Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Okay, my favorite pasta dish of all time is Puttanesca.  My next favorite is Cacio e pepe. Both are classic Italian dishes.  Puttanesca means "Lady of the Night".  It derives its name as a late night preparation requested by the Ladies of the Night.   While I appreciate that some folks do not like Anchovies, you should not fear.  This pasta dish is so complex that you will never know the exact things you are tasting.   The sauce once cooked down is earthy and Oh-so flavorful that you will not mind what is in it.  The best Puttanesca (and Cacio e pepe for that matter) I have ever had in the United States was at Ristorante La Toscana in San Rafael, California.  The classic dish does not come with any seafood.  However, at La toscana they top the dish with three prawns.  While visiting Carmel, I had a seafood Puttanesca at the Old Fisherman's Grotto on the tourist wharf in Monterey.  They added Prawns, Scallops and Salmon.  I ask to hold the fish.  Their version was very, very good.  So, here goes, one of the best pasta dishes you will ever eat.  Buon Appetito.  

Ingredients

• ¼ Cup Extra-virgin Olive Oil
• 4 large Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 28.2 ounce can peeled tomatoes in puree with basil (find Italian tomatoes).
• ½ Cup Kalamata Olives, halved, pitted
• 3 Anchovy fillets, chopped
• 1-½ TB drained Capers
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
• ½ Teaspoon Dried Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• ¾ Pound Spaghetti
• 2 TB chopped fresh Italian Parsley
• 3 medium sized prawns, shelled with tail attached and deveined.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

Procedure

• Heat Oil in saute pan over medium heat.
• Add garlic and saute until fragreant, about 1 minute
• Add tomatores with puree, olives, anchovies, capers, oregano, and crushed red peppers
• Simmer sauce over medium-low heat until thickened, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, about 8 minutes.  
• Add prawns.
• Season with salt and pepper.

• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of bling salted water until al dente (still firm to bite).
• Drain pasta, return to same pot.  
• Add sauce with prwans and parsley.  Toss over low hear until sauce coats the prawns and pasta, about 2-3 minutes.  Make sure prawns are cooked, pink in color and not translucent.
• Serve immediately with cheese.

Alison's Asian Noodle Salad

A gal I met through the Bel Marin Key's Women's Club, Alison, recently came to a party with an Asian inspired noodle salad she created on the fly.   It was a great hit.  I asked her to provide the recipe.   She gave me the ingredients, as she really did not have a formal recipe to follow.  I formed a recipe, which Alison and I made together.  Our suggested recipe follows.  Thanks Alison.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Capellini Pasta 

• ½ Cup Avocado Oil or Olive Oil

• ½ Cup Rice vinegar

• 1 Teas. Chili Oil 

• 2 Large cloves of finely minced Fresh Garlic

• 1 TB finely minced Fresh Ginger

• 1 Teas. Dried Basil 

• 2 Teas. Sugar

• S&P to taste
•  2 Cups each of assorted Arugula, and "Power Greens" (baby chard, kale & spinach) from Costco
• ½ Cup Feta Cheese
• ½ Cup Kalamata Olives (optional)

Procedure

• Cook Pasta as directed to Al Dente 
• Mix Remaining Ingredients together in a separate container:
• Mix Oil and Vinegar together first and check for taste.  You might want to add more of one or the other.  
• Add remaining ingredients, except for the Arugula, Power Greens, Feta Cheese and Kalamata olives.
• Coat pasta thoroughly in mixture 

• Toss in Arugula, and Power Greens
• Add Feta Cheese

• Add Kalamata olives as desired. 

Werner’s Northwest Cioppino

A friend of mine, Verna Fenzl (formally Verna Eisen) and I were talking about great recipes.  She mentioned that her father, Werner Eisen, had a great Cioppino recipe.  He believed in a rich man's cioppino, meaning little or no fish.   He has included various amounts of ingredients depending upon the size of the crowd being fed.  Enjoy.

Ingredients

• ½ Cup Salt Pork
• ¼ Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Onions, sliced
• 2 Stalks Celery, chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Salt/Pepper (¼ Teaspoon each to taste)
• 1 Teaspoon Fresh Basil, chopped
• ½ Teaspoon Fresh Oregano, chopped
• ¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 Cup Clam Juice
• 28 Ounce can of Italian Tomatoes, undrained
• 8 Ounces of Tomato Paste
• 1-½ Pound of the following mix of seafood
• Mussels, in shell
• Clams, in shell
• Shrimp, peeled
• Scallops
• Oysters
• Fresh or Frozen Crab
• If you wish to add fish add Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish or Seabass.  These would be included in the 1-½ pound mixture of seafood

Procedure

• Sauce the Salt Pork, Onions, Garlic and Celery in Olive Oil
• Add Clam Juice, Tomatoes, and tomatoe paste
• Add Salt and Pepper, Basil, Oregano, and Parsley
• Simmer Covered for 30 minutes
• If you include fish - Add fish, cover and simmer for about 10-20 minutes
• Add Scallops, Clams in Shell, Shrimp and Mussels and Oysters
• Simmer for about 10 minutes longer (or until fish flakes if fish was included). Othersise, until Mussel and/or Clam shells open. 

Now, Warner left a table of quanities for various numbers of servings.  The table below can be followed for large groups.

Jeff Mauro's Creamy Cole Slaw

From the Food Network show on Diner Favorites come this cole slaw recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Buttermilk 
• 1/3 cup granulated Sugar 
• 2 tablespoons White Vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice 
• 1 small Shallot, minced 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• 1 medium head Cabbage, cored and roughly chopped 
• 1 cup Shredded Carrots 

Procedure

• In a bowl, whisk together the mayo, buttermilk, sugar, white vinegar, lemon juice, shallots, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

• In 2 batches, add the cabbage to a food processor with the blade attachment. Pulse about 10 times until finely chopped. Pour into the bowl with the dressing, then repeat with the second batch of cabbage. Mix in the carrots and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Gochujang Chicken Wings - Eddy Jackson

Eddy Jackson visited The Kitchen on the Food Network.  He shared the following chicken wing recipe.  

Ingredients

Gochujang Sauce

• 1/4 cup gochujang
• 1/4 cup molasses 
• 1/4 cup lite soy sauce 
• 1 heaping tablespoon light brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger 
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot 
• Pinch of kosher salt 
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper 

Wings

• 1 to 2 quarts canola oil, for frying
• 2 pounds and drumette pieces (about 24), wing tips removed, rinsed and dried well 
• 1/4 cup rice flour 
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

Alabama Wing Sauce

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 
• 1/4 cup lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard 
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

Procedure

• For the molasses-gochujang wing sauce: Combine the gochujang, molasses, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Once the gochujang and sugar have fully dissolved, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Reserve the sauce for tossing with the wings. If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a little water until the desired consistency is achieved.
• For the wings: Heat the canola oil in a deep-fryer or large, heavy-bottomed pot to 375 degrees F.
• Frying the Wings: Toss the wings in the rice flour in a large bowl. Working in batches, slowly lower the coated wings into the oil. Fry until fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with the reserved gochujang sauce.
• For the Alabama wing sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, horseradish, black peppter, garlic powder, granulated sugar, salt, mustard and cayenne in a bowl and whisk until fully incorporated.  
• Serving: Drizzle the Alabama White Sauce over the wings or serve on the side for dipping. Top with the scallions.