Guacamole!

One of the great things about being single is that if I feel like having guacamole for dinner, I can! And that's exactly what I did the other night. Yes, avocados are high in fat, but it's good fat! I love to pair it with Garden of Eatin Blue Corn Chips. Here's the "recipe", although there's really not much to it.... If you're making this for more people, just increase the quanitites.

1 Ripe Avocado (ripe when just soft to the touch, not hard as a rock, not mushy)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 jalepeno, finely chopped (depends on how much heat is in the pepper - they all vary a bit, so taste it to see)
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tsp. "Art of Chipotle" paste (some Whole Foods stores carry this, but if you can't find it, you can substitute 1 chipotle, seeded and chopped, plus a bit of the adobo that it is packed in)

• Cut avocado in half, and twist halves in opposite directions to open. Set side with pit cut side up on a cutting board and remove pit by tapping a sharp knife into it, then twisting the knife. Scoop out avocado flesh into a bowl. Smash with a fork, add all other ingredients, and stir to combine. Serve with chips.

Grilled Chicken with Ratatouille

I've been trying to eat healthier for several reasons. The obvious: to be healthy in general. The second reason: Mexico in 5 weeks! I've been saying for a while now that I want to get rid of that mysterious layer of flab that appeared shortly after my 43rd birthday...now I really, really need to do it. It's just grossing me out! So in addition to the regular exercise that I started a few months ago, I'm really trying to eat less cheese, cream, and fat in general. With this in mind, I've been grilling more. The weather has been great for it, and I've figured out that it's pretty easy to throw something on the grill when I get home from work. I don't have too much of a recipe for the chicken, but it is basically this (I used a combination of spices that I happened to have, but any spices you like, that you feel go together would work equally well):

Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I prefer the air-chilled organic from Whole Paycheck)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric (helps give that nice golden color)
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
dash of cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for grill

• Mix together all spices and olive oil on a plate
• Pat chicken dry, then coat with spice mixture
• Set aside while you prepare the ratatouille, or other side dish
• When ready to grill, preheat grill for about 10 minutes on high.
• Place chicken, presentation side down, at a 45 degree angle to the grates on the grill. Close grill lid. After about 3 minutes, rotate chicken to get grill marks (optional). Flip over and repeat for about 2 minutes per grill mark.
• Turn heat down and continue to cook till temperature at thickest part of chicken reaches about 160.
• Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve!

Julia Child's Ratatouille

(note: this is Julia Child's recipe, which I always stray from a bit. I will add my comments as I go along)

1/2 pound eggplant *I used one eggplant*
1/2 pound zucchini *I used 3 small*
A 3-quart, porcelain or stainless-steel mixing bowl *I use a colander for this*
1 teaspoon salt
A 10- to 12-inch enameled skillet *I use my ScanPan Chef's pan for the entire preparation*
4 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
1/2 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions *I used one large onion*
2 (about 1 cup) sliced green bell peppers *I used red, since that's what I had*
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, if necessary
2 cloves mashed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juiced (makes 1 1/2 cups pulp) *I used 1 can of San Marzano tomatoes*
Salt and pepper
A 2 1/2 quart fireproof casserole about 2 1/2 inches deep *see above*
3 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper

• Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut the zucchini into slices about the same size as the eggplant slices. Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice in a towel.
• One layer at a time, sauté the eggplant and then the zucchini in hot olive oil in the skillet for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly. Remove to a side dish.
• In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.
• Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.
• Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of the casserole and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley. *My variation: I add the eggplant and zucchini on top of the onions and peppers and continue cooking in the same pan - no layering*
• Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip casserole and baste with the rendered juices. Correct seasoning, if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more *Here I mix all together, and mix occassionally instead of basting*, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole. Set aside uncovered.
• Reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.

I just realized that I haven't posted anything in a really, really long time. However, I am newly inspired due to several things. First of all, the upcoming release of the film Julie and Julia. I'm even tempted to start working my way through Jacques Pepin's Cooking Techniques, the same way Julie worked through "Mastering". Of course, there is the problem of time... no way I could do it in a year, and the problem of being single. I have no spouse to cook for like she did. And while I really don't mind cooking for just myself, that would just be too much food for me! I'll have to start drumming up regular dinner guests.

The second thing that has re-energized me is that I have been taking some cooking classes. As you can see by the photo, I have done a weeklong "cooking camp" (kind of the opposite of my boot camps) at Tante Marie here in SF. I have also signed up for a new series of 6 night classes called "cook like a chef". It's been so much fun, and since I can't enroll in culinary school (not right now anyway), this will do for now.

