The best little pasta dish in Texas, great possibilities, and you can add your own favorites to it

The best little pasta dish in Texas, great possibilities, and you can add your own favorites to it
By: Shelley Pogue

Article ID: 941918
Article Submitted: January 22, 2008
Category: Food and Drink :: Pasta Dishes
Article Word Count: 929

Basil pesto is one of the easiest types of sauces to make. There is very little preparation for this sauce and it packs a ton of flavor. There are several different types of basil that you can get at your local market. There is cinnamon basil, Thai basil, lemon basil and Genovese basil just to name a few. Genovese is considered to be one of the best to make pesto the old Italian way, and if it is available it is the one to use. Basil has many medicinal uses as well, but this recipe is for a great flavor addition on your favorite type of pasta. This dish should take less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

You will need to come up with a grocery list, so you can get all of the ingredients in hand, to make this great dish.

Items list for the Basil Pesto: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 4 cloves garlic, crushed , 3/4 - 1 cup of pine nuts, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded, 3/4 Romano cheese shredded, 1 cup of good quality olive oil, pinch of salt and black pepper, T/T. You will also need one pound of your favorite pasta, penne pasta, farfalle pasta (bow tie) or fettuccine if you wish. 1/4 cup of heavy cream optional.

1. I start my water at this point to get ahead of the game, and I use a generous amount of salt in the water for the pasta. Depending on the pasta you use it would be best to follow the directions on the box. Just make sure you add salt the water, it is important.

2. Get out your food processor or blender at this point. Add your washed basil, garlic and pine nuts at this time and blend.

3. While blending you need to start incorporating the olive oil at this point, in a slow but steady stream.

4. Stop the food processor and add cheese, salt and pepper. Blend again and then taste for seasonings. Add more salt an pepper if it is needed. I remember while attending Culinary school, I was asked by one of my chef instructors: Did you forgot your salt extractor today? You can always add more of any ingredient, but you can not take it out!

5. Remove all of the pesto from the food processor, and hold until you are finished. I will put it into a container that I can keep in the refrigerator, so I will have it for a week or two. And that way you are not continually transferring to many bowls to clean.

6. I would add my pasta to the boiling water at this point and prep the rest of my ingredients at this point. If I were going to add a salad with this dish I would get if made at this point. It will not take long to wash your lettuce and get ingredients ready for dinner with your family.

7. I like to add artichokes, bacon and sun-dried tomatoes to this dish just to give it some flare. I also take some extra pine nuts, and roast them to add them to the finished dish as well. To roast your pine nuts you can do it in a over or over a stove top burner. You just have to watch them to make sure they do not get too much color. They will taste very bitter, or burned if this happens. You can add any ingredient to your pasta dish that you prefer. I am sure some Kalamata black olives would be tasty on this dish as well. This is what makes it your dish, every ones taste buds are a little different. If you are wanting to have a special dinner for loved ones or guests. You can offer them a wide variety of ingredients to add to there own dish in the center of the table. It will make them feel very special, and offer them the ingredients to make it their own dish.

8. The pasta is probably ready to be drained at this point. Do not wash the pasta, and return it to the same pan. I would start to add in some of the pesto starting with 2-3 tablespoons and turn the pasta with tongs if you have them to mix in the pesto. Continue until the desired amount of pesto is on the pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste and then serve.

9. If you are not concerned about the fat content: Then go from step 7 to step 9 In a separate bowl add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water to the the 1/4 cup of heavy cream to the, add the 2 Tbsp of pesto and mix. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse. Put the pasta back into the same pan and pour the cream pesto mixture into the pot and turn with a wooden spoon of tongs. Make sure there is a good covering of the mixture on the desired pasta. You can also add more cheese at this point if you so desire.

10. Set the table and get ready to dig in. After I put the portion on to my plate I would then add my artichokes, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. Or you can put yours on a nice serving platter in the middle of the table with a piece of basil garnish and everyone can serve themselves.

