Bucatini all’Amatriciana

I regularly catch Lidia's Italy on TLN, Lidia  was talked about the Lazio Region of Italy, and she proceeded to make Bucantini All'Amatriciana based upon a dish from Amatrice. Originally Lidia used Guanciale, which is hard for me to find so I used pancetta, so here is my rendition of her dish:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Medium Onions, Quartered and thinly sliced
6 Cloves Garlic, sliced
1 28oz Can Plum Tomatoes passed through a food mill, (preferably San Marzano)
1/4lb Pancetta, 1/4" slices chopped.
1/2 tsp Peperoncino ( more or less to taste)
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped
1lb of Bucantini or Perciatelli
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

I used a technique I saw on the program, put the sliced onions in a hot pan, with some water (I added a 1/4 cup of water + 1/2 cup white wine), to steam the onions and cook them without colouring them.  Once the water has evaporated, move the onions to one side of your skillet and add a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add the garlic and peperoncino.  Once the garlic has some colour, mix it with the onions and clear a space for the pancetta.  Once the pancetta is rendered add the milled tomatoes with the liquid from the can, reduce the pan to a simmer.  As a side I add a couple teaspoons of the parsley stems finely minced for extra flavour while the sauce simmers.  Taste for seasoning, adjust pepper and possibly peperoncino to taste.

Pear, Avocado, and Cucumber With Goat Cheese Salad

I've been experimenting with some fresh produce and making fast delicious salads to reduce my tendency to be a carnivore.  This one tastes yummy but doesn't photograph well, I did try, and I don't share images I'm not happy with.

1/2 English Cucumber Diced
1 Avocado Diced
1 Pear Diced
2 oz Goat Cheese Crumbled
4 Basil Leaves Chiffonade
1 Garlic Clove minced

2 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice from 1/2 Lime
Splash of Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Take your favourite mixing bowl toss everything in and mix it up.  The colour can be a bit questionable, but it is very tasty. I normally use Bartlett pears, but Bosc or Red should be tasty as well.

Buen Provecho.

More Later...
G.

Rapid Sauces For Dinner Plates

When you are doing "Fine Dining" most things have a tasty sauce, but in a French kitchen there is a dedicate person called a Saucier is responsible for these tasty concoctions... here are a couple of quick and easy tips to get a light sauce, and a cream sauce:

4:2:1 Chicken Stock : White Wine : Cream.

That is 4 parts low-sodium chicken stock, parts white wine, and if desired 1 part cream.

For each 2 parts chicken stock we sauté 1 medium minced shallot in tbsp. of oil or clarified butter, when it's translucent add 1 clove of minced garlic.  Stir for 30 or 45 seconds and add liquids, then reduce by at least half.  When it's reduce test for salt and pepper.  Add some minced parsley, and spoon over your vegetables, fish, chicken or what ever you need to sauce.

For a variation, I sometimes add a splash of Madeira or Marsala, or the juice of a lemon.

buen provecho

More Later…
G

Fast Flavourful Chickpeas

Sorry for not being a good host and providing at least a weekly note or idea; I'm hopefully back now and can rebuild my readership.  I've been playing with some of the America's Test Kitchen recipe magazines, and came across their Pan-Roasted Chickpeas recipe.  Here's my tasty spin on it…

Movies of Educators to Inspire...

Over the last little while I've been recalling some of my favourite movies dealing with education from an educators perspective.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, but a list that is worth a gander

The Emperor's Club -- Kevin Klein is a Roman history teacher, that clashes wills with the son of a senator.  When Klein believes he has failed, he gets surprised by his successes.  To quote one of his students "A great teacher has little external history to record. His life goes over into other lives. These men are pillars in the intimate structure of our schools. They are more essential than its stones or beams, and they will continue to be a kindling force and a revealing power in our lives."

Dead Poets Society -- One of my all time favourite Robin Williams performances.  Robin Williams portrays a teacher that returns to his Alma mater, to enlighten and mold his students into aspiring thinkers, with some tragic consequences.  "Captain, my captain" still rings in my mind when I'm feeling a little rebelliousness stirring in my heart and mind. If you can find it, the directors cut is worth the extra time.