Finally, I really need to concentrate more on what makes me happy and what I have...food, good friends, a great house; and less on the things that I don't have...money, a significant other, a job that I enjoy...

So, I have a new determination to stay updated with this blog, to promote it more, and to give more attention to my cooking class on Meetup.com. I'm planning to grill some chicken tonight, and maybe make a Ratatouille... Stay tuned!

Beef Stew

Rainy San Francisco days call for stew (even if my father doesn't like stews - sorry Father!). Perfect for when you are house bound for hours, a stew will warm up the house and fill it with wonderful slow-cooked smells. Not the best photo, and I forgot to picture the piece of cornbread that went with it, but you get the idea.

Beef Stew

Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 3 hours

2 1/2 lbs cubed chuck roast
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 bag frozen pearl onions
6 carrots, cut into 1" pieces (more or less)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp. tomato paste
3 tbsp. flour
1/2 bottle good quality red wine
4 cups organic beef broth
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs rosemary
4 russet potatoes, cut into 1 1/2" pieces (more or less)
1 cup frozen peas
salt & pepper to taste

• Heat oil and butter in a large, heavy pan over medium high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper and brown, working in batches (if you crowd the beef, it will steam), about 15 minutes. As pieces are browned on both sides, remove to a plate.
• When all beef is browned, remove all but 2 tbsp. of the butter and oil, add onions and carrots, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and cook for about 5-7 minutes till nicely browned. Add garlic and cook for about a minute more. Add tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Return browned beef to pan, along with any accumulated juices. Sprinkle with flour, stir, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add wine, broth, bay leaf, rosemary, and about 1 tbsp of salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer very slowly for about an hour and a half.
• Add potatoes and continue to cook uncovered for about an hour and a half. About 5 minutes before it's done, add peas.
• Serve with corn bread, or a crusty bread to soak up juices.

Serves 6

As with most stews, this is even better the next day, and will freeze very well too.

Pasta e Fagioli

Another cold, rainy day; another soup! Tonight, I had a craving for one of my favorites, Pasta e Fagioli (pasta and beans). Thick, hearty, satisfying, this soup is easily a meal by itself. There are many different regional versions in Italy - here is mine.

Pasta e Fagioli

1 onion
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
olive oil
4 slices bacon
2 sprigs of fresh sage
4 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz. can San Marzano whole tomatoes
6-8 cups chicken stock
salt to taste
Pasta (one handful per person). I like to use campanelle, but any short pasta will work - use your favorite!

• Heat about 2 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy soup pan
• Finely chop onions, celery and carrot and saute in oil for about 5-7 minutes, till onions are translucent. Add whole slices of bacon and cook on medium for 2-3 minutes.
• Crush tomatoes in their juice with your hands (or you can chop with a knife).
• Add beans, tomatoes with juice, and stock to pot. Season with salt and simmer slowly for about an hour.
• Remove the bacon and sage and discard. Take about 1/2 of the beans and pass through a food mill, then return to soup. If you don't have a food mill, you can use a food processor, but a food mill will remove the tough skins of the beans.
• If you are serving all of the soup, add pasta to the soup and cook till done (you may need to add some water) If you are serving only one or two people, cook the pasta separately, then add to individual bowls of soup. Drizle bowls of soup with a bit of good quality olive oil and serve.

If you haven't added all of the pasta, this soup freezes very well. If you add the pasta, you will want to serve it right away since the pasta will continue cooking and get mushy if you leave it in the soup too long.

Serves 6-8

Split Pea Soup

This rainy day put me in the mood for soup, so I made a big pot of Split Pea comfort. One of my first memories of Pea Soup is of my father having to feed us when my mother went off to a conference. He had not yet learned to cook at that point in his life, so he gave us Campbell's Pea Soup, which I loved at the time. Now that I'm all grown up, here's my more "adult" version. Simple, quick and satisfying, plus leftovers freeze well.

