potato gnocchi with pork and mushroom ragu

I adapted this recipe from Bon Apetit. It's a bit involved, but well worth the effort.

serves 4

1 ounce dried porcini or chantarelle mushrooms
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 pound boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 cups crushed tomatoes or crushed tomatoes with added puree (from one 28-ounce can)
1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb potato gnocchi

Place dried mushrooms in medium bowl; pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over. Let stand until mushrooms are soft, about 45 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to food processor and chop coarsely. Reserve soaking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crimini mushrooms and garlic; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup wine and simmer until crimini mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes. Set aside (there may still be liquid in skillet).

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with coarse salt and pepper. Add pork to pot and sauté until browned in spots, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to medium bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cover pot and cook vegetables until soft, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups wine; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add tomatoes, 1 cup broth, bay leaves, reserved pork, and porcini mushrooms. Pour in reserved porcini soaking liquid, leaving any sediment behind in bowl. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until pork is tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 1 hour.

Cook gnocchi according to package directions and drain. Stir crimini mushroom mixture in skillet into ragù. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon off fat from surface of ragù stir in basil. Add potato gnocchi; toss gently to coat. Simmer over medium heat until gnocchi are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

chicken "osso buco"

By swapping out veal shanks for less expensive (and easier to find) chicken thighs and legs in this recipe, you get a special occasion dish you can afford to feed to a crowd. Dark meat is preferred because of the long cooking time and deeper flavor, but if you only have chicken breasts, you can use those, just reduce baking time to 45 minutes.

Serves 6

3 lbs chicken thighs and legs (skin-on and bone-in)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 small onion, diced
handful baby carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
olive oil
salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread flour out on a plate, season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, and mix together. Coat chicken thighs one at a time in flour and set on another plate. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large ovensafe pot over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, brown chicken pieces a few at a time, careful not to overcrowd pan. Remove chicken pieces when browned (about 3 minutes on each side, chicken will not be fully cooked) and set aside. When all chicken has been browned, add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to pan. Cook until vegetables are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except lemon and parsley) and stir. Cook for 10 minutes. Add back chicken, cover pan with lid, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. While chicken bakes, combine parsley and lemon zest. Serve chicken with sauce spooned over top and sprinkled with parsley mixture.

slow-cooker pork tacos

This works for any pork you'd like to use, even tenderloin. Make twice as much as you need for the tacos and use the extra for another meal.

For pork:
2 lbs pork (chops, boston butt, etc.)
1 cup Goya mojo marinade
1 cup water
3 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp hot sauce
2 tbsp garlic salt

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker set to high heat. Cook for 5 hours, then allow to stand for 2o minutes to cool. Pull pork off bone and shred using a fork. Add 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and mix into pulled pork.

For tacos
2-3 soft corn tortillas per person
shredded cheddar cheese
tangy lime slaw (as a topping, if desired)

modern roast chicken

This chicken is so flavorful and moist, you don't even need gravy.

1 5-6 lb whole chicken, innards removed
3 tbsp dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon (reserve used lemon halves)
4 rosemary sprigs, whole

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry. Loosen, but do not remove, skin covering chicken breast. Mix mustard, garlic, and lemon together, and place mustard mixture under skin, evenly coating meat under skin. Place one rosemary sprig under skin over each breast and rub outside of chicken with olive oil. Place lemon halves and remaining rosemary sprigs into chicken cavity. Place in a baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until juices from the thigh run clear. Let stand 10 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.

chicken stuffed shells

To make stuffed shells healthier, I replace the traditional cheese and ground beef filling with vegetables, chicken, and just a bit of cheese. It's a terrific use-up for extra veggies that are past their prime - feel free to use any you have around. You could also omit the chicken to make it a vegetarian dish.

1 box (12 oz) jumbo shells
2 cups diced zucchini
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
1 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil shells according to package instructions. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add vegetables and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.

Mix chicken, vegetable mixture, and ricotta together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour enough tomato sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish to cover thinly. Fill each shell with the filling and place in a single layer in the baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over the shells and sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 20-35 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbling.

texas beef brisket

1 4-lb beef brisket
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp dry mustard
1 bay leaf, crushed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together all spices and coat both sides of brisket. Wrap in 2 layers of aluminum foil, place in a roasting pan, and roast for 4 hours. Remove from oven and let sit, still wrapped in foil, 30 minutes. Remove foil, reserve juices. Slice brisket against grain and drizzle with reserved juices.

grilled cherry pork tenderloin

serves 4

I created this dish one night when my husband and I had a very fine bottle of zinfandel to drink and wanted just the perfect meal to complement it. It's a bit involved, but well worth the effort.

1 whole pork tenderloin (there will be two pieces in the package)
1 8oz log herbed goat cheese at room temperature
1 bag dried cherries
1 cup of your favorite bbq sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare grill to 350 degrees (charcoal) or medium-high (propane). Place 1 cup cherries in a microwave safe bowl and fill with enough water to cover. Microwave for 4 minutes and let sit so cherries plump up. Drain and puree in food processor. Mix half of cherry puree with bbq sauce and heat over low heat to combine flavors. Reserve remaining puree.

