Red Cat Pepper Pasta Back Again

In case you didn’t notice, there are a LOT of peppers in this picture

CSA Pick-up 9/22/12. Extreme close up of peppers (bell peppers and jalapenos)

What’s a gal to do with these beauties? I’m all good on the “putting up” front. I’ve got more frozen julienned yellow, red, and green bell peppers than I know what to do with from previous pick-ups.  I thought back to a recipe from the Red Cat restaurant cookbook that Hubs and I used to prepare somewhat regularly. We also used to be Red Cat regulars and remain big fans.

Red Cat cookbook

The recipe for Bucatini with Peppers and Anchovies was salty, savory and full of texture, but always a little greasy.  The recipe also called for Italian frying peppers, which I would never have on hand and would inevitably require a special trip to the store.  Over the years, I’ve also tried to prepare  meals with  protein as the centerpiece, rather than carbohydrates. So the recipe fell to the wayside. But I thought about dusting it off and refreshing it with some of my surplus CSA ingredients.

Here’s how I updated it: I substituted fresh bell peppers for the frying peppers and used a fresh jalapeno in place of the dried chili flakes to add heat. Oh, and I used spaghettini instead of bucatini – bucatini are a long, tubular pasta shape and generally a specialty pasta. I also used less panko than the recipe called for. This, combined with the juicy bell peppers made for a moister dish than previous attempts. This recipe is going back in the rotation, with my recent updates. One tip: don’t be afraid of the anchovies. They lend flavor, saltiness and depth to the sauce. The dish does NOT taste fishy at all. Ask Hubs.

Ingredients:

200 grams of spaghettini, or other long, thin pasta that you have on hand
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 anchovy fillets, minced
2 large red, orange and/or yellow bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
4-5  pepperoncini  (the chartreuse-colored, jarred peppers you find in the grocery), sliced horizontally
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced
1/4 cup panko, or dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmiggiano
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (about 1/8 teaspoon)
Handful chopped parsley
1/2 lemon

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to the package directions to al dente doneness.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide, deep, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and anchovies and cook for about 3 minutes, mashing the anchovies until they disintegrate. Add the bell peppers and jalapeno and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until the peppers soften. Add the pepperoncini, stir and remove the pan from the heat.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, pepper flakes and parsley.

When the pasta is nearly done, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. I recommend using a glass measure cup, because it has a handle and you can scoop up the water easily without burning yourself. When pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to the pan with the anchovy and pepper mixture. Add half of the the bread crumb mixture, along with a splash of the pasta water. Squeeze the lemon half over the pan, using a small strainer or your hand to catch any seeds, and toss to combine.

Divide the pasta among shallow serving bowls. Top with remaining bread crumb mixture and serve. Add a splash of olive oil if pasta is dry.

Yield: 2 generous servings

 

Baby got Babah

OK, OK, OK, I know Deblog is back but a promise is a promise. I made some of this from awesome WSF eggplants and it was a huge hit with some very recherché NYC types. You can get the tahini at most major supermarkets. If you are lucky enough to live in Brooklyn Heights or Cobble Hill, you can get it at Sahadi. Up here in the ‘shires. its available at Guidos and the gourmet shop on north Route 7 near the Kmart (no snickering you manhattanites out there) In mahn-hadtdtdun its available here and there. Its an important component so don’t try this at home without it. I’ve pdf’d the page from Claudia Roden’s The New Book Of Middle Eastern Cooking. Click on the word “baba” to see the recipe. Enjoy it with crostini, crackers, pita or on tomatoes.

Baba

Grilled Trout with Tarragon

This grilled marinated trout recipe is so tasty and yummy, even carnivores find it irresistible. I found it in this handy cookbook that my in-laws Steve and Dorothy gave us a few years ago during a summer visit. It’s called the Big Book of Barbecuing and Grilling. There are some easy and worth-repeating recipe in this book by Hilaire Walden, and the spiral-bound format is also handy. The one critique I would give it is that the author feels compelled to present recipes about grilling anything and everything (as the title would suggest), but grilling is not the most convenient or suitable method for grilling anything and everything.

Big Book of Barbecuing and

GrillingTrout with Tarragon

  • 2 whole trout, about 12 oz each
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp soy sauce

Instructions:

  1. Make marinade by mixing all ingredients except trout together in bowl. Let sit for at least 30 min so that flavors can combine
  2. Rinse and pat dry the trout. Make 3 slashes on exterior of each side of the trout using the sharp point of a paring knife. Brush or rub the marinade liberally on the inside and outside of the trout, also into the slits. Place in a non-reactive dish, cover and allow to marinade for 1-2 hours.
  3. Prepare grill and make sure it is well oiled so fish will not stick. You can grill the trout directly on the grill, or in an oiled hinged basket [we grill directly on charcoal grill]. Wipe off excess marinade from fish and place on grill once very hot. Grill for about 6 min on each side, testing for doneness with a thin knife (should meet no resistance)
  4. Remove from grill and transfer to plates. Serve with lemon wedge and extra plate for guests to remove head and tail from fish.

We started Saturday night dinner with my Early Corn Chowder, followed by the Trout and mustard-y coleslaw on the side. The Chowder turned out great, too. And it tastes even better on day 2