Asian inspired Spicy Cold Noodle Salad, the perfect summer potluck dish! Vegetarian and delicious!
    Course dinner, lunch, noodles, potluck
    Cuisine Asian-American
    Keyword Angel hair pasta, cucumber salad, Garlic Noodles, Spicy Cold Noodle Salad
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes

    Ingredients

    Dressing

    • 4 T. corn oil
    • 6 T sesame seed oil
    • 2 t. crushed red pepper
    • 6 T honey decrease by 1T if desired
    • 4 T soy sauce
    • 3 T rice wine vinegar

    Ingredients

    • 16 oz. angel hair pasta or any thin pasta, ie. capellini, somen noodles
    • 4 T chopped cilantro
    • 1/2 cup chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts or honey roasted peanuts
    • 1/2 cup sliced green onions 2 T for garnish
    • 2 T toasted white sesame seeds you could throw in black sesame seeds too!

    Instructions

    • Heat pepper in oils over med/high heat for 1-2 minutes (the longer, the hotter! I usually half the amount of red pepper flakes called for). Cool oils, add honey and soy sauce and stir to combine. Cook pasta according to instructions. Do not overcook noodles! Pour sauce over noodles, add cilantro and onions and chill for 24 hours.
    • Garnish with peanuts, sesame seeds and additional green onions before serving
    • Perfect for summer! Toasted pine nuts or cashews can be substituted for the peanuts.

    Notes

    Japanese Rice Wine Vinegar is not in the original recipe but I think it needs a hit of acid.  
    In place of 4 T soy sauce you can use 2 T reg soy sauce and 2 T Ponzu-citrus flavored soy.
    If the dressing is too sweet reduce honey by 1 tablespoon.