Sausage and Vegetable Fusillata Casareccia

Photo: S. Samuels

I’ve been making versions of this dish for years, and you can use whatever pasta you like, though I would suggest a small to medium-sized shaped pasta that holds sauce really well.  Many times I’ll add a couple of different pastas to vary the presentation and texture of the dish, but any pastas such as orecchiette, campanelle, cappeliette, cavatelli, ditalini, ratielle, elbows, fusilli, gigli, all work well – whatever suits your fancy.

This was the first time I used fusillata casareccia, and I appreciated the way each short tubular pasta with an open side cradled the sauce, and it possessed a wonderful texture.  This is a hearty dish that sticks to your ribs, and to your hips and thighs if you eat too much – which is really tempting because it is so good!   This also works very well as a vegetarian dish – omit the sausage and use vegetable stock instead.

Sausage and Vegetable Fusillata Casareccia

• 4 cups chicken or beef stock
• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 orange bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1 small jalapeno or chili pepper, minced (optional)
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups button, porcini, or baby portabella mushrooms
• 2 cups frozen peas (petite if possible)
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper
• kosher or sea salt
• 1 lb. fusillata casareccia, or preferred pasta

1. Clean, stem and seed peppers, and roughly cut into 1/4″ – 1/2″ pieces and place into bowl.  Chop onions and garlic into slightly smaller pieces and add to bowl.
2. Clean mushrooms with slightly moist towel to remove any dirt, and slice into rough pieces and add to bowl with peppers and onion.
3. Take ground sausage (or if in links squeeze out meat) and brown in @1″ size shapes in large saucepan on medium high heat with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  I usually use a teaspoon and drop the sausage as roughly shaped balls into the pan.  As with the vegetables, you’re not looking for uniform shapes as this is a rough-hewn peasant-inspired dish.  Brown the sausage pieces for @ 8-10 minutes until they form a dark crust on all sides, and don’t worry if a fond is created in the bottom of the pan – you want this, as when it dissipates into the sauce it will create great flavor.  Remove sausage and set aside.
4. In the same pan, turn down the heat to medium and add the peppers, onions, garlic, mushrooms, thyme and red pepper flakes.  If you are concerned that it might be too spicy, just omit the red pepper flakes and jalapeno or chili peppers.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.  There should still be oil left in the pan from the sausage, but feel free to add another tbsp. or so if needed.  As the vegetables saute, they’ll release some of their liquid, and use that to scrape the fond in the pan into the vegetable mix.  If your preference is to have a bit of crunch to your vegetables, take them out after @ 5 minutes or while the vegetables are still firm, and add to the sausage.  My preference for this dish is to brown the peppers and onions.  As they caramelize, they’ll add a wonderful sweetness to the dish, though they will be soft and blend into the background of the dish.
5. Once you’ve taken out the vegetables, add the beef or chicken stock to the same pan and bring to a boil, and reduce liquid to about 1/3 of original amount., which should be @ 12-15 minutes.  This will intensify the flavor and thicken into a gravy-like consistency. I tend to use beef stock if I want to make a heartier dish, and chicken stock if I want it a bit lighter.
6. In separate pot, bring salted water to a boil and add pasta – follow directions on pasta packaging regarding water amount and timing to cook about 3/4 of the way to al dente (firm to the tooth).  Strain pasta from water and add into saucepan with reduced stock  and finish cooking pasta to al dente.
7. After adding the pasta, add sausage and vegetable mix, folding  everything every minute or so until liquid thickens to a gravy consistency.  If the sauce is still a bit too thin, just let the dish rest for a few minutes in the pan as the pasta will absorb the liquid.  Fold in frozen peas and well-rinsed spinach leaves until the leaves are wilted and peas are heated through.  Taste to see if dish needs any more salt or pepper.  Turn off heat and add grated parmesan, asiago or pecorino cheese.
8. Immediately serve in bowls and garnish with coarsely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley.

Comfortably serves 6.

Cold Antipasti

Cold Antipasti

Photo: S. Samuels

 

Nothing starts a great Italian dinner better than antipasti, and nothing is easier to put together once the ingredients are acquired. This appetizer can also work as a full meal, as it often does for me on warm summer evenings when I can’t be bothered with working at a hot stove or grill.  I love eating slices of cured pork meats along with a sharp cheese, pickled vegetables, a slice or two of crusty peasant bread and a nice crisp cold glass of your favorite white wine.

As is the case in any memorable meal,  the quality of the meal depends on the quality of the ingredients, and in this case the selection of appetizers came from the wonderful Gelson’s in Sherman Oaks, CA.  In town to celebrate the birthday of my girlfriend J.’s father S., we planned on putting together an Italian feast for the whole family.  S. and his lovely wife L., were gracious enough to allow me access to their magnificent kitchen, and it was an absolute heaven to work in that space.

