Winter Gatherings (11 page)

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with puree

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound ziti, penne, or rigatoni

Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

• 1.
  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the andouille and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the andouille to a plate, leaving the fat in the saucepan.
  
• 2.
  Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, scallions, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, paprika, and cayenne, and stir well. Return the andouille to the saucepan. Add the tomatoes and their puree and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and partially cover. Simmer until the puree is lightly thickened, about 45 minutes. During the last 3 minutes, add the shrimp and cook until they turn opaque.
  
• 3.
  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ziti and cook according to the package instructions until barely tender. Drain well.
  
• 4.
  Return the ziti to the pot. Add the sauce and mix well. Serve hot, with the cheese on the side.
  

Super Bowl Menu

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings (Chapter 1)

Your favorite dips and chips

Shrimp Jambalaya Ziti (opposite)

Garlic bread

Pear and Crystallized Ginger Gingerbread (Chapter 6)

Baked Penne with Farmhouse Cheddar and Leeks

Makes 6 servings

Leeks lift this macaroni and cheese out of the ordinary. If your kids would rebel at leeks in their favorite noodle dish, just leave the leeks out and decrease the mustard to 1 teaspoon. This dish is truly sensational when made with first-class white Cheddar, and when I am feeling really flush, I’ll use a British farmhouse cheese.

1 pound penne

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish

4 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, well rinsed, drained, and chopped (5 cups)

¼ cup flour

3½ cups whole milk, heated

4 cups (1 pound) shredded extra-sharp white Cheddar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon hot red pepper sauce

Salt

2 large eggs

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter a 15 x 10-inch baking dish.
  
• 2.
  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until barely tender (remember the pasta will be baked), about 8 minutes. Drain well.
  
• 3.
  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in the flour. Whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Cheddar, mustard, and red pepper sauce. Season with salt and additional red pepper sauce to taste.
  
• 4.
  Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the hot cheese sauce, then stir the egg and cheese mixture back into the saucepan. Add the penne to the sauce and stir well. Spread in the baking dish.
  
• 5.
  Bake, uncovered, until the sauce is bubbling and the ends of the penne are tinged with brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
  

Linguine with Mussels and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This recipe turns to the pantry and brings the concentrated flavor of sun-dried tomatoes to this wintertime version of the ever-popular linguine with shellfish. Farm-raised mussels won’t need to be scrubbed or soaked, but if you have ocean-harvest mussels, use pliers to pull off the “beards,” give them a good scrub, then soak in cold salted water for an hour or so to help them expel any grit.

1 pound dried linguine

¼ cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup drained and diced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2/3 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste

2 pounds mussels

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, thinly sliced

Salt

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

• 1.
  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
  
• 2.
  Meanwhile, heat the oil and garlic together in a large pot over medium heat until the garlic is softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, oregano, and red pepper flakes, and increase the heat to high. Add the mussels and cover tightly. Cook, occasionally shaking the pot, until all of the mussels have opened, about 5 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Swirl the pot by its handles until the butter has melted into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt to taste (although it is unlikely to need it because of the saline mussels) and more red pepper flakes, if you wish.
  
• 3.
  Drain the linguine well and transfer to the mussel sauce. Using tongs, add equal amounts of linguine, mussels, and sauce to pasta bowls. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot.
  

Winter Greens and Walnut Lasagna

Makes 12 servings

One of my best friends, Skip, is a vegetarian, and I enjoy coming up with vegetarian dishes that even a carnivore would savor. The idea for this lasagna came to me when I was testing recipes for this book and had a refrigerator full of leafy bitter greens. Like most lasagna dishes, it isn’t quick to make, but the return on your time investment is very high.

F
ILLING

3 pounds assorted winter greens, such as chard, escarole, and kale

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups whole-milk ricotta

1 cup toasted (see Note) and coarsely chopped walnuts

½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan

3 large eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

S
AUCE

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ cups whole milk, heated

½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound dried lasagna

4 cups (1 pound) shredded mozzarella

½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes, plus more for the dish

• 1.
  To make the filling, remove the tough stems from the greens. Chop the stems into ½-inch-thick pieces. Fill a sink with cold water and add the stems. Wash the stems well. Lift out of the water and set aside in a bowl; do not dry. Fill the sink with fresh water. A few at a time, stack the leaves and cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips. Add to the water and wash well. Lift out of the water and transfer to a large colander; do not dry.
  
• 2.
  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stems and cover. Cook until the stems are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the greens, season with salt and pepper, and cover. Cook until the leaves are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and let cool until easy to handle.
  
• 3.
  A handful at a time, squeeze the excess liquid from the greens, and place the greens in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, walnuts, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg. Mix well.
  
• 4.
  To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and let the roux bubble without browning for 1 minute. Whisk in the hot milk and increase the heat to medium. Cook, whisking often, until the sauce is boiling and thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.
  
• 5.
  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the lasagna and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
  
• 6.
  Lightly butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the sauce in the bottom of the dish. Layer 4 lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping, in the dish. Spread with one-third of the filling and sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella. Repeat with two more layers of the noodles, filling, and mozzarella. Top with a final layer of noodles (you will have some left over). Spread with the remaining sauce, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and dot with the butter. (The lasagna can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated.)
  
• 7.
  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and tinged with golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes, then serve hot.
  

Note

To toast walnuts, spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven, stirring occasionally, until toasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Cool completely before chopping.

Cheese Ravioli with Wild Mushroom and Marsala Sauce

Makes 4 to 6 servings

My neighbor Josephine de Pietro runs the best Italian delicatessen in our area, and they make their own ravioli. I find it hard to pass up a bowl of plump, cheese-filled ravioli under any circumstances, but when they are handmade, there’s no turning back. Instead of the familiar tomato sauce, serve this robust mushroom topping, which is perfect for the winter season.

W
ILD
M
USHROOM AND
M
ARSALA
S
AUCE

2 tablespoons pure olive oil, plus more as needed

10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced

10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thickly sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup dry Marsala (see Note)

1¼ cups beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade, or use canned low-sodium broth

¼ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish

1¼ teaspoons cornstarch

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Two 13-ounce packages large cheese ravioli (24 ravioli)

Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

• 1.
  To make the mushroom sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, adding more oil as needed, until they give off their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
  
• 2.
  Add the butter to the skillet and heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Dissolve the tomato paste in the Marsala and stir into the skillet. Increase the heat to high and boil the wine until it is reduced by half, about 1 minute.
  
• 3.
  Combine the stock, cream, and rosemary in a small bowl. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and stir to dissolve. Return the mushrooms to the skillet and pour in the stock mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The sauce can be made to this point up to 2 hours ahead. Reheat before continuing.)
  
• 4.
  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook, stirring occasionally, according to the package directions, until tender. Drain well. Return to the pot, add the sauce, and stir gently.
  
• 5.
  Spoon the ravioli into soup bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of rosemary. Serve hot, with the Parmesan on the side.