Pasta with Shrimp and Vin Santo

Last Year's Post: Parmesan Chicken Bake (No Mayo)
Two Years Ago:   Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup (Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana)

This recipe is adapted from one of the pasta dishes at Bar La Grassa, a beloved Minneapolis restaurant.  Isaac Becker is its revered chef/owner.  Bar La Grassa has been red-hot ever since it opened in 2009 and pasta is one of its fortes.  Although I've been to the restaurant I've never had this particular dish, but people rave about it.  So when I stumbled across the recipe in a magazine courtesy of Bar La Grassa, of course I had to try it.  I was particularly curious about Vin Santo because I'd never heard of it.  Turns out it's a not-overly-sweet dessert wine that's not readily available in every corner liquor store, although the larger stores will probably stock it.  It pays to call around.  If you can't find it, the recipe suggests Moscato but I think a sweet Marsala or even brandy would also be a good substitute.

The first time I tried the recipe exactly as written.  Although the flavor was very good, I thought there was too much pasta for the amount of sauce and shrimp and that it was a little one-dimensional.  I scrolled through over 300 photos on Yelp for Bar La Grassa to see if I was missing something, but yup - they serve a bowl of primarily pasta with a coating of sauce and some shrimp.  I don't want to criticize Chef Becker's vision, but I typically like contrasts in flavor, color and texture in a dish so I cut down on the pasta and added peas, toasted pine nuts and a shower of black pepper the next time I made it, and liked it much better.  That's why I say it's "adapted from".  If you want a more authentic version leave out my additions and increase the pasta to 1 pound.  Oh, and use penne.  I used cavatappi because I think it looks more interesting, but the restaurant uses penne pasta.

It's a delicious dish, with a luscious creamy sauce that coats every piece of pasta and shrimp without leaving a big pool in the bottom of the dish.  Granted, I wouldn't eat it every day but it's a wonderful indulgence on special occasions.  Make it for your next date night dinner - it's fast and easy but very special.

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Pasta with Shrimp and Vin Santo

Serves 4

10 ounces penne (or other dried short-cut pasta such as cavatappi)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, cut in half lengthwise

¼ cup dessert wine, either Vin Santo or Moscato

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

½ cup frozen peas

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

Kosher salt and coarsely ground fresh black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water.  Remove from the heat 1 minute before it’s al dente; drain and toss with a splash of olive oil.

Warm the tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the shrimp and shallots.  Add a large pinch of salt and cook the shrimp in batches, if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, until they are barely translucent and not quite done (they will finish cooking later), about one minute per side. Remove the shrimp and set aside. 

Add the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, then add the cream and peas and cooking, stirring, for a minute or two to warm the peas and slightly reduce the sauce.  Add the pasta and shrimp to the pot and continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta, 2-3 minutes.  There should not be much sauce left pooled in the bottom of the pan.  Add about ½ teaspoon kosher salt and the shredded basil and toss.

Serve in shallow bowls garnished with pine nuts, coarsely ground black pepper, and additional basil.

Roasted Cauliflower with Pasta and Walnuts

Last Year's Post: Korean Rice Bowls
Two Years Ago:  Healthy Baked Apples

This is an excellent and somewhat unusual pasta dish that can be served warm, room temperature or cold which makes it a good choice for any time of the year.  Plus, it's much lighter and healthier than most heavy red-sauce pastas.

I've recently discovered vegetables that I thought I didn't really care for all that much such as cabbage or cauliflower can actually become wonderful when they're cooked to the point that they turn into something else.  For cabbage, that means cooking it down until it's very tender and sweet (see cabbage and spring onion tart) and for broccoli or cauliflower that means roasting or sauteing  until they're pretty well torched (see chicken and caramelized broccoli ramen) which results in a much deeper and nuttier flavor.  The roasted cauliflower is a highlight of this salad, along with the walnuts and bacon.  (You could also use a combination of roasted cauliflower and broccoli if you want.)   Leave the bacon out and you've got a great vegetarian meal.

The sauce is very simple - good olive oil with a little garlic flavor (or a lot, depending on your taste). You could also add additional red pepper flakes to spice things up - there's just a small amount on the cauliflower.  The cauliflower only roasts for about 20 minutes so you could make this meal in the time it takes to boil water and cook pasta, making it a good choice for a weeknight meal.

