Gnocchi Scampi

This is a quick and delicious- lemony and garlicky- one-pan dish. I now realize that I prefer pan-seared gnocchi over boiled. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Great.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet, modified the method, and doubled the garlic. It was a perfect meal served with a big green salad. We didn’t have any leftovers!

Yield: Serves 3 to 4

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
• 1 pound gnocchi (fresh, frozen or shelf-stable) (I used Trader Joe’s shelf-stable)
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 4 to 8 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 cup cup dry white wine, clam juice, or stock (I used chicken stock)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 1 pound large or extra-large shrimp, shelled (I used tail-on 21-25 count)
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped)

1. In a large, preferably nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet.)
2. Add gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, tossing every 1 to 2 minutes, so they get golden and crispy all over. Transfer to a bowl or plate. (I reduced the heat to medium half-way through this step.)
3. In the same skillet over medium-high, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and all of the butter, letting it melt for a few seconds.
4. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Add wine/stock/clam juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and all of the red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, and let the liquid reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
6. Add shrimp and sauté until they just start to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes, depending on their size.
7. Return gnocchi to the pan and add another 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a Microplane or other fine grater, quickly grate the zest from the lemon into the pan.
8. Add chopped parsley, tossing well. If your pan looks dry, add a splash of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to combine, then remove pan from the heat. (I didn’t have to add any additional liquid.)
9. Cut the zested lemon in half and squeeze in the juice from one half, gently tossing to combine. Taste and add more salt if you like. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for serving.
10. Drizzle with more olive oil and more red-pepper flakes, if desired, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Skillet Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Broccoli & Orzo

My husband and I enjoyed this skillet dinner. The kids had mixed reviews! My son thought that it was over-seasoned and my daughter declared that she wouldn’t eat bone-in chicken thighs. (We are quite used to boneless, skinless chicken thighs in my house.) It’s clearly hard to please the two teenagers in my house. 😉

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Aaron Hutcherson. I modified the method and proportions, incorporated red onion, used a Meyer lemon, and substituted chicken stock for broth.

Yield: Serves 6

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), patted dry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Meyer lemon or 1/2 large lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed
• 1/2 large red onion, cut into wedges
• approximately 1 pound broccoli florets, cut into smaller pieces if large (about 6+ cups)
• 8 ounces dried orzo (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• freshly grated Parmesan, for serving, optional

1. Season chicken thighs on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. In a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron or stainless steel), heat olive oil over medium-high. (I used a large, shallow, enameled cast iron pot.)
3. Cook the chicken, skin-side down, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
4. Remove the pot from the heat and add butter and lemon slices; cook until the lemons release their juices and start to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
5. Return the pan to medium heat. Add the red onion wedges and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add the broccoli, orzo, thyme, garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the onions in the pan and stir to coat.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is lightly toasted and the broccoli is bright green, about 3 to 5 minutes.
8. Deglaze with the wine and cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Add the stock and lemon slices to the skillet, then add the chicken thighs, skin-side up, along with any liquid from the plate.
10. Cover the skillet and continue cooking until the orzo is tender, most of the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F internal temperature), 13 to 15 minutes.
11. Serve warm garnished with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Note: If you want to add a little texture and crunch to the dish, uncover and continue to cook until browned and crisp on the bottom, 3 to 5 additional minutes (after Step 10).

Fresh Tomato Risotto

My friend has been sharing her beautiful homegrown tomatoes. Lucky me! They are more delicious than my CSA tomatoes. ❤

I try to use them in a special way and I love that this risotto uses fresh tomatoes in two ways- cooked and sliced as a colorful garnish. My homegrown basil and parsley were the icing on the cake.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by David Tanis. I attempted to adapt the recipe to cook using my pressure cooker, as I usually do with risotto, but there wasn’t enough liquid for it to cook properly. Cooking this version in the traditional manner is the way to go. 🙂 By using boiling liquid, it was still a quick weeknight dish!

Yield: 4 servings

• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• coarse salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
• pinch of red-pepper flakes
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups diced ripe red tomatoes (and all juices)
• 3 to 4 cups boiling water, chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 2 to 4 medium tomatoes, in different colors, sliced
• chopped parsley, for garnish
• snipped basil, for garnish

1. Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the onion, and season generously with salt. Add pepper to taste, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the rice and cook the onions, stirring, until the onions are barely brown, about 2 minutes.
3. Add red-pepper flakes, garlic, white wine and diced tomatoes, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes more.
4. Add 2 cups boiling water or stock and adjust the heat to a brisk simmer. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring well with a wooden spoon every minute or so.
5. When the liquid is absorbed, add remaining 1 cup water or stock and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, until the rice is cooked, but the grains are still firm. (I added an additional cup of stock.)
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding another splash of water if necessary to loosen the mixture.
7. Turn off the heat, stir in the grated cheese and 2 more tablespoons olive oil. (I omitted the additional oil.)
8. Transfer to a low, wide serving bowl. Surround the rice with tomato slices and season them with salt and pepper.
9. Sprinkle with parsley and basil. Pass more grated cheese at the table, as desired.

