Spring Carrot Pasta with Herbs

The James Beard awards were just announced, and Arizonans were excited to hear that Charleen Badman of FnB restaurant in Phoenix was named "Best Chef - Southwest".  FnB has been on my list of restaurants to try for several years but I haven't made it there yet, and I suspect reservations are going to be pretty hard to come by for a while.  I was looking at a sample menu on their website in anticipation and one entry made me pause: "pasta, carrots, marjoram, goat cheese, crispy prosciutto".  What?  Pasta and carrots?  Never heard of that particular combination. Chef Badman is known as "the vegetable whisperer" because of her delicious and innovative use of vegetables, so I decided I needed to investigate further.  I did some research online and came up with a recipe that sounds similar even though I haven't actually seen Chef Badman's creation.

I tweaked the recipe by adding sauted cabbage to underscore the carrot's natural sweetness, and added a bunch of fresh herbs from my garden for flavor.  The carrots, pasta, goat cheese and crispy prosciutto work together wonderfully well in terms of contrasting flavors and textures.  You could leave the prosciutto out if you want it to be vegetarian, but it really does add a lot in terms of flavor and texture.

If possible, don't use a box grater to shred the carrots and cabbage because you end up with short shreds that don't work as well with the spaghetti - longer shreds are easier to twirl together with the pasta.  You can buy bags of shredded carrots at the store that are longer, and it's easy to make your own long shreds of cabbage by buying a head of cabbage and thinly cutting it with a sharp knife.

I was really pleased with this recipe and decided to call it a spring pasta because it's light, healthy and full of fresh herbs but it would be great any time of the year.

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Spring Carrot Pasta with Herbs

Serves 4

Note: long shreds of carrot and cabbage work well here because they mimic the shape of the spaghetti and are easy to twirl with the pasta.  You can buy bags of long shreds of carrots at the store, and you can make your own long shreds of cabbage by thinly cutting a head of cabbage with a knife. 

1 lb spaghetti

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 slices prosciutto, chopped into ½” strips

¼ medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cups shredded carrots (preferably long shreds)

2 cups shredded green cabbage (preferably long shreds)

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

Salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, dill (or a mix) plus a few more for garnish

3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt.  Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Cook the prosciuttos until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  (Do not drain the olive oil from the skillet.)

In the same skillet, sauté the onion for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt and stir often until wilted, about 5 minutes.  Add the carrots and another pinch of salt and cook for an additional five minutes until tender but not mushy.  Stir in the caraway seeds and add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the pasta to the pot and toss well with tongs to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water if it looks a little dry.  Add the herbs and toss again, then divide immediately between shallow bowls.  Top with the crispy prosciutto, goat cheese, and extra herbs for garnish.

Yakisoba

Last Year's Post:Chicken with Lemon Pomegranate Sauce and Pistachio Rice
Two Years Ago:  Baked Pumpkin Spice Granola

Yakisoba is a Japanese dish that reminds me of fried rice because it's a great way to use up leftover bit of meats and vegetables.  At its most basic, the dish is made up of noodles, veggies, and sauce.  After that, the specifics are up to you:  pork, chicken, or vegetarian versions are all good, and the vegetables can be whatever you want although cabbage, carrots and onions are common.  I added a little caramelized broccoli for crunch and nutrition but that's just me.

The sauce is a little peculiar - ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and a touch of hot sauce - but somehow it works.  Yakisoba sauce is traditionally slightly spicy and slightly sweet but the sweet part didn't appeal to me so I left out the mirin or sugar.  Again, that's up to you.  Just go easy on the hot sauce until you taste the overall result - you can always add more at the table.  I read something online that leads me to believe the combination of ketchup and Worcestershire is a substitution that's made to approximate the taste of Japanese Tonkatsu sauce, which you likely won't find anywhere except an Asian market and which virtually no one has at home (except me, I'm sort of embarrassed to say).  Even though I had a big bottle of Tonkatsu in my refrigerator I made the recipe as written to be sure I understood the flavors, which were excellent.

Be sure to use a Dutch oven to stir-fry everything because you start with a giant pile of veggies (they cook down a lot) and end with piling the noodles in there too.  Even a large saute pan is too small, as I discovered the hard way.  (Envision cabbage, carrots and onions all over the cooktop.)  Note the switch from the saute pan to the Dutch oven below.

You want to saute the veggies until they've wilted and started to soften, but still retain some crunch.  Speaking of, I've discovered the bags of shredded carrots in the store are perfect for salads and stir-frys because they're shredded to just the right size.

A couple of other tips:  it's easier and more thorough to wash cabbage after you slice it, then just spin it dry in a salad spinner.  Same thing applies to leeks.  The second tip is to peel and shred (or thinly slice) broccoli stems for your stir frys rather than throwing the stems away.  A regular peeler and a shredding peeler are perfect for the task.

