PASTA ALLA PASTORA

It's only natural that most of my Italian-inspired cooking hails from the region of Campania which is in the province of Naples. My mother's family hails from that southern Italian region, though both her parents were born in the United States. My father's parents, on the other hand, were born in the region of Calabria though, sadly, I do not know the exact place of their birth. I've just begun trying to construct a family tree, using Ancestry.com. So when I happened upon a cookbook entitled My Calabria by Rosetta Costantino, I knew I had to add it to my collection. As much an armchair travel book as a cookbook, it's been on my lamp table for several weeks now. My paternal grandmother died when I was about 3 years old, so I remember very little about her except my mother's stories of her wonderful homemade bread and pizza. I know, as well, that she raised and butchered her own chickens, kept an extensive vegetable garden, and was a wonderful stitcher--perhaps my love for embroidery has its origins there.

I chose to begin my introduction to this other side of my heritage with a simple pasta dish--pasta alla pastora, which is a shepherd's-style rigatoni with ricotta and sausage.  A humble dish, it uses ingredients that a Calabrian shepherd would have on hand:  fresh ricotta and a bit of sausage.

Serves 6 - 8
3/4 lb fresh sweet or hot Italian sausage
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 lb homemade ricotta (or good quality, whole milk ricotta)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb rigatoni or penne
freshly grated pecorino cheese
red pepper flakes, optional

Remove the sausage casings. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it into small clumps about the size of an olive. Cook until browned all over; keep warm.

Press the homemade ricotta through a sieve. Or, place the store-bought ricotta in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bring 5 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Add 1/4 cup Kosher salt, then add the pasta and cook to the al dente stage (10-13 minutes, depending on the shape used). Just before the pasta is done, add 3-5 tbs of the pasta water to the ricotta to warm it and make it creamy and sauce-like. Set aside another 1/2-3/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sausage. Toss over high heat until it's hot throughout, then add to the bowl with the ricotta. Add some pasta water and toss until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Add the pecorino and serve immediately.
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TASTE NOTES
Let me start by saying I'm not a big fan of ricotta. However, in this dish, it is ethereal. This simple to make dish was incredibly satisfying. I could have eaten half the bowl, but exercised restraint. There was just enough fat in the dish between the olive oil and the sausage renderings to transform the ricotta into a silken sauce. You do need that pasta water to thin the sauce. Because there are just 2 of us (and lots of leftovers), I saved a jar of the pasta water. I'll heat it and add it to the pasta before reheating it. While I'm sure it won't be as lovely as it was when freshly made, I'm looking forward to those leftovers already. Do try this. It sounds way too simple to be so wonderful, but I promise you it is. I would serve this to guests in a heartbeat.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Old habits die hard and even though I've been retired almost 7 years, I still love a snow day. When I checked the fridge for WW approved,  low carb snacks, I realized we were out of DSO's favorite Jello mousse. Having a whole day before me with no "must do's," I decided to find a recipe for a lightened chocolate pudding. I found a likely candidate on the Cooking Light website.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/3  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 3  tablespoons  cornstarch
• 3  tablespoons  dark brown sugar
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 4  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 3  large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2  ounces  bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Place egg yolks in a bowl. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg yolks, stirring constantly. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring constantly. Remove mixture from heat, and add chopped chocolate and vanilla extract, stirring until the chocolate melts. Spoon pudding into a small bowl. Place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes or until pudding is cool, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from ice; cover and chill.

TASTE NOTES

This was just a bit more complicated than making a boxed chocolate pudding, but the results were oh, so much better. While I wouldn't consider this low carb (43 g) or an everyday treat (8 WW pts), it was a lovely, comforting bowl of chocolatey goodness. Many people have never tasted real pudding and don't realize how different it tastes from pudding cups or instant pudding. Next time you have a snow day, try it.   

TAGLIATELLE WITH BRAISED SHORT RIBS

I have a love affair with short ribs and seek out restaurants with this dish on the menu. I've made short ribs any number of times and have been pleased with the results, but none have equaled those I get out and this bothers and perplexes me. I had it in mind to try Michael Symon's recipe which Kim of Stirring the Pot had featured a while back. And then as I was browsing the Food Network site to find a Giada dish to try, I happened upon her penne with braised short ribs. Giada's recipe is here. Following is my very slightly amended version.

