Kale & Brussels Sprouts Hash With Bacon & Toasted Walnuts

Shred the vegetables into paper-thin slices in advance, which will save a lot of time when making this quick hash. You can also prepare the sprouts on a mandolin if you prefer. The greens should be slightly softened but not cooked down too much - they should still have some chew. You can make this vegetarian by omitting the bacon and using olive oil instead of the bacon fat, and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. 

Ingredients:

• 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 large bunch lacinato (dino) kale, ribs removed and cut into thin slices
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, broken into pieces
• Lemon juice, to taste
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste 

Instructions:

1. Instructions: Place the bacon in a large skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook until the bacon is crisp and golden, 10-12 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add the shallots and the garlic to the bacon fat in the pan and cook, stirring often, until the shallots are slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.
3. Add the Brussels sprouts and kale, and stir continuously until the greens are slightly wilted but still have some chew, about 3-5 minutes. Stir the bacon back into the mixture; add the walnuts and stir until incorporated. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve warm. 

Nutrition Information:

• Per serving: 206 calories, 11 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat (2 g saturated), 3 mg cholesterol, 96 mg sodium, 5 g fiber. 

Prupisceddu in Umidu (Baby Octopus Stew) from La Ciccia
serves 4 people as an appetizer

Ingredients:

2 lbs. baby octopus
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp. dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ medium onion, chopped
1 pinch chili flakes
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
¼ lb. of fresh stewed tomatoes or canned tomatoes
2 leaves of fresh basil

Preparation:

Clean the octopuses by rinsing them with running water. Set aside.

In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the garlic, onion, and half
of the parsley. Cook until the onion is translucent and then add the octopus, mixing well. Increase the heat to high and add the wine. When the alcohol has evaporated, lower the
heat, and let the octopus simmer for about 5-7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, basil leaves, and chili flakes and cover the pan with a lid, letting it cook over a medium-low heat for 35-40 minutes or until the octopus is fork-tender. After cooking, let the stew sit covered for a few minutes, then sprinkle with the rest of the chopped parsley and serve in hot bowls.

Paella Catalan

Paella Catalan

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs. chicken thighs, boned, skin on, quartered

1/2 lb.  chicken breast, boned, skin on, cut into 2” pieces

6 oz. pork loin, cubed

1/2 lb. shrimp, medium, shell on

1/2 lb. squid, small, body (sliced into rings) and tentacles

2 doz. mussels, medium , cleaned and beards removed

1 lb. linguica, sliced ¼ “

1 large onion, ¼ ”dice

2 red bell peppers. medium, sliced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 28 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained and hand crushed

4 cups chicken stock

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup sweet peas

½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

2-1/2 cups short grain rice (Arborio)

2 tsp. saffron threads

1 tbsp pimenton

Kosher salt and Black pepper

Method:

Heat stock in a medium sauce pan to a low simmer and keep hot.

Grind the saffron with one teaspoon of salt until a powder is formed, then add pimenton and garlic and continue grinding until a paste forms. Set aside.

Place a 14-16” paella pan on a cast iron heat diffuser over a gas burner and heat on high and add olive oil. The heat diffuser is essential to achieve even heat in the pan and avoid burning in the center. When the oil is hot, add chicken, linguica and pork and cook until golden, about 10 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat to a plate. Add the onion and peppers and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Return the meat to the pan, add tomatoes and 2 ladles of stock, stir well and simmer for about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Add about 2 tablespoons of stock to the mortar and stir well, then add to the pan of hot stock.

Add the rice and all but ½ cup of the stock to the paella pan and stir well. Add shrimp and squid. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes, and add reserved stock if the rice is not quite tender and cook a few minutes longer. In a separate covered sauce pan, steam the mussels in a little water and ½ cup white wine for 5 minutes and discard the unopened ones. Then arrange the mussels on top of the paella. Turn off heat and remove the pan from the heat diffuser. Cover paella pan with a dry kitchen towel and let sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve at once to 8-10 people.

Roasted Chicken Thighs With Delicata Squash

     

TOTAL TIME

45 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ marinating

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INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lemon, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, and thinly sliced crosswise into wedges
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 and 1/2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped sage
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• Large pinch chile powder
• 1 delicata or acorn squash (1 and 1/4 pounds), seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light-green parts

PREPARATION

1.

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil; drop in lemon slices and cook for two minutes. Drain well.

2.

In a large bowl, toss chicken with lemon slices, 1 tablespoon oil, sage, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Let stand 30 minutes.

3.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

4.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine syrup, butter, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and chile powder. Simmer for 3 minutes. Toss mixture with squash.

5.

Spread squash in a 9-by-13-inch pan or on a large rimmed baking sheet. Nestle chicken and lemon on top of squash. Roast for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, toss scallions and remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Scatter over chicken and squash; keep roasting until chicken is no longer pink, about 20 minutes more.

YIELD

4 servings

       From NYT 10/24/12