Slit Pea Soup with Ham

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

1 onion, finely diced

2 ribs celery, finely diced

2 carrotts, finely diced

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/8 tsp. chipotle chili powder

Salt & Pepper

1 1/4 lbs. split peas

2 ham shanks

10 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

• Heat olive oil and butter in heavy pan, add onion, celery, carrotts and a sprinkling of salt and cook till tender, 5-10 minutes.
• Rinse peas well and check for any small pebbles or particles.
• Add thyme, chili powder, peas, ham shanks, and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
• Turn down to simmering and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until peas are tender. Skim off any foam that comes to the top in the first 15 minutes of cooking.
• When peas are cooked, remove ham shanks, trim off meat, chop, and return to soup. Add cream if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Easy Appetizer

I always make this appetizer (the one on top) for Thanksgiving, and I made it again on a smaller version for the cooking class last week. Here is the "recipe", although it's really just assembling, no cooking!

Pesto, Olive and Sun Dried Tomato Torta

3 packages Boursin cheese (or other garlic&herb spreadable cheese)
2 tbsps pesto (either homemade [two cubes from the freezer] or store bought)
1/4 cup finely chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes

• line a bowl with plastic wrap large enough to overhang sides
• spread a layer of pesto in bottom of bowl (this will be the top when you unmold) or one of the other ingredients - it doesn't matter what order they go in... experiment and play with whatever ingredients you like! In the version pictured, I think I started with the tomatoes....
• spread a layer of Boursin, followed by a layer of olives, another layer of Boursin, a layer of sun dried tomatoes, and lastly a final layer of Boursin.
• fold plastic wrap over the top and press down slightly.
• refrigerate till ready to unmold (1 hour or up to 2 days)
• when you are ready to unmold, peel plastic wrap back from edges, set a plate on top, and turn upside down. Use plastic wrap to gently pull torta out of bowl. Lift bowl off, discard plastic, clean up edges of plate and serve with sliced baguette or crackers.

To make a smaller version, use a ramekin instead of a bowl, and cut down on the ingredients (one package of Boursin, 1 tbsp pesto, and about 1/8 cup each of the other ingredients.

Recipes from my January Meetup

Tuesday night was my first cooking class Meetup of the year. We had a great turnout with some regulars and some newcomers. The food was delicious, and we had a great time eating and watching the innaugural balls while we ate. We made Chicken Cacciatore (a la Valerie), Creamy Herb Polenta, and Fennel & Apple Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette.

Chicken Cacciatore

Serves 6 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes

1 whole Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt & pepper to taste
Flour for dredging
Olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 28oz. can San Marzano tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
1 cup sliced green olives
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock

• Coat the bottom of a heavy skillet with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt & pepper and dredge in flour. Brown in oil on both sides, then remove to a plate.
  
• Add onions to pan, season with a little salt and cook till soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, juice, olives, wine and stock and bring to a boil. Nestle chicken pieces into sauce with any juice on dish, and about a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper
  
• Cover and simmer very gently for about a half hour. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. If sauce is too thin, remove chicken and reduce sauce over high heat for about 5 minutes. Serve with creamy herb polenta.

Creamy Herb Polenta

Serves 6-8 Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

1 1/2 cups polenta
6 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1 bunch sage
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

• Bring stock to a boil in a large pot, then add salt. Make a whirlpool in center with a whisk and slowly pour polenta into center. Turn heat down to a low simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for about 20-30 minutes until tender to the bite.
  
• While polenta cooks, gently heat cream and herbs in a small pot.
  
• When polenta is done, strain herbs out of cream and stir cream into polenta. Stir in butter and cheese. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Fennel & Apple Salad

Serves 6 Prep time: 15 minutes

2 Granny Smith Apples
1-2 Fennel bulbs
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
1/4 cup toasted pecans
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 small shallot, chopped very fine
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• Put lemon juice, zest, shallot, salt and pepper in a salad bowl. Whisk in olive oil.
  
• Slice apples and fennel on a mandoline on a very thin setting (or slice very thinly with a sharp knife) and place immediately into vinaigrette to prevent discoloration. Add cheese and pecans and toss to combine.
  

Pesto with no photo

After being home for a week, I finally started cooking again. I made pesto one night, but I didn't take a photo or write about it because I figured it was too simple.... I have now been told otherwise, so I'll post the recipe and my tips here. Next time I make it, I promise to take a photo!

Basil Pesto

Prep time: 10 minutes. Serves about 4

• 1 large bunch basil, stems removed
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano

Put basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor. Blend till combined, then add olive oil through feed tube until desired consistency is reached. Stop once and scrape down sides if needed. Put in a bowl and stir in cheese. Serve over pasta of choice (I like pesto with thin spaghetti).

