Summer Pastabilities: Bow-Thai Shrimp Salad

Does anything scream "summer" more than a pasta salad? I don't think so.

Unfortunately, sometimes we get pretty tired of the same old recipes -- macaroni salad with mayo and tuna, basil pesto salad with tomatoes, vegetable pasta salad with Italian vinaigrette... can you say hum-drum?

That's where this delicious vegetable-forward pasta salad comes into play.

If you like Thai food, there's a good chance you'll develop an affection for this fresh summer salad.

It uses hearty whole wheat pasta, briny shrimp, crunchy cucumbers, flavorful sweet peppers, and tender spinach leaves -- all coated with a light Thai-style coconut curry dressing with plenty of lime juice to keep things fresh and bright.

It's crisp and flavorful ... perfect for hot summer days when the mere thought of turning on your oven makes you sweat.

But before you run off to make the recipe, you might want to read a bit further.

This recipe was created for the Hodgson Mill "Summer Pastabilities" contest. Hodgson Mill provided us with the Whole Wheat Bow Ties for the recipe. They've also given us a link to share with you to get a $1 off coupon for your next purchase of healthy whole grain pasta (including gluten-free varieties).

They've also agreed to provide a prize pack to one lucky Burp! reader. The pack includes:

• Two (2) boxes Whole Wheat Bow Tie (10 oz. each)
• Two (2) boxes Whole Wheat Medium Shells (16 oz. each)
• Two (2) boxes Whole Wheat Angel Hair (16 oz. each)
• One (1) box of a brand new product, Lemon Pepper Quinoa and Brown Rice
• An assortment of Hodgson Mill-branded kitchen supplies (measuring cups and spoons, spatula, dough scraper)
• A coupon for a future purchase of Hodgson Mill products

For your chance to win, all you have to do is tell us which pasta you'd use first -- and what you'd make with it.

Giveaway ends on Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be chosen at random and notified by email, so please leave your email addy with your comment if it's not included with your Blogger profile.

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Bow-Thai Shrimp Salad
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Equipment needed: small mixing bowl, large mixing bowl, colander, large pot, knife, rubber spatula, whisk

Ingredients

Dressing:
3/4 cup low-fat coconut milk
2 T fish sauce
3 T brown sugar
1 T Thai-style red curry paste (or more, to taste)
Juice of one lime (3-4 T)
zest of one lime
salt and pepper, to taste

Pasta Salad:
1 10 ounce box Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Bow Ties
1 lb medium peeled, precooked shrimp, thawed
2 cups chopped red, orange, or yellow sweet peppers
1 medium seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼ inch half-moons
3 scallions, thinly sliced
5 ounces fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

To make the dressing, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, red curry paste and brown sugar in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved and the ingredients are well incorporated. Add the lime juice, and lime zest and whisk again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the bow ties, and cook until al dente, approximately 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and immediately run plenty of cold water over it until it is completely cool. Drain well.

Put the pasta in a large bowl, and, using a rubber spatula, fold in enough dressing to coat it generously. Gently fold in the shrimp and vegetables, adding more dressing as needed to coat.

Do ahead: You can cook the pasta a few hours ahead, run cold water over it and drain. Spread the pasta in a single layer over a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover the pasta with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

The dressing can also be made earlier in the day; but keep it separate and toss the pasta salad with the dressing just before serving.

Makes 6 main course servings
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
Key words: pasta salad, whole wheat pasta, cucumbers, peppers, spinach, coconut milk, curry, Thai, shrimp, seafood, cilantro

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Spinach Artichoke Melts for Grilled Cheese Month

You know it's grilled cheese month, right?

It's the perfect time to take a moment of silence and truly appreciate the miracle that happens when you put great bread and delicious cheese together.

Living in Wisconsin, we're surrounded by mounds and mounds of delectable artisan cheese. And yet, sometimes we forget how lucky we really are. Grilled cheese month is a nice reminder that living in one of the cheesiest states in the union has its advantages.

