Tag: celery

Bolognese Sauce with Spaghetti

I would highly recommend this recipe for bolognese sauce- it is easy to make and really delicious! The pancetta and sausage flavor it amazing.. definitely worth a try…

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cup pancetta, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 large Italian sausage links, meat taken out of the casings
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup beef or chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
Salt
Pepper
½ pound spaghetti, cooked al dente

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery, rosemary and thyme. Stir and sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add one teaspoon of salt. Add the pancetta and sauté on medium heat till the vegetables are soft and pancetta is crispy. Add the beef and sausage and separate vigorously with the back of a wooden spoon while stirring. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on medium high heat. Add the white wine and scrape off all the golden brown bits from the bottom. Add the tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, broth and milk. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium low heat with lid on for 2 hours. Stir every 15 minutes or so to check the consistency. Once the consistency is according to taste, check for seasonings and serve with spaghetti.

Braised Short Ribs with Citrus Gremolata

I would highly recommend this dish for the holidays. I served it with polenta and it was an amazing dinner. Oh, and don’t forget a copious amount of red wine…

4 pounds short ribs, excess fat removed
2 teaspoons salt
Pepper
1 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Place the short ribs in a large glass dish and sprinkle the salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Refrigerate overnight. Take out an hour before cooking.

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 fresh bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups red wine
Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil until smoking. Brown the ribs on both sides for 4 to 5 minutes each in two to three batches. Keep aside. Add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for minute. Add the flour and sauté for another minute. Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Add the chicken broth and red wine and bring to a boil. Add the ribs back into the liquid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2 to 3 hours or till the meat is falling off the bone.
Take out of oven and take the ribs out onto a platter. Strain the braising liquid and squeeze all the moisture out of the solids. Discard the solids and return the liquid to the saucepan. Reduce to desired consistency- there should be about a cup and a half to two cups of liquid remaining. Check for seasonings and return the ribs back into the liquid. Top with gremolata and serve.

Citrus Gremolata

1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Zest of one lemon
Zest of two clementines or half a navel orange

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, cover and keep aside.

Chicken and Beans Stew

This is a great one pot meal to make through the week as it doesn’t take very long to make. Serve with some crusty bread and a crispy salad and you have an amazing meal!!

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
Salt
Pepper
½ cup pancetta, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 can cannellini beans
4 to 6 cups chicken broth
½ pound pasta
Salt
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the chicken pieces Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces with skin side down, about 5 minutes on each side. Keep aside. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, carrots and celery. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and continue to simmer till the pasta is cooked through. In the mean time take the skin off the chicken pieces and shred with fork and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces to the stew. Check for seasonings and garnish with cheese.

Chicken, Shrimp and Beans with Brown Rice

Another one pot wonder! I can’t get enough of these… this is delicious and healthy…There is one problem- I can’t seem to find a photo of this creation, which is too bad since it is such a yummy dish. So, you will have to visualize in your mind….

1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons salt
½ pound medium shrimp, cleaned
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup dill, chopped
¼ cup mint, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 ½ cups brown rice
4 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Marinate the chicken with smoked paprika and salt for 2 to 3 hours. Marinate the shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt for an hour. Heat a pan with butter and oil. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides on high heat. Take out of the pan and add the red pepper, onion and celery. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cilantro, dill and mint. Saute for another minute. Add the beans and smoked paprika, sauté for a minute. Add the rice and sauce for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and cook with lid on for 40 to 45 minutes or till the rice is done. 10 minutes before the rice is done, add the frozen peas and shrimp on the top and cover. Let the peas warm through and shrimp cook. Mix well and check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 cups tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a small saucepan with butter. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute on medium heat for a minute or two. Add the smoked paprika and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and add the salt. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro. Serve with the rice.

Chicken and Bean Pasta Stew- One Pot Meal!

Yummy, hearty stew with chicken thighs and beans… I flavored it with some pancetta and decided to make it a one pot meal by adding the pasta to the mix!

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
Salt
Pepper
½ cup pancetta, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 can cannellini beans
4 to 6 cups chicken broth
½ pound pasta
Salt
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Chicken and Bean Stew

So my daughter just got a full set of braces- so she has to eat all soft stuff for a bit. I decided to make a play on pasta fagioli- I changed it by making it a stew instead of a soup. I also added chicken to it as I wanted more protein in the dish and I thought a one pot meal would be a lot easier to make. This is a great dish to make today- especially with all the snow coming…

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
Salt
Pepper
½ cup pancetta, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 can cannellini beans
4 to 6 cups chicken broth
½ pound pasta
Salt
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Cornbread & Chorizo Stuffing

Thanksgiving is not complete without a yummy stuffing. We never make the stuffing from the box- we like the one from scratch. The good thing about homemade stuffing is that you can make it in advance. This could be put together a couple of days before the big dinner and refrigerated or frozen.

You guessed right- this recipe has all the Latin flavors as well. There is the smoked paprika and orange zest – similar flavors to the turkey and the gravy. It also has chorizo- anything with chorizo is delicious! The leeks and the celery provide a nice crunch and the cranberries bring a delicious sweetness to the dish. This stuffing complemented the turkey and the rest of dishes beautifully!

1 loaf cornbread, homemade or store-bought
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups). Place the cubes onto a lined baking sheet and toss with oil, thyme and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Keep aside.

1 pound fresh chorizo, casings off
2 tablespoons butter
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 leeks, sliced
1 cup dried cranberries
Zest of two oranges
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 egg, beaten
1 to 2 cups chicken broth

Saute the chorizo in large frying pan on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Take the chorizo out using a slotted spoon. Add the butter, celery, onion and leeks. Saute on medium low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the cranberries, orange zest, paprika and thyme, cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Mix well and add the toasted corn bread and cooked chorizo. Mix well and check for seasonings. Turn the heat off and transfer everything to a large bowl. Add the beaten egg and chicken broth 1 cup to start with. Toss all together and bake in a buttered dish covered with buttered foil for 40 to 50 minutes. Add more chicken stock if reheating or as needed.

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