Serves 4 - 6
4 lbs beef short ribs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/8 cup olive oil (I halved Giada's recommendation)
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 can San Marzano tomatoes, liquid drained, chopped
1 cup red wine (I used a Sangiovese)
3 tbs Dijon mustard
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 lb tagliatelle (I just love this pasta, though I'm sure Giada's tasted great with penne)
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano (I'm not into parmesan)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Place an oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add the ribs and brown on all sides, 8-10 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP; IT'S THE MONEYMAKER. Return the ribs to the pan and add the beef broth. Cover the pan and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is so tender it falls from the bone.

Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Using a large spoon or a gravy separator, remove excess fat from the sauce. There will be lots of fat. An alternative is to make the dish the day before, refrigerate the sauce separately, and lift off the congealed fat. However you do it, you want to be sure to remove the fat. Giada glides over this step, but the sauce would be way too greasy otherwise. Transfer the liquid to the bowl of a food processor or use an immersion blender to process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Remove the meat from the bones and use two forks to shred it into small pieces. Stir the shredded meat into the sauce and season to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil. Add the pasta and cook to the al dente stage. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the sauce and add to the pasta. Pour 1 cup of sauce over the pasta and toss well. Use additional sauce as you like. Be sure to top with the grated cheese before serving.
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TASTE NOTES
Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but no pictures can do justice to this dish. Someone eavesdropping on our dinner conversation would have thought we were in the throes of passion...and we were. We were passionately devouring the incredible meat and sauce. The meat literally fell away from the bones on its own. The reduced sauce held the sweetness of the tomatoes juxtaposed against the brine of the mustard and the acidity of the wine. Leftovers were as delicious over mashed potatoes as they were over the tagliatelle. This is not my revered CIA recipe, but it is every bit as good, just different. The prep time is minimal, but the low and slow in the oven filled the house with the most savoury aromas. We were almost foaming at the mouth in anticipation and we were not disappointed. If I could have just 3 meals to eat for the rest of my life, this would be one of them.

I'm sending this to I Heart Cooking Clubs for their "That's Amore" dish because we both loved the dish and want to share the love. So head on over to see what you can add to this meal to put it over the top.

BAKED TORTELLINI WITH BACON

How would you like to put a restaurant-quality dinner on the table in about 20 minutes? Oh, and it has bacon and cheese in it, just in case ease of preparation and quality didn't get you hooked. I tore this recipe out of an Everyday Food a few months back and finally got around to making it. It will definitely have a place on our pasta rotation.

Serves 6
4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces (I skipped the slicing and cooked then crumbled the bacon)
1 small white onion, diced medium
1 garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 pkg. (about 9 oz each) fresh cheese tortellini
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (1 oz)

Heat broiler with rack in top position. In a saute pan, cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Add onion and garlic to the drippings, season with salt and pepper, and cook until onion is soft (about 7 minutes). Add flour and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds.

Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Add the tortellini and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, about 4 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in bacon and half the Parmesan. Transfer to a 2-quart broiler proof baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Top with the remaining cheese and broil until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
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TASTE NOTES
I cut this recipe in half, using a 9 oz package of Buitoni 3-cheese tortellini. DSO and I split this, so we served 2 generously instead of the recommended 3 (it was the weekend, what can I say). I used individual casserole dishes that were broiler proof. By eliminating the slicing of the bacon and using a skillet instead of a saucepan, which the original recipe called for, I further reduced the ease of this recipe. I had no doubt whatsoever that we would both enjoy this baked pasta and it did not disappoint. There was more than enough sauce, but the nutritional data will reveal that it was not an over-the-top indulgence. With all the richness of a creamy white sauce--the sauce coats, there isn't a lot of it--and the wonderful flavor of onions cooked in bacon drippings, DSO and I agreed that we would try this next time with a mushroom or a prosciutto tortelloni. There will definitely BE a next time. The nutritional information is based on the recipe above and 6 servings.

