Broccoli Melts

 This recipe can be changed up so many ways -add bacon bits, change up the seasonings, slather the bread w some mustard after grilling, change up the cheese (Swiss, white cheddar, provolone, etc

1# broccoli, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried dill 

1/2 package herb & garlic Boursin

6 fairly thick slices sourdough

Butter

Sprinkle of black pepper & crushed red pepper

6 slices American cheese 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Using a large baking sheet, scatter broccoli on sheet then seasonings & garlic

Roast x 15 minutes

While broccoli is roasting, place Boursin cheese into a medium mixing bowl & spread sourdough slices with butter

Grill bread in a skillet or grill pan on both sides over medium heat until toasted

Add roasted broccoli to bowl w Boursin cheese & stir well. 

Arrange toast slices on same sheet pan as broccoli roasted on. Spread broccoli mixture over toast, sprinkle w peppers then top w cheese slices. 

Return toasts to oven until cheese is melty (could broil too)

Pelmini Soup

 1 small head green cabbage, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled & chopped 

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbs tomato paste

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 Tbs dried dill weed

1 tsp fennel seeds 

1 tsp caraway seeds

4 cups veggie or chicken broth 

1/2 pound frozen pelmini (we use chicken & pork stuffed)

Sour cream & black pepper to top

Bread on side if desired 

In a large soup pot, saute onions, cabbage, and carrots in a little oil over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, stirring often. 

Add garlic & tomato paste & saute another minute. 

Deglaze pot with vinegar then add spices & saute until vinegar mostly evaporated  

Add broth & simmer at least 20 minutes, uncovered, adding water if it gets too dry

15 minutes before ready to eat, stir in frozen pelmini, cover pot & simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally & add water if pelmini soak up too much broth

Serve w a dollop of sour cream, black pepper, & a side of crusty bread  

White Pork Ragu

 

from “Smitten Kitchen Keepers: new classics for your forever files” by Deb Perelman

serves 4-6

2 Tablespoons oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 small bulb fennel, chopped 
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes
1 pound ground pork

1 Parmesan rind 

1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 bay leaf
Pasta water, as needed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound dry fettuccine, or 1 pound fresh
Lots of cracked black pepper & grated Parmesan, to serve

Build the sauce:

Heat a medium-to-large heavy pot or Dutch oven (4-5 quarts) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, and once it is warm, add the onion, carrot, and fennel and season well with salt and black pepper and/or pepper flakes, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned all over. Don’t worry if anything sticks. Add the pork and garlic, season it generously with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it up with your spoon, it until it has browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up any stuck bits; cook until the wine disappears (1-2 minutes). Add the broth, milk, and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer; then reduce the heat to the lowest simmer, leaving the lid off. Congratulations, you’ve now reached the “walk away” portion of the recipe.

Cook the ragu:

Here’s how the next 1 to 1.5 hours will go:Check in on the sauce from time to time, adding more water if needed to keep it loose, but not enough to submerge the meat (which would boil, not braise–shudder). Taste it from time to time, and add more seasoning if needed. The sauce is done with the meat tastes tender, butter, and rich; this takes 60 to 90 minutes. There’s little harm in going a little longer (up to 2 hours) if real life is more interesting. Do a final taste for seasoning, and cook any remaining liquid down to a saucy puddle. Remove from heat; discard the bay leaf and either discard or chop up Parmesan rind & add back to sauce.  Add the cream, and stir to combine.

To finish:

Cook your pasta 1-2 minutes shy of done in well-salted water. Before you drain it, ladle a cup of the pasta water int a glass by the stove. Drain the pasta, and add it directly to the ragu, along with a quarter to a half of the reserved water. Cook the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is as as done as you like it, adding more pasta water if needed to keep it moving. Serve in wide bowls, finished with Parmesan and pepper. 

Spring Pasta Primavera/Carbonara

 Loosely based off this recipe, but with some Boyd tweaks

https://www.feastingathome.com/spring-orecchiette-pasta-with-burrata/

• 16 oz shaped pasta (shells, twists, etc)
• 2 cups peas (fresh or frozen)
• 
  
• 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite sized pieces 
• 4 links sausage of choice-we like precooked chicken sausage 
• 1 onion- diced
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 12 oz mushrooms, quartered 
• cracked pepper
• 2 Eggs, whisked
• 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan, divided
• Zest & juice from 1 lemon
• 1 cup pasta water, reserved 
• 1/2  cup fresh chopped herbs- mint, basil, dill, or Italian Parsley or a blend.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees: place sausage & asparagus on greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes then remove from oven & slice sausage
2. Cook the Pasta: while oven is preheating, bring a large pot with 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. When water comes to a boil, add pasta and cook to al dente, about 7 minutes ( or see directions on package). During the last minute of cooking the pasta, add the peas to the boiling pasta, turn the heat up to high and quickly blanch for one minute. Drain the pasta and veggies (reserving 1 cups hot pasta water). Do not rinse. Return to the pot, turn heat off.
3. While the pasta is cooking, saute the mushrooms: In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until tender and fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and saute until golden and tender 7-8 minutes.  Add a pinch of  salt and pepper. Set pan aside.
4. Whisk two eggs in a small bowl, set aside.
5. Temper the Eggs. Once the pasta is drained and back in the pot,  gradually whisk in 3 tablespoons of the reserved hot pasta water, one tablespoon at a time into the eggs, to temper the eggs (to warm them up gently- so they don’t curdle). Then add lemon zest & juice. Stir well.
6. COMBINE: Pour tempered eggs mixture over the pasta and with a big wood spoon, gently stir to coat the pasta. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir in the mushrooms mixture, sausage & asparagus, half of the fresh the herbs, cracked pepper,  adding more hot pasta water as needed to loosen the pasta,  and make it a  “saucy”.  You don’t want this dry. I usually add a cup. 
7. Season. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
8. Plate & sprinkle with remaining herbs and Parmesan cheese

California Pizza

 Inspired by a Farellis pizza we like, but tweaked 

One Pizza dough

Top with: 

Pesto

Shredded mozzarella 

Chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

Sliced red onion

Feta cheese

Cashews 

Bake at 450 x 18 minutes