I hope that you enjoy this dish. Making a basil pesto sauce is very easy and it taste great. I hope that you will find those ingredients that you really love and incorporate them into this dish to call it you own.

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
pasta

Clam Linguini With Penne Pasta Recipe

This is a recipe that is good for any occasion, lent or any other holiday. It is very easy to make and if you are good at multi-tasking then you can have it ready in about 30 minutes and on the table ready to eat.

You will need to pick up some items at your local grocery and you are ready to make this meal.

Ingredient list:

Snows canned clams enough for 15 ounces which should be about 5 cans.

Clam juice about 26 ounces, you will have quite a bit from the canned clams but buy a bottle or two of the juice to have on hand.

Butter 2.5 ounces of unsalted butter

Olive oil 2-3 ounces

1 Teaspoon of chili flakes

1 Teaspoon of tarragon

1 - 2 Teaspoon of Garlic powder, make sure not to use garlic salt. You could use fresh garlic just make sure to use the olive oil to sweat it out a bit to get it to bloom before adding it in.

Corn starch about a half an ounce of it mixed with cold water to thicken the Linguini Sauce

Better than bouillon Clam Base, it is made by Superior Products and it is a Great product! You must have this to make this dish. If you cannot find this base if you are able to find another type of base you can substitute it just as long as it is a fish/mollusk base.

2 ounces of Heavy Cream to add just before serving

First you will get your salted water on the stove on high heat, getting it ready to add your pasta after it reaches a rolling boil.

Second you will get your sauce ready to fire it up. Open the can of clams and drain the clams, but save the juice. You will want to rinse the clams to remove any dirt left in them. If you have cheesecloth or a coffee filter/strainer you will want to run the clam juice through it to remove any excess dirt from the juice. You will add all of your ingredients except the clams into the large sauce pan. You will want to have a whisk handy and make sure that the starch and the base are dissolved.

** If you are choosing to use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder use the olive oil in the sauce pan and over low heat add the garlic until you start smelling the rich garlic flavor. Do not burn it or it will be bitter, and make a poor sauce. You will then do as stated above.

Once you have all in the pan you are ready to start heating the sauce. you will want to add your pasta to the boiling water at this point and keep an eye on it because the sauce and pasta should be ready about the same time. Start the sauce on a medium to medium high heat. You will want to keep stirring the sauce until it gets close to a nice simmer but below boiling. The starch should start to thicken the sauce and you will turn off the heat when it does thicken. You should check your pasta at this point it should be very close to being ready. When ready drain your pasta and add to a large serving dish and add the sauce over the pasta. And serve. You could garnish with fresh parsley, and make a nice bread or dinner roll with some garlic butter. Enjoy.

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

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Umami Chicken Cacciatore Recipe, Will Tantalize the Taste Buds

Umami- is a Japanese word meaning savory a "deliciousness" factor deriving specifically from detection of the natural amino acid, glutamic acid , or glutamates common in meats, cheese, broth, stock, and other protein-heavy foods.

This is the new catch phrase or hot word around for chefs in the industry. It has been around for a hundred years or so but people are just now starting to really talk about it in food circles and starting to use it more in every day cooking to really pack a punch in everyday meals. This is a dish that will do just that with the flavor of a cooked or rendored pancetta.

Ingredients you will need: Chicken 4 breast- 4 ounces of Pancetta, 1 large red bell diced 1 small onion diced, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 - 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, 3 ounces of olive or canola oil, 3/4 cup of white wine-one that you would drink, 3 cans of chicken broth, 3 Tablespoons of capers, 2 Teaspoons of dried oregano, 1/4 Cup of fresh minced basil leaves, 1/2 Cup of flour, salt and pepper to taste.