If you have leftovers, put them in an icecube tray and freeze. Pop the frozen cubes out and put in a plastic freezer bag. They will last in the freezer for about 6 months. To thaw, just put in a small bowl for about 10-15 minutes, or if needed faster, microwave for 5 seconds. Because of the olive oil, these will defrost very quickly. I always have these pesto cubes on hand in my freezer to use for a quick dinner, or as a spread on sandwiches, or for my "pesto and olive torta" appetizer (see my next blog!).

Last Supper

Tonight is my last night in beautiful downtown Potomac, so I made a Polenta "lasagna". Seemed like a good night for it, since it's been cold and rainy all day. It came out quite well, and may even make its way back to the table (even though leftovers are frowned upon in this house...) Here is my recipe:

Polenta "Lasagna"

1 1/2 cups Polenta
6 cups water
1 tbsp salt
1 cup tomato sauce (recipe follows)
1 cup ragu (recipe follows)
Parmigiano Reggiano (for sprinkling on top)
about 1 tbsp olive oil

• Boil water and add salt. With a whisk, form a whirlpool and slowly pour polenta into the middle, stirring constantly. As soon as it comes back up to a bubble, turn heat down to a low simmer, and continue to stir occasionally for about 20-25 minutes, till polenta is cooked. (it should be tender to the bite).
• Meanwhile, butter a square baking dish and preheat oven to 375.
• When polenta is cooked, spread about 1/3 in the bottom of the baking dish.
• Spread tomato sauce over polenta.
• Spread second third of polenta over sauce.
• Spread ragu over polenta.
• Top with remaining polenta, parmigiano, and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.

This is a fairly quick dish to make if you have the sauces prepared ahead of time. I almost always have some in the freezer, as these both freeze very well. If you don't have the ragu, and don't have time to make it, you can double the amount of tomato sauce and add some crumbled sausage to it. If you're in a real bind, you can buy a jar of sauce, but it's just as easy to make it while the polenta cooks (that's what I did tonight!)

Quick Tomato Sauce:

1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes (these are tomatoes that are grown in the south of Italy, but if you can't find them, any canned plum tomatoes will do)
salt & pepper to taste plus any dried herbs on hand such as oregano and basil.

• Heat oil, add onion and garlic, and saute till soft, about 5 minutes.
• Put tomatoes through a food mill into the pan (including any liquid from the can).
• Season with salt, pepper and herbs and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Ragu a la Bolognese:

1 onion, very finely diced
1 carrot, very finely diced
1 rib of celery, very finely diced
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

• Melt butter in a large sauce pan, add onion, carrot and celery. Season with a bit of salt and saute till soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add ground meat to pan and cook till no longer pink, breaking up with a wooden spoon (do not brown).
• Add wine and cook till evaporated.
• Stir in tomato paste until well combined, then add about 1/4 cup of the stock.
• Cook covered for about 1 1/2 hours over a very low heat (just simmering), adding stock a little at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add cream and heat through (if you are planning to freeze the sauce, omit the cream and add it when you re-heat).

Soufflé Success (sort of...)

My first attempt at a soufflé! Somewhat successfull, although I think they were overcooked a bit - I forgot to take into account that the time in my recipe was for one large one, not six small ones. But still, it tasted good, and was a nice light dinner with a side salad of arugula and tomatoes.


Here is the recipe (from Joanne Weir):

5 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
6 eggs, separated, room temperature
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated gruyere
salt and pepper

Use 1 teaspoon of butter to grease a 2-quart soufflé dish. Dust the interior of the dish with Parmigiano, tapping out the excess. You can also make 6 small individual 1 to 1 1/2 cup ramekins (but don't cook as long - Valerie's note)

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for a few minutes. Place the half and half in another saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a scald. Add the hot half and half to the flour and butter mixture, stirring rapidly with a whisk. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick. Add salt to taste.

Add the yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add the gruyere and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and beat to stiff peaks. (I took the easy way and used a Kitchenaid). Fold half of the whites into the cheese sauce with as few strokes as possible. Fold in the remaining whites. Turn the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish. Bake in the middle of the oven until well browned and a skewer inserted into the center is just slightly moist, 30-40 minutes. Serve immediately.

As far as I can tell, most soufflé recipes are very close to this. Some add 1/8 tsp cream of tartar to the whites (maybe to stabilize?) but they are basically a bechamel sauce to which you add the cheese (or other flavor.... spinach would be good...), and egg yolks, and to which you then fold in egg whites and bake. Not too hard really, just takes a bit of courage! I think next time I will try one large one. Ina Garten suggests smoothing the top of the soufflé and then drawing a circle with the spatula to help it rise evenly - I will try this and report back!

