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Monday's Leftovers: Mussels, Linguine & Red Pepper Sauce

YumSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:50:26 -0700

If you've got a half an hour to spare, you can make time this Monday evening to have an epicurean feast with your loved ones. Impress them with a modern twist on the old Italian standby, linguine with clams. Switch up the traditional marinara sauce with a roasted red pepper purée, and use leftover mussels for a familiar replacement to clams. Serve with al dente pasta and a glass of Italian white, and you'll be looking at the new family favorite when you read more.

Mussels With Linguine In Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Salt
Two 9-ounce packages fresh linguine
One 12- to 16-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup dry white wine
One 14.5-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
Black pepper
36 mussels (about 2 pounds), debearded

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
While the pasta is working, using a food processor, puree the roasted peppers.
In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine and reduce for about a minute, then stir in the pureed peppers and the tomatoes; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the mussels to the pan, cover tightly and cook until the shells open, about 5 minutes (discard any unopened mussels).
Divide the mussels among 4 large, shallow bowls and spoon a little sauce on top. Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta from its water to the sauce in the skillet and toss to coat. Pile the pasta alongside the mussels.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: Change the World - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:00:44 -0700

My sister is on the cover of a fabulous new book called Change the World For Ten Bucks. The idea behind the book - which is written by an organization called We Are What We Do - is small actions multiplied by lots of people equals big change. Basically if everyone stops using plastic bags and recycles more, the world will be a better place! I'm a huge fan of the book and the concept.

Thus, I'm doing my part to help: my sister has organized a day of volunteerism for a large group of people, and I'm donating a delicious lunch for them to enjoy. Since Earth Day is tomorrow, I invite you to join me by packing this picnic and planning your own day of volunteerism.

To keep energy up I'm making maple-almond trail mix with dried bananas. I'll also pack a bunch of fresh fruit (apples, bananas, strawberries, etc.) for the group to snack on. For lunch, the volunteers can choose either roasted red pepper sandwiches with tapenade and basil or curried chicken salad with spiced chickpeas. Both items are healthy and well-balanced. To look at the recipes, read more.

Maple-Almond-Banana Trail Mix
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
2 cups raw unsalted almonds (about 10 ounces)
1 cup wheat germ
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup cup dried bananas (about 4 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup cup dried cranberries (about 3 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine butter, maple syrup, almonds, wheat germ, oats, and salt in a large bowl. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake, stirring once and rotating sheet after 20 minutes, until just golden, 35 to 40 minutes total. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack.
Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in bananas and cranberries. Trail mix can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Makes about 8 cups.

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Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches With Tapenade and Basil
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

5 large red bell peppers
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
1 can anchovy fillets (3 ounces), drained and minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 24-inch baguettes, halved lengthwise
1/3 cup black olive tapenade from a jar
20 basil leaves

Directions

Roast the red peppers over a gas flame until charred all over. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and let cool.
Discard the skin and seeds and quarter the peppers. In a bowl, toss the peppers with the garlic, thyme, rosemary and about one-fourth of the anchovies and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the red peppers overnight.
Light a grill. Toast the baguettes over a hot fire, cut sides down. Spread the bottom halves of the baguettes with the tapenade.
Top with the marinated peppers and their juices, basil leaves and the remaining anchovies. Close the sandwiches and cut into 12 pieces. Wrap in napkins; serve.

Serves 12.

Make Ahead: The marinated peppers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

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Curried Chicken Salad With Spiced Chickpeas and Raita
From Gourmet

Ingredients

For curried chicken salad:
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 rotisserie chicken, meat coarsely shredded (3 to 4 cups)
1 cup red grapes, halved
For chickpeas:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry (2 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
For raita and topping:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 seedless cucumber, peeled, cored, and chopped (2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
4 (16-ounce) wide jars or containers with lids

Directions

Make curried chicken salad: cook onion, garlic, and ginger in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry, cumin, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in yogurt, cilantro, and chicken. Cool to room temperature.
Make chickpeas: heat oil in cleaned skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook chickpeas, stirring, 1 minute. Add cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring to coat, until skillet is dry, about 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Make raita: stir together yogurt, cucumber, mint, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Assemble jars: divide grapes among jars and layer curried chicken, raita, chickpeas, and almonds on top.

Serves 4.

Make Ahead: Curried chicken salad and spiced chickpeas can be made 1 day ahead and chilled separately. Assembled jars can be chilled up to 6 hours. Serve at room temperature.

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Taste Test: La Famiglia DelGrosso Pasta Sauce

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Since it's easy to prepare and so versatile, I cook pasta at least once a week. Lately, I've been experimenting with various sauces and pasta shapes to see how the factors make a difference in taste, so I gave La Famiglia DelGrosso a try.

