Emilia Romagna Ragu

For the sauce:

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in juice, preferably San Marzano

1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoon tomato paste, preferably double concentrated

2 teaspoon chicken bullion

2 celery rib, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrot, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 pound of mushrooms, quartered

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 ounces sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing

2 ounces pancetta finely chopped

3/4 pound ground beef

3/4 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground veal

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry red wine

1 fresh bay leaf

1 sprig rosemary

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 sprig of fresh thyme

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

3 whole cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

3/4 cup whole milk

Freshly grated nutmeg

Make a battuto by finely chopping together (by hand) celery, red pepper, garlic, onion and carrot.

Heat butter over medium-low heat until melted and foaming; add battuto, sausage and pancetta. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sausage is broken into small bits, then continue cooking, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened (brown), about 25 minutes.

Add beef, pork and veal; increase heat to medium. Cook, stirring until meat is broken into small bits, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 10 minutes more  (brown).

Add wine; bring to a boil and cook until wine and juices in pot are mostly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add reserved puréed tomato, reserved chicken stock, mushrooms and spices.

Cook ragù at the barest simmer, stirring occasionally (making sure to stir into edges of pot), until meat is very tender and sauce is thick (as sauce thickens, add water, bit by bit, if necessary, to keep sauce moist and just barely liquid), about
2 1/2 hours.

Add milk and continue cooking for 30 minutes more. Stir in pinch nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For serving:

Pasta, cooked until tender in salted water

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bobby Flay's Throughdown Lasagna

Bolognese Sauce

4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 lbs pork shanks (on the bone)
(I used all beef)
3 lbs beef shanks (on the bone)
¾ pound pancetta, finely diced

( I did not add pancetta)
1 ½ cups finely diced Spanish onion
½ cup finely diced carrot
½ cup finely diced celery
4 whole garlic cloves
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups homemade beef or chicken stock
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes and their juices
4 Fresh thyme sprigs
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs flat leaf parsley
1 cup tomato sauce (recipe above)
Chopped fresh parsley
Chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the shanks on both sides with salt and pepper, place in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the shanks to a plate. Remove fat from the pan. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden brown. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and lightly golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the red wine, scrape the bottom of the pan and cook until completely reduced. Add the beef stock, diced tomatoes, thyme, rosemary and parsley and bring to a simmer. Add the shanks and 1/3 of the pancetta back to the pan, cover and transfer to the oven and cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 2 hours.

4. Remove the shanks to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl. Place 3 cups of the cooking liquid into a large high-sided sauté pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about ¾ cup. Add the shredded meat and the remaining cooked pancetta to the pan along with 1 cup of the tomato sauce, parsley and basil and stir to combine and just heat through.

Ricotta Mixture
3 cups ricotta, strained in a cheese cloth lined strainer for at least 4 hours
2 large eggs
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper





Stir together the ricotta, eggs, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.

Tomato Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon red chile flakes
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and red chile flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bring to boil, season with salt and pepper and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 25-30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil.

Bechamel (Mornay) Sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 ½ cups whole milk, heated
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup grated fontina cheese
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 4 cups of the hot milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thickened and loses its raw flavor, about 5-7 minutes. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper and whisk in the cheese. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some of the remaining milk.

Assemble
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bechamel Sauce
4 fresh sheets pasta, cooked for 2 to 3 minutes in boiling, salted water, drained or 1 lb lasagna noodles (cooked in boiling, salted water until slightly under al dente, about 5 minutes)
Ricotta mixture
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Fresh basil leaves
Bolognese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch x 13-inch baking baking dish with the butter. Ladle a thin layer of bechamel evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of pasta dough, cut to fit the inside of the pan on top of the béchamel and top the pasta with the ricotta mixture and spread evenly. Ladle an even layer of béchamel over the ricotta, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of parmesan and some basil leaves. Top with another layer of pasta and spread the meat mixture evenly over the top. Ladle an even layer of béchamel over the meat mixture, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese and some basil leaves. Place the final layer of pasta dough over the meat mixture and ladle the béchamel over the top to completely cover the pasta and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese.
3. Place the pan on a baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350, remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 25 to 35 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into slices and top with some of the tomato sauce, more grated cheese and chopped parsley and basil.

Borlotti with Tuna & Pasta

You can see these beans all through the coco rouge in the south of France. I was lucky to find them from a local farmer here in my kent neighborhood. I have prepared them in the classic pasta e fagioli style. This is a fun recipe to try. The beans do not stay their pretty color once they have been cooked. Please note that they are very delicate in flavor. So do not go over board with the seasonings.
1 onion diced
1 carrot diced
1 stick of celery diced
3 slices of pancetta diced
1 pound of fresh borlotti *
* cooked for twenty minutes in chicken stock & bay leaf, then drained
1/2 cup of white wine
1 fresh bay leaf
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
1 garlic clove minced
1 sprig of fresh lemon thyme
a small amount of fresh minced rosemary
1 cup of tube pasta
1 pound of fresh tuna
fresh parsley and olive oil

In a pan, saute the pancetta until golden. Drain and set aside. Now add the onion, carrot and celery to the cooking pot. Cook until the vegetables begin to brown. You will then briefly saute the garlic and chili flakes with the vegetables. Now add the chicken stock from the cooked beans. Then add the white wine, lemon thyme, rosemary, pancetta and beans to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the ingredients have well melded.

 In a blender, puree half of the beans until smooth. Return to the pot.

Now bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for your pasta.