Cold Antipasti

• 1 head Red Leaf lettuce
• 1 head Boston Bibb lettuce
• 2 lemons
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• Kosher or sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 shallot, minced
• 1/4 lb. Genoa salami
• 1/4 lb. Bianca D’oro salami
• 1/4 lb. soppressata
• 1/4 lb. prosciutto
• 1/4 lb. mortadella
• 1/4 lb. provolone
• 1/4 lb. roasted red peppers
• 1/4 lb. assorted olives
• 1/4 lb. giardiniera (pickled cauliflower, carrots, celery, pepperoncini)
• 1/4 lb. pickled mushrooms
• 1 can anchovies (packed in oil)

1. Tear lettuce and rinse thoroughly and either spin dry or let dry on towels.  Place in mixing bowl when dry.
2. In small bowl, add juice from lemons with balsamic vinegar, thyme and minced shallots.  Slowly whisk in olive oil and emulsify until well blended.  Add pepper and salt to taste.  I usually add to leftover jar with lid and can be easily shaken right before serving.  This is better to make at least a few hours before service so the shallots and thyme have time to really flavor the dressing.
3. On large platter arrange the meats, cheese, olives, anchovies and giardiniera along outside edges of the platter according to your own design.
4.  When you are ready to serve, dress the lettuce in the bowl and toss until all the lettuce is covered.  I tend to first add 1/2 the dressing, then add in increments until the lettuce is just lightly covered.  Do not saturate the salad with too much dressing as the acids in the dressing will wilt the lettuce – you want the lettuce crisp when you serve.

Serves 8

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Creole

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Creole with Creamy Polenta

Reviewing about 2 dozen different creole sauces, I ended up just creating an amalgam of my own based on others, but added the andouille sausage to capture the New Orleans flavor and it works.  This is a New England Yankee’s take on a staple of Southern cuisine classic comfort food of shrimp and grits, and comfort food it truly is.  And as a true aforementioned Yankee, I’ve never really gotten onto the grits bandwagon, and the balance of creamy polenta balances the spice and heat of the creole sauce.  I thought of adding grated Asiago cheese to the polenta, and though it I  believe it worked have worked, it may be a bit of gilding the lily.  Perhaps I’ll try that the next time.

This would definitely work well with grits, rice, mashed potato, or even by itself as a stew with a side of grilled artisanal bread.

• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and devaned
• 12 oz. andouille sausage – about 4 links
• 4 strips thick cut bacon
• 1 onion
• 4 celery stalks
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 green onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups canned diced tomato with juice
• 1 cup fish stock or clam juice
• 6 -8  sprigs thyme
• 1 tsp. kosher salt or 1/2 tsp. Celtic sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne powder or hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• 1/6 dozen sprigs Italian flat leaf parsley (rinse well)

1.  Coarsely chop bacon strips in to rough pieces and render down in large saucepan on medium high, draining with a slotted spoon onto paper towels when bacon is crisp, about 5-8 minutes.  Add andouille sausage links into the bacon fat and saute until exterior is browned and crisp about 8-10 minutes, and place on towel with  bacon.  Reserve the remaining bacon fat.
2. Chop onion, celery, red, green and jalapeno peppers (stemmed and seeded) as well as green onion (rinse thoroughly and use white and light green portion of the tops only), and saute in the saucepan with the bacon fat until softened, about 10 minutes.  You can also use leeks instead of green onion.  If there’s not enough bacon fat, then add 1 or 2 tbsp. of peanut, vegetable or olive oil.  Any fond that is left on the bottom of the pan from the bacon and sausage, will disappear as you stir the mix as the vegetables wilt and add moisture, adding plenty of flavor.
3. Mince the garlic, and after creating a clear spot in the pan add the garlic, and after sauteing for a minute, mix into the vegetables.  I tend to like the vegetables softened a bit for this dish, but if you prefer to have the vegetables more al dente, then adjust accordingly.
4. Slice the sausage links in half lengthwise and then into small chunks @1/4 -1/2 thick and stir in with bacon to the vegetables.  I usually make another clearing in the pan to create a hot spot for the sausage to further brown, and after a few minutes it will release its blood-colored spices and mix together with the vegetables.
5. Add tomatoes, fish stock or clam juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne powder (or sauce), Old Bay, and paprika, stirring all together until well mixed.  Strip thyme leaves from stems and add to sauce.
6. Bring to boil and then turn to simmer and cook for at least 20-30 minutes so all the flavors blend.  Adjust spices to your taste. You can also adjust the thickness of the sauces by letting it cook off the liquid if you like a thicker gravy consistency, add more fish stock or water if you prefer more of a stock.
7. About 10 minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the raw shrimp and fold it into the sauce, and after 5 minutes turn off heat and cover for 5 minutes before you serve.

