Dining In

With meals like this at home, why on earth would I ever want to eat out?



"California" Shrimp Boil - decidedly Californian as a result of the addition of locally grown artichokes! Washed down with our favorite white, gruner veltliner, from Austria (ie the motherland!...do I hear, "Dad, grandma's from Chicago."?)



And yet, another meal enjoyed on our glorious deck...this one was in the harsh light of midday, instead of a cool evening under the setting sun. We noshed on an egg sandwich, served between the layers of a sourdough bun I made myself and garnished with homegrown watercress and lettuce. With an additional nod to our Austrian relatives, we indulged in a Trumer Pils - produced at the Berkeley extension of a Salzburg brewery that's been around for over 400 years. With lunch done, I think it's time for a nap...well, either that or more laundry.

Puttanesca Sauce - Two Ways

Chicken and penne mixed up in some saucy stories
By Karoline Boehm Goodnick, Globe Correspondent | June 9, 2010

Hot and lively, much like the ladies of easy virtue after whom the dish was named, puttanesca sauce originated in southern Italy. Puttana is the Italian word for prostitute, and there are several tales spun about the dish. Some believe that the intense aromas of garlic, anchovies, and olives lured potential customers, who were served pasta and sauce while waiting for the next available girl. Others say the sauce’s strong flavors are symbolic of the women of the night. Yet another account suggests that state-run brothels in the 1950s were only required to give their employees one day off a week, so they depended on sauces made with shelf stable ingredients.

The original working girls knew a little something about how to use their time. Easy to make in large quantities, puttanesca is a 30-minute sauce. Use it fresh from the pot to top pounded, sauteed chicken breasts. Later in the week, dress penne with puttanesca. Adapt the recipe to your tastes, adding more or less garlic, crushed red pepper, or anchovies.

Broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, is a leafy, slightly bitter version of its well-known relative. It is quite popular in Italy and makes a good partner for puttanesca. Blanch it quickly to remove some bitterness and soften the vegetable. Later, saute garlic with the greens to heighten the flavor. Chop any leftover broccoli rabe and stir it into the penne. Spicy puttanesca and bitter rabe is a pairing the saucy women would have liked.

Chicken with puttanesca sauce

Serves 4, with leftovers

SAUCE

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons capers
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 cans (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. In a large flameproof casserole over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.

2. Add the anchovies, red pepper, and oregano. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until the spices release their aromas.

3. Add wine, and simmer until it reduces by half.

4. Add the capers, olives, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes form a chunky sauce. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and black pepper, if you like.

5. Reserve 2 1/2 cups sauce for the penne. Set the remaining sauce aside for the chicken.

CHICKEN

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil

1. Heat oven at 400 degrees. Place the chicken breasts, 2 at a time, between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap. Use the smooth side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet to pound the breasts to about 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

2. In a large heavy skillet with a heatproof handle, heat the canola oil over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden on the bottom. Turn and transfer the skillet to the oven.

3. Continue cooking the chicken for 5 minutes or until it is cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

4. Return the skillet to high heat. Add the puttanesca sauce that you reserved for the chicken. Bring the sauce to a boil. Place 1 chicken breast half on each of 4 dinner plates. Top each breast with puttanesca sauce. Garnish with broccoli rabe.

Broccoli rabe

Serves 4

Salt and pepper, to taste
1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1. Turn on the broiler. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli rabe and return the water to a boil. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the broccoli rabe is almost tender but still bright green.

2. Drain the broccoli rabe and rinse with cold water.

3. Squeeze the broccoli rabe to remove excess water. Pat it dry with paper towels.

4. Wipe out the skillet. Add the olive oil. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes or until it begins to soften.

5. Add the broccoli, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until it is tender and beginning to brown.

6. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle the mixture over the broccoli. Place the pan under the broiler, setting it about 8 inches from the element. Broil for 1 minute, watching the pan carefully, until the crumbs are golden.

Penne puttanesca

Serves 4

2 1/2 cups puttanesca sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound penne
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1. In a large flameproof casserole, bring the puttanesca to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and keep warm.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, or until pasta is tender but still has some bite.

3. Drain the pasta.

4. Add a ladle of sauce to each of 4 shallow bowls. Add pasta to each bowl. Top with more sauce. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

Strawberry Pie

Strawberry season - while it came to California a while back - has finally made it of the rest of the country. If you find yourself unable to resist several flats, here is one delicious way to use them up!

It's Like Buttah

Butter can be made at home easily. In the old days, butter was made by using a wooden churn. Cream is the fattiest portion of cows’ milk that is skimmed from the surface. Pioneers poured cream into their churn and beat the cream by hand until the fat molecules separated from the liquid, creating butter and buttermilk. Today, we can replicate the technique using a stand mixer or a hand held mixer. Homemade butter should be wrapped in plastic and can be stored in the refrigerator for as long as store bought butter.

1 quart heavy cream, cold

1. Pour cream into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk.
2. Beat cream on medium speed for about 20 minutes, scraping down the sides frequently, or until the butter separates from the buttermilk.
3. Pour both the butter and buttermilk through cheesecloth. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Discard buttermilk.
4. Wipe out mixer bowl. Return butter to the bowl.
5. Pour a small amount of ice water over the butter. Do not pour in any ice cubes.
6. Using your hands, knead the butter to release any remaining buttermilk. Drain water, and repeat process until the water is clear.
7. If desired, season the butter with salt, honey, herbs, or spices. Transfer to a container, and refrigerate.

Cake Time

How on earth do I keep getting suckered into these projects?? At least it looked (and tasted) pretty good!
(The photo below is from event planner, Vera Devera's, site!)