Oxtail Ragu with Paparadelle

5 lbs large oxtail joints, 14-15 pieces, well seasoned with salt and pepper

1 large yellow onion

4 medium carrots

3 ribs celery

4 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs. tomato paste

3 cups chicken broth

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1-1/4 lbs. fresh paparadelle

Cut onions, carrots and celery to ¼” dice, set aside. Add the olive oil to a 6 quart pressure cooker and brown oxtails on all sides and set aside. Add the mirepoix and garlic to the pressure cooker and sweat for about 5 minutes, de-glazing the pan, and set aside. Place the pressure cooker basket in the bottom of the pan, add the oxtails, mirepoix, tomato paste and chicken broth and cook at 15 psi for one hour. Drop the pressure immediately. De-bone the oxtails on a plate using a knife and fork and remove any visible fat pieces while shredding the meat. Remove the cooked vegetables with a slotted spoon to a bowl and separate the fat from the broth.

Re- combine the meat, vegetables and broth in another pan and keep warm. Cook the paparadelle, place in individual pasta bowls and cover with about one cup of the ragu. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 servings.

Tuscan Kale Salad

Tuscan Kale Salad Ingredients

• 4-6 cups Kale, loosely packed, sliced leaves
  of Italian black (Lacinato, “dinosaur,” cavolo nero)
  midribs removed
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 3-4 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, mashed
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Hot Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Toscano cheese
  (Rosselino variety if you can find it) or other
  flavorful grating cheese such as
  Asiago or Parmesan
• ½ cup freshly made Bread Crumbs from
  lightly toasted bread

Tuscan Kale Salad Directions

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

Giant Lima Beans with Stewed Tomatoes and Oregano Pesto

Contributed by Laurence Jossel

LIMA BEANS

1. 3 cups dried giant lima beans or gigantes, rinsed and picked over, then soaked for 4 hours and drained
2. Kosher salt
3. 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. 1 medium onion, finely diced
5. 1 garlic clove, minced
6. One 16-ounce can whole tomatoes—juices reserved, tomatoes coarsely chopped
7. 2 tablespoons chopped oregano
8. 1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese (6 1/2 ounces), for sprinkling
9. 2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs

PESTO

1. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2. 2 tablespoons chopped oregano
3. 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4. 1 small garlic clove, minced
5. Kosher salt

1. In a large saucepan, cover the lima beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the limas are just tender but still al dente, about 2 1/2 hours; add water as needed to keep the limas covered by 2 inches. Season the limas with salt and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Drain the limas, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano and the reserved bean cooking liquid and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 1 hour. Season the tomato sauce with salt.
3. In a mini food processor, combine the olive oil with the oregano, parsley and garlic and pulse to a coarse puree. Season the oregano pesto with salt.
4. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, mix the limas with the tomato sauce and sprinkle the feta on top. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 40 minutes, until the beans are bubbling and the cheese is browned. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the bread crumbs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.
6. Top the beans with the bread crumbs, dollop with the oregano pesto and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The cooked limas, tomato sauce and pesto can be refrigerated separately overnight. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

• Spaghetti alla Carbonara
• Makes 4 Servings | Region: Lazio | Book: Molto Italiano (Ecco 2005)
• A true carbonara has no cream, and it can be slightly tricky in its execution. The key is to toss and thoroughly mix the cooked pasta off the heat with the cheese, eggs, pepper, and pasta water, to create a creamy yet not overly thick sauce. I like to separate the eggs and present the individual egg yolks in nests of pasta; then each guest stirs the yolk into the pasta to cook it and form an even creamier sauce. Be sure to use the best—quality eggs you can get.
• 3 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 8 ounces Guanciale (recipe below), Pancetta, or good Bacon
• 1 pound Spaghetti
• 1 ¼ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 4 large Eggs, separated
• Freshly ground Black Pepper

Bring 6 quarts of water to boil in a large pot, and add 2 tablespoons salts.

