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Rachel’s Pasta Fagioli With Olio Nuovo – Hold The Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound Great White Northern Beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 medium celery rib, coarsely chopped
  • 2 large shallots, diced 
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 pound smoked bacon diced
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 5 quarts chicken broth or stock, vegetable stock, or cold water
  • 1 – 2″ sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste (at least 1 tablespoon recommended if not using stock)
  • 1/2 cup Robust Olio Nuovo such as Coratina/Frantoio, or Empeltre

DIRECTIONS

Combine all the ingredients except for the olive oil in a large slow cooker.  Set the cooker to high for 6 hours.  Once the beans are tender, taste and adjust seasoning. Drain the beans with a slotted spoon and serve slathered in Olio Nuovo with crusty bread.

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Pumpkin zucchette with roasted brussel sprouts

Ingredients:
    – brussel sprouts, washed, stem end cut off and cut in halves
    – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    – Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
    – Toss brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake for 30-45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Ingredients:
     – 2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
     – 1/2 white onion, diced
     – 5-8 pieces of garlic, peeled and chopped fine
     – 1 +cup vegetable stock
     – sage, oregano, whatever savory herbs you choose to use
     – salt, pepper

Preparation:
      – In a large skillet sauté onion until translucent.
      – Add garlic and spices.  Stir and cook over medium heat for a few minutes.
      – Add pumpkin and vegetable stock, stir well, let simmer for 10 minutes.
      – Add salt and pepper to taste.
      – Stir Cooked zucchette into pumpkin sauce over low heat for a minute or two.  Don’t overcook the pasta!

taken from post by Emily on veganlazy.wordpress.com 

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Polenta

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cups roasted chicken stock or
  • low-salt, canned chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • Pinch ground white pepper
  • 1/2 cup polenta
  • 1/2 cup semolina
  • Butter for baking sheet
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated fontina cheese

DIRECTIONS

  • Combine stock, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a large, heavy pot. Bring liquid to a boil, then add polenta and semolina gradually while stirring with a whisk or spoon. Stir well when adding the semolina as it tends to clump.
  • Continue to cook over moderate heat while stirring constantly. Polenta is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pot (about 5 minutes) and takes on a choux paste (cream puff pastry) texture.
  • Remove from heat and sprinkle in Fontina and Parmesan. Let sit for a few moments to allow for cheese to soften, then mix in. If cheese gets too hot, the texture will be grainy. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with buttered waxed paper; be sure pan is not warped. Using a flat, metal spatula, spread polenta evenly in prepared pan. Spread polenta to a thickness of approximately 1/2 inch. Smooth with the spatula.
  • Cool to room temperature, then cover with waxed paper or parchment and refrigerate. Polenta should be prepared at least 4 hours in advance so it has a chance to set up. Once it has set up, cut into portion sizes such as squares or triangles. Wrap well to freeze or refrigerate for a day before use.

Serves 6

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Lemon/Garlic Asparagus

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds young asparagus
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper

Preparation

  • Using a microplane grater, grate the rind of the lemon into a cup. Juice the lemon, add to the cup.
  • Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper to the cup, set aside.
  • Rinse asparagus. Snap off the ends (they will break where they start to get tough). Cut the stalks into 2-3″ portions.
  • Heat a large cast iron pan over high heat, add olive oil.
  • When oil is hot, add asparagus, onion and red pepper, and gently toss or turn with a spatula. Cook this way for three minutes, tossing occasionally, until asparagus starts to braise.
  • Add garlic, and lemon mixture, gently toss 30 seconds, and add broth.
  • Cover, cook over medium high heat until asparagus is al dente.
  • Remove cover and reduce sauce a bit, being careful not to overcook the asparagus.

Recipe courtesy of Italian Harvest 

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Jasmine Rice with Sauteed Baby Bella Mushrooms

Ingredients:
Jasmine Rice
Wild Mushroom and Sage infused Olive Oil
1 pound fresh baby bella mushrooms; cleaned, dried and chopped

Preparation:
Follow pkg. directions to prepare rice. Instead of using a Tablespoon of butter that it requests ( added to the boiling water) use one Tablespoon of the Wild Mushroom and Sage infused olive oil
Saute fresh mushrooms in the Wild Mushroom and Sage infused olive oil and a small amount of butter
Add mushrooms ( scraping the skillet of all mushroom pieces and any oil/butter left in skillet) to the cooked rice and stir to mix

Contributed by Suzanne Davidson