Cowboys Beans

Yeeeeeehawwwwww .. It's "Cowboys Beans" tonight! If you're at all like me .. you get a "hankerin'" for some down home American food. I did this afternoon so I decided to whip up some "Trail Food".

"Cowboy" or "Trail Beans" have a mixed history. Some say THIS is what cowboys ate, but I doubt they had the ability to carry all the ingredients of modern recipes.

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with altering a base recipe with modern components to make this a "go-to" dish whenever "ya git a cravin'".

My recipe includes ground chuck (single grind) a whole pound of bacon, onions, chili, cumin, molasses, brown sugar, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, mustard powder and just to kick it up even further .. red pepper flakes. 

Then the beans .. I'm a huge fan of utilizing my entire bean pantry making dishes like this. Beans included were, Navy, Pinto, Red Kidney, Butter and finally Black beans. Each have a distinct texture which make the meal a mouthful of wonder with the firmness of Butter beans, the slight pop of the Red Kidneys and the creaminess of the Pinto beans. Add crunchy bacon mixed in the sweet spicy sauce .. Hang on I need another bowl!

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Tuscan Sangria

"Tuscan Sangria" .. Get the recipe ONLY on facebook.com/BaldFoodie

Orzo e Formaggio con Pancetta

"Orzo e Formaggio con Pancetta" .. or .. "Orzo Pasta and Cheese with Pancetta". 

Here's another oldie but goodie recipe idea from my upcoming "Mia Piccola Cucina" Cookbook.

In place of boring "elbow" macaroni, I make this seriously cheesy dish with "Orzo" Pasta, Pancetta, Heavy Cream, Bread Crumbs and three superb cheeses .. including Sharp Cheddar, Fontina and Parmigiano Reggiano. Each add a depth of flavor that is hard to beat.

Beat the boredoms this cookout with my unique take on traditional Mac'n Cheese!

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Capellini con Gamberi e Pomodoro Cremosa

"Capellini con Gamberi e Pomodoro Cremosa" .. or .. "Capellini Pasta with Shrimp and Tomato Cream". One of my favorite signature shrimp and pasta recipes. 

The dish features ultra thin Capellini Pasta and a full pound of shrimp. I like the 16-20 count per pound for this dish. The remainder of ingredients include Garlic, Oregano, Heavy Cream, Lemon Juice, Kosher Salt, Coarse Ground Pepper and Vermouth.

The addition of the vermouth here punctuates the natural sweetness of the tomatoes, making this quick sauce taste as if it’s been simmered for hours.

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Mangia mangia!

Melanzana a Strati

"Melanzana a Strati" .. or .. "Aubergine Napoleon". This is a dish from my upcoming "Mia Piccola Cucina" Cookbook and features Panko Crusted Aubergine (eggplant) layered with Mozzarella, my house made Caponata, Semolina Crusted Heirloom Tomatoes baked with Pomodoro Sugo and dusted with Parmigiano Reggiano. 

This is one of my original dishes and is extremely popular .. it's just a tad tedious in execution. 

The key, to this dish is finding fresh young eggplant. Local grown is best. Next you should peel off some of the rind in a striped fashion and sprinkling salt on them for 30 minutes to pull out the bitterness and softening the flesh. 

This one will have the family begging for more!

"Melanzana a Strati" .. a great summertime dish featuring fresh tomatoes and eggplant throughout the entire dish .. See more on facebook.com/BaldFoodie

Ciao!

Drunken Mussels

"Drunken Mussels" .. Summertime to me, means a light and flavorful meal. That's why I turn to seafood for my summertime dinner ideas. 

In America we call the dish I'm featuring tonight .. "Drunken Mussels" .. But in France it's "Moules Marinières" or "Mussels in White Wine". This is a common seaside dish in France from the coast of Normandy to St. Tropez. 

Believe it or not .. they are often served with French Fries in a dish called "Moules Frites" .. AND if you want to go "native" to loosen the mussels from the shells, use a still-hinged pair of shells as both tongs and eating utensil. It's super fun!

My dish features Garlic, Onion, Tomato Paste, Olive Oil, Butter, Thyme and of course a dry White Wine. Saute the onions in the olive oil and butter until they are translucent. Soften the garlic, then add the Tomato Paste, White Wine and Thyme and bring to boil. Add your mussels, cover and steam stirring occasionally until they are open. 

