Dinner last weekend...as it was just me....
Pasta with tiger shrimp, and a bit of a cream/wine/butter sauce with pesto and fennel....a green salad with dressing, and a bottle of Le Fin Du Monde.
I find myself debating writing a cookbook as I know there are tons of things I do in the kitchen that I picked up in part from my maternal grandmother, and in part from my travels and time in the kitchens of people I stayed with and visited abroad.
I had dinner guests just before we went to NYC and I guess my method of cooking pasta is different- and I have gotten so many requests and compliments on the flavor- when it's just boxed, dried, same-as-everyone-else pasta, and not even the expensive stuff.
So, I'll share a few thoughts and welcome feedback on it.
1. Whomever thinks taking the pot of boiled pasta and dumping it out in a strainer....then rinsing it with plain water- is missing the big picture. Works for boxed mac and cheese (shudder) but not for true pastas and meals containing pastas where you will actually TASTE the pasta.
2. Soups and stews are what they are due to the process of cooking meats, veggies and seasonings in the water for a period of time- pasta- whether fresh or dried- boils in water for anywhere from 5-10 minutes.....it's an opportunity to infuse a melody of flavors to work with your finishing touches.
3. My process: Boiling pasta in water, given. Additions: fennel (nutty, earthy, toasted flavor) rosemary (sweet, floral, slightly tangy) Oregano, Basil.....and such things as the juice from the can of olives, the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, the brine from the artichoke hearts, and always-always-always- a good olive oil. A good olive oil is one you can dip your finger into and taste it and taste a chorus of flavors....sweet, tangy, smoky, earthy, crisp, smooth, buttery....it will vary. If you taste your olive oil plain and it's just oily- uh, move on, or just use that one to keep stuff from sticking to your pans.
So...this evening- boiling the standard spaghetti in water, with some of my nutty/smoky olive oil, some fennel, oregano and the addition of a few tablespoons of wine; Sutter Home Moscato 2006. I had boiled the shrimp beforehand, not to being DONE but where they could be peeled.
Shrimp curl when cooked, and I used tiger shrimp, from a 16-20 ct sizing, smaller shrimp curl faster, of course. I boiled the shrimp to where they were just starting to curl, and then rinsed in cold water to peel them. Then I tossed them into a skillet where I had a 1/2 cup of Moscato warming, some fennel, oregano, and a drizzle of the olive oil. I sauteed the shrimp until they curled fully (done) and then removed them to a plate nearby.
I then retained the liquids, which had reduced, and poured in the sauce mix; a good creamy alfredo to which I had added 2 tablespoons of pesto, and let sit overnight in the fridge to combine. I brought the cream/wine reduction to a low simmer (don't boil it) and then turned it to low while the pasta finished cooking.
Don't drain the pasta in a strainer in the sink- it's fine to drain/rinse for mac and cheese...not for this.
Use the pasta tool to remove from the water and allow to drain above the pot, but don't rinse it. I scooped the spaghetti onto the shrimp, and then tossed it, and then poured the cream/wine reduction over it. I found it to have a warm, buttery, smooth taste with a hint of smoky/nutty flavor, the shrimp had additional boost of flavor as well- and nothing was overpowering. I accompanied the dish with a tossed salad of baby italian greens and a chopped roma tomato with an avacado/lemon/cream dressing (which I'm not sharing the recipe for yet as I'm fiddling with it) and a Le Fin Du Monde.
I could have easily gone with the remainder of the Moscato as my drink of choice as I do love it- however the malt flavoring of the Du Monde and it's 'bite' of carbonation was a nice pairing to the smooth flavors of both the pasta and the salad.
The Moscato I've named is one of my favorites in that I am a foodie- to where I cannot drink wine just for the sake of drinking wine- I do like to pair it well with a complementary flavor or food- even just cheeses or fruit, and I seldom find a wine I will drink a full glass of without a food or meal to accompany it. I find beer or cocktails to be better suited to just 'drink' solo, and even some beers I prefer only with foods. Anyways....
This Moscato, however, is that of pears and apples and a cool Indian Summer afternoon with a smooth yet crispy feel to it, a little sweeter than some, and not horribly dry. I tend to get headaches from Chardonnay and don't favor the flavors of a Pinot Grigio or other white/light wine with some cooking- so I always have a bottle or two of this Moscato around- in that I can drink it by itself a glass at a time- and it does add nice flavors when I've cooked with it. Tommy finds it a bit too sweet for his tastes, but he likes when I add it to sauces or dressings as it does impart a light, fruity, buttery taste.
