Easy Linguine with Clam Sauce

This is an easy weeknight dinner that twirls together the salty taste of the sea with savory garlic and linguine. It’s fast and tastes like it came from your favorite Italian restaurant. Serve with some garlic bread and a Pinot Noir and you have a feast.

Makes 4 main course servings

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons Olive Oil for frying

1 Lg Onion (diced)

¼ tsp Kosher Salt

2 Cloves garlic (minced)

¼ C Dry White Wine (i.e. Pinot Noir or Chardonnay)

1 6.5 oz Can Chopped Clams with Juice

1 6.5 oz Can Chopped Clams drained

1 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp Anchovy Paste

1 lb Dried Linguine

3 TBS Fresh Italian Parsley (chopped)

1 TBS Drained Capers (optional)

1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ C Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Heat 6 tablespoons in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and kosher salt and cook on low until soft and translucent (7-10 minutes), stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add the wine and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until aldente, about 12 minutes for most linguines, then drain.

While the pasta is cooking add the canned clams, lemon juice and anchovy paste to the onion mixture for one minute. Add the parsley and capers. Add the linguine to the sauce and mix. Pour into a large bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and mix in the grated cheese. Serve with extra cheese on the side.

Cook’s Note: Do not skip the anchovy paste. You will not taste the anchovy but it will add umami, a savory taste, that brings out all of the other flavors in the dish. Anchovy paste comes in a tube in the canned vegetable aisle.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Linguine with Clam Sauce.

Fried Eggs and Polenta

The next time you want to enjoy a special weekend brunch or just make an easy dinner, serve fried eggs over creamy polenta with grated parmesan. The creamy yolk from the fried eggs lends richness to the cheesy polenta resulting in a happy marriage of flavors.

Ingredients

1 C Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1/3 C Instant Polenta *

½ tsp Dried Parsley

1 TBS Grated Locatelli Romano or Parmesan

2 Lg Eggs

1 TBS Unsalted Butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

To make the polenta, bring the chicken broth to a simmer on a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the polenta in a thin stream while stirring. Add the parsley and cheese and continue cooking for two minutes or until the polenta thickens. Remove from the heat.

Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium high heat until the butter starts to turn a pale brown. Add the two eggs and cook until the whites are set and the yolk is still runny. I usually cook them over easy. Place the polenta in a dish and top with the two eggs. Break the yolks and enjoy.

* Pronto Substitutes

Instant Polenta – You can substitute Instant Grits but it will not be as smooth as the polenta.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Fried Eggs and Polenta.

Peppermint Patty Cake

This chocolate cake is decadent, rich, and moist with soft gooey bits of melted peppermint patties in every bite. It’s guaranteed to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth and get ooohs and ahhs from your guests and family. This cake lasts for days in the refrigerator and can be made a day ahead.

Cake Ingredients

1 Box Devil's Food Cake Mix (I use Duncan Hines^®)

1 3.9 oz Box of Chocolate Instant Pudding

4 Large Eggs (at room temperature)

1 ¼ C Water

½ C Vegetable Oil

Cooking Spray

Flour for coating pan

1 C chopped peppermint patties + extra for decorating

Parchment paper

9 inch Springform Pan

Filling Ingredients

1 C Heavy Cream

8 oz Cream Cheese (room temperature)

½ C Confectioners’ Sugar

1 tsp Peppermint Extract

Ganache Ingredients

8oz. Semisweet Chocolate (chopped fine)

1 Cup Heavy cream

Cake

Freeze the peppermint patties for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350º.  Line the bottom of the Springform pan with parchment paper.  Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with cooking spray or melted butter and coat with flour.  You could also use Bakers joy and forget the flour.  Do not try to make this in a regular cake pan or you will never get it out of the pan in one piece. 

In a large bowl, mix the devil’s food cake mix, instant pudding, eggs, water and vegetable oil.  Beat with a whisk or electric mixer for two minutes or until smooth – make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With a heavy knife cut the peppermint patties into small pieces and mix them into the cake batter, separating the pieces as you add them.  Pour into the prepared springform pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully go around the outside of the cake with a knife and the remove the sides of the Springform pan.  Release the edge of the parchment paper with a knife and slide onto a plate.  Let the cake cook completely before icing.  You can even freeze the cake two weeks ahead at this point. Let the cake cool to room temperature before filling.

Filling

Place the whipped cream into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and beat until it forms stiff peaks. Remove the whipped cream to another bowl. Place the cream cheese and peppermint extract into the electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Fold the beaten cream cheese into the whipped cream until incorporated.

Using a long serrated knife, cut the cake into three even layers. Place half of the filling on the bottom layer, repeat with the second layer. Place the top layer of cake on top of the second layer of filling.