N.I.: 416 cal; 16.3 g fat; 17.1 g protein; 48.5 g carb; 2.2 g fiber

PAN-ROASTED PORK LOIN WITH LEEKS

It is my considered opinion that a love of pork products is hard-wired into those of us of Italian descent. Next to chicken, I consider it my go-to protein of choice. Although they are expensive, I love using pork tenderloins. They have virtually no fat on them and, like chicken, are a blank canvas awaiting your artistry in combining just the right spices and accompaniments. Turning again to my now dog-eared copy of Cooking Light's Easy Winter Recipes, this straightforward recipe begged to be made.

4 large leeks (about 2 1/4 lbs)
1/2 cup water
1 tbs butter, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1 (2 lb) boneless pork loin, trimmed (I used 2 - 1 lb tenderloins)
1/2 cup dry white wine
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Remove roots and tough upper leaves from the leeks. Cut each leek in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices (you should have about 6 cups). Soak in cold water to loosen dirt and rinse well.

Combine leeks, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp butter, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a large Dutch oven. Cook for 10 minutes. Pour the leek mixture into a bowl.

Heat remaining 2 tsp butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan and cook about 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add remaining salt and pepper as well as wine to the pan, scraping the pan to loosen up browned bits. Return leek mixture to the pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour 20 minutes.(original recipe called for 2 hours, but I used the tenderloins and adjusted the time) Remove the pork and increase the heat to reduce the sauce. Cut pork into 1/4 inch slices. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Yield:  6 servings of 3 oz pork and 2 1/2 tbs leek mixture
N.I.:  246 cal; 10.7 g fat; 24.8 g protein; 1 g fiber; 12.1 g carb; 306 g sodium
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TASTE NOTES
Served with maple roasted butternut squash and red cabbage, this was a wonderful dinner on a snowy winter's evening. We never missed the fat in this dish and the leek sauce was simple, but flavorful.

BEEF BARLEY SOUP

During the winter months I make soup at least once a week. Our favorite soups are those that can do double-duty as an entree. This hearty soup is all that and more. The recipe is from my new Cooking Light Easy Winter Recipes magazine/cookbook. At $12 I wasn't sure it would live up to my expectations, but happily it has.

Yields 4 (two cup) servings
cooking spray
3/4 lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 (8 oz) pkg. sliced mushrooms
4 cups fat free, lower sodium beef broth
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan and cook for 4 minutes or until nicely browned on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Add carrot, celery, onion, and mushrooms to pan and cook 6 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated. Add beef, broth, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in pearl barley, cover, and simmer 30 minutes more, until pearl barley is tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Serve immediately or add more beef broth when you serve.
N.I.: 341 cal; 11.4 g fat; 24.1 g protein; 36.2 g carb; 8.2 g fiber; 837 g sodium
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TASTE NOTES
The very generous portion of soup was greatly appreciated because it was simply wonderful! The pearl barley soaked up all the flavors of the broth and beef. The vegetables provided a delicate sweetness. A few slices of a good semolina loaf grilled in my panini press made this the perfect cold weather dinner. I could easily have made it again the following week if I hadn't had a few bags of beans in the pantry.

ANOTHER MEATLOAF

Meatloaf, like stuffing, is all about family traditions. If you're a longtime reader of The Food of Love, you might remember that my mom's meatloaf was one dish that I could not and would not eat. That said, I'm also fickle when it comes to meatloaf. My favorites are quickly replaced by new favorites. That said, when I saw this recipe for meatloaf in the new Cooking Light Easy Winter Recipes magazine, I decided to give it a try.

6 servings, 2 slices each
1 slice bread (I replaced this with 1 oz panko breadcrumbs)
2 tbs fat free milk
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
2/3 lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 lb lean ground veal
6 oz lean ground pork
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 large egg whites
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine breadcrumbs (or panko) and milk in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add 2 tbs ketchup and remaining ingredients except cooking spray. Shape meat mixture into a 9X5 inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Spread the remaining 6 tbs ketchup over the top of the meatloaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees. Cut the loaf into 12 slices.
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TASTE NOTES
This meatloaf proved my theory that meatloaf is a very personal thing. DSO loved it and raved about it for days. He was sadly disappointed when it was finally gone, having eaten it for dinner and lunch before adding the "dregs" to a bowl of soup. I, on the other hand, found the taste quite pleasing, but something about the texture just didn't do it for me. And so the search  for that quintessential meatloaf goes on.