Hmmm. I'm full. :)
Pasta with tiger shrimp, and a bit of a cream/wine/butter sauce with pesto and fennel....a green salad with dressing, and a bottle of Le Fin Du Monde.
I find myself debating writing a cookbook as I know there are tons of things I do in the kitchen that I picked up in part from my maternal grandmother, and in part from my travels and time in the kitchens of people I stayed with and visited abroad.
I had dinner guests just before we went to NYC and I guess my method of cooking pasta is different- and I have gotten so many requests and compliments on the flavor- when it's just boxed, dried, same-as-everyone-else pasta, and not even the expensive stuff.
So, I'll share a few thoughts and welcome feedback on it.
1. Whomever thinks taking the pot of boiled pasta and dumping it out in a strainer....then rinsing it with plain water- is missing the big picture. Works for boxed mac and cheese (shudder) but not for true pastas and meals containing pastas where you will actually TASTE the pasta.
2. Soups and stews are what they are due to the process of cooking meats, veggies and seasonings in the water for a period of time- pasta- whether fresh or dried- boils in water for anywhere from 5-10 minutes.....it's an opportunity to infuse a melody of flavors to work with your finishing touches.
3. My process: Boiling pasta in water, given. Additions: fennel (nutty, earthy, toasted flavor) rosemary (sweet, floral, slightly tangy) Oregano, Basil.....and such things as the juice from the can of olives, the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, the brine from the artichoke hearts, and always-always-always- a good olive oil. A good olive oil is one you can dip your finger into and taste it and taste a chorus of flavors....sweet, tangy, smoky, earthy, crisp, smooth, buttery....it will vary. If you taste your olive oil plain and it's just oily- uh, move on, or just use that one to keep stuff from sticking to your pans.
So...this evening- boiling the standard spaghetti in water, with some of my nutty/smoky olive oil, some fennel, oregano and the addition of a few tablespoons of wine; Sutter Home Moscato 2006. I had boiled the shrimp beforehand, not to being DONE but where they could be peeled.
Shrimp curl when cooked, and I used tiger shrimp, from a 16-20 ct sizing, smaller shrimp curl faster, of course. I boiled the shrimp to where they were just starting to curl, and then rinsed in cold water to peel them. Then I tossed them into a skillet where I had a 1/2 cup of Moscato warming, some fennel, oregano, and a drizzle of the olive oil. I sauteed the shrimp until they curled fully (done) and then removed them to a plate nearby.
I then retained the liquids, which had reduced, and poured in the sauce mix; a good creamy alfredo to which I had added 2 tablespoons of pesto, and let sit overnight in the fridge to combine. I brought the cream/wine reduction to a low simmer (don't boil it) and then turned it to low while the pasta finished cooking.
Don't drain the pasta in a strainer in the sink- it's fine to drain/rinse for mac and cheese...not for this.
Use the pasta tool to remove from the water and allow to drain above the pot, but don't rinse it. I scooped the spaghetti onto the shrimp, and then tossed it, and then poured the cream/wine reduction over it. I found it to have a warm, buttery, smooth taste with a hint of smoky/nutty flavor, the shrimp had additional boost of flavor as well- and nothing was overpowering. I accompanied the dish with a tossed salad of baby italian greens and a chopped roma tomato with an avacado/lemon/cream dressing (which I'm not sharing the recipe for yet as I'm fiddling with it) and a Le Fin Du Monde.
I could have easily gone with the remainder of the Moscato as my drink of choice as I do love it- however the malt flavoring of the Du Monde and it's 'bite' of carbonation was a nice pairing to the smooth flavors of both the pasta and the salad.
The Moscato I've named is one of my favorites in that I am a foodie- to where I cannot drink wine just for the sake of drinking wine- I do like to pair it well with a complementary flavor or food- even just cheeses or fruit, and I seldom find a wine I will drink a full glass of without a food or meal to accompany it. I find beer or cocktails to be better suited to just 'drink' solo, and even some beers I prefer only with foods. Anyways....
This Moscato, however, is that of pears and apples and a cool Indian Summer afternoon with a smooth yet crispy feel to it, a little sweeter than some, and not horribly dry. I tend to get headaches from Chardonnay and don't favor the flavors of a Pinot Grigio or other white/light wine with some cooking- so I always have a bottle or two of this Moscato around- in that I can drink it by itself a glass at a time- and it does add nice flavors when I've cooked with it. Tommy finds it a bit too sweet for his tastes, but he likes when I add it to sauces or dressings as it does impart a light, fruity, buttery taste.
Hmmm. I'm full. :)
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