This year, when we thought about concocting a sandwich to celebrate GC Month, we were looking to create something a little bit outside of the box. Two of our favorite things just happen to be grilled cheese sandwiches and spinach artichoke dip. So, as we puttered in the kitchen one day we thought, why not combine the two?

These delicious melts are the result of our experimentation. 

Deliciously cheesy, with all the flavor of a great spinach artichoke dip and the gooey cheesiness of the best grilled cheese sandwich you’ve ever made, they’re made even better by a crisp exterior created by grilling the sandwiches with real butter -- also a hot commodity here in the Dairy State :)

Spinach Artichoke Melts

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Nettle & Garlic Ravioli with Rosemary Browned Butter

A number of people have expressed curiosity about how we plan to use our nettle garlic paste this winter.  Now, it wouldn't be so fun if we spoiled ALL the surprises, but I can definitely tell you that we'll be making this ravioli again.

My memories of homemade pasta go way back to my childhood.  I remember watching my mother and grandmother making egg noodles -- kneading the tender dough, rolling it thinly, and then slicing each piece of pasta by hand.  My mother would often hang the pasta on the backs of cleaned kitchen chairs until it dried slightly, and then she'd use them in soups or served alongside comfort food favorites like homemade Swedish meatballs or ragout.

I didn't try making my own pasta until about 5-6 years ago when we got a KitchenAid pasta roller attachment for Christmas.  But, once I made my first batch, I knew I was hooked.  These days I find myself wondering why I don't do it more often.  Sure, it takes a bit of time.  But, it's totally worth it.  For that reason, I often make a double or triple batch of pasta dough at one time.  Balls of dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a freezer bag, and kept in the freezer for up to 6 months.  Just thaw overnight in the fridge and let the dough come to room temperature before using.

 We adapted our recipe for nettle ravioli from a recipe posted by Langdon Cook over at Fat of The Land.  And it's absolutely lovely -- from its use of Marcella Hazen's deliciously tender pasta dough to the flavorful creamy, green and earthy filling.  And don't even get me started on the rosemary browned butter.  *Swoon*

Although ravioli (and other filled pastas) take a bit longer to make than other things, they're perfect company fare, and (even better) they freeze very well. So, you can make up a big batch when you have the time and enjoy them later. Just place the uncooked ravioli onto a large floured baking pan and pop it into the freezer until the ravioli are frozen (1-2 hours).  Then empty the ravioli into serving-sized freezer bags.  Frozen ravioli take a bit longer to cook than fresh, but they  make a perfect weeknight meal for when you don't really feel like cooking.

I really love the flavor in this dish when nettles are used; but you don't need to avoid making it if you don't have any of the delicious weeds on hand.  Simply substitute spinach for the nettles, and add a bit of garlic to the filling.

Nettle & Garlic Ravioli with Rosemary Browned Butter


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Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at DEVOUR Milwaukee, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Think Pink: Indian Chickpeas & Greens

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball.  And sometimes that curve ball smacks you right upside the head and gives you one doozer of a bruise.

It's painful. And ugly. And even though you know that the bruise will heal, it can be pretty rough to walk around with a big purple goose egg on the side of your head for weeks on end.  But, you do. Maybe you try to cover it up with make-up. Or a hat. Maybe you decide to make the most of things, and you wear that nasty old bruise like a badge of honor.  It's true, after all, that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Eventually, the bruise heals and your life goes back to normal. But, when you're in the moment... it's pretty difficult not to be at least a little bit angry with the cards you've been dealt.

My point is, sometimes life doesn't go quite as you expect. And often cooking is an adventure that brings unpredictable results. Take for instance, the chickpeas & greens I made a few weeks back.

It started innocently enough.  I spied a gorgeous bunch of Asian Red Spinach at the market. And I decided I needed to take it home. After all, greens are GOOD. They're healthy. And they're versatile. Before whisking the beautiful purple-and-green-tinted leaves into my market bag, I did manage to ask a few basic questions.  Was it bitter? (no)  Stronger flavored than regular spinach? (slightly)  Did it cook down similarly? (yes)  Would it be recommended to eat the stems? (no)

What I failed to ask was -- is it going to turn my dinner pink?

