summer peach marinara sauce

Let me begin by saying that I realize when you write a recipe you are expected to give amounts of ingredients. The problem with a good pasta sauce is there is a fair amont of improvisation, of wiggle room, when it comes to exactly how much of something goes in the mix. With that in mind, a couple of weeks ago I got a great deal on a big box of tomatoes at the Durham Farmer’s Market. I also two big bags of basil. I keep a bunch of garlic around the house all the time. I came home to make Marinara. When I got home, I remembered the box of ripe peaches we had and decided to try something based on a recipe I have for a tomato-peach jam. The result was a Tomato-Peach Marinara that is light and sweet and awesome.

Here’s the recipe. Find your way to the taste you want.

40 garlic cloves, crushed 

10-12 large tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and crushed 

8-10 ripe peaches, blanched and peeled 

all the basil you can get your hands on 

salt 

pepper 

cinnamon (start with 1/4 teaspoon)

The easiest way to peel tomatoes and peaches is to blanch them, which means to get a big pot — and I do mean a big pot — of water boiling, cut a one-inch “X” in the bottom of both the peaches and the tomatoes, and then drop them in the boiling water. I did the two fruits separately because the peaches need to boil for about three minutes and the tomatoes should go no more than thirty seconds. Lift them out of the water and put them in a bowl to cool for a minute (again, I kept them separate), then peel them. Slice the peaches and set them aside. Put the peeled tomatoes in a  bowl and crush them with your hands until they are a big chunky mess.

Cover the bottom of your stock pot with garlic. I mean cover it. Then cover the garlic with olive oil. Yes, cover the garlic. I don't mean pour deep fry the stuff, but you're going to put about a cup of oil over that much garlic. Then put it on medium heat, cover, and let the garlic cook for about ten minutes, until it begins to brown and it softens. Add the tomatoes and peaches and reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot. When the sauce begins to simmer, lower the heat a bit and uncover it and let it cook for two or three hours, until the tomatoes have mostly cooked away and the peaches are falling apart. Chiffonade or chop the basil and add it to the sauce and stir. Let it simmer another fifteen minutes or so and then purée the sauce using an immersion blender, or you can transfer it in batches to a food processor or a blender. (If you do it that way, be very careful.) Once it is smooth, add salt, pepper, and cinnamon, tasting and adjusting the flavors to your liking.

I’ve used it on ravioli and pasta and eggplant parmigiana. I’ve also just eaten it with a spoon. This summer sauce is amazing. And yes, you can freeze it.

Peace
Milton

pork for pasta

This recipe grew out of my trip to the Durham Farmers' Market today. And it was good.

1 pound ground pork or fresh sausage, uncased
2 onions, chopped
1 small eggplant, diced small
2 carrots, diced small
3 tomatoes, diced small
fresh herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano0
salt and pepper
olive oil
1/4 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
parmesan cheese to garnish

In a large skillet or fry pan, cook the pork until it’s done. You may want to add a little bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking. Add onions and continue cooking over medium heat until the onions are translucent. (If you want a more caramelized taste, cook the onions separately to get some color on them and then add them to the pork.) Add the tomatoes, eggplant, and carrots and let them cook until most of the natural juices have been reduced. Add the herbs and about a half a cup of red wine. Stir well and let it continue cooking until the wine is almost cooked away. Add the chicken stock. Stir well and let it continue cooking until the sauce is thick and does not have a lot of liquid left. (If you want a creamier taste, you can add a half a cup of heavy cream and cook for a few minutes more.)

Serve over pasta. Top with cheese.

Peace,
Milton

saturday night chicken

This was the first meal I ever cooked for Ginger and has become one of the rituals of our marriage.

1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut in thin strips
olive oil
Goya Adobo seasoning (con pimento)
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1 pound fettuccine
alfredo sauce

Put a big pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta. If you are using dry pasta, it will take longer to cook than fresh. Time it so the pasta finishes with the chicken and the alfredo sauce.

Put the chicken strips in a bowl and toss with the two seasonings. I use equal parts of both. We like it hot, so I use a good bit. Experiment to your own taste. You can also add more as you are cooking.

Get a saute pan good and hot and then add olive oil. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the chicken and cook until they are cooked through and a little crispy.

Drain the pasta and put in a large bowl. Pour alfredo sauce over pasta and toss. Put pasta on the plate and the chicken on top. Open a nice bottle of wine and feel the love.

Peace,
Milton

gianni's pasta

Gianni is one of the people I work with in my new job. He's about 19 and came from Italy a year or two ago. He works the appetizer station, but comes around to my side when he gets ready to fix his dinner because I have the burners and the pasta pot he needs. What he does is simple, elegant, and just plain good.

salted water, brought to a boil
pasta (your choice)

Bring salted water to a boil and add pasta. While pasta is cooking, heat a skillet to medium high heat and add

2 tablespoons olive oil
8-10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
salt and pepper

As the tomatoes cook, they will soften and sort of fall apart. That's what you want. When the pasta is about a minute from being done, take a ladle and spoon some of the pasta water into the tomatoes. The starch in the water helps thicken the sauce. Turn the heat up to help the sauce reduce. At the last minute add

2 tablespoons basil chiffonade

Drain pasta and add to sauce in skillet. Stir together and then put onto a plate. You can also sprinkle with grated cheese, if you like. (I like.)

Simple. Easy. Good. That's hard to beat.

Peace,
Milton

asapargus whatzituya

Here's a good pasta dinner that's easy to make.

1 pound dried fettuccine

1 1/4 pounds asparagus, cut in 1 inch lengths
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 c olive oil
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 basil leaves, chiffonade

2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup Romano cheese, shredded
salt and pepper

Boil pasta according to package directions.

Combine asparagus, mushrooms, wine, olive oil, garlic, fennel seeds, and pepper flakes in skillet and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until asparagus is tender -- about ten minutes. Stir in basil, salt, and pepper. (To chiffonade the basil, stack the leaves on top of each other and roll them up from the bottom to the top as tightly as you can. Then cut the roll in small strips from side to side.)

Drain cooked pasta and toss with melted butter. Divide into four servings and top with asparagus mixture and shredded cheese.

Peace,
Milton