PEA SOUP ANDERSON'S

I've visited California on a number of occasions and, while I'm definitely a New Yorker at heart, I have some indelible memories, mostly of good meals eaten on the road. A standout in my mind was lunch at Pea Soup Anderson's. I know it was somewhere between Los Angeles and San Diego, but I'm not real sure where. I remember the building, sort of a windmill, and the wonderful pea soup they served. With a juicy ham bone and package of spiral ham in the freezer, I'd clipped a recipe from Food Network magazine to try (Deb of Kahakai Kitchen beat me to it, so look here for her post). Then while visiting another of my favorite blogs, Mennonite Girls Can Cook, I saw Marg's post for Anderson's pea soup and thought, "Oh, boy, I wonder if it's the one I'm thinking of?" (check out Marg's post here). In the end, I used part of Marg's and threw in my ham bone and ham instead of farmer's sausage, which I love but can't get here in New York.

2 quarts water
1 bay leaf
1 juicy ham bone
1 pkg green split peas
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 lb ham, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Place the bay leaf and water in the pot and bring to a boil. Add the split peas and ham bone and boil hard for 30 minutes. Add the hambone and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and thyme, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Add the diced ham and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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TASTE NOTES
It was incredibly difficult not to eat this soup as soon as I'd made it (I'd prepared it for the next day's dinner). It's thick and sweet with just the right amount of saltiness from the ham. Though the ingredients are very little different from what I've used in the past (check here for yet another recipe), this was by far the most delicious and satisfying split pea soup I've ever made. I prefer it to the one I make in the slow cooker and really think the hard boiling stage helps produce a soup that is just thick enough while producing fully cooked peas. Next trip to Lancaster, I'll definitely pick up some farmer's sausage to try it with.

HOISIN CHICKEN

If you're not familiar with hoisin sauce, it's a soy based sauce used in Chinese cooking whose main ingredients are soybean paste, garlic, vinegar, and various spices such as chili peppers. The flavor this mixture yields is described as sweet, salty, and spicy. While we prefer chicken thighs, the same recipe can be adapted to a whole chicken or the parts of your choice.


2-3 lbs chicken, skin on, bone in
1 1/2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs honey
3 tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 tbs hoisin sauce
3 tbs seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 scallions, sliced
salt and pepper to taste


Combine brown sugar, honey,soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, Chinese 5-spice powder, ginger, and scallions. Place chicken in a large zip locked bag and pour in marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 6 hours or overnight.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a metal baking dish coated with non stick spray. Pour over the marinade. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and cook an additional 20-25 minutes until chicken is done. Serve with white rice and sauteed bok choy for your own version of take out.
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TASTE NOTES
As much as I love it, I seldom eat the skin on chicken. You can probably guess why I make an exception in this case. The flavors of the marinade permeated the flesh of the chicken and then are enhanced by the carmelization of the marinade on the skin. There are seldom any leftovers, but when there are, I love to slice the chicken and add it to my salad for a wonderful lunch.

TURKEY CHEESE PIE

My old version of turkey shepherd's pie is delicious, but when I saw this recipe for turkey cheese pie with lots of additional veggies, I knew I had to try it. It's from Fast and Lean, One Dish Cuisine, a Prevention cookbook. The only change I made was to reduce the potatoes and add some salt. The recipe called for 6--no size or weight indicated. I used 1 large Russett baking potato. I felt the serving indicated (1/6) was too small. We had 1/4 of the pie with a salad for dinner and it was just right.

Serves 4-6
1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb extra lean (breast) ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, coarsely shredded
1 tbs snipped fresh parsley
freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
1 tbs cornstarch
1 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
2 tsp paprika

In a small saucepan, cook the potatoes in simmering water until they are tender. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

While the potatoes are cooking, coat a large skillet with nonstick spray  and warm for one minute. Add the turkey, onion, celery, and garlic and saute until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the carrots and parsley and season with salt and pepper.

In a cup, whisk the cornstarch into the broth and add to the turkey-vegetable mixture. Spread the mixture evenly into a broiler-safe 10 inch pan.