Honestly, I should have suspected it.  But, I didn't.  In fact, I didn't realize the dish was going the way of Candy Land until I started to stir the kefir into the greens... and slowly, fantastically, that gorgeously fuschia color started to seep out of the spinach leaves and into the yogurt.  The chickpeas started to glow like some sort of iridescent pink light bulbs. The pink turned from fuschia. To salmon. To a color which verged upon red. And I began to wonder if I was going to be able to bear the thought of taking the leftovers of this dinner in to work the next day.

Truth is, as disturbing as they looked, the chickpeas and greens tasted positively fabulous.  The garam masala, coriander, and curry powder danced amid minced ginger and garlic. The fresh tomato brought forth a pleasantly sweet acidity, while the tartness of the kefir kept things lively.  The chickpeas & spinach gave the dish substance -- and yes, that sauce (pink and all) was just amazing when soaked into a nice warm piece of flatbread.  If you appreciate the rich, intoxicating flavors of Indian food, you'll love this easy weeknight dish.  And if you don't want that lovely pink hue, my suggestion would be that you stick to using regular old spinach.

Whatever you decide, there's a lesson to be learned here. Whether it's cooking or living, it pays to be flexible. And adventurous. After all, you never know what kind of delicious things are waiting behind that putridly pink facade.

Indian Chickpeas & Greens


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Simple Eating: Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach, and Blue Cheese

It's been a little crazy around here lately.  And there have been moments when I seriously thought life would never return to normal for us.

We had it bad enough with our basement flooding with sewer waste twice in one week.  But, many of our friends got it even worse.   And, although I promise to get to the food part of this post Very Soon, I do need to ask you for just a moment of your time -- during which I'd like for you to consider helping out a couple of friends of ours.

Tim and Jess Cigelske, who were just blessed with the birth of their baby daughter, Clara, not more than twelve weeks ago, came home after the flooding on July 22nd to find their house virtually in ruins.  I challenge you to read Tim's account and not feel move to action.  Fortunately, if you feel inclined, there's something very easy you can do to help out.  You can buy a t-shirt.

Tim is not only a colleague of mine at the university, but he also happens to be the co-owner of Teecycle.org, a company which reclaims cool pre-loved vintage T-shirts, and resells them -- with $1 of each sale going to help restore urban rivers and trails. Although Tim's home was destroyed, all of Teecycle's t-shirts managed to survive -- having been packed lovingly into waterproof crates and a large armoire that wasn't damaged by the flood waters.  I know that both Tim & Jess would be amazingly appreciative if you'd consider supporting their business.  Proceeds will go to helping them rebuild their home... including the room Jess painstakingly designed for little Clara.  And, if you feel moved to help in a larger way, feel free to email us and we'll get you additional information about how to help. 
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In the meantime, you might be curious about what we've been eating for the past couple of weeks.  And the truth is, it hasn't been pretty.  We've subsisted on lots of pizza, take-out, and a hodge-podge of other easy to put together meals. But, there have also been a few moments of peace and quiet when we were able to throw together easy meals from the produce we picked up at the farmer's market.  And this is a great example of one such meal.

Plenty of rain, along with warmer than average temperatures, means that tomatoes in Wisconsin are ripening at an astounding rate. And we've been pleased to see a bounty of cherry tomatoes -- both at the market and in our own little urban garden.  These delicious little 'matoes are bright red and sugar sweet -- perfect for eating out of hand.

However, if you've hung around the Burp! blog for any length of time, you'll also know that one of our favorite ways to use cherry tomatoes is to roast them.  So, you won't be surprised when I tell you that that's exactly what we decided to do here.

In addition to sweet summer tomatoes, we also found plenty of deliciously sweet local Walla Walla onions at the farmer's market.  A bit of carmelization, along with a handful of spinach wilted with a splash of white wine -- and all of a sudden we saw our veggie laden pasta dish coming together quite nicely.