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil and guanciale in a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan set over medium heat, and cook unti the guanciale has rendered its fat and is crispy and golden. Remove from the heat and set aside (do not drain the fat).

Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until just al dente. Scoop out ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.

Add the reserved pasta water to the pan with the guanciale, then toss in the pasta and heat, shaking the pan, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add 1 cup of the Parmigiano, the egg whites, and pepper to taste, and toss until thoroughly mixed.

Divide the pasta among four warmed serving bowls. Make a nest in the center of each one, and gently drop an egg yolk into each nest. Season the egg yolks with more pepper and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Parmigiano over the top. Serve immediately.

• Guanciale
• ½ cup Sugar
• ½ cup Salt
• 15 Black Peppercorns
• 4 sprigs Thyme, leaves only
• 2 pounds Hog Jowls

Combine the sugar, salt, peppercorns, and thyme leaves in a small bowl. Put the hog jowls in a nonreactive casserole and coat with the mixture, rubbing gently. Cover and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days.

Remove the cheeks from the casserole and hang them, using butcher’s twine, in the refrigerator for at least 3 weeks. The cheeks should be firm and dry, with a slight give. Slice and use like bacon or pancetta; refrigerated, it keeps for weeks.

Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

A bright alternative to heavy sides, this salad features Tuscan kale.

8–10 servings

Recipe by Susan Spungen

Photograph by Christopher Testani

November 2011

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1 1/2 lb. total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced
• 12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Preparation

• Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.
• Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 Tbsp. oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.
• Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.
• Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/11/kale-and-brussels-sprout-salad#ixzz1ioSURakO

Garlic Mojo (Mojo de Ajo)

Garlic Mojo

Mojo de Ajo

Makes about 3 cups mojo de ajo

There's always a container of mojo in my refrigerator. I use it to season chicken, steaks, fish, vegetables, just about anything. In fact, in Season 7 of "Mexico-One Plate at a Time" Rick will be using it for several recipes including as a seasoning for popcorn. I've given you several recipes to get you started, (Woodland Mushroom Torta and the Grilled Salmon), but once you start using it yourself, the sky is the limit.

INGREDIENTS

4 large heads garlic
OR 10 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) peeled garlic cloves
2 cups fruity olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 325˚.

Break the heads of garlic apart, then mash each clove (a fist against the side of a knife is what I do) to release the clove from its papery skin; if using already-peeled garlic, scoop the cloves into a heavy recloseable plastic bag and use a rolling pin to mash them slightly.

Stir together the garlic, oil and salt in an 8x8-inch pan (make sure all the garlic is submerged), slide it into the oven and bake until the garlic is soft and lightly brown, about 45 to 55 minutes. Add the lime juice and return to the oven for 20 minutes for the garlic to absorb the lime and turn golden brown.

Using an old-fashioned potato masher or large fork, mash the garlic into a coarse puree. Pour the mixture into a wide-mouth storage container and refrigerate it until you’re ready to enjoy some deliciousness. This mojo will keep for up to three months in the refrigerator as long as there's enough oil to keep the garlic covered.

Winter Squash with Farro and Mojo de Ajo

1 small (5”) Kaboka Squash

1 small Butternut Squash

1-1/2 cups Semipearled Farro

4 cups Chicken Broth

4 oz plain Goat Cheese, crumbled

¾ cup Mojo de Ajo

3 oz Prosciutto

6 Large Fresh Sage Leaves

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

Salt To Taste

Peel the butternut, seed both squashes and cut into 1” cubes. Toss with olive, oil, sprinkle with salt and roast on a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan at 375 until soft, about 40-45 minutes.

In a sauce pan, cook the faro in the chicken broth until al dente, about 25 minutes. Drain.

Cook prosciutto in a small fry pan until crispy, then crumble

Cook sage leaves in a small fry pan in olive oil until crispy, drain and crumble.

Combine cooked squash and farro in a large serving bowel, add the crumbled goat cheese, sage and Mojo de Ajo and toss together. Sprinkle with crumbled prosciutto and serve. Serves 6.