First you will slice you pancetta and brown off in the pan. You will remove and set aside. You will then salt and pepper your chicken and then dredge your chicken in the flour, and sauté your chicken in the pan with your oil. You will then remove the chicken and set aside and add your garlic to the pan over a low heat and let it bloom. Add the rest of your flour if there is any left over, and the wine and let it cook off or brown ever so lightly and then add your tomatoes. The acid from the tomatoes will remove any fond or flavor from the bottom of the pan. You will then add your pancetta and all other ingredients except the chicken to the pan and let it simmer down until the sauce has reduced by a quarter if you want a more runny sauce, or by half if you prefer a thicker sauce. Then you will add back in your chicken to the dish and let it heat back up to a good serving temperature to make sure that the chicken is warm through, and then serve with any pasta or bread you like. I hope that you enjoy this dish it is really good!

Resource for for tag line from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

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Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Sauce Recipe

I have realized that I have a very fond place in my heart for most curry dishes. It seems that they are more popular then ever these days, and I love to make and eat them often. I have tried several that are on the www but have found that I have not enjoyed them very well so I have created my own. I hope that you will find this to be a simple recipe and that you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients you will need: Chicken about 3-4 breast, Onions 1 small sliced like fajita cut, Red Bell Pepper 1/2 julienned sliced, 1/2 Can of Straw Mushrooms, 1/4 Cup of Matchstick Carrots, 1/4 Cup of Snow Peas. **For the Sauce: 1 Can of Coconut Milk, 2 Tablespoons of Sugar, 1 28 oz Can of Tomatoes Diced, 1 Yellow Can of Curry Paste, 3 Tablespoons of canola oil, 1 Toe of Fresh Garlic and Ginger, 1/4 Cup of Fresh Cilantro, Pinch of Salt and 2-3 Tablespoons of Corn Starch in about the same amount of water to make a slurry.

First you will get your sauce ready so you can let it simmer down after all of the ingredients are added. You will take a large sauce pan and add your oil and garlic and ginger over a low heat until you start to smell the aroma of them. Then add your Coconut milk and your tomatoes and curry and stir. Then add your sugar, salt and heat it up to about a simmer. When the sauce is warm add your slurry to thicken and then add your fresh cilantro and turn the heat on low and just let it hang out until your other ingredients are ready.

Chicken- You will want to cook your chicken. You can sauté it or bake it with a little salt pepper and paprika if you prefer. If you are going to sauté it you will need a little bit of oil in the pan preferably canola oil. It is a mono-saturated fat and it has a higher smoke point than olive. Get it to a golden brown in the pan and let hang out in the pan covered or in the oven on its lowest setting until done. To bake it you will add salt pepper and paprika and bake on 350 for about 15 minutes or until done. You do not want to overcook it because it will be dry.

Vegetables- You will want to get all of them washed and cut and ready to add the the sauce. I would sauté them in the pan that the chicken was cooked in to get the flavor from the chicken. When the vegetables are warm you will add them to the chicken. First i would add the onions and get them translucent and then I would add the carrots and bell peppers. I would add the mushrooms and the snow peas at the very last and give them a toss or two, and call them done.

**Rice/Starch- If you want to make some rice for this dish and you want to keep it more on the healthy side I recommend a brown rice if you prefer. The dish is fine without the rice but if you are trying to make sure you get your grains in for the day I say go for it.

When ready to serve if you are using rice and it to a serving dish and pour the sauce around the rice. Add your vegetables an top and the chicken to top of the veggies and serve. If you are not using rice add the vegetables to the sauce and stir. You will them add all of the sauce with veggies to a serving dish and the chicken will go on top of the sauce. Enjoy!

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

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Delicious Banana Pancake Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for sautéing the banana pieces
2-3 bananas, peeled and diced into small chunks
4 ounces of powdered sugar
1 Sifter for powdered sugar to add to finished pancakes.

First you will sift the flour and baking powder to remove any lumps. Second you will heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and sauté the banana pieces in pan and once golden brown, remove, and cool. Once the banana pieces cool you will add it to the batter and mix until evenly distributed, so just put these to the side and wait to add them until you are ready for them. Now you will whisk the sifted flour and baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. The next step you will add the eggs, milk, and half of the melted butter and whisk until combined, but still slightly lumpy. Now you will add the cool banana pieces and mix until distributed throughout the batter and fold them into the batter, do not over work the batter. If you overwork the batter the pancakes will not rise properly.

