Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is a nice alternative to the old stand byes when planning dinner at home. Its really allot easier to make than you might realize. I switched things up a little bit with this one using Italian breaded chicken and  topping it with ham and mozzarella. To speed things up you can cut your chicken into chunks and  saute with the mushrooms. The most important thing though is the sauce. I like to use lots of Marsala wine and demi glace, basil, shallots and skinless diced tomatoes and swirl in some butter.

 

 

Chicken Broccoli Ziti

Here is a meal that tastes twice as good as many of the so called “Italian Restaurants” Chicken Broccoli and Ziti, you can make it in about 30 minutes total time and have an impressive meal at home. I made this with honest ingredients that you probably already have at home.

You will need

1 lb Ziti Start the water in a large pot salted enough to season the pasta

2 lbs Chicken breast cut into chunks, lightly coated in flour and browned in a saute pan with some olive oil and set aside while the water boils

1/2 lb fresh broccoli chopped into bite size pieces

Chop (not crush or minced) 5 cloves fresh garlic

when the pasta is Al Dente or even just under that, drain it well and DO NOT rinse or oil it it will not stick together as long as you don’t let it cool

Cook the garlic in the olive oil left in the pan for the chicken until it has some color and add 32 oz chicken broth

Bring that to a boil and add the chicken and broccoli

Put the pasta back in the pot you cooked it in(assuming there is no water in it) and add the chicken, broccoli and broth mixture, stir in 4 cups of grated parmesan cheese gradually so it has time to melt in.

Cut 1 stick of butter into pats and stir in

Add some fresh chopped parsley, salt and pepper and serve immediately

Chicken and Gnocchi with ripe tomatoes and basil

ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and white wine.

Mid August is when my local Farm Stand is producing some of the best vegetables and herbs that can be found anywhere. If you are fortunate enough to have one in your proximity I would urge you to check one out. Farmers markets are also a great experience in their own where you can find top quality product in season at the moment.

Gnocchi are soft tender flavorful pillows of goodness, it is in essence a potato dumpling and something I have been very creative with through my history as a chef. They are very versatile in there application much the same way pasta is and often overlooked as a great alternative to pasta. Cooking them is very simple; boil some salted water, add the gnocchi and remove them when they float. Making Gnocchi on the other hand is an art in itself which is something for another article. For today’s purpose you can make them or if you don’t know how or couldn’t be bothered simply buy them either from a local pasta maker or gourmet food store.

Start with 2 lbs Gnocchi

While the water boils remove the skins from 2 very ripe beefsteak tomatoes, squeeze out the seeds and dice 3/4 inch

Cut 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast into chunks, lightly coat with flour and brown nicely in olive oil

add 3 cloves garlic and cook until golden

add 8 oz white wine and reduce boil until half of the liquid remains

squeeze one lemon

add 4 cups chicken broth and boil for a few minutes

When the gnocchi are cooked and drained add to the pan and toss with 4 ounces diced salted butter

finish with lots of fresh basil and chopped italian parsley

season with salt and pepper and be sure to have plenty of grated parmesan cheese on the table for everyone

Spaghetti Bolognese

 

 

 

The aromas that permeate my house when cooking classic family comfort food is half the pleasure of cooking at home. It builds anticipation of a great meal while evoking memories of great conversation and family bonds. All while adding to the experience of todays meal.

Spaghetti Bolognese is definitely one of those dishes and one of my all time favorites. This recipe uses both ground pork and beef, Lots of Port Wine aromatic vegetables and beef broth. be sure to have a lot of fresh grated parmesan cheese for the table along with a good bottle of wine. This dish is sure to please your friends and family the way it has mine.

Heat a heavy pot to high and brown the ground beef and pork setting it aside after cooking

Dice the following to 1/4 inch

one sweet onion

one green pepper

three celery stalks

three carrots

and saute in 1/4 cup olive oil until the onions turn golden brown

Crush 4 cloves Garlic and toast to a light hue

add 3 cups of beef broth and reduce by half ( to reduce something is to boil access water out of it)

Add half a bottle of Port Wine and boil until the alcohol has cooked out.

Add three cans crushed tomatoes and cooked meat

Season with salt and pepper, basil and oregano and simmer on low for two hours

Cook Your favorite Pasta in salted water and enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

Classic Macaroni Salad

In the middle of summer and cookout season I could not resist posting another traditional cold salad for Barbecues here in New England

Cook 1 lb elbow macaroni (small shells or ditalini work well too)

While the pasta Cooks…

Dice 1/4 inch 1 medium Green Pepper

2 stalks Celery

1 small Onion

2 Large Pickles

and place in a large mixing bowl along with

1/4 cup Sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and Pepper to taste

Drain The Pasta when it is Al Dente and add it to the bowl hot

Cool for an hour in the fridge and add 2 cups mayo

Fire Roasted Peppers

Roasted Peppers are one of my favorite things to cook with, they can be used to liven up any pasta dish, they can be used in salsa. spreads, dips and dressings to name a few. Making them is so simple you may ask yourself if you have bought the jarred or canned ones why bother. When fresh made are so easy to make and taste way better. There are two prefered methods first is on the stovetop assuming you have a gas stove. And you can get started by turning your burners all the way up and char them on all sides. The other would be on a gas grill or under the broiler turning them frequently. Just be sure to coat them with oil before charring them. Place them in a paper bag for 15 minutes allowing them to steam. peel the skins of and slice, dice or puree for your favorite recipes.

While the Pasta Cooks

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A very good pasta sauce is something of great simplicity is something I learned at a very young age cooking with my mother. She never used canned, frozen, boxed or prepared anything. It was very normal in our household of five brothers and sisters to eat family meals prepared from scratch. That being said I was in my mid 20’s before I even knew what a jar of store bought tomato sauce tasted like and I was horrified.
Today I would like to show you an authentic tomato sauce that can be prepared in under 10 minutes, tastes incredible, uses items many people already have in there pantries, requires very few ingredients and makes a very good case against buying a can of “Spaghetti Sauce” ever again.
You will need:
Two cans of Crushed Tomatoes
4 Sprigs fresh Basil (remove stems, stack it uniform and slice very thin)
2 Cloves fresh garlic (chopped course)
2 Ounces Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground PepperCrush the garlic and chop it course
Place in a large skillet with the olive oil and cook the garlic until light brown in color
Add crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper
Simmer for a few minutes and add basil
When Pasta is cooked drain well and toss with sauce