 At this time you will saute the tuna searing very briefly. You just want a nice golden brown color on the tops and bottoms. Season tuna with salt and pepper. Set the tuna aside.

Now cook the pasta of choice until just tender. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. To plate the dish you will place the pasta in a serving dish. Add a piece of tuna on top of the pasta. To add flourish to the dish top with olive oil and fresh parsley.

Maque Choux and Shrimp

Maque choux is pronounced "mock shoe" it is a traditional Cajun dish from Louisiana. The Cajun's are Acadian French with American Indian influence. With fresh corn at its sweetest this is a great dish to make. You will need Cajun seasoning mix. Watch out because a lot of them come with msg. The brand I use does not have msg. The traditional recipe does not use pancetta, but regular bacon.
I happen to like the taste here.



1 cup of diced onions
1/2 cup of diced celery
1/2 of a red bell pepper diced
1 garlic clove minced
2 slices of pancetta diced
2 ears of fresh corn shucked
1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 jalapeno seeded and diced
1 pound of fresh shrimp
1/2 cup of cream
1/2 cup of milk
Fresh dill
1 bunch of green onions diced
Fresh cracked black pepper
olive oil and butter





















Saute the pancetta until it has browned and then remove. Add equal parts olive oil and butter. Saute the corn until caramelized and remove from the pan. Now add the onions, celery and bell pepper. Saute until light brown in color. Now add the garlic, chilies and spices. Then add reserved vegetables, pancetta, milk and cream. Bring to a boil and add the shrimp. Shut off the heat and cover. Now when the shrimp are pink add in the green onions and dill for garnish.

Serve with steamed white rice.

Stuffed Cherry Peppers from Abruzzo

This is the season for all those lovely peppers that have ripened over the summer. Traditionally, cherry peppers are pickled or stuffed. I recommend getting a couple of pounds of peppers and pickling them over the winter. They are very expensive in the jars. Once you have pickle them you can stuff them with tuna, capers and bread crumbs or I like them stuffed with cheese and prosciutto. Here is a recipe from Abruzzo. You can use fresh or canned pickled cherry peppers!

For fresh peppers trim off the tops of the cherry peppers and cut out their centers. You will then scrape out the seeds and veins and discard. In a jar place a combination in a fifty percent to fifty percent ratio balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar. This will be about four tablespoons total for twelve cherry peppers. Then add 1 cup of olive oil to the jar too. You will add two smashed garlic cloves, fresh chopped rosemary and a couple of whole basil leaves. Now stuff the cherry peppers with smoked mozzarella cheese and thinly sliced prosciutto. Drop the peppers in the jar. I like to add a little crushed fennel seeds to the mix. Then cover with more olive oil if there is not enough oil to cover the peppers. Refrigerate them overnight. They will last for about a week.

If using canned peppers take them out of the jar and reserve the pickling juices in the jar. Stuff the peppers as you would the fresh and set aside. Now doctor the pickling juices with the rosemary, garlic and basil. Return the peppers to the jar if they fit. You may need a larger jar. Add additional olive oil to cover the peppers. Refrigerate overnight.

You can serve them hot if you like. Just warm them in the oven until the cheese melts.

Chile Verde with Red Chile Salsa

I would like to say that I created this recipe, but I did not. The credit goes to Bon Appetit. I have made this recipe with chicken for those who do not eat pork. It is excellent with both. It is a little time consuming to roast the chilies, but as any great Mexican Chef knows you can not skip this step. In fact the chilies become more fragrant.

3 cups of chicken broth
1 pound of tomatillos, husked and well rinsed
1 bunch of green onions
6 cloves of garlic
1 cut up chicken or
4 pounds of pork shoulder trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion diced
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of powder Chipotle Chile Peppers
1 heaping teaspoon of ground coriander
3/4 of a cup of diced roasted and peeled Anaheim chilies
2 teaspoons of Mexican Oregano
1 pound of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

Puree the tomatillos, green onions, cilantro with stems, and garlic in a food processor. Set aside for later use. In a heavy skillet with oil; brown the meat and remove with a slotted spoon. Remove excess fat and add the diced onions. Cook until a light brown. Add the cumin seeds and spices and roast for a minute or two. Now add the tomatillo's mixture and roasted Anaheim to the heavy pan. Add the roasted meat and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes for chicken and two hours for the pork shoulder. Add the potatoes in now. Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. This dish is great for several days and freezes well.

Serve this dish with Red Chile Salsa

1 tablespoon of oil
12 ounces of ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded and coarsely torn
3 cloves of garlic sliced
2 tablespoons of honey
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron frying pan. Add chilies and fry until they turn light orange. Remove the chilies and set aside. Add the garlic slices and saute for a minute until just light golden. Add one cup of water and remove the pan from heat. Puree the chilies, garlic water, honey and cinnamon in a blender.

Serve the dish with fresh made tortillas you can get at Metropolitan Markets.

Cranberry & Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

1 cup of room temperature unsalted butter
1 cup of dried cranberries
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of lightly toasted unsalted pistachios
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2/3 of a cup of sugar



Lightly roast the pistachios and chop in a nut grinder. Set aside the nuts. Now in a bowl sift the flour and salt. In a standing mixer cream the butter and sugar for a few minutes until they are well mixed. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Divide the mixture in half and roll the dough in parchment paper. Chill for two hours before slicing. You can freeze the dough for several months at this point too.

Now preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Slice the logs into 1/4 inch slices and bake for 16 minutes.
They are delicious!