Now you are ready to make banana pancakes. You will then ladle about 3 to 4 ounces into the pan and cook until you see bubbles all over the surface of the side up in the pan. You will then flip the banana pancake, and cook until the bottom is a golden brown color. You will remove from the pan and serve immediately, or you can add them to a plate and cover, or to a baking sheet in the oven on its lowest setting until you have all of the batter cooked.

Garnish, You can take an extra banana if you have one or save about half of one banana and slice them into thin slice. You will sauté the banana slices in butter until golden, add to the top of the pancakes and then dust with a small amount of powdered sugar. Serve.

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Chef Pogue's website is http://www.chefshelleypogue.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

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Grilled Hanger Steak with Roasted Shallot Port Demi Glace

Ingredients you will need for this dish:
1 6 to 8 Ounce Hanger Steak
3 Each whole shallots
2 Ounces of Port wine
2 Ounces of butter
6 ounces of Demi Glace you can find it at Whole Foods or Central Market
1/2 Ounce of Canola Oil
To Taste Salt and Black Pepper
2 Ounces of sugar
2  Cups of water

First you will remove the silver skin and the fat from the Hanger steak. You will then add the olive oil and the salt and pepper to the steak and let hang out covered in the fridge for about 15 minutes or so while you are prepping the roasted shallot sauce. 

You will take a small sauce pan and add the water, butter, sugar, shallots and bring to a boil. You will reduce the heat and let cook for about another 5-10 minutes. Take your steak from the refrigerator and pat it dry of most of the oil but not all. and add it to your grill. Cook it in a crossing pattern of 2 and 4 on a wall clock to give it the nice grill patterns. I would say depending on the thickness you will cook it about 3-4 minutes each side. You will want to serve this steak rare to a medium rare so it will be on the more delicate side for a tougher cut of meat. Once it is cooked you will remove it and let it rest for about 5 minutes to let the juices circulate back through the meat. While the meat is resting you will finish the shallot sauce.

You will then remove the shallots form the sugar water and mince them up. You will take a new sauce pan, or clean the one you just used and add the Port, the shallots and the demi over a medium to medium high heat and reduce by half. When it is reduced by half remove from the heat. You will begin to cut your steak cross the grain and into about 1/4 inch slices and plate. You will then add your roasted shallot sauce. This is an excellent meal served with a starch of some sort such as a baked or fried potato wedges. Enjoy!

ChefShelleyPogue.com

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Pesto and Feta Cheese Recipe

This recipe is really different, and a very easy pasta dish to make. It has some really powerful flavor combinations with the walnuts, sun dried tomatoes, the fresh basil, parmesan cheese, and the feta cheese. It will go really well with a nice salad, with a home made vinaigrette, and some garlic bread. You can always add some very good Italian style olives, if you want to add that flavor profile to this dish. I hope that you enjoy this recipe, it is easy, and it tastes delicious.

Ingredients you will need:


1 (9-ounce) package of linguine

3/4 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes halves, drained

2 Tablespoons of canola oil, or olive oil

1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves

2 tablespoons walnuts

2 tablespoons pre-shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation:



Cook pasta according to the package directions, Make sure you salt your water well, as it will flavor your pasta, and you will not require as much salt in the end product.


Drain pasta through a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.


Do not rinse your pasta, and return the pasta to the pan.


While pasta cooks, place your canola, or olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, walnuts, parmesan cheese, garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped.


Combine tomato mixture and about half of the reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid stirring with a whisk. You may need to add about 1/2 cup of warm tap water if the reserve liquid is too salty.