Creamy Polenta

1 cup ground cornmeal polenta

2 cups water (or chicken or fish stock)

1 cup skim or whole milk (or half & half) – if using fish stock, omit milk but increase stock by 1 cup

1 tsp. kosher or sea salt (or to taste)

1 tbsp. butter

1. Bring salted water or stock and milk just to boil
2. Lower to simmer and slowly wisk in polenta, stirring constantly
3. Cook 5 minutes or until thickness and consistency of mashed potatoes
4. Fold in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.  If desired, you can also stir on some of the creole sauce.
5. If polenta becomes too thick, cut with water, stock or milk to desired thickness.

Plate in low-edged bowl by servings the polenta as the base and spoon shrimp and sausage and vegetables onto polenta, and spoon liquid on top.  Garnish with finely chopped parsley, or even keep sprigs white for garnish.

Serves 4-6

Curried Vegetable Chicken Roulade

My girlfriend J. really wanted to have us explore and go outside of our usual roast chicken, pork or beef routine, and try something with a different flavor palette.  I’m not usually a huge fan of Indian fare (having lived in Jackson Heights once and my only real experience with that cuisine was from a All-You-Can-Eat buffet which included some god-forsaken goat dish in some gelatinous gray sauce that put one in mind of Goat Porridge), though how can one not love Nan bread?  Really.

As I’ve gotten older my taste buds have expanded to appreciate a spicier range of flavor, though I’m not sure if years of misuse have finally ground down what remaining nerve endings still reside in my tongue, or, if I’ve matured in my openness to try more variety regarding food choices.  Considering all the alcohol and tobacco I’ve consumed over the years, probably the former.   Yeah, definitely.

Curries are definitely my new favorite best friends, and I’m look forward to finding out a lot more about them in the days ahead, so any ideas that one would care to share with me, I’m all ears.

Chicken Curry Roulade with Brown Rice and Curried Cauliflower

• 6 – 8 chicken thighs (organic or kosher preferred)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 shallot
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/2 cup carrots
• 1 jalapeno or chili pepper
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup peanut or corn oil
• 2 cups pre-made Ragon Josh sauce ( I know, I cheated, but I’ll make one from scratch someday, I promise.  Besides, it was pretty good, though I have no idea what brand)
• 1/4 cup chives
• 2 tbsp. red curry powder
• salt
• pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F)

1.  Pat dry and sprinkle chicken thighs with kosher salt and let stand until the salt melts and seeps into meat.  On large cutting board use meat tenderizer or bottom of saute pan to pound out chicken thighs until 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick, in as long a piece as you can.  (You can pound these out between pieces of wax paper, though I prefer to place between plastic wrap or preferably, in large freezer bag.

2.  Finely mince shallot, 1/3 of the red pepper and 1/4 of jalapeno or chili pepper, 1 garlic clove,  carrots and celery and saute them on medium heat in 1 tbsp. peanut oil until soft – @3 -5 minutes.  Add red curry, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix in bread crumbs.

3.  Lay chicken cutlets on cutting board and spoon and spread vegetable filling onto each cutlet, but no more than @1 tbsp. each.  Fold in sides of cutlet and then roll top to bottom and secure with toothpicks.  You can also use cooking twine (lengthwise and sideways) as well, but either way remember to take out before serving.  Place 2 tbsps. oil in saute pan and brown the roulades on all sides with salt and pepper.  Place them in a baking dish and top with Rogan Josh sauce.  Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven on middle rack, and bake for 30 minutes.

4.  Take the outer leaves and core from the cauliflower, and cut into small florets, and if desired, discard the larger stems from each vein, so each floret is about the size of a grape.  Save all of the crumbs that will inevitably be created when you cut the cauliflower.  Roughly chop the onion and remaining garlic and red pepper, and finely chop the balance of the jalapeno peppers.  Saute these with 2 tbsps. peanut oil and 2 tsps. red curry powder  and salt and pepper ( or to taste) until vegetables are softened, preferably with the cauliflower browned.  If there is any of the stuffing left over, please feel free to add this as well.

5.  Take chicken from oven and let stand a few minutes.  Take toothpicks or twine from the bundles and place on serving plate with vegetables and side of brown rice.  Top chicken with Rogan Josh sauce and sprinkle chopped chives on top.

 

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