Yakisoba isn't fancy, but it's fast, delicious and a great way to use up leftovers.  And it makes a great lunch the next day.

Yakisoba

Serves 4

2 pork chops or 1 chicken breast, thinly sliced (or 1-2 cups cooked pork or chicken), optional

1 stalk of broccoli, florets cut off and stem peeled and shredded

1 small head Napa cabbage, sliced

2 medium carrots, grated (or ½ of a 10-oz bag of shredded carrots)

1 small yellow onion, sliced

2 tablespoons minced ginger

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 (3 oz) packages ramen noodles (seasoning packages discarded)

1 tsp sesame oil

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons mirin, or a bit of sugar (optional)

Heat a large pot of water to boiling for the noodles.  When boiling, add the noodles and cook just until tender, 2-3 minutes.  Drain thoroughly and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil to avoid sticking.  Set aside.

In the meantime, put the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the ginger and sauté, stirring, for 30 seconds.  If your pork or chicken is raw, add it now and sauté for 3-5 minutes until cooked through.  (If your meat is already cooked, it will be added later.) Remove the cooked meat from the pan.  Add broccoli florets and allow to brown for 1-2 minutes, then add the remainder of the vegetables (cabbage, carrots, onion and shredded broccoli stem).  Stir and cook until wilted, add a few drops of water as needed to prevent sticking, 5-10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and sriracha sauce.  Taste and adjust with additional hot sauce or the mirin or sugar for a slight sweetness as desired.

When the vegetables are wilted, add the meat and sauce to the pot and stir well.  Add the noodles and stir to coat with sauce, allowing the noodles to cook in the sauce for a minute until the sauce is mostly absorbed.

Serve with additional hot sauce on the side. 

Korean Sliders

Last Year's Post: Rustic Greens and Potato Pie
Two Years Ago:  Artisan Meatloaf

A new and unfamiliar ingredient can divide people into two camps just as fast as religion or politics.  There's the "I don't want to buy a new ingredient for just one recipe that I don't even know what it is or what it tastes like or where to find it" camp.  I call them the Uber-Practicals.  Then there's the "What's that ingredient?  I've never heard of it before!  I feel an adventure coming on!" camp.  I call them the Insatiably Curious with Possibly Not Enough To Do.  Guess which camp I fall in?

So, I've been on a Korean food kick lately and decided I wanted to make Korean sliders because I thought the bold flavors would work particularly well in slider form as opposed to a big burger.  Midway through my recipe research, I stumbled across Gochujang.  Hmmmmm.  Gochujang?  An opportunity to head to my local Asian market!    Turns out Gochujang is a hot pepper paste that's quite common to Korean cooking - at least it comes in a tub that's big enough that I assume they use it a lot.  This was the small sized tub - the large size was at least twice as large.  At least it wasn't expensive.

The description "hot pepper paste" gave me pause, but The Lawyer and I tasted it by itself before adjusting amounts in the recipe and our tongues didn't fall off.  The top of the tub characterized it as medium on the hotness scale, and I would agree.  I suggest starting with a smaller amount of Gochujang in the cabbage relish and sauce, then adjusting by tasting and adding more until you reach the heat level you like.  As written, I consider the sliders to be medium on the heat scale but everyone's tastes are different.

For you Uber Practicals, you can substitute Chili Garlic Sauce (easily found in the ethnic aisle of most grocery stores) or Sriracha sauce or any hot pepper sauce you have on hand - just be sure to start with a small amount before adding more to your taste.

I decided to go with a cabbage relish on the top of the sliders that's vaguely reminiscent of kimchi, the Korean fermented cabbage dish that's spicy and sour.  This version is fresher, not as hot and not as sour plus it doesn't involve the addition of dried shrimp (bleh). If you're a Kimchi fan by all means feel free to substitute. 

A bit of the Gochujang goes in the cabbage relish, so it's slightly spicy and also has a vinegary bite.  Garlic, green onions and ginger go in the sliders (made with turkey so they're healthy) which are pan-browned and coated in a wonderful sauce made from Gochujang, sesame oil and soy sauce.  You can adjust the amount of heat you like by adding more or less Gochujang in both the cabbage and sauce.

Cucumber and radish add freshness and crunch, and a light coating of mayo adds creaminess and tones down the heat a bit.

I was really pleased with the way these came out.  If you like Korean food I hope you give them a try.  And by the way, they're perfect pub food with a cold beer.  Now what to do with the rest of the Gochujang?

printable recipe

Korean Sliders

Makes 8 sliders

Note:  Gochujang is a Korean hot pepper paste, commonly sold in a tub.  You’ll find it in the grocery aisles of your local Asian market.  If you can’t find it, chili garlic sauce may be substituted, which is readily available in the ethnic aisle of most grocery stores.

