Summer Harvest: Pesto

The long, hot summer has gotten to the point where basil must be harvested.  I was fortunate enough to be given a bucket full of freshly harvested basil, a combination of sweet and Genovese varieties.  With that kind of volume, nothing but a quick turn in the food processor will do to make perfect pesto.  I'll store it in the freezer to use for the next few months in a variety of ways. Pesto is a versatile sauce that can be used for pasta, with vegetables, added as an accent to soups or to fish or meats.  I love to toss a little with steamed potatoes and beans.  

I use pecans instead of pine nuts.  I like the sweetness and I'm from Texas. Walnuts, almond or a combination of nuts are also really good.  I leave out the garlic and add crushed red and ground black peppers for a little bite.  I also like to add the zest and juice of a lemon or two.  I don't add the cheese to the pesto until I'm ready to use it.  I find it this keeps a smoother texture when the pesto is frozen and then thawed.  

I always make mine freehand based on taste and texture. I ended up with 16 cups of packed basil leaves, so I scaled up accordingly.   I made an effort to keep measurements and scale  them down for a  smaller quantity, so you may have to adjust for your taste, which you should do anyway.

If you've never made pesto, now's a good time to try it. All you need are the ingredients and a food processor.  If you're old school, a mortar and pestle will be even better. 

RECIPE: Basil Pesto (With Pecans)

YIELD  Makes 2 Cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pecans (pine nuts, slivered almonds or walnut halves will do)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 packed cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storage
• Juice add zest of 2 lemons
•  1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
• 1/4 cup grated parmagiano regiano (leave this out if freezing)

PROCESS

• Put the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
•  Add the basil, oil, salt, peppers and  pulse for 1 minute or so until smooth.
• Add the lemon juice and zest and pulse for 1 minute more, until smooth. 
• Stir in the cheese if using soon.  Leave this out if you are freezing.
• To store, transfer the pesto to a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto, seal and refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Pasta with Light Tomato Sauce

It’s tomato season where I live! This year, after hurricanes, freezes, and 2 snowings (most unusual for us), the tomato crop is more plentiful than ever. As a result, I’m inspired to create new tomato sauces.  This one is light and aromatic using fennel and mild herbs. No need to peel or core the tomatoes, just chop them up.  The addition of white wine helps to meld the flavors as the alcohol cooks away. This sauce also cooks in the time it takes to make the pasta, which is perfect.

The tomatoes are truly the star here, so freshness is important.  I have also used a good quality pasta made with ancient wheat from Italy as the sauce is light and the taste of the pasta is important. Several artisanal varieties using heritage American wheats are also available online. Or, just use your favorite dried pasta. 

This dish is rich in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, folate, niacin, potassium, manganese, several other nutrients, minerals and fiber.  The pasta also contains some protein. You can add a little cheese if you like, for calcium.

RECIPE:  Pasta with Light Tomato Sauce (white wine, fennel, marjoram, thyme) 

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/2 lb tomatoes, chopped (I used San Marzano, but plum or Roma would be fine)
• 1 cup finely chopped fennel 
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• A few sprigs each, marjoram and thyme 
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 250 grams (dry weight) noodles, just undercooked as they will finish cooking in the sauce (I used tortiglioni here, but penne with ridges would be perfect)

PROCESS

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions in salted water while you prepare the sauce.
2. Heat oil in pan with the pepper flakes.
3. Add the fennel and sauté for about 3 minutes to soften.
4. Add the tomatoes, wine, salt, marjoram and thyme. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes.
5. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce and toss. 
6. Add the parsley and basil and toss again.
7. Serve immeidately

Serves 4 (or 2 with generous portions)

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce (San Marzano)

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The first crop of good tomatoes finally made it to the farmers’ market. And to my great surprise, I found that my Plant It Forward farmer, Sarment had San Marzano tomatoes in his basket.  According to Wikipedia, San Marzano tomatoes originate from the small town of San Marzano sul Sarno, near Naples, Italy, and were first grown in volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. If I have to use canned tomatoes, these are the only ones I use.

These San Marzanos  were grown in Houston, with no volcanic soil in sight. But everything Farmer Sarment grows is delicious.  So I bought a few intending to showcase them in a no-cook tomato sauce as we hit our first 90 degree days for the year.

