JAG
just add garlic.
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Zucchini + Eggplant Ribbon Lasagna
For the first post in months, I thought I should choose something great. As my roommate pointed out, I started chanting “yum yum yum yum” as I took this out of the oven, so I think this veggie lasagna qualifies!
Ingredients:
- One each medium zucchini and Japanese eggplant, sliced/shaved as thin as a lasagna noodle
- 2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 t salt
- 1/2 t fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 habanero pepper
- 1/2 medium fennel bulb
- 1 large onion
- 1/2 bunch asparagus
- 3 T olive oil
- 1 cup part skim ricotta
- 2 cups shredded cheese (I used mozzarella and parm)
1. Slice the zucchini and eggplant really, really thin: I used a mandolin for this. Place the strips on paper towel and liberally salt, to sweat out most of the moisture. Layer the veggies between layers of paper towel, and let stand at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
2. For the sauce, dice the onion, fennel, and asparagus. Heat olive oil over high flame, and saute veggies until softened- a few minutes. Add the habanero, cut into tiny pieces, careful not to touch the pepper and then your face/eyes. Meanwhile, process the tomatoes and garlic together, and pour over veggies. Simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375.
Tiny pepper, big heat factor!
3. Line a 9 inch square pan with a layer of zucchini/eggplant. Cover with sauce, dot with 1/3 cup ricotta, and a layer of shredded cheese. Repeat until the pan is full.
I really need to work on my photo skills…
4. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes, covered. Then take the cover off and bake until the cheese is bubbly and browning, around 10 minutes. Let set for 10-15 minutes, cut and serve.
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Spaghetti Squash Pomodoro
Turns out there’s an even easier squash than zucchini from which to make “pasta.”
This recipe is really easy- and luckily, for those of us with broken ovens, does not even require roasting the veggies. Nuking the squash in the microwave while you make the sauce means this can be finished in just about 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1 spaghetti squash (2-3 lb)
- 2 cups diced roma tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- handful basil and oregano (or a teaspoon of each, dried)
- 1 T white wine vinegar
- 2 T tomato paste
- 2 T olive oil
- S&P
- grated parm/asiago cheese
1. Stab the squash all over with a knife so it heats evenly. Put it in the microwave, covered, and nuke for about 10 minutes per side- so it’s tender to the touch. I used a large bowl with a plate over the top.
2. While the squash is cooking, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and onion, let cook for a few minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer over low heat until the squash is done.
3. Pull the squash out of the microwave, take it out of the dish, and cut it lengthwise. Let it cool for a few minutes before scooping out the seeds. Use a fork to pull out the flesh of the squash- this will be your “pasta.”
Squash with seeds.
Shell with the flesh strung out.
4. Incorporate the squash into the sauce, top with cheese, and enjoy!
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Creamy Mascarpone, Prosciutto, and Arugula Pasta
Apparently NPR has a cooking series. Who knew? This recipe, with a few tweaks, was fantastic.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound pasta
- 10 ounces mascarpone cheese
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 cup hot pasta water
- 3 packed cups wild arugula
- 1/3 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
- Shaved parm for garnish and passing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
1. Cook the pasta in a large pot until al dente. Scoop some of the water out while it’s cooking into a measuring cup.
2. Meanwhile, whisk mascarpone cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and hot pasta water until smooth and creamy. Mine resembled an alfredo sauce.
3. Cook the shallot garlic and onion in olive oil over high heat for about 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium, and add the diced proscuitto, cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Drain the pasta and toss it back in the pot. Add arugula, proscuitto, onion, and cheese sauce and toss until well coated.
5. Divide among plates. Sprinkle with shaved cheese.
Behind the scenes at JAG: food staging becomes a game with Blue around.
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Fatty Pasta with Shrimp
Whole foods had red peppers on super sale the other day, so I bought a few without any plan. I roasted them today, and discovering some shrimp in my freezer, decided to make a creamy sauce with what I had in the house. I’ve never actually made a cream sauce before (I find it way too guilt inducing), but I figured I couldn’t go wrong with butter, shallot, garlic, half and half, and roasted red pepper. I was correct!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup shallot
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 T butter
- 1/2 t red pepper flake (less if you don’t like heat)
- 1/2 cup half and half
- pulp from 2 roasted red peppers
- around 20 shrimp
- half a package of pasta (I used angle hair)
- salt and pepper
1. Melt butter over high heat, add shallot garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 4-6 minutes. Also, start to boil water for the pasta.
Everyone laughs when I mention my off-brand slap chop, but it’s actually a great tool. I used it for the shallot, garlic, and peppers!
2. Chop up the red peppers and add them to the pan along with the half and half. Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente.
See, the peppers would have made such a mess on the cutting board. Chopper = awesome.
3. Over medium high heat, add the shrimp. Simmer together for a few minutes until the shrimp are just cooked.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, incorporate the pasta and toss.
5. Top with cheese and enjoy!
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Spicy tortellini with lacinato kale, caramelized onion, and homemade breadcrumbs
I arrived home tonight around 7 after stopping by Whole Foods in search of French green lentils for another project, where I happened to buy some lacinato kale. I’ve hear it’s more tender than typical kale, and some even tote it as a great raw salad base.
Since we had our first little snowfall in Chicago today, I was in the mood for something warm, so I dug a few things out of the fridge, baked a piece of lime-chili breaded frozen tilapia from Dominick’s (meh, probably won’t buy that again), and started sauteing some onion and garlic.
Ingredients*:
- 1 package refrigerated tortellini
- 8 leaves lacinato kale
- 1/2 diced red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- Olive oil to saute, then drizzle on top
- Breadcrumbs (toasted pine nuts would also be really good)
- Grated cheese (whatever kind you like)
* All of these amounts are complete estimations- I would have added a little more red pepper flake and onion because I like heat, but this was pleasant for a normal palate
- Start caramelizing the red onion in olive oil. After it’s well on its way, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let this all simmer together while you work with the kale.
- Boil tortellini and set aside.
- Cut kale into roughly 1/2 inch pieces. Make sure to wash it (I did mine in a salad spinner.)
4. Add the kale, lemon juice and chicken broth to the garlic and onion. Turn up the heat and cook until everything is well incorporated, about 6-8 minutes. Drizzle with extra olive oil if it seems dry.
5. Sprinkle entire pan with cheese and breadcrumbs. I made breadcrumbs earlier in the week by tossing some stale baguette into the cuisinart.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste, plate and enjoy!
Author
Kitchen musings from Lizzy: not so novice cook, part time law student, newbie gardener, lifetime Chicagoan, garlic spice and travel lover.
