A Hungry Bear

broccoli rabe and ricotta pasta

Part of our produce delivery from our CSA last week was broccoli rabe. Since you don’t have a choice in what produce is delivered (whatever is in season and ripe - that’s what you get!), I had to get over my long-time avoidance of this bitter vegetable. The only time I had made this in the past was sauteed with garlic and olive oil - on its own like that, it was bitter enough to turn me away from the stuff for a year. This time, I decided to try a recipe direct from the TaylOrganic blog (that’s Farmer Neil ya’ll!). I adapted this by using ricotta instead of chickpeas for extra protein and to give it a creamy texture, and I also caramelized a couple of vidalia onions I had on hand and mixed those in. It was so easy, and the sweet onions balanced out so much of the bitterness in the greens that it was actually really good - so good I was craving the leftovers for days. Next time Farmer Neil puts broccoli rabe in our produce box, I’ll know what to do.

(Here’s another shot - this one was mine, with even extra red pepper flakes on top. If you’re scared of a vegetable, make it spicy!) (more…)

foster’s market mac and cheese

It’s about time for a new MAC recipe right? Foster’s Market is quintessentially Chapel Hill NC - a place where hippies and yuppies both get along, for good coffee, amazing pastries and sandwiches, comfy seating where you can sit and read a paper for hours, etc. I haven’t been for years, since I went to school there, but I remember nothing but great things about the food (the owner/chef is Sara Foster). I was surprised to find her MAC recipe on their website - and that it was easier than most! I substituted thyme for marjoram and it worked great - along with the lemon juice it adds depth to the layers of cheese. (more…)

ramp pesto and grilled salmon

Sometimes the food magazines I subscribe to let me down. They present beautiful photos and amazing recipes, which never fail to inspire me to try at least a handful of new things from any given issue. But sometimes I feel like they’re so out of touch with “normal” cooks. I mean, I think I dedicate more time than the average person to planning my meals, shopping for good ingredients, and cooking. So if I think it’s crazy to hunt down some weird ingredient I’ve never heard of, then I’m assuming I’m not alone in feeling this way. When I read April 2009’s Bon Appetit, I rolled my eyes at the article about “ramps”. Just another fancy type of produce they expect me to pay $8/pound for, but only if I happen to reside near a Berkeley area farmer’s market right?? Then the very next day, I see them at Whole Foods: locally farmed ramps, for 99 cents a pound. I owe the magazine an apology I guess.

This recipe says that ramps can stand in for both basil and garlic to make a pesto, which is tossed with pasta and spooned over grilled salmon. I made a few substitutions (they were right about the ramps, but I’m not hunting all over town for something called Marcona almonds!), but in general it was a great introduction to a new spring vegetable. (more…)

pasta with asparagus, peas & bacon

I should try to play this off as an intentionally designed menu, to celebrate spring with new fresh produce etc… But actually I realized I had nothing planned for dinner, a bunch of asparagus and a few mushrooms in the fridge that were about to go bad, and half a slab of bacon. I remembered seeing a pasta with asparagus dish in Bon Appetit recently, but when I looked on Epicurious I found something that could be adapted even more to suit the vegetables I had. So celebrate either with me: spring is here, and/or I whipped up dinner in 20 minutes without having to run out to the store.
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a new mac & cheese: leeks, goat cheese and cheddar

Mac & cheese makes me crazy. Like football. I count down to the next time I allow myself the indulgence of mac & cheese like I count down to Football Sundays. This new recipe was the equivalent of the Steelers winning the Super Bowl in the last seconds of the game: it was the best mac & cheese I’ve ever made. Of course, this is coming from the girl who can eat leeks for dessert, so keep that in mind. But I think you should try this, immediately if not sooner.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in March 2009 Bon Appetit. I substituted goat cheese for some of the cheddar, since that’s one of my favorite flavor combinations, plus a few other changes. The original can be found here.
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butternut squash and radicchio pappardelle

Winter squash is going to be done soon at the farmer’s market, so I want to enjoy while it’s still available (especially when it’s still $1/lb!). I’ve made butternut squash with risotto, and a couple different ways with pasta (Jamie Oliver’s rotolo and ravioli). It almost always is paired with sage - granted, that’s one of nature’s best pairings, but it gets old. I was curious to try this recipe from January 2009 Gourmet, which dropped the sage in lieu of bitter radicchio leaves. I adapted the original recipe by crisping up some cubes of pancetta, to give it a little more saltiness. Since the squash was cubed and then sauteed (meaning no roasting required), it was ready in about 45 minutes.
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spaghetti with collards and bacon

I hate to start a post with an apology, especially when one is so deserved, but I’m sorry. If only you knew the exciting project I’ve been working on for you though, to make AHB much easier to use, with much better pictures - well, you will know soon enough I hope. And then you can decide whether or not to forgive me for my absence.

For now, I’ll tell you about this very simple and healthy pasta dish I found on Epicurious. It was one of those nights, where I had some things in the fridge that I needed to cook soon or risk wasting, but none of them “went together” - or so I thought. I love bacon with greens, but it turns out you can toss them with pasta and olive oil and actually make a meal out of it. I should try this more often. (more…)

forget resolutions: eat more fettucine alfredo

Leave it to Marcella Hazan to finally clear it up for me: this famous pasta is actually called “all-Alfredo” after a restaurant owner in Rome. She simply calls it “cream and butter sauce” in her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. This is my ultimate comfort food, since the process of making homemade pasta is so cathartic to me, and nothing is more reassuring than creamy cheesy sauce. Just be sure to do about 10 extra miles on the treadmill the next day… (more…)

caramelized shallot mac and cheese

I can’t imagine a better way to start the new year than a new mac and cheese recipe, since it’s my favorite food group. This one is from December 2008 Bon Appetit, and features goat cheese and crispy sweet shallots as the topping. (more…)

jamie oliver’s rotolo of spinach, squash and ricotta

According to Jamie Oliver, he was discovered with this stuffed, rolled pasta dish called a rotolo (someone important saw him making it, and his TV chef career began). It’s actually less labor-intensive than ravioli, since you are basically working with one giant stuffed piece of pasta instead of 30+. And if you really want to impress someone with dinner, it should be delicious, beautifully presented, and unique. This rotolo fits the bill perfectly. (more…)