Using the best and freshest ingredients in this dish is a must as each flavor shines and nothing is hidden.  Using store bought tomatoes that have been held in cold storage for several weeks with no flavor, aroma or taste, is not advised.  Fresh tomatoes from your garden or a local farmers’ market are the best choice.  The olive oil should also be very good quality and have a rich flavor. For this recipe I use Iliada Organic Extra Virgin Kalamata Olive Oil (you can usually find this in import markets or online).  The pasta also deserves some attention.  I prefer a dry pasta here as it lends some tooth to the soft texture and lightness of the sauce, and using a good organic wheat variety is warranted. Use fresh pasta if you prefer.  The parts blend together to form a simple, delicious dish.  The sauce is extremely light and flavorful.  The tomatoes macerate in the oil and lend their flavor to the sauce without fully breaking down, so its really more of a tomato oil that coats the pasta with lovely bits of tomato along with it.  A little crusty bread will help you lap up every last drop.

The olive oil helps us absorb the vitamin A from the tomatoes. The tomatoes are also a rich source of vitamin C and lycopene.  The pasta provides magnesium, several B vitamins, including thiamine (B1), which are necessary for brain health and memory.

As spring gives way to summer, what better way to lighten our spirits and our dishes than avoiding time at the stove.  Just a pot to boil the pasta and a big bowl to macerate the tomato sauce is all you’ll need to get a healthy and delicious meal on the table. 

RECIPE: Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 24oz fresh tomatoes,  finely chopped (preferably plum or San Marzanos if you can find them)
• 1 bunch/handful fresh basil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil (the good stuff)
• 8 oz (dry weight) organic spaghetti/fettuccine cooked al dente in salted water 
• Freshly grated parmigiano regiano for serving

PROCESS

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (big enough to fit the pasta and toss)and let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. The longer it sits the better it gets.
2. Add the well-drained cooked pasta and toss. Serve topped with grated parmigiano regiano, and a few more basil leaves.

Serves 2-4

Tuscan Pork with Plum Sauce: Not What You’d Expect

TRAVEL FOOD JOURNAL: TUSCANY

Take Home Lesson #2: Not What You’d Expect

Restaurant Version

When I think of plum sauce, my mind immediately goes to Asian cuisine. A delicious, viscous sauce with sweetness and umami to enhance many dishes.  So imagine my surprise to find pork in plum sauce on the menu at the first restaurant we dined in our first jet-lagged evening in Florence. My husband, who loves all things sweet, tangy and pork, made this is choice.  The dish arrived and it was not what we expected.  Perfectly cooked pieces of pork tenderloin (no doubt raised on the heady grassland of the Tuscan hillsides) gently cloaked with a light sauce of re-hydrated prunes to deglaze the pan. This was complemented by the subtle aromatic flavor of fresh bay leaves, something i had forgotten and came to embrace during our journey.  The sauce was not sweet and had a mellowed flavor from the prunes. A whole lotta umami and nothing I would have expected from my knowledge of Italian cuisine.

But that’s just the point. We know cultural cuisines in thin slices, stereotyped and collated to a few dishes that we then apply to whole countries. The real cuisine of any place is local, distinct and amazingly diverse. Villages and towns all around the world have signature dishes. Parma is known for its ham and cheese, Modena for balsamic vinegar and Alba for it’s truffles.  Travel books about Tuscany mention the bistecca Florentine and tripe as signature regional dishes, which they are. What they should also mention is the delicate, subtle ways that food is flavored with herbs and that you should stop at a local restaurant and try something that may end up being a delicious unexpected journey.

This pork dish was so delicious, I tried to recreate it. The trick was to mellow the sweetness of the dried prunes in rehydration.  I chose to soak them in a little dry white wine, which did the trick, although I’m not at all sure this is the actual method. My version had a little more sauce and rosemary as the herb (I have since acquired a very small bay laurel plant and am tending to it with great affection) . I soaked the prunes for 10 hours as a consequence of the work day, but I think 1-2 hours will be sufficient unless you have very dry prunes.  My husband loved it and has placed it in the list of ‘company dishes’, which those of you of a certain generation will understand.  The only real preparation involves soaking the prunes. Otherwise, the dish comes together in little more time than it takes to pan sautée a few pork chops. 