Note, discard any mussels that do not open. 

I like using a crusty bread or "Crostini" to soak up the broth, but feel free to go French and use those Fries. They are both fantastic!

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Bon Appetit

Strawberry Charlotte

"Strawberry Charlotte" .. With spring in full swing and summer a week away, what better a way to celebrate than a sweet strawberry treat?

My take on the classic French dessert .. This "Strawberry Charlotte" features springy spongecake with strawberry sauce spread across the top, ringed by fresh berries and filled with a strawberry infused whipped gelatin. Of course I then painted the sides with a tangy apricot jelly and sprinkled chopped pistachios on top. 

Looking for the yummo effect on this one!

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Fig & Sopressata Flatbread

"Fig & Sopressata Flatbread" .. Are you ever in the mood for a light yet full flavored meal? Then you need to try one of my "signature flatbreads".

This one .. the "Fig & Sopressata" .. Features my house made Flatbread and topped with my Fig Jam and Balsamic Reduction along with Italian Sopressata, Goat Cheese, Spring Baby Greens and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Sopressata is a type of Italian dry salami. In this dish, I used "Soppressata Toscana" which is is made up of the leftover pork which is cooked, chopped, seasoned, and then stuffed into a large casing for drying. Simply delicious!

It's a delightful change from ordinary pizza and makes a filling summertime treat!

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Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

"Tagliatelle alla Bolognese" .. or "Tagliatelle Pasta in the style of Bologna". The premier pasta dish of northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna Region.

Everyone loves this delicious "meat" sauce and no it's NOT a tomato sauce. Classic ingredients include Pancetta, Celery, Carrot, Onion (no garlic in official recipes), Minced Beef, Tomato Paste or Passata, Red or White Wine, Water or Stock and Milk!

You'll notice I mentioned "official recipe" .. that is because the city of Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna Region holds their Bolognese Ragu in such regard that they actually have denoted precise ingredients. 

Here it is .. "With a solemn decree of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina – the Italian Academy of Cuisine, the present was notarized and deposited in the Palazzo della Mercanzia, the Chamber of Commerce of the City of Bologna on the 17th of October 1982."

Ingredients

300 gr. beef cartella (thin skirt)

150 gr. pancetta, dried

50 gr. carrot

50 gr. celery stalk

50 gr. onion

5 spoons tomato sauce or 20 gr. triple tomato extract

1 cup whole milk

Half cup white or red wine, dry and not frizzante (sparkling)

Salt and pepper, to taste.

Procedure

The pancetta, cut into little cubes and chopped with a mezzaluna chopping knife, is melted in a saucepan; the vegetables, once again well chopped with the mezzaluna, are then added and everything is left to stew softly. Next the ground beef is added and is left on the stovetop, while being stirred constantly, until it sputters. The wine and the tomato cut with a little broth are added and everything left to simmer for around two hours, adding little by little the milk and adjusting the salt and black pepper. Optional but advisable is the addition of the panna di cottura of a litre of whole milk at the end of the cooking.

They definitely take their "Bolognese Ragu" serious there, however, every "Nonna" in Italy and America has her own take on this classic dish and I suggest you experiment a little as well .. But respect the original .. It's perfect!

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Classic Egg Salad Sandwich

"Classic Egg Salad Sandwich" .. Feeling a little reminiscent around lunch time .. So I whipped up a "blast from the past". My simple, yet flavorful summertime favorite. 

Eggs, house made mayo, celery, white balsamic vinegar and white pepper. Quick, easy and guaranteed to please.

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Pomodoro e Zuppa di Fagioli Cannellini

 "Pomodoro e Zuppa di Fagioli Cannellini" .. or .. "Tomato and Cannellini Bean Soup". 

The dish features San Marzano Tomatoes, Cannellini Beans, Onion, Garlic, Olive Oil, stock and classic Italian seasonings . This "zuppa" can be whipped up in under half an hour and I usually make a double batch and freeze it in serving size portions. This gives me the opportunity to have a tasty and nutritious lunch or dinner on the table within minutes.

I didn't include it in the photo .. but grating Parmigiano Reggiano is essential component along with my favorite "finishing" Extra Virgin Olive Oil . Combined at the end, they add cheesy creaminess and velvety texture. 

An ideal accompaniment for this soup is some crusty Italian bread like my "house made" Tuscan Bread.