Add to pasta; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with feta

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

Chipotle Tilapia fish taco's with a cilantro, and mango chutney, with a chipotle aioli. Served with black beans and rice. Ingredients list:

Ingredients list:
1 lbs of Fresh Tilapia, you can use frozen, if you can't find fresh
1-2 bunches of fresh Cilantro3
1-2 fresh ripe Mangoes
1/2- 1 fresh Jalapeno
1/2 lime for juice
1 clove of minced garlic paste
1 small Red Onion or a sweet White Onion, the red just gives it a better eye appeal
1 can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce, check you Hispanic food section at you local grocery store.
3-4 Tbsp of dried Chipotle chili for a dry rub
1-2 T of Salt and Cracked Pepper for dry rub
1/2-1 tsp of garlic powder for dry rub
1/4-1/2 Cup of Canola oil
1/4 Cup of Mayo
2 Cans of Black Beans, with added fresh garlic about 1-2 cloves ,with salt to taste, and then cooked together for about 10-15 minutes
3-4 Cups of prepared Aborio rice, I like to add Fresh Corn, and Red Bells with some fresh Cilantro and salt.
1 Package of Whole Wheat tortillas, or Flour if you prefer
1 package of Coleslaw mix, it has shredded red cabbage, green cabbage and carrots


Ready the Tilapia for the Dry Rub: First you will make sure the fish is fresh and that it is clear of all bones. You will then make sure the fish is dry of all moisture. Then add the fish to the oil, and remove to a sheet pan. You will take all of the dried spices, and salt and pepper, and mix. You will then get a pan, add your Tilapia and apply a generous coating of the dry rub to your Tilapia. Set the fish aside and let it hang out while you prepare your chutney. You can refrigerate if you think it will take you very long to prepare you chutney, and Chipotle aioli.
Your Mango Chutney: You will remove the skin from your Mango, cut it and remove the pith. You will fine chop the red onion, and mince the garlic. You will also very finely chop the Jalapeno. You can add as much or little of the Jalapeno for desired taste. You will be adding a Chipotle Aioli as the sauce for the taco. It will have some heat to it, so if you want to omit the Jalapeno altogether the taco's will be fine without it.
Chipotle Aioli: If your can of Chipoltle in the Adobo sauce, is a puree you will be a step ahead. If your Chipotle peppers are whole in the can, and in the sauce you will need to puree at this time. No big deal takes 2-3 minutes. After you have the puree you can add half of it to the mayo, and garlic powder, or all of the Chipotle puree at this time. You can add as much or little it just depends on the amount of heat you prefer to you taco's. You just need to make sure you are tasting as you are adding your puree to the mayo to get the desired heat for your palate. A little of this puree goes a long way, and it has a really great flavor. Mix well, and add minced garlic paste and refrigerate.
Preparing the Tilapia: In a med saute pan you will heat over medium to low high heat, add some canola oil. Add the dry rub coated Tilapia and saute quickly, and turn. Do not over cook, it will only take about 2-3 minutes on each side. Take the Tilapia out of the saute pan and let it rest for about 2-3 minutes and start to prepare you plates for food service.
Plating your Tilapia Taco's: Add your serving of rice and beans to the plate. Add 2 tortillas, and add your Chipotle Aioli on the open faces. You can add a little, or a generous portion, it is your preference. You will then add some of the coleslaw mixture on each of the tortillas. Then add the Tilapia, and then the Mango chutney. If you like you can also add some of the black beans as well. You can also add extra cilantro for garnish. I hope that you enjoy these Tilapia taco's they have always been a real hit. Enjoy!

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

Chef Shell P's Pasta Carbonara, A little taste of Italy, very simple for you to prepare at your home

Article ID: 942018
Article Submitted: January 22, 2008
Category: Food and Drink :: Pasta Dishes
Article Word Count: 533

If you are looking for a classic Italian dish then this is the one for you. It is fairly easy for anyone to cook if you just follow the directions. To make it the traditional way you will need to use prosciutto or pancetta which is Italian bacon. I prefer to use good American bacon most of the time just because I like the flavor of our pork products. However if it is going to be the classic Italian dish then the other type of pork fat needs to be used.