RECIPE: Tuscan Pork with Plum Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 4 thick cut pork chops
• Salt & Pepper
• 4-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 8-10 prunes 
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Extra virgin olive oil

PROCESS

1. Soak prunes in white wine for a few hours (do this in advance)
2. Remove pork chops from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature (about an hour).
3. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. 
4. Heat oil in heavy pan.  Add the rosemary and brown the pork chop, then reduce temperature and cook through. Place on a plate and loosely cover to keep warm. 
5. Slice each prune in thirds.  Add prunes and wine to the pan with the rosemary and deglaze. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove the rosemary and add any juices collected from the resting pork chops, and simmer another minute.
6. Serve the pork chops with the sauce spooned over. 

Serves 4. 

Simplicity & Balance: Cacio e Pepe

TRAVEL FOOD JOURNAL: TUSCANY

Take Home Lesson #1 Simplicity & Balance

Italian Version

One of the many joys of traveling is re-introducing yourself to dishes you thought you knew, cooked by the people who originally made them. I am not debating good or bad, better or worse here; I’m thinking about how our own palates alter the interpretation of the dishes and the myriad of reasons this happens.

Pici cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) is the simplest of dishes and thus, difficult to make perfectly. Classically a dish from Rome, where the cheese used is pecorino romano, the Tuscan version can use parmagiano regiano, as the city of Parma is not too far away, or pecorino toscano. The pasta type, pici, which a chubby cousin of spaghetti, hails from Siena, and is the perfect size and thickness to hold and balance the minimalist sauce. This must be cooked and served at once for the true deliciousness to be savored. If you are using fresh pici, and I’m trying to find the right die to make it, the first bite of pasta may seem a little undercooked, but the rest will be perfect as it continues to cook and absorb the sauce. Fresh pasta makes a big difference here, as its stickiness and starchiness helps create the creaminess of the sauce, as well as absorbing the flavors.

American Version

The pici cacio e pepe I had recently in Florence was masterfully done. I had a version in Houston the week before, which was also delicious, but my new experience begs me to reconsider our version-perhaps the added mound of cheese and and extra cracked pepper is gilding the lily. By comparison, the Italian version would seem totally naked, unadorned. But, this is how we in America view our pasta: under a sea of sauce and a mound of cheese. It’s what we expect when we order pasta, and this is perfectly fine. This may be derived from the Italian American experience as immigrants brought the food of their origins into a new world, adapting to what was available, the amount of time they had to cook, and changing it in the process. Many other factors also played roles, including big changes in how and why Americans eat.

We eat with our eyes first, so there has to be an adjustment in our view, a change in the expectation of what deliciousness looks like. Minimalist, modern, sophisticated food is delicious, and served on a beautiful plate the visual affect is stunning.

Until I figure out how to make pici, or talk the pasta man into making it for me, I’ll get really good fresh spaghetti from the farmers market, and remember to cook it very al dente as I mix the sauce.

I’m going to try to incorporate this lesson into my cooking and eating. Using great ingredients remains the key to all great food. To balance them in simple perfection, to create a harmonious dish is not easy, but well worth the practice. I will try to visualize food differently as well, looking not for embellishment, but simplicity, balance and sophistication. Less is more in many things, and this dish is a perfect example.

The recipe below is more of a process and you should change the amounts and combinations of cheese and pepper to your taste. It’s so quick to make, you can love several versions and make what you like. The key is the pan sauce, using just the right amount of water; so add it in small quantities for the perfect creaminess.

Most recipes for this add butter and oil, which are fine, but this is the simplest of versions.

Have a high sided pan to build the sauce and pasta. Get all the ingredients ready and have them at hand, as this goes quickly!

RECIPE: Pasta Cacio e Pepe

INGREDIENTS

• 8oz fresh pasta (spaghetti, or pici if you can get it)
• Kosher or sea salt
• 1-2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 to 1-1/2 C grated pecorino (or 1/2 each pecorino and paramgiano)

PROCESS

1. Bring water to boil in a pot and add salt.
2. Add pasta to the pot and cook per instructions to al dente.
3. Warm the pan over low heat.
4. Drain pasta, reserving 1 C pasta water.
5. Put pasta into the pan and immediately add the cheese mixing quickly and adding small amounts of the reserved pasta water to create a creamy dressing. Add desired amount of pepper so that it has a sharpness and spice, but is not too hot, and mix again.
6. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Serves 2-4.