Drain the potatoes and mash. Mix in the egg white and cheese. Spoon evenly over the turkey-vegetable mixture and sprinkle with the paprika. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until the potatoes begin to turn golden, about 3 minutes.
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TASTE NOTES
I really, really like my turkey shepherd's pie so I was surprised that I enjoyed this version so much. While my old recipe has a rich, dark sauce, the additional vegetables added an extra sweetness making this a satisfying one-dish meal. I will definitely make this again. It was quick and easy--easy on the waistline, too.

MINI FRITTATA

I love making frittata (or the Spanish version--tortilla). It's the perfect way to use up bits of cheese and leftover vegetables and it's as good for dinner as it is for breakfast. I generally use my non-stick 11 inch skillet which can go right in the oven, though I occasionally use my 6 inch skillet for an individual frittata. After seeing Giada's episode on brunch a few weeks back, I decided to try a mini frittata, baked in the oven. I also decided to use disposable aluminum cup cake pans instead of my Pampered Chef muffin pan. Giada's recipe is here if you choose to make yours in mini muffin pans as she did.

Here are some guidelines based on my adaptations. I had all the ingredients chopped and bagged and the egg mixture in a Tupperware beverage container since I transported them and assembled and baked at DSO's sister's for a New Year's brunch.

Makes 24 mini frittata
18 eggs
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
chopped ham and shredded Swiss cheese (about 3 oz each)
chopped turkey chorizo and shredded cheddar cheese (1 link and 3 oz cheese)
freshly ground pepper (no salt required due to ham and sausage)
non-stick spray

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray each of 4 aluminum cupcake pans with non-stick spray. Place some chopped ham and shredded Swiss in the bottom of 12 cups and chopped chorizo and shredded cheddar in the bottom of the other 12. Beat the eggs with the milk and season with pepper, then pour over the meat-cheese mixture, filling each indentation almost to the top. Bake about 21 minutes. Remove from the pans immediately and serve.
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TASTE NOTES
I was afraid to make these ahead of time, but they reheat beautifully (about 30 seconds in the microwave, leftovers made a great breakfast the next day). They were excellent for a brunch, simple to prep ahead of time and a breeze to bake. Using disposable tins made them even better. They don't taste the same as the frittata I make on top of the stove and finish in the oven, being lighter in texture and not having any fat whatsoever. In the future, I would add Sazon, my favorite seasoning, and some sauteed onion and red pepper. I might even put some reheated fried/oven potatoes in to beef up the taste profile. I don't see them as an appetizer, as Giada had suggested, but I do like them on a brunch buffet.

DIVER SCALLOPS WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE, CHORIZO, AND PINE NUTS

My mom was a city girl, born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn and Long Island. Of course, she never looked back when she moved to Rockland County and was content to live most of her life in "God's country" as she called upstate New York. When my friend Lee, another Brooklynite, mentioned that her friend's offspring had published a cookbook called The New Brooklyn Cookbook, I had to check it out. I ordered my copy from Amazon and waited patiently for it to arrive. It was worth the wait. The recipes and stories are from 31 restaurants that authors Melissa and Brendan Vaughan claim "put Brooklyn on the culinary map." I read the cookbook from cover to cover and decided to make DSO Saul's Diver scallops. Let me say up front that I do not eat scallops and am not partial to kale, but the recipe sounded like something he would like. I am printing the original recipe below. I adjusted the recipe to make 2 servings, used turkey chorizo, and further adjusted the amount of oil and salt since I'd like DSO to be around for a long while.

Serves 6

For the white bean puree:
1 cup dried white beans
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 medium Spanish onion, diced
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

For the pine nut condiment:
1/4 cup currants
6 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 tbs finely grated lemon zest
2 tbs sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper

For the kale:
1 bunch Tuscan kale, about 3/4 lb, cleaned, ribs removed, roughly chopped
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
salt and pepper

For the scallops:
24 large Diver scallops
salt and pepper
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb chorizo, cut on the diagonal into 1/8 inch rounds

To make the white bean puree:  place the white beans in a large bowl, cover with water, and soak overnight. Drain and place in a medium saucepan with the olive oil, garlic, celery, onion, and bay leaf. Cover with water by 3 inches and cook until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Remove the bay leaf, drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Puree until smooth, adding more bean liquid if necessary. Season to taste and reserve.