I sampled three of eight different sauces, all of which have kitschy titles named after family members. My boyfriend thought Aunt Mary Ann's Sunday Marinara was "light on flavor," but I preferred it to its competitors. A Trader Joe's pomodoro sauce tasted sickly sweet in comparison. Uncle Joe's Vodka Celebration was my favorite of the bunch: the texture was creamy, but the sauce wasn't as light in color as most commercial vodka sauces, which often are too heavy on cream.

The sauce possessed a strong umami quality (incidentally, tomatoes contain high amounts of umami). Uncle Bo's Roasted Red Pepper Tour was made with - you guessed it - roasted red peppers, and it was my sweetie's favorite of the three because of its deep, smoky flavor.

Certainly no commercial variety can replace a homemade pasta sauce, but La Famiglia sauces work in a pinch. They are available at select Whole Foods and other grocers across the country. Have you tried any of the brand's flavors? What did you think of them?

Not Your Regular Nachos: Spanish Nachos

partysugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:00:55 -0700

Last weekend I was at my parents house in Sonoma County and the weather was wonderfully warm. After consuming a large lunch, I decided to enjoy a light, Spanish-style dinner. The Spanish often eat a dinner of cold cuts, olives, and cheese. Bread or breadsticks normally accompany these simple meals. I took this concept and translated it into a nacho variation. I baked small thin breadsticks topped with Manchego cheese until crisp and melty. Next I topped them with a homemade romesco sauce. Romesco is a typical Spanish sauce made with roasted red peppers and almonds. When served with garlic stuffed olives and fresh jamon, these nachos were salty and delicious! To learn how I made them, read more.

Spanish Nachos
Modified form Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

For the Romesco:
2 medium red bell peppers
1 cup salted roasted almonds, chopped (4 ounces)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
For the Nachos:
1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese
8-10 two inch long, flat Italian or Spanish style breadsticks, crackers, or flatbread
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
slices of jamon Serrano or prosciutto and green olives, optional for serving

Directions

Make the romesco: Roast the pepper directly over a gas flame or under a preheated broiler until blackened all over. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Peel; discard the stem and seeds. Coarsely chop the pepper.
In a food processor, process the roasted pepper with the almonds, vinegar, parsley, and garlic to a paste. With the machine on, slowly blend in the olive oil. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and season with salt.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Top each breadstick with a heaping teaspoon of grated cheese.
Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes.
Dollop a little of the romesco sauce on each nacho (reserve the rest of the romesco for another use). Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Serve immediately with ham and olives.

Serves 1 and makes about 1 1/2 cups of romesco sauce.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Eggplant Salad

partysugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:45:48 -0700

Although jarred roasted red peppers are readily available in grocery stores, I find the flavor of fresh roasted peppers superior to their supermarket counterparts. During the Summer, take advantage of the grill and char them over the fire. The grill will impart a subtle smokiness that is hard to mimic in mass produced variations. When combined with grilled eggplants, the peppers make a delicious and filling salad.

Packed with plenty of fresh herbs, this vegetarian dish is a wonderful way to use up the bounty of a Summer harvest. To look at the recipe, read more.

Grilled Eggplant Salad
From Vegetarian Times magazine

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced 3/8-inch thick
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Prepare medium-hot charcoal fire, or preheat gas grill (or broiler).
Grill whole red peppers, turning occasionally, until completely charred, about 20 minutes. Place in plastic or paper bag to steam 10 minutes to loosen skins. Working over bowl to catch pepper juices, remove skin, seeds and stems, and discard all. Dice peppers, and set aside.
Brush oil onto one side of eggplant slices; place on grill, oiled side down. Cook until tender and grillmarked, 5 to 7 minutes. Oil tops, turn over and grill until tender, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, and chop.
Combine eggplant, peppers and juices, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, cilantro, mint and garlic in large salad bowl, and toss to mix. Add lemon juice, and season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more lemon juice, salt or pepper as needed. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 6.

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Yummy Link: White Bean, Roasted Red Pepper, and Arugula Salad

partysugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:28:19 -0700

Now that Summer is just around the corner, I've started eating lots more salads. This salad with white beans, roasted red peppers, and arugula is at the top of my to-make list. It looks fresh and delicious. - We Heart Food

Simple Tip: Peeling Roasted Red Peppers

YumSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:01:51 -0800

I absolutely adore using roasted red peppers to add a gourmet touch to sandwiches, salads, and all sorts of entrees. I already gave you a primer on how to roast red peppers, but lately I've been using this easy tip for peeling them that I wanted to share.

You can roast peppers several different ways: I prefer to coat mine lightly with olive oil and blacken them in the broiler for five to 10 minutes. No matter what your method, this trick gets the blackened skins off easily. To find out how, read more.