Ganache (Frosting)

Place 1 cup of heavy cream and the chopped chocolate into a double boiler or in a bowl on top of a pan with boiling water to melt the chocolate.  Stir until the chocolate has completely melted and you have a thick dark ganache.  Pour this over the top and sides of the cooled cake.  You can decorate it with extra peppermint patties.  This cake should be kept refrigerated.

Take this cake out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Peppermint Patty Cake.

Goat Cheese Profiteroles

I recently attended a wine tasting where the host asked for a cheese dip. I wanted to take it up a notch so I stuffed a profiterole (cream puff) with a goat cheese dip. The result was a crispy profiterole puff stuffed with a savory dip that complimented the wine we tasted perfectly. I was able to make the shells and dip ahead of time and filled them just before the party.

Makes 24-30 Profiteroles

Ingredients

 

Choux Pastry Ingredients

1 C Water

1 stick Unsalted Butter

1 Dash Salt

½ tsp Sugar

1 C All-Purpose Flour (sifted)

4 Lg Eggs

Stuffing Ingredients

10 oz Goat Cheese (room temperature)

8 oz Cream Cheese (room temperature)

¼ C Grated Locatelli Romano or Parmesan Cheese

1 ½ tsp Fresh Thyme (minced fine)

Fresh Grated Black Pepper (to taste)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Mix together the water, butter, salt, and sugar in a 2 or 3 Qt. saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil.  Be careful as it will easily boil over onto your stove.  Watch it carefully.  When it has started to boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the flour.  Return it to a medium-low flame and stir continuously until it forms a ball.  Continue to cook continuously for an additional 2-3 minutes.  It is critical that the flour has time to cook.

Place the dough ball in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat it until the steam stops rising.  It is important to cool it or the eggs will become scrambled when you add them.  Add the eggs one at a time until completely mixed.  After all of the eggs have been added beat on high for an additional five minutes.  The mixture will be very sticky.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place 1.5 tsp mounds of the Choux Pastry on the baking sheet keeping them at least 2 inches apart.  The cream puffs will more than triple in size.  Cook for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Do not open the oven during the cooking process or you may end up with pancakes.  Remove the choux pastry to a cooling rack to cool.

Place all of the stuffing ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Filling Profiteroles

There are two methods of filling profiteroles, cutting or piping

Cutting – Cut the top of the profiteroles and fill with the goat cheese stuffing.

Piping – You can inject the stuffing into the profiteroles using a piping bag or a cookie press fitted with an injection tip.

NOTE: You can bake the cream puffs ahead of time and freeze them in a Ziploc bag.  However, only fill the profiteroles the day you are going to serve them, or they will get soggy.

Wine Pairing: The goat cheese profiteroles pair well with an Italian Pino & Toi from Veneto. It’s pale lemon-green in color and is intensely perfumed with floral and fruit-forward aromas. Dry & zesty on the palate, this wine has well-rounded structure and a flavorful, long finish.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Goat Cheese Profiteroles.

Updated Chicken Parmesan

For years I would make chicken Parmesan the way my mother taught me – and I loved it. However tastes change and I wanted to make it healthier, no frying, where the crust stays crispy. What I did was bake the chicken using a mixture of Italian cheese and panko breadcrumbs with a minimum amount of sauce. The chicken stays moist and no more soggy chicken parm.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

3 C Plain Panko Breadcrumbs

1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Kosher Salt

2 lbs Boneless Chicken Breasts (split)

1 ½ C Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1/3 All-Purpose Flour

4 Large Eggs

2 C Marinara Sauce

12 oz Shredded Mozzarella

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the olive oil and kosher salt. Spread out on a large rimmed cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes or until deep golden brown, Toss every 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Split each chicken breast into 2 thin cutlets. Place plastic wrap on top of the cutlets and pound until the cutlet has an even thickness. Mix the toasted panko with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and toss to mix well. In a separate bowl beat the eggs until thoroughly mixed.

Reduce the oven to 350°F.

Dip each cutlet into the flour, shaking off any excess, and then dip it into the egg. Finally dip it into the panko mixture.

MAKE AHEAD NOTE: At this point you can freeze the cutlets between layers of wax paper (see photo) and freeze them in a zipper top bag until needed. If you want to bake them frozen place them on a wire rack on a cookie sheet in a 450°F oven until cooked through, 12-15 minutes. An instant read thermometer should read 160°F at the thickest part of the chicken.

Place the breaded cutlets on a wire rack on a cookie sheet and bake them for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. An instant read thermometer should read 160°F at the thickest part of the cutlet.

Raise the oven temperature to High Broil. Top each cutlet with marinara sauce, then some grated mozzarella. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.

* Pronto Substitutes

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano – You can substitute a good quality Locatelli Romano or Parmesan.

Mozzarella – for additional flavor use Fontina in place of the mozzarella

To print a copy of this recipe go to Updated Chicken Parmesan.