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Tag: pancetta

Pork Ragu with Penne

Pork Ragu with Penne

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup pancetta, chopped
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • ½ cup white onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • ½ cup half and half
  • Salt
  • ½ pound penne, al dente- ½ cup spare pasta water
  • 2 tablespoons truffle paste or 1 tablespoon truffle oil

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the pancetta and sauté for 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Add the carrots, onions and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add the pork and separate with the back of a wooden spatula while sautéing the meat on medium high heat about 2-3 minutes. Add the beef broth and cook on medium low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, till a thick sauce is formed. Add salt and half and half. Add the truffle paste or oil. Mix well and add the cooked pasta and pasta water. Check for seasonings and serve.

Healthy Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp Bisque

  • 12 ounces jumbo shrimp, deveined and shelled
  • 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Saute the shrimp on high heat for 30 seconds on each side. Sprinkle salt and take out onto a lined platter. Cut each shrimp into three and keep aside.

  • ¼ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 2 large shallots, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ cup carrots, chopped
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1½ cups seafood or shrimp broth
  • 1½ cups low-fat milk
  • Salt
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • Juice of half a lemon

Add the pancetta into the same saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and carrots. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the thyme and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and scrape off the brown bits from the bottom. Add the broth and milk. Whisk the liquid on high heat and bring to a boil making sure all the lumps are smoothed away. Lower the heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the shrimp pieces and cook for 2 to 3 minutes making sure the shrimp is cooked. Add the half and half and turn the heat off. Check for seasonings and add salt if necessary. Add the lemon juice and serve hot with crusty bread.

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.

Creamy Peas and Asparagus with Pancetta
  • 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1½ tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup cream
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
  • Salt

Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for a minute and shock them in ice water to retain the color. Keep aside.

In a wide frying pan, heat the pancetta on medium heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Add the onion into the pancetta fat and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the all purpose flour and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and cream and whisk till the liquid is smooth. Bring to a boil and simmer till thickened and reduced by one third- about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, tarragon. Add the peas and asparagus and warm them through. Add salt to taste and garnish with the crispy pancetta.

Bolognese Garlic Bread Sandwiches

I watched Rachel Ray make these on her show and loved the idea. I changed up the recipe a bit and added mushrooms to make the dish healthier. I also jazzed up the ricotta cheese. These sandwiches were absolutely delicious. My daughter gave them two thumbs up!

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup chopped pancetta
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 5 ounces Cremini mushrooms, grated
  • 2 medium shallots, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 small bunch, thyme
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup tomato sauce, preferably home made
  • 2 cups milk
  • Salt

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the pancetta and sauté for a minute or two. Add the ground turkey and separate the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Saute on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme. Saute on high heat for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, milk and salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer with the lid on. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or till the meat is cooked through. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Keep aside.

Ricotta Topping

  • 1 cup full fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Place the olive oil, garlic and parsley in a small frying pan. Heat over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes- just enough time to cook the garlic without browning. Add salt and let cool. Add to the ricotta, mix well and keep aside.

  • 4 ciabatta rolls
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Add the garlic, oil and salt to a small frying pan. Cook on a very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t get brown. Take off the heat and drizzle the garlic mixture all over the four rolls. Toast in the oven until fragrant and golden brown. Take out and assemble the sandwiches. Place about half a cup of the ground meat. Top with ricotta mixture and serve.

 

Cheesy Turkey Meatballs

Another recipe for our favorite thing to eat in my house- meatballs!! These are absolutely yummy…

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook over medium low heat for 4 to 5 minutes till all the fat is rendered and the pancetta bits are golden brown. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Saute for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off and set aside to cool.

  • 1 pound dark meat ground turkey
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs soaked in ¼ cup milk (let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the turkey)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups tomato sauce

In a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, parsley, cheese, egg, soaked breadcrumbs, salt and the cooled pancetta mixture. Mix well and keep aside.

Bring the tomato sauce to a boil in a large saucepan, form the meatballs and gently slide them into the sauce. Cover with lid and lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or once the meatballs are cooked through. Serve warm with spaghetti.

Pancetta and Meyer Lemon Roast Chicken Breast

Meyer lemons are still in season- make use of them! This is a great recipe…

  • 4 to 6 bone-in chicken breasts with skin

Compound Butter

  • ¼ cup good quality butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup pancetta, chopped fine
  • Zest of three meyer lemons
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl and carefully insert about a teaspoon of the mixture under the skin of each chicken breast. Rub any leftover mixture on top of the chicken breast and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Marinate chicken for 2 to 3 hours.

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • ½ to ¾ cup chicken broth
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Heat a large frying pan (oven proof) with the olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces with skin side down for 3 to 4 minutes or till golden brown. Transfer to oven and finish cooking till the internal temperature shows 160 degrees F.

Take out of oven and take the chicken pieces out of the pan. On a medium heat, add the flour to the bottom of the pan and stir, taking off all the bits and pieces from the roasted chicken. Slowly add the broth, whisking to avoid any lumps. Mix well, bring to a boil and check for salt and pepper. Serve chicken with gravy.

 

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