Leftovers are excellent cold for lunch - just add a few drops of olive oil and maybe a squeeze of lemon to fresh things up.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Pasta and Walnuts

Serves 4

 1 small head cauliflower, large stems removed, florets separated and halved

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more for serving, if desired)

¼ teaspoon sea salt

9-10 ounces short-cut dry pasta (such as penne or ziti)

2/3 cup frozen peas

¼ cup olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed

4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

2 slices bacon, chopped, fried until crisp and drained (optional)

¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 450d.

Add cauliflower to a mixing bowl with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sea salt.  toss to coat, then spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the florets over.  Turn the oven to broil and return to the oven for 5 minutes or so, watching closely, until browned.  Remove and let cool.

Heat a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions, adding the peas to the cooking water during the last 1-2 minutes.  Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, add the garlic cloves to the ¼ cup olive oil in a small saucepan and warm gently for a few minutes over low heat.  Remove the garlic cloves.

Return the pasta and peas to their cooking pot and add the garlic oil, parsley and parmesan, tossing to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve with the walnuts and optional bacon scattered on top and additional parmesan on the side.  Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.  (If refrigerated, add a little additional olive oil and toss before serving.)

California Chicken, Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad

Last Year's Post: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Two Years Ago:   Mexican Baked Egg Casserole

I do love a beautiful green salad, don't you?  They're so refreshing and healthy.  One thing I've discovered is that if your salad has a large number of ingredients you can cut down on the amount of chicken to make it even healthier.  Of course, feel free to up the amount listed below but honestly we felt it was plenty and were perfectly satisfied.

If you marinate the chicken in advance, it's very easy to throw together the vinaigrette while the chicken cooks (or make that in advance too).  Then all you have to do is a little ingredient slicing and you're good to go.

One of my favorite tricks to make a salad even more appealing is to chill the salad plates in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so. It makes the salad seem restaurant-special.

Have you discovered watermelon radishes yet?  They taste like a mild version of a regular red radish but they're so pretty with the pink center and pale green ring on the outside.  I always have fun at checkout when I buy one because the cashiers never know what they are. Like the trick of chilling your plates, adding one unusual ingredient can elevate your entire salad to a new level.  Here's what they look like in the store - you'd never know how pretty they are on the inside.

 And take some time arranging the ingredients to make sure the colors look good next to each other.  My final suggestion for this salad is to use smoked almonds rather than regular almonds because again, it just adds a little extra flavor.  And it seems very California-y.

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California Chicken, Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 4

Note: because there are so many other ingredients the recipe calls for less chicken than, say, in a chicken Caesar salad.  Feel free to increase the amount as desired.

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken tenders or cutlets

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper

2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and chopped

1/3 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 watermelon radishes, thinly sliced (can substitute red radishes)

1 avocado, sliced

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

½ cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped

Large handful of sprouts or micro greens

White Balsamic Vinaigrette:

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, parsley, basil, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper.  Between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, gently pound the chicken tenders or cutlets to an even thickness.  Place them in a zip top bag and pour the marinade over.  Close the bag, massage the chicken to coat evenly, and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to overnight.

To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake well.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  Keep stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high.  Grill the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through.  Let rest, and then thinly slice the chicken.

In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, cucumbers and vinaigrette.  Divide among 4 large plates, preferably chilled.  Divide the chicken slices between salads, and surround with avocado slices, radish slices, cherry tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese and almonds.  Garnish with sprouts and serve.

Lemony Kale and White Bean Soup

Last Year's Post: Italian Tuna
Two Years Ago:   Grilled Hawaiian Filipino Adobo Pork

This is a wonderfully comforting soup with the touch of lemon, rich chicken broth, and creamy beans, plus it's incredibly good for you.  For some reason I think white beans are very soothing, maybe because they're so creamy.  Anyway, this would be a great dinner to have during a particularly stressful week because it's light, healthy, warm and comforting all at the same time.  Make it in advance and all you have to do is reheat it on your worst day.  And because the soup is relatively light, it makes a nice transition into fall without going all the way to a big bowl of chili.

The chicken broth plays an important role her so use the best quality that you can find, or make your own.  I did that recently and it was actually a fun project plus I have containers sitting in my freezer just ready for the next recipe. Click here if you're interested.