Summer Shrimp Scampi with Tomatoes & Corn

This summery version of shrimp scampi is an amazing upgrade of this classic dish. Best of all, it is prepared in one pan. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle; I modified the proportions. I served it over pasta, but it could also be served with crusty bread. Delicious.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 21 to 25 shrimp per pound)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 (or more) cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 4 to 5 ears)
• 7 large garlic cloves, minced (I used my special CSA hard neck garlic)
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon), plus wedges for serving (optional)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley or chives, or torn basil leaves
• 12 to 16 oz linguini fini, spaghetti or bucatini, for serving, if desired
• crusty bread, for serving, if desired

1. If serving over pasta, prepare per the package directions while the rest of the dish is being prepared.
2. Pat the shrimp very dry and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and lightly golden in spots, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a plate.
4. Add the tomatoes to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring just once or twice, until they start to blister in spots, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add the corn, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring just once or twice, until the tomatoes burst and the corn is golden in spots, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until you smell garlic, about 1 minute.
7. Reduce heat to medium, and add the wine and lemon juice, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until nearly evaporated, then add the butter and stir until melted.
8. Add the shrimp and its juices and stir until warmed through. (If the sauce breaks and looks greasy, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of water and stir until emulsified.)
9. Remove from heat, add the herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with extra lemon for squeezing over, if you like.
10. Serve over pasta or with crusty bread, if desired.

Creamy Bucatini with Crispy Mushrooms

As in my last post, this wonderful dish is also part of Bon Appétit’s Most Popular Recipes of 2019. I made this and several other dishes on the list before it was compiled- apparently I was not alone! 😉

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Andy Baraghani. I added garlic and white wine. Yummy comfort food.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 lb mixed mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, crimini, and/or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces (I used 10oz quartered cremini and 8oz torn shiitake)
• Kosher salt
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lb spaghetti or 12 oz bucatini
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 oz Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high. Cook half of mushrooms in a single layer, undisturbed, until edges are brown and starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. Give mushrooms a toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until all sides are brown and crisp, about 5 minutes more.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a plate; season with salt.
3. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and mushrooms and more salt.
4. Finely chop the shallots and garlic in a mini-food processor, if desired.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and return all of the mushrooms to the pot. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened, about 2 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
7. Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add cream, white wine, and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
8. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
9. Remove pot from heat. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, butter, 1/2 oz Parmesan, and lots of pepper and toss to combine.
10. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Adjust consistency with additional pasta water, if needed.
11. Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan and parsley, as desired.

Pork Chops with Lemon-Caper Sauce

After reading the printed version, I received multiple emails from The New York Times about this dish. Sam Sifton was over the moon about this recipe and the book, Toni Tipton-Martin’s Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African-American Cooking. He described the book as “excellent and invaluable” and noted that this was his favorite recipe in it. I had to try it.

I agreed with Sam Sifton. 🙂 Lemon-caper sauce is incredible! This wonderful dish was prepared very quickly and was packed with flavor. Tipton-Martin learned the sauce technique that elevates these smothered pork chops from restaurateur B. Smith.

I added additional flour to the sauce to make it more of a gravy. We used fresh bread to mop up all of the remaining sauce on our plates. I served the pork chops with sautéed spinach and roasted red and sweet potatoes on the side.

This recipe was adapted from Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African-American Cooking, via The New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton. I slightly modified the proportions.

Yield: Serves 4 to 5

• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 8 ounces each) (I used 5 boneless pork chops)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 2 T olive oil
• 4 T unsalted butter, divided
• 1 very small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 T drained capers
• 2 T minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest, plus 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• hot sauce, optional

1. Dry the chops with paper towels, and season aggressively with salt, pepper and the thyme.
2. Swirl the olive oil into a large skillet, and heat over medium until the oil begins to shimmer.
3. Add chops, and cook until well browned on each side and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate, and cover to keep warm.
4. Drain most of the fat from the skillet, then melt 2 tablespoons of butter in it over medium heat until sizzling.
5. Add the shallot and garlic, and sauté until the aromatics soften, reducing the heat if necessary, about 1 minute.
6. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
7. Whisk in the wine and chicken stock, raise heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half, 7 to 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the capers, parsley, lemon zest and juice and hot sauce to taste (if you’re using it)(I omitted it), and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until it’s melted and the sauce looks smooth.
10. Nestle the pork chops into the sauce, and allow them to warm up for a couple of minutes, then serve, pouring sauce over each pork chop to taste.
11. Garnish with more fresh parsley.

Pasta with Sausage, Basil, & Mustard

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mom’s out there! ❤ I have a moment to share a recipe with you while my husband is making our celebratory pancake breakfast. 🙂

This is another dish from Food and Wine magazine’s 40th Anniversary Special Edition titled “Our 40 Best-Ever Recipes.” I’ve already made it twice because my son is obsessed! 😉

The recipe for this quick, easy and very tasty dish was adapted from British cookbook author Nigel Slater. I used a combination of sweet and hot Italian sausages. Fabulous!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1 pound penne, rigatoni or medium shells
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 hot Italian sausages, meat removed from casings and crumbled (about 3/4 pound)
• 4 sweet Italian sausages, meat removed from casings and crumbled (about 3/4 pound)
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons grainy mustard
• pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 cup thinly sliced basil

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sausage meat and brown over moderately high heat, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cream, mustard and crushed red pepper and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the pasta and basil and toss to coat. Serve at once.