Butterfly pork tenderloins and remove silverskin (learn how). Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Mix goat cheese in a bowl with a spatula to make it creamy, then spread evenly over tenderloins, leaving an inch of room on the left and right.. Spoon cherry puree down the center, horizontally. Starting with edge closest to you, roll tenderloins up and tie with kitchen string in 3 places to secure. Grill for 7 minutes, turn once and coat with bbq sauce. Cook second side for another 7 minutes, then turn once more to coat first side with bbq sauce. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes before removing string and slicing.

fresh crab ravioli

serves 4

I like to make a whole batch of these lighter-than-air ravioli, cook up a few for dinner and freeze the rest for a quick weeknight meal that's quite gourmet. Serve with modern cheese sauce or simple melted butter, pepper, and a sprinkling of parmesan.

1 package wonton wrappers (usually near tofu in the grocery store)
1 tub crab meat (Phillips is a common brand)
1 8 0z container low-fat ricotta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Fill a small dish with water. Mix crab, ricotta, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Remove 2 wonton wrappers from package, keep open package covered with a damp paper towel while you work. Place 1 tsp crab mixture in middle of one wrapper. Dip finger in water and trace around edge of wrapper. Place second wrapper on top and press around edge to seal. Set aside on a baking sheet. Repeat until all crab mixture is used. Let ravioli dry for 20 minutes before cooking or freezing.

Bring 2 inches water to boil in a large saucepan. Turn heat down to barely a simmer (if water is boiling it will destroy wontons). Slip ravioli into water and cook for 4-5 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon, top with sauce, and serve immediately.

wild mushroom lasagna

serves 6

olive oil
1 lb cremini (baby portabella) mushrooms
1 lb mixed wild mushrooms (shitake, oyster, porcini, etc.)
1 lb lasagna noodles
1 jar marinara sauce
3 tbsp all purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
dash nutmeg
2 cups shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan or asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions; strain and toss with small amount of olive oil so they don't stick together. Heat 1/4 cup oil over med-hi heat in a large saucepan. When oil begins to smoke, add mushrooms and let brown (do not stir frequently). Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan and add flour, one tablespoon at a time, stirring to combine and cooking for 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Lower heat to medium-low and stir in nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic and thyme to mushrooms and stir, cooking for another few minutes, then turn off heat. Stir 1 cup mozzarella and all parmesan into milk sauce, a handful at a time, stirring to melt cheese. Remove from heat. Place mushrooms in food processor and process a few times until chopped (no not overchop!)

Pour a few tablespoons of cheese sauce in the bottom of a lasagna dish so noodles don't stick. Layer lasagna noodles, mushroom mixture, and cheese sauce until all are used up, ending with cheese sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake for 30-40 minutes or until cheese on top is brown and bubbly.

modern french onion soup

serves 4

There are very few things in life as satisfying as a crock of french onion soup. The modern version has just the right texture and rich, herbal broth.

4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into thin half moons
5 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried thyme
3 cups beef broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp flour
splash of brandy (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
4 dashes hot sauce
2 dashes worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
4 slices baguette
4 slices swiss cheese

Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot. When foam subsides, add the onions and sautee, stirring occasionally, until onions are a uniform golden color (lower heat if onions begin to brown). Sprinkle with salt, pepper, sugar, flour, and thyme (whole sprigs are fine) and stir. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, then add cognac, if using. Stir for another 5 minutes, then add broth, hot sauce, worcestershire, wine, and bay leaf and bring up to a boil. Turn heat down to med heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Set oven to the lowest setting of broil. Place baguette slices on a cookie sheet and spread with butter. Broil until just toasted, about 5 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls, top with toast and cheese slices, then place back under broiler until cheese is melting and golden.

modern coq au vin

serves 4

2 lbs skinless chicken thighs
2 cups modern mirepoix
half package of cremini mushrooms, halved
thyme (fresh or dried)
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups red wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat the bottom of a large, ovenproof pot with oil over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper chicken thighs and brown in the pot (you are not cooking through, simply browning the skin for flavor). Remove thighs from pot and add a few more tablespoons of oil, adding mushrooms once the oil is hot. Brown the mushrooms, resisting the urge to stir them around too much! Once brown, add the onions, celery, and carrots, and turn the heat down to medium.

Once onions are slightly browned, add the chopped garlic, tomato paste and thyme (1 tsp dried or 2 sprigs fresh, chopped). Add the wine, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth and turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and place the chicken back in the pot, covering pieces with liquid as much as possible. Bake in the oven, covered, for about 1 hour (you can go longer if you turn down the heat).

Serve over polenta, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles - with plenty of the vegetables and sauce spooned over top.