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Make this one folks .. you'll love it!

Salsiccia Brasato Con Polenta

"Salsiccia Brasato Con Polenta" .. or .. "Braised Sausage with Polenta". If you are anything like me .. cool, cloudy days have me craving for comfort food and there is few dishes as comforting as Sweet Italian Sausage in a thick rich sauce sitting atop a bed of my "Creamy Polenta".

The heartiness of this dish lies in the slow cooking of the sausages (after browning) in a mix of vegetables, red wine and stock. The vegetable component begins with my version of Italian Soffrito .. which is onion, garlic, parsley, celery, carrot and rosemary. Then the addition of potatoes as a thickening agent.

After the braising liquid is prepared and brought to a boil, I reduce to simmer and return the sausages and let the clock do its work.

Meanwhile .. I prepare my signature "Creamy Polenta" where I top it with the hearty, rustic braised sausages and thick flavorful sauce.

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Try this recipe idea folks .. you're going to love it!

Tagliatelle alla Puttanesca

"Tagliatelle alla Puttanesca" .. Ahh yes .. One of my all time favorite pastas and pasta sauces combined into a fragrant, light tasting yet hearty dish with the addition of the thick, rich Tagliatelle noodles.

The sauce, as readers know, is said to have been concocted by "Ladies of the Evening" by its enticing aroma. Other legends say the sauce was created because of it's ease of preparation. Regardless of who, what or when .. this spicy sauce will be a hit on your dinner table AND if you can find it .. a restaurant that specializes in authentic, regional Italian dishes.

My dish includes San Marzano Tomatoes, Garlic, Anchovy Filets, Kalamata Olives, Capers, Peperoncino Flakes, Fresh Oregano, Fresh Parsley, Fresh Basil and of course .. quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

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Ciao!

"Tagliatelle alla Puttanesca" .. For this and more recipe ideas, visit and "like" facebook.com/Bald Foodie

Thai Red Curry Mussels

"Thai Red Curry Mussels" .. This super flavorful dish is rich in Asian ingredients .. Lemongrass, Cilantro, Coconut Milk, Lime, Nam Pla (Fish Sauce), Peanut Oil, Thai Chilies, Ginger, Cumin and of course White Wine.

The idea is to make the "Cooking Sauce" and quickly "steam" your cleaned mussels until they are all open. Then serve immediately in a bowl with crusty bread. Dipping the bread into this wonderful sauce is the highlight of this dish whether you use it as an appetizer or entree.

This variation of mussels is my absolute favorite and will be yours too .. well if you want to spice up your summer months!

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Chicken Tetrazzini

"Chicken Tetrazzini" .. Leftover staple "kicked-up" my style. When most people think of leftover chicken or turkey, they immediately think of Tetrazzini and I don't blame them. This hearty casserole is quick, easy and filling.

The dish is named for famous Italian Opera Singer Luisa Tetrazzini is widely believed to have been invented around 1908–1910 by Ernest Arbogast, the chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco where the singer was a long-time resident. 

However, other sources attribute the origin to the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City. Good Housekeeping published the first reference to Turkey Tetrazzini in October, 1908, saying readers could find the dish of cooked turkey in a cream sauce, with spaghetti, grated cheese, sliced mushrooms, and bread crumbs on top, at "the restaurant on Forty-Second Street". 

The chicken version was made famous by Chef Louis Paquet.

I love Tetrazzini, but tire of the bland flavors of traditional recipes. Here's where I kick it up by utilizing "Dried Wild Mushrooms" along with fresh mushrooms, fresh peas, heavy cream, nutmeg and my secret flavor boost .. Cognac.

Fettucce Rustiche al Pomodoro Fresco

"Fettucce Rustiche al Pomodoro Fresco" .. or .. "Fettucce Pasta with Rustic Fresh Tomatoes". A classic twist on Fettuccine most Americans are unfamiliar with. My "House Made" pasta has a longer, wider shape than typical Fettuccine, but not as wide or thin as Pappardelle.

It's the perfect accompaniment with my "Rustic Fresh Tomato Sauce" or "Sugo".

The sauce has very simple ingredients .. Fresh Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Fresh Onions and Garlic with a pinch of "Peperoncino Flakes" and a good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

What a great early summertime pasta dish. 

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Buon Appetito