To make the pine nut condiment: soak the currants in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 2 or 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the currants, pine nuts, lemon zest, sherry vinegar, red pepper flakes, and thyme, and mix well to combine. Season to taste. Remove from heat to cool at room temperature.

To cook the kale:  prepare an ice bath and bring a medium saucepan of generously salted water to a boil. add the kale and blanch for 2 minutes, then transfer to the ice bath to cool. Drain well. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To cook the scallops:  season the scallops with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan (I used my cast iron skillet), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the scallops and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn them over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

To serve: spread 1/4 cup of the white bean puree on a plate and top with 4 scallops. Arrange the kale between the scallops and top with the pine nut condiment and the warm chorizo slices.
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TASTE NOTES
DSO pronounced the dish delicious, but way too much work. I'm inclined to agree. He felt the white bean puree had a bit more garlic than it needed. I liked the white bean puree just the way it was. It would have been delicious spread on some grilled ciabatta. I tried the kale and still don't like it, though I slurp it up in my favorite caldo Gallega. I was proud of the sear on my scallops, achieved through the use of my trusty cast iron skillet. I would not make this dish again, but if Larry craves it, would make a reservation at Saul's. BTW, I had forgotten the pine nut garnish when I took the photo.

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

I wasn't going to post this because the picture is so poor, but after having it for dinner, I had to share it. This is a "fast and lean" recipe from the cookbook of the same name written by a food editor of Prevention magazine. A sidebar explained that cream-style corn is actually creamless, though the canned variety contains cornstarch and sugar in addition to crushed corn.

Serves 4
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 lb skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) cream-style corn
2 cups skim milk
1 cup corn kernels (cooked)
4 oz pimentos, drained and chopped
dash of cayenne
3 tbs chopped parsley

Warm the oil in a 4 qt pot for 1 minute. Add the chicken and saute until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Place the onions and garlic in the same pot and saute  until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the potato and broth, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash the mixture. Stir in the cream-style corn, milk, corn, pimentos, cayenne, and chicken. Cover the pot and cook until the soup is hot and slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Don't let the soup boil. Top each serving with parsley.
(NI per serving: 385 calories, 5.1 g fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 461 mg sodium, 4.4 g fiber)
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TASTE NOTES:
Thick, hearty, and sweet, this is just what you want chowder to be. DSO thinks it would be equally delicious with crab. I agree. I'm quite sure we'll be testing that theory soon.

TURNIP AND SWEET POTATO GRATIN

Food magazines are like crack to me. It's hard to walk by the supermarket checkout without adding one to my order. I wouldn't want to add up what I spend on this addiction; between these impulse buys and the yearly subscriptions that I convince myself save me money in the long run, I could probably eat out once a week if I could kick the habit. How about the rest of you? Do I see a new 12-step program for foodies in our future?

I confess it was the Christmas cookies on the cover that convinced me to buy this month's Everyday Food. I didn't renew my subscription because I didn't find myself using many recipes, but I occasionally pick up a copy. I'm so happy I did because it contains a number of recipes for turnips, one of my favorite root vegetables. The first one I decided to try was this gratin of turnip and sweet potato.

Serves 8
1 1/2 lbs turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
2 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup (4 oz) grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In an 8 inch square baking dish, arrange a single layer of turnips and sweet potatoes, overlapping slightly. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle them with one-third of the flour. Repeat to make 3 more layers. Dot top layer with butter, then slowly pour the broth and wine into the dish, being sure to keep the layers intact. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese over the vegetables. Bake until the cheese is goden and bubbling, 12 - 15 minutes. Let gratin sit for 10 minutes before serving. (NI: 156 cal; 4.8 g fat; 4.5 g protein; 27.6 g carb; 4.3 g fiber)
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TASTE NOTES
I knew this was a winner just by looking at that bubbling, browned top, but I hadn't expected it to be so very sweet. DSO kept asking what was in it (thinking sugar of some kind). It was incredibly flavorful. If you're a fan of Gruyere--which we are--you'll love how its prominent flavor plays off that sweetness. I could have gobbled up half of this gratin, no problem, but I didn't. Served with Ina's roast pork (recipe here) and some sauteed broccoli rabe, it was a perfect cold weather meal. I'm going to try it with a  rutabaga and sweet potato combination next.