Monday, February 28, 2011

Chocolate and Zucchini


My sister gave me this wonderful cookbook of Parisian food adventures called Chocolate and Zucchini. This pasta cooked in a risotto style really intrigued me, and I decided I had to try it out. I mean, Parisians pretty much know about good cooking. This pasta was easy, delicious, and great for leftovers. I will absolutely make it again when I need a big pot of something delicious.


Pates par absorption, courgettes, et cacao /Cacao and Zucchini Absorption Pasta (Chocolate and Zucchini, Clotilde Dusoulier)

The recipe called for cacao nibs, but I just shaved a tiny bit of super dark chocolate on top of the pasta and topped it with a few pecans.

6 cups stock or filtered water
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
14 oz. dried short pasta, such as ricciole, penne, or fusilli
4 small zucchini, cut into sticks or thin slices with a mandoline or sharp knife
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. cacao nibs (not chocolate-coated), toasted in a dry skillet and coarsely crushed (substitute 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted)
aged Parmesan, coarsely grated

1. Set the stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat and keep warm.
2. As the stock is warming up , heat the oil in a wide saute pan. Add the garlic and onion and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring regularly to avoid coloring. Add the pasta and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add just enough stock to cover the pasta, and lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time and adding more stock when it is absorbed. Five minutes into the cooking, add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper.
3. Taste the pasta for doneness. If it isn't quite done and all the liquids have absorbed, add a little more stock (or water if you're out of stock), cover, and cook for a few more minutes. Repeat until you've reached and al dente consistency; the total cooking time will depend on the type of pasta you used. Adjust the seasoning, transfer into bowls or plates, sprinkle with cacao nuts and Parmesan, and serve immediately.

Finally!


It has been ridiculously long since I've had the chance to update my blog. And, it hasn't been for not wanting to write, it's been for having literally zero time. I am hoping that I will have more time in the future to share my love of food with those who I love (and the very few who read this who I don't know). Because it has been so long since I've written, the recipes will definitely not be in the order that I made them.

One recipe Adam and I recently tried out was Sauteed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter. I, of course, used tofu instead of chicken. We decided that chicken is a great protein for Adam that we just don't feel very confident cooking. To fix this problem, we just need to experiment, which is exactly what we did. It turned out wonderfully especially since we paired it with Braised Fennel with Parmesan and a simple salad!


Sauteed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter (Cooking Light, January/February 2011)

4 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
cooking spray
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. butter
2 sage sprigs
1 Tbs. minced shallots
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbs. lemon juice
fresh sage leaves (optional)

1. Place each breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Place flourr in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to pan; saute for 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan.
2. Add butter and sage sprigs to pan; cook over medium heat until butter browns. Discard sage. Add shallots and thyme; cook for 30 seconds. Add lemon juice; cook for 30 seconds. Serve with chicken. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired.

Braised Fennel with Parmesan (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics, The Moosewood Collective)

I was skeptical about fennel before this dish, but now I want to make this side dish all the time. I actually think this was the highlight of the meal, so you should definitely try this one out.

Saute
2 fennel bulbs
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. freshly ground fennel seeds
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. water

Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Topping
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 to 2 Tbs. chopped fennel fronds

1. Slice the tops off the fennel bulbs, reserving several fronds for garnish. Remove the outer layers of the bulbs if bruised or soft. Slice the bulbs lengthwise into narrow wedges about 1/8 inch wide.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic and ground fennel for several seconds. Stir in the salt and the sliced fennel and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the water, cover, and increase the heat slightly. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender.
3. Meanwhile, make the seasoned bread crumbs. Warm the olive oil in a small heavy skillet. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds. Add the bread crumbs and stir until golden and crunchy, about 5 minutes. When the fennel is tender, transfer it to the serving dish and evenly sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
4. Serve topped with grated Parmesan, pepper, and chopped fennel fronds.