Ingredients list: 1 lb of bacon if you are going to prepare the US version, 1/4- 1/2 lb of pancetta or prosciutto, they both have a very strong flavor so use sparingly depending on your tastes. 1 lb of linguine, 2-3 eggs, 1/4-1/3 cup of Italian parsley fresh if available, a really good parmesan cheese grated, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

1. Cut your pork products into lard-on strips, or 1/4" strips and then saute/render your pork product that you desire in you dish. You want to get the pieces crisp but not too done. Remove the cooked pork with a slotted spoon and pat dry and hold for later.

2. You will get your water going for your pasta. Follow the instructions on the box for your pasta. Just remember to salt your water. Stir in the pasta and make sure it is fully covered with the water. Cook until done but not overcooked. You will still want some bite to the pasta or al dente- firm to the bite. You can bite into the pasta, look at the center and you will see whether it is done or not by noticing the center. If it is not the same color all the way through then it is still not done. Practice makes perfect on this step. But you will definitely now if it is overcooked, it will be mushy and will fall apart on you.

3. You will first want to have a separate pot of simmering or close to boiling water. You will want to add the eggs to this water only for about 20-30 seconds to kill any bacteria such as salmonella. Remove from the water and rinse and then immediately break into bowl. Beat the eggs very well or thoroughly in a mixing bowl that you can serve this dish in.

4. When the pasta is fully cooked, drain it and try to remove all excess water. Do not rinse!

5. Put the drained pasta into the serving dish with the eggs and toss the pasta into the egg mixture. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg mixture. Just make sure you stir well, but be careful not to cut your pasta.

6. Add your pork products, parsley and cheese at this point and give it another toss. Plate it up, pour yourself and guest some wine, and break bread together.

This is a very classical Italian dish as I stated before. Just take precautions when preparing the egg mixture. And I hope that you enjoy this dish, if you like you can use bacon or sausage and eat for a breakfast meal served with danish or some type of bread. Ciao!

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
pasta

Pasta Puttanesca, Lady of the night pasta, Chef Shelley Pogue's version, great dish as a main course

This is a great dish, and it has many great and different flavors. It was originally made for the working women in Italy. It was supposedly very easy to make if you were in a time crunch, and the ingredients were not expensive. The women did not have much time to eat and not very much money to spend on food. I assume that the carb values also came in handy. This sauce should take maybe 20-30 minutes, so if you want a fast and easy meal this is one to try. It is not for the faint pallet. You must like bold flavors in order to want to try this dish.

Ingredients list: 1 pound of dried pasta, 2 cans of Italian tomatoes, 1/4 cup of a good olive oil, 1 tsp of oregano preferably fresh, 2-4 garlic cloves minced, 1/2 cup of black olives, Nicoise, 1/4 c of capers, 4-6 anchovy fillets that have been washed and chopped,1/2 cup of Italian parsley for garnish, salt and pepper to taste, be careful on the salt levels you will get plenty from the capers, anchovies and olives.

1. Boil your pasta according to the instructions on the box. If you know how to make fresh pasta then of course that would be the best choice. There are some stores that have a good fresh pasta source so try them out if you like.

2. while your pasta is on the stove cooking you will start preparation on the Lady of the night sauce or Puttanesca sauce. Open the canned tomatoes and drain well, and then give them a rough chop. This is to be a rustic sauce and dish.

3. Add olive oil to the pan over med to low heat and add your tomatoes. Raise the heat to a nice simmer or med-high to a high heat. Just be careful not to burn the tomatoes. You will then add garlic, oregano,, olives, anchovies, capers. Add one at a time and sir until you get them all incorporated into the sauce. Reduce the heat and let simmer and reduce the contents of the sauce by half or until it is at the desired thickness. ***Reduce by half= if you have 1 cup of liquid over heat if you reduce it over the heat you are taking the contents down to 1/2 a cup.

