herbiehancock

Linguine with Bay Scallops and Pancetta Ingredients 8 ounces linguine 1/3 pound pancetta, cut into large dice 1 pound bay scallops 2 large cloves garlic, minced 2 shallots, finely diced 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup white wine 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced Method Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook until not quite al dente, 9-10 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet on medium low and add pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered and the pancetta is well browned, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove pancetta to paper towels to drain. Pour the rendered fat into a separate bowl, leaving about a tablespoon in the bottom of the pan. (Note: Try not to eat all the pancetta as you're cooking the rest of the dish. Me? I didn't touch a sing...

Caprese. Pasta. There is virtually no better use of fresh tomatoes and basil than this simple dish. And when I say simple, I mean SIMPLE. It's basic math: + + + = I have my dear friend Krysta to thank for this, and thank her I do, profusely, multiple times per summer, since 2008 when I first saw it on her blog . Caprese Pasta Ingredients There are no set amounts here. It's all up to you. This is what you will need: Dry pasta Tomatoes Fresh basil leaves Olive oil Kosher or sea salt Fresh ground black pepper Shredded mozzarella Method Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain well. Pour into a medium bowl, squirt a bit of olive oil on it, toss and let cool to room temperature. Cut up the tomatoes and chiffonade the basil. Mix together in a large bowl, soak with olive oil, and add salt and pepper, to taste. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, perhaps while the pasta cools off. Pour the cooled pasta into the bowl with the tomato basil mixture. Combine w...

Ragu Bolognese Ingredients 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 carrot, finely diced or grated 1 medium onion, finely diced or grated 1 rib celery, minced 1 clove garlic, crushed or grated 1 1/4 pounds ground beef 1 pound ground pork shoulder ( grind your own !) 1 6-oz. can tomato paste 1 cup milk 1 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or more, to taste) Freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving Crushed red pepper, for serving Method In a 6 to 8-quart, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, celery, and garlic and sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent and soft but not browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the beef and pork. Cook until browned, stirring frequently, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Remove pot from heat and pour meat and vegetables into a colander to drain excess fat. Return mixture to pot and set ...

I started making my own pasta last May, when Steve was ever so thoughtful and bought me a nice rolling machine for my birthday. It took some effort the first time, the usual getting the hang of something new and all. After I did it once, though, I started finding a rhythm with it and then I wondered why I hadn't bought a roller sooner. Fresh Pasta (serves 2) Ingredients 3/4 cup all purpose flour 3/4 cup semolina flour 2 eggs (this can be easily doubled, tripled, etc.) Method Mix the all purpose flour and 1/2 cup of semolina flour together in a small bowl, leaving 1/4 cup semolina aside. Pour the mound of flour out onto a large cutting board (or  counter) and make a well in the center. Break the eggs inside the well. Take a small fork and whisk the eggs in the center, slowly pulling little bits of the wall of flour into the well as you go, until a batter starts to form. When it becomes too thick to keep using a fork, gather the rest of the flour in with your hands and knead it into ...

Pasta with Sausage and Rapini adapted from Last Night's Dinner Ingredients 1 large bunch rapini, chopped into 1-inch pieces 1 pound penne, orecchiette or other chunky pasta 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 6 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 cup white wine 1/4 cup chicken stock 1 bunch green garlic, thinly sliced 1 small shallot, finely chopped Kosher salt 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving Method Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the rapini for about a minute, until bright green. Remove from the pot with a spider or other large straining spoon and set aside. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep saute pan over medium high heat. Cook the sausage in the pan, breaking it up with a spoon into bite-sized chunks, until no longer pink. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes over the saus...

Sausage, Leek and Pea Pasta adapted from Lidia Bastianich Ingredients 1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed Splash of dry white wine 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 large leeks, trimmed, light green and white parts cut into 1/2-inch pieces, washed well, and drained 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup frozen young peas, defrosted and drained 1 cup homemade chicken stock 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 lb. campanelle or other shaped, dried pasta 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Method Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put the sausage into a bowl. Add a splash of white wine and mix into the sausage until the meat is moistened. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage, breaking up the lumps, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until moderately soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the shallot and garli...

Chicken Parmesan Ingredients 1 pound dry spaghetti or linguine Chicken: 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1/4 cup flour 2 large eggs, beaten 1 cup panko 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley Extra virgin olive oil for frying 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Sauce: 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt Method Set up your frying station: put the flour in one shallow dish, the eggs in a second and the panko, Parmigiano-Reggiano and parsley, evenly combined, in a third. Dredge the chicken thighs in flour, shaking off excess, coat with the egg, then press into the seasoned panko. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom. When the oil is shimmering, add two or three pieces of the chicken and fry for abo...

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta adapted, with thanks to Sarah Ingredients 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 8 ounces ziti or penne 3 1/2 cups + 3/4 cup chicken stock Fresh broccoli florets and stems cut from a 1-pound bunch 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Method Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and...

In the few years that I have been cooking, one of the core truths I have discovered is this: the simplest things are the hardest to perfect. Meatloaf. Potato salad. Chicken parmesan. And yes, spaghetti and meatballs. This is not to say that these dishes are difficult to cook. Not at all. But they are hard to make truly great. Maybe it's because these kinds of recipes lend themselves to so many variations in ingredients and methods that making what one might call a "perfect version" takes a lot of practice. Practice, repetition, trial and error. When I first began blogging in late 2007, I had no idea how to make my own anything. I had to search for advice on times and temps and methods and measurements. And sadly, at the time, there was little help out there for those just getting started in the kitchen. Pioneer Woman stood out to me for that reason alone - she broke down each step, which was such a help for novice cooks. She still does this and kudos to her for it...