Remove the peppers from the oven and place them on a flat surface with an overturned bowl on top, so it completely covers the peppers. The bowl will trap the heat from the peppers and fill with steam. This "steaming" process will loosen the skins so that they peel off easily.

After five to 10 minutes, remove the bowl, turn it right side up, and place it on your prep surface. Carefully peel the skins off of the peppers and drop the discarded skins into the bowl. Then, you can just toss the skins in the trash.

Do you have an easy way for peeling peppers? Let us know below!

What Would You Make?

partysugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:08:51 -0800

OK so hopefully by now you know how this works, but just in case, here goes. You are at home and hungry for food. You have to cook up something scrumptious for you and your boyfriend/girlfriend/ spouse/child/friend, but the ingredients you have on hand are limited.

You have ground turkey, feta cheese, and a jar of roasted red peppers. Using these products, along with whatever you currently have on hand in your cupboard and refrigerator, what would you make?

To see what I would make, read more.

First I would heat up some olive oil in a saute pan. I would brown the ground turkey in the oil.
To the pan I would add a chopped onion and minced garlic.
I would mix in some dried spices: black pepper, salt, oregano, and thyme.
When the meat is almost cooked and the vegetables are soft I would mix in some chopped red peppers.
Meanwhile, I would cover a cookie sheet with foil. On top of it I would lay out a bunch of pita chips.
I would top the pita chips with the cooked ground turkey vegetable mixture. Next I would top this with the feta cheese.
I would put the whole thing in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the pitas are crispy and brown.
Finally, I would top the entire thing with fresh chopped parsley.
Voila, Greek nachos! Best paired with a cold beer.

Source, Source, and Source

Sunday Dinner: Eggplant Steak with Chickpeas and Roasted Red Peppers

YumSugar — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 01:17:19 -0700

A great Sunday dinner doesn't have to take all day to make, and a vegetarian meal doesn't have to be for herbivores alone. Keeping those two things in mind, I'm happy to share with you a delicious vegetarian meal that will hit the spot on any day of the week. This recipe for eggplant steak served with chickpeas and roasted red peppers is a great way to start off the week. To get the recipe, read more

Eggplant Steak with Chickpeas, Roasted Red Peppers, Feta Cheese and Black Olives
From Vegetarian Times magazine, August 2002

Balsamic Marinade
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp tamari soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large eggplant, about 1 lb.
1 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained
2 medium-sized red peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and cubed
1/4 lb feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
1/2 cup pitted black olives, preferably Greek or Moroccan
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano or Italian parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 (6 1/2-inch round) pita breads
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 bunch fresh oregano as garnish

To make marinade, combine ingredients, slowly adding olive oil and stirring briskly to combine well. Set aside.
Preheat grill or broiler.
Cut eggplant lengthwise into four ½-inch-thick slices to resemble steaks. Brush “steaks” with marinade.
Grill or broil eggplant for 2 minutes on each side, or until tender but not soft. Remove from heat and place 1 steak on each serving plate.
Place chickpeas, red peppers, feta, black olives and oregano in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine well. Add some marinade and stir again. Toast or grill pita bread and cut into pie-shaped wedges and set aside.
Spoon 1 or 2 scoops of pepper-olive mixture on eggplant steak with some mixture pooling onto plate. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, place several pita wedges on plate and garnish eggplant with several sprigs fresh oregano. Repeat with remaining ingredients until used up, making sure pepper-olive mixture spills over top of eggplant and onto plate. Serve immediately.

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How To Roast Red Peppers

partysugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 05:58:32 -0700

Roasted red bell peppers are a great addition to salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and antipasto platters. I love to make my own at home, jar them and have them on hand for whenever one strikes my fancy. Large red bell peppers are sweet, not spicy and can be found in grocery stores year round - although their peak season (when they are the cheapest) is from May until August. To roast, start by washing the peppers and removing the stickers. Next you can either char them on high heat on a gas range stove by placing them directly onto the grates or roast them in the oven (which is what I like to do). Use tongs to turn the pepper to blacken on all sides. Cook on the grill the same way. If roasting in the oven, preheat to 450F. Arrange the peppers on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven, turning every 15 minutes until done (about 30 minutes). Whatever technique you use to blacken the peppers, once they are done place in a covered bowl or brown paper bag. As the steam from the peppers condenses, the skin becomes easier to peel off.

Once the peppers have cooled, carefully peel off the blackened skin and discard. You can do this with your fingers or a sharp pairing knife. Pull or cut off the top of the pepper and squeeze gently to remove the seeds. Never rinse or wash the peppers as the water will diminish the smoky flavor. When the skins and seeds have been removed cover them in oil, adding garlic slices or herbs if desired and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.