Good morning GUSocimumbasilicumpignolinuts!!!!! I'm not here -- ok, I'm here, here to write this diary but not here, Sunday here until Sunday night. Saturday I'll be (or was depending on your timeframe) at the Met Opera to see Benjamin Brittain's A Midsummer Night's Dream. I'm trying to absorb more Brittain. This year is the 100th anniversary of his birth. And then Sunday -- meaning today as you read -- my opera buddy and I are going to see Gravity. I can't wait!!!!! I hope 3D glasses work over my eyeglasses.
Soooo, ocimum basilicum is basil and you all know pignoli nuts! Blend them together with a bit of olive oil and seasoning and you have one kind of pesto. Actually, I'm not fond of it because I find the pignolis a bit too much. So, instead of lighting up that cig -- or thinking about it -- think about inventing a new pesto or some other favorite dish. Cooking really does curb the craving and reminds you how much better your tastebuds are because you aren't smoking.
Ok, so I didn't have to imagine new pestos -- Cook's Illustrated did it for me.
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First thing you have to do to invent or just rip off new ideas for old recipes is get the hell out of bed.
Then, after you drag yourself into the kitchen and move around the moldy stuff in your fridge, you have to think about what is fresh and usable.
Now you are ready to be creative and see -- already you've not thought about a cigarette! You are still looking for the damned coffee.
Cook's Illustrated figured out why many sauces don't work with ravioli -- it seems to be the water content in and around which makes sauces slide off the little pillows of delight. The following recipes correct that problem!!!
Raviolis are a convenient weeknight dinner, but because they trap so much water during cooking they can wash out and dilute any sauce that is served with them. To solve this problem, we created some thick, concentrated pestos. These robust sauces loosen and dilute to the proper consistency when mixed with cooked raviolis. As an added benefit, they match the convenience of the store-bought raviolis with which they can be served.
ROASTED RED PEPPER AND PISTACHIO PESTO FOR CHEESE RAVIOLI
MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS
Fresh or frozen ravioli may be used.
INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 1/4 -1 3/4 pounds Cheese ravioli
Salt and pepper
1 1/2cups jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and patted dry
1cup fresh basil
1 1/2ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
1/2cup raw shelled pistachios, toasted
1/4cup extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add garlic to water and cook for 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to bowl and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Peel and mince garlic.
2. Add ravioli and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain ravioli and return to pot.
3. Pulse garlic, red peppers, basil, Parmesan, and pistachios in food processor until finely ground, 20 to 30 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly add oil until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add 1 cup pesto to ravioli and gently toss to combine, adding 1 tablespoon cooking water at a time, as needed, to adjust consistency. Serve, passing remaining pesto separately.
FENNEL AND TARRAGON PESTO FOR CHEESE RAVIOLI
MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS
Fresh or frozen raviolis may be used in this recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 to 1 3/4 pounds Cheese ravioli
1/2cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2cup fresh tarragon leaves
2tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
1/4cup extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add fennel to water and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer fennel to colander and run under cold water to stop cooking, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool. Add garlic cloves to water and cook for 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to bowl and rinse under cold water to stop cooking, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
2. Add ravioli and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return to pot.
3. While raviolis are cooking, peel and mince garlic. Pulse garlic, fennel, parsley, tarragon, lemon juice, and Parmesan until finely ground, 20 to 30 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. With blender running, slowly add oil until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add 1 cup pesto to raviolis and gently toss to combine, adding 1 tablespoon cooking water at a time as needed to adjust consistency. Serve passing remaining pesto on the side.
SAGE, WALNUT, AND BROWNED BUTTER PESTO FOR CHEESE RAVIOLI
MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS
Fresh or frozen ravioli may be used.
INGREDIENTS
6tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4cup chopped fresh sage
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
pounds 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 pounds cheese ravioli
Salt and pepper
1cup fresh parsley
1 1/2ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
1/2cup toasted walnuts
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat 6 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, swirling constantly until golden brown and butter has nutty aroma, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add chopped sage to butter. Set aside to cool, about 10 minutes
.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add garlic to water and cook for 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to bowl and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Peel and mince garlic.
3. Add ravioli and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain ravioli and return to pot.
4. Pulse garlic, butter mixture, parsley, Parmesan, and walnuts in food processor until finely ground, 20 to 30 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add 1 cup pesto to ravioli and gently toss to combine, adding 1 tablespoon cooking water at a time, as needed, to adjust consistency. Serve, passing remaining pesto separately.
GREEN OLIVE, ALMOND, AND ORANGE PESTO FOR CHEESE RAVIOLI
MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS
Fresh or frozen ravioli may be used.
INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 1/4 - 1 3/4 pounds Cheese ravioli
Salt and pepper
1/2cup pitted green olives
1 1/2cups fresh parsley
1 1/2ounces Parmesan cheese . grated (3/4 cup)
1/2cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2teaspoon grated orange zest
2tablespoons orange juice
1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add garlic to water and cook for 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to bowl and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Peel and mince garlic.
2. Add ravioli and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain ravioli and return to pot.
3. Pulse garlic, olives, parsley, Parmesan, almonds, orange zest, and orange juice in food processor until finely ground, 20 to 30 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly add oil until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add 1 cup pesto to ravioli and gently toss to combine, adding 1 tablespoon cooking water at a time, as needed, to adjust consistency. Serve, passing remaining pesto separately.
KALE AND SUNFLOWER SEED PESTO FOR CHEESE RAVIOLI
MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS
Fresh or frozen ravioli may be used.
INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 1/4 - 1 3/4 pounds Cheese ravioli
Salt and pepper
2cups chopped kale leaves
1cup fresh basil
1 1/2ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
1/2cup toasted sunflower seeds
1/2teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add garlic to water and cook for 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to bowl and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Peel and mince garlic.
2. Add ravioli and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain ravioli and return to pot.
3. Pulse garlic, kale, basil, Parmesan, sunflower seeds, and red pepper flakes in food processor until finely ground, 20 to 30 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly add oil until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add 1 cup pesto to ravioli and gently toss to combine, adding 1 tablespoon cooking water at a time, as needed, to adjust consistency. Serve, passing remaining pesto separately.
See the theme??? Different ingredients but same techniques. Use your imagination. These recipes are like the Mark Bittman approach. If you are a beginner cook, you will eventually get the combinations -- and sometimes you will fail terribly (but don't apologize). If you are Lonely Liberal in PA -- well, gruel is about all you can manage -- maybe.
Cheers, dears. I'll see you when I get back from my weekend in NYC and space. Big smooches to all!!!
The always generous and brilliant anodnhajo's 10/15/13 update!!!
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