3 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage

½ cup thinly sliced green onions, divided

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 teaspoons minced garlic, divided

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, divided

2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided

4 teaspoons Gochujang, divided*

1 carrot, shredded

1 lb ground turkey

2 teaspoons peanut oil or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

¼ cup mayonnaise

4 radishes, sliced

8 thin cucumber slices

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

8 white or whole wheat slider buns

To make the cabbage relish, combine cabbage, ¼ cup green onions, rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon each garlic and ginger, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon Gochujang.  Set aside, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or so to soften slightly and meld flavors.

To make the sliders, combine ground turkey, remaining ¼ cup green onions, remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon of ginger, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.  Shape into 8 small patties; flatten like mini-burgers.

In a large non-stick pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add turkey patties and brown on both sides. 

While the patties are browning, in a small bowl mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon Gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil.  When the patties are browned, drain off the fat (if necessary) and add sauce ingredients.  Turn the patties to coat with sauce and simmer on low, turning regularly, until the patties are nicely coated with sticky sauce and fully cooked through.

To assemble, lightly spread slider buns with mayonnaise and place cucumber and radish slices on the bottom of each.  Top with a turkey patty, then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.  With a slotted spoon, drain cabbage relish mixture slightly before placing some on top of each patty.  Serve the remaining cabbage relish on the side.

*If you’re unfamiliar with Gochujang, start with a smaller amount  and add more after tasting until you reach the heat level you prefer.  

Smoked Turkey Apple Panini

I love sandwiches, don't you?  For one thing, they're a great excuse to eat potato chips, my all-time guilty addiction.  You may have heard me say I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but chips are my vice.  I can't keep them in the house or they're mysteriously gone within a few days.  Thin tortilla chips are good, but kettle chips are the best.  One of the mental games I play involves choices for my Last Meal (assuming I'm aware it is my last meal and have time to plan, of course).  Various components have changed over time but two that remain constant are potato chips and a lobster tail with lots of melted butter (not margarine, no-no-no!, it has trans fats as my friends Ron and Susie explained to me recently).  Some sort of cheese would have to be part of the meal also.

Sorry, back to sandwiches.  I particularly like this recipe for several reasons.  First, it tastes wonderful.  Second, it has a combination of textures (crunchy bread, gooey cheese(!), crisp apple, tender turkey) that's very appealing.  Third, heating the sandwich highlights the horseradish flavor without it becoming too strong.  And finally, it has a surprising combination of ingredients which makes it interesting.  When was the last time you had cabbage and apple in your sandwich?  It's kind of like a Reuben gone wild. 

It's apple time of the year, so simply choose your favorite for this sandwich.  I've never understood why so many recipes will specify a type of apple, especially if it doesn't have to cook down to a particular texture.  I've tried crisp sweet and tart apples in this sandwich with equal success - it all boils down to personal preference.

I tried heating the sandwiches two different ways - on a panini press, and wrapped in foil in the oven.  The foil-wrapped version was very good but was missing the crunch of the grilled bread.  It also didn't get quite as hot in the interior so the horseradish was more subtle.  Who knew there would be such a difference from two heating methods?  The one big advantage of heating them in the oven, however, is that you can do  them all at the same time.  I used that method to prepare a batch of these sandwiches at a deck-cleaning "party" last spring.  They were gone quickly!

This is so easy it's not really even a recipe, it's more just an ingredient list and assembly instructions.


** click here for a printable recipe version **

Smoked Turkey Apple Panini
Serves 4

1/3 cup sour cream (light works fine)
¼ cup horseradish
8 slices caraway rye bread
8 oz thinly sliced deli smoked turkey
6 ounces thinly sliced plain Havarti cheese
½ cup thinly sliced cabbage (bagged coleslaw mix works great)
1 apple
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice


Combine the sour cream and horseradish thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.

Preheat a Panini press, a griddle or a frying pan. (Or see below for oven heating instructions)

Core the apple and cut into the thinnest rounds possible.  Alternately (if you don’t have an apple corer) cut the apple into thin rounds and then cut the core out of each with a knife.  Cut each round in half.  In a small bowl toss the apple slices with the lemon juice to prevent browning. 

Place the bread slices on a work surface and spread each with horseradish sauce. On half the bread slices, layer (in order) the smoked turkey, apple slices, cheese, and cabbage.  Place the remaining bread slices on top.

Cook the sandwiches on the Panini press or griddle for about 5 minutes.  If using a frying pan you will probably want to add some margarine unless the pan is non-stick.  Serve hot. 

To heat in the oven, wrap each sandwich in foil and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.



Assembled through apple layer

Fully assembled and ready to cook