Veal Scaloppini w/ Saffron Cream Sauce

After a night off visiting my college roommate Kristin in Frederick, the cook has returned to Potomac. Thought I'd use my parents as guinea pigs for a recipe I had been wanting to try out. It turned out very well, although next time I think I would serve it with mashed potatoes, or polenta, or something else to soak up the yummy sauce with. Also, the veal available at the Whole Foods in Rockville wasn't the greatest, but at least back home in SF I have a good butcher! The recipe is from Giada De Laurentis from the Food Network.

1 pound veal scaloppini (about 12 slices)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
About 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 large shallots, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper. Melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter with 2 teaspoons of oil in a heavy large frying pan over high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the veal and saute until just cooked through and golden, about 45 to 60 seconds per side. Transfer the veal to a platter and tent with foil to keep it warm. Repeat with the remaining veal, adding more butter and oil to the pan as necessary.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the wine, broth and saffron, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add the peas and return the sauce to a simmer. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

By the way, I have to mention the great food I had in Frederick. First, we had lunch at Isabella's, our favorite (and probably only) tapas restaurant there. Ceviche, paella, and albondigas. YUM! And for just $10.99, a great bargain. For dinner, we went to Acacia, where I had a wonderful Venison tenderloin with butternut squash and parsnip puree. A good winter meal, made even better by the bottle of 7 Deadly Zins that we had with it. Kristin had a yummy sea bass.

My first post - Happy 2009!

As I finish out week one of my visit at my parents' house in the suburbs of Washington, DC, I have decided to start a blog. Seems like the thing to do on this first day of 2009. New year, new beginnings, new projects, etc. I have taken the opportunity over this past week to cook every day, something that I rarely have time to do in my real life. Dishes have included my first encounter with crepes (much easier than I expected, but then again, I had my mom by my side showing me how...and taking photos),

a wonderful stuffed pork tenderloin and fennel puree (still working out the kinks of the puree - it was a bit thin), and a New Year's Eve lasagna.

Today is gnocchi w/ cognac cream sauce w/ spinach. Here is the recipe for the gnocchi:

3 large potatoes (I use baking potatoes)

1 large egg (lightly beaten)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp pepper (use white pepper if you don't want the black spots to show)

1 1/2 to 2 cups all purpose flour

Fill a large pot with cold water. Add unpeeled potatoes and bring to boil. Cook till tender. Drain and cool till you can handle, and then peel. Put through a food mill or ricer, and allow to cool completely. Once cool, form a mound and make a well in the center. Put egg, salt and pepper into center of well and stir into the potatoes. Once combined, add flour a little at a time until you have a nice dough (it will still be a little sticky, which is ok because more flour will be incorporated as you roll them out). Knead with your hands for another 3 minutes or so Do not overwork or add too much flour or dough will become heavy.

Cut dough into about 8 sections and on a well floured surface, roll each one out into a 1/2" thick log and slice into 1/2" sections. Roll each little section onto the tines of a fork, making an indentation with your thumb as you roll. You may need to dust the fork with flour so that the gnocchi don't stick to it, and also keep your hands well floured. Spread gnocchi out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper that has been sprinkled with a little flour.

At this point, gnocchi can be frozen on the cookie sheet and then transferred to a freezer bag once frozen.

If you are cooking them right away, bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a good amount of salt, as if you were cooking pasta. Drop about 1/2 of the gnocchi in and stir immediately to make sure they don't stick. After about 2-3 minutes, they will begin to rise to the surface. Cook for about 1 more minute after this happens. Once they have been floating on the surface for about 1 minute, fish them out with a spider or large slotted spoon. Put on a plate with a little butter and cover to keep warm while you cook the 2nd 1/2.

Serves 4-6 (refrigerate any leftovers [without sauce] and serve for lunch the next day sauteed in a little butter until just golden brown)

Cognac Cream Sauce w/ Spinach:

2-3 shallots, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup cognac

1/2 cup heavy cream

3-4 handfulls of baby spinach, well washed and dried
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add shallots and garlic and saute till soft, 2-3 minutes. Add cognac and reduce. Add cream, salt and pepper and let it come to a simmer. Cook very gently for about 5 minutes. (you can be cooking the gnocchi while the sauce cooks) Add the spinach, which will wilt down in about a minute. Once the gnocchi are plated, spoon sauce over and serve with parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

Serves about 4