If you don't want to make your own broth, be sure to use a low sodium variety.  One of the main reasons to make your own soup is to control the sodium.  Prepared soups (whether canned, from the deli or in a restaurant) have unbelievable amounts of sodium - check it out next time.  I love Panera soups, for example, but a bowl of their soup can have as much sodium as you should consume in a day, if not more.  I didn't list the amount of salt to add to the soup because it all depends on the sodium level in your chicken broth - start with a small amount and taste as you go.  You can always add more at the table.

Serve the soup with some crusty bread for a very satisfying meal.

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Lemony Kale and White Bean Soup

Serves 4-6

Note: There are no amounts given for salt and pepper because it really depends on the chicken stock you use.  I used zero-sodium chicken stock and add ½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper while cooking and it still needed more salt at the table.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large stalk of celery, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 shallot, diced

1/8 cup dry sherry

6 cups good quality low-sodium chicken stock

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1 bunch Tuscan (Lacinato) kale, stemmed, washed and chopped

2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 8 oz dried white beans, cooked and drained)

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the celery, carrots, garlic and shallots and sauté until just tender, 5-8 minutes.  Deglaze with the sherry, then add the stock, bay leaf and thyme.  Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes.    Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Remove the thyme and bay leaves, then add the kale and simmer for an additional 8 minutes. Add the beans and lemon zest and juice and cook, stirring, for 5 more minutes to make sure everything is hot.  Taste and adjust seasonings again if needed.  Serve hot.

Chicken with Fresh Corn Sauce and Wild Rice

Last Year's Post:  Mayan Quinoa Salad
Two Years Ago:    Wine Bar (or Brewery) Platters

This chicken and fresh corn sauce recipe recently caught my eye because it's still fresh corn season in many areas.  The recipe is courtesy of the esteemed French chef Pierre Franey, which inevitably means it contains butter and cream.  I debated whether to make the recipe healthier by replacing the cream with corn puree but ultimately decided that once in a while a treat is in order.  And am I glad!  This is a restaurant-quality dish, definitely worthy of company.  Just to give you an idea about the sauce, The Lawyer told me "do NOT throw out the leftover sauce".  When I asked him what he was going to do with it (the chicken and rice were all gone) he said, "I don't know, but I'll eat it straight up if nothing else".  Enough said, I guess.

When I first read the chicken recipe I envisioned it with one of my favorite recipes for wild rice on the side, thinking that the contrast in color, texture and taste would go well with the chicken and sauce.  It went so well that I'm including the recipe for the rice here as well.  If you don't want to make them together that's up to you but I strongly suggest it.  Both the chicken and wild rice are very fast to prepare as long as you cook the rice in advance; if not, add about an hour to the 20-30 minutes it takes to make everything else.

Yes, there is some butter and cream involved.  But what better way to celebrate fresh corn and the last fleeting days of summer?

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Chicken with Fresh Corn Sauce and Wild Rice

Serves 4

Note:  the wild rice needs to be cooked in advance; it may be prepared up to the day prior and refrigerated, covered.

For the chicken and sauce:

4 skinless, boneless chicken cutlets

Salt and freshly-ground pepper

1 large ear of corn, shucked and kernels cut off

1 tablespoon butter

¼ cup minced shallots

½ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2/3 cup heavy cream

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

For the wild rice:

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped roasted red pepper (from a jar)

1 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

To cook the wild rice: rinse the rice in a strainer, then place in a medium saucepan and cover with water until the water is an inch or two above the rice.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover (the rice should be at a low simmer) for 45-50 minutes until the individual grains have mostly split but are not fully opened and curled.  Check the rice partway through cooking and add more water if it begins to get dry – there should be some left in the pan by the end of cooking.  Drain and set aside.

To prepare the chicken, rinse and pat dry.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Melt the 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the chicken.  Cook 2 minutes and turn, then cover for an additional 2 minutes until cooked through.  Remove and set aside.  Do not wipe out the pan.

At this point, start the rice: melt the 2 tablespoon of butter in a second large skillet over medium heat.  Add the pecans and lightly toast for a minute or two, then add the green onions and red pepper.  Stir for a minute or two, then add the garlic salt, cooked wild rice, and parsley.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until the rice is heated through and slightly crispy.

While the rice heats, make the sauce:  add the shallots to the skillet the chicken was in and cook briefly.  Add wine and bring to a boil.  Add the corn and stir in the mustard.  Add the cream and stir to blend.  Bring to a boil for a minute or two to reduce slightly, then add the parsley.

To serve:  place a portion of wild rice on each plate.  Add a chicken cutlet and spoon sauce and corn over the chicken.