4. Drain your pasta, but do not rinse. Add to your serving dish or bowl and pour sauce over it and garnish with the parsley.

This is a great dish! I like to eat this dish with a good Merlot and some nice garlic bread. It is a very tasty and flavorful dish. It will open your taste buds like never before. This is an easy dish to prepare, and you should probably look up some history on the dish to

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chef_Shelley_R._Pogue
pasta

Hearty beef stew for a cold winter night

What can be said about stew? I remember as a little girl that familiar smell of being in my Grandma's kitchen. I remember the fascination of watching her prepare a meal that did not require much preparation, but it had many different variations of flavor. I could not seem to get enough of it before you could hear the serving spoon clanging on the bottom of an empty pan. My Grandma Gracie is no longer with us, and how I long for her cooking. I decided to go to culinary school to try and become half the cook that she was. I did not get her recipes on paper, so I have to try and create from memory, and mine will be a little more health conscience.

Stews are a very unique dish for several reasons. You can add the staple ingredients such as onions, potatoes and carrots. There is so much freedom to this dish that you can add different herbs, and other vegetables that will make it your own. I use salt, pepper and flour in my stew to dredge the stew meat, and then I sear the stew meat before I start braising which is a low and slow cooking method. This will help thicken the stew and also give it flavor. I will give you a very detailed set of cooking instructions. This will be an easy to follow recipe without much prep and cooking time in the kitchen. The afternoon will be yours to do with what you wish and dinner will be served on time, and will be a meal that everyone will enjoy.

This recipe has a little different twist to it. I have added cumin seed to this stew. I am sure you are probably wondering why? I love the flavor of cumin, and it has the flavor stamp of Mexican, or as I like to say Texican. I am of course from Texas and I love TEx-Mex food. I thought that I would take my stew recipe and add some new zap to it. The cumin can be omitted if you do not care for the flavor of it, as it is very distinct.

Ingredients list:

3-4 pounds of stew meat cut into bite size cubes , 1 1/2 c of all purpose flour , 1 Tbsp. of salt , 1/2 - 1 tsp of black pepper or to your taste , 1/4 c of canola oil , 4-6 russet potatoes depending on size you want about 2-3 cups of large diced potatoes, and the skin can be left on if you desire. It will be more rustic. , 3 carrots cut thick slices, un-peeled but washed if you like , 1 large sweet yellow onion diced , 1 small can of sweet corn drained , 2-3 cloves of garlic minced , 1 cup of red wine your choice I think a good merlot is best, and would be better served with the dish :) 1 bay leaf , 2 1/2 pints of beef stock or beef bouillion and water mixture , 1-2 tsp of cumin seed, or you can use ground but use less about 1/2-1 tsp , 1 tsp. of chopped cilantro for garnish ,
Serves 6 - 8

Lets make Stew:
1. Heat your large braising pan or stew pot on med to med high heat.
2. Take your stew meat and season with salt and pepper and dredge/coat it in the flour.
3. If your pan is hot add the oil, and heat the oil for about 20-30 seconds and then add your stew meat and get a good browning on it.
4. Take your wine and add it at this point but do it off of the fire so it will not blaze up on you.
5. Reduce the wine mixture by 1/2 or 3/4 and then add your onions and garlic until they are translucent.
6. Add your carrots, potatoes, beef stock, cumin seed, sweet corn, and bay leaf at this time.
7. Put the lid on your pot and turn down to a simmer. You will simmer for about 1-2 hours or until your carrots are done. When the carrots are done the dish will be fully cooked.
8. When done you can add the cilantro as a garnish if you like to give it the extra added flavor from Texas.
9. Do not forget to remove the bay leaf.

This meal is excellent served with jalepeno cornbread, or a sweet cornbread. I hope that you enjoy this Sunday afternoon stew, or have it on a cold winter night, as I have, and with many friends. It is a handy dish to complete when you would like to spend more time out of the kitchen.

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Http://www.shelleypogue.com

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stew