Of course it doesn't hurt when you have a chunk of Gorgonzola piccante in the fridge to make things feel a little bit special.  Piquant and a little bit spicy -- this cheese is everything that I love about an earthy blue veined cheese. Woodsy, and moldy, and mushroomy, this aged cheese brings a little bit of sophistication to just about anything.

Despite my musings about the cheese, this isn't particularly fancy food.  It's not fussy or time-consuming. Heck, you don't even really need a recipe.  Just a few good quality ingredients and an eye for proportions. In our case, we used about 8 oz of whole wheat pasta, a pint of cherry tomatoes, a pound of fresh spinach, an onion, and maybe 4 oz of blue cheese. 

On a busy evening, this simple dish comes together in about a half-hour. And it needs little more than a slice of crusty bread as an accompaniment. Well, maybe a glass of wine.

In any case -- it's simply delicious.



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Braciola di Pollo: Stuffed Boneless Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes & Summer Herbs

It's going back quite a ways, but I can still remember the first "fancy" dinner party dish I ever made pretty vividly. It was a recipe for chicken breasts that were pounded flat, stuffed with cheese, fastened with toothpicks, and baked in the oven.

The first lesson I learned was that you should always COVER your chicken breast with something before whacking away at it with a meat mallet. That was followed shortly by the realization that over-stuffing the chicken breasts probably wasn't the best idea.  And then I rounded the experience out by nearly impaling myself with the dullest toothpick I've ever encountered.

My oh my, how things change.

I haven't stuffed a chicken breast with anything in a very long time, though I've actually developed some pretty mad skillz for using toothpicks. And I've gotten pretty good with a meat mallet.

But, stuffed chicken (albeit not breasts) really IS the point of this post. So, I'd better get on with that.

The inspiration for this dish hearkens back to a chicken roll recipe from Mario Batali that we came across online a few months back. It was a boned chicken, stuffed with veal, pork, and ham and roasted in the oven until it was crisped and browned.  I liked the idea of a "boneless chicken roll," so I decided to play with the flavors.

We actually learned to debone poultry when we tackled Julia Child's Pate de Canard en croute for a cooking challenge last summer. It was a skill I was pretty proud to have developed (especially since a number of chickens were sacrificed along the way in order for me to gain confidence with the process).  But, I hadn't put it to good use in quite a while.  So, I figured a little bit of experimenting would get me back into practice.

Inspired by the summer weather, I decided to go with a stuffing that was lighter and far less meat heavy.  I happened to have a few dehydrated Principe Borghese tomatoes leftover from last summer's harvest on hand.

I also realized that it was the perfect opportunity to capitalize on all the summer herbs we had in the back yard.  Peef clipped some basil, parsley, and rosemary. And we got started.  I mixed the herbs with re-hydrated tomatoes, fresh bread crumbs, blue cheese, and a couple of eggs.

We de-boned and stuffed the chicken, and then threw everything into a hot oven for about 40 minutes.

The fact is, this is a relatively simple dish once you've got the pesky de-boning out of the way.  These days I almost always de-bone more than one chicken at a time and I always roll up one or two to sock away in the freezer for later. Makes for pretty slick entertaining when the time comes -- and honestly, it shaves off enough time that we can even throw together a delicious meal like this one on a regular old weeknight.

And, honestly, who can argue with that?

Braciola di Pollo: Stuffed Boneless Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes & Herbs

This post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!  

We're also excited to announce that, starting next Friday, we'll be featuring guest posts from some of our favorite food blogger friends as part of the herb series.  First up on July 9th -- Amy from Very Culinary!


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Spring Comfort Food: Mexican Bean Pot with Spinach & Chorizo

Spring in Wisconsin is always an interesting proposition. While the weather improves overall, there's no telling what any given day might hold -- rain, flurries, sun, or clouds.  It's also difficult to tell from day to day what the temperature is going to be like.    As the saying goes, Wisconsin is one of the only states where you can experience all four seasons in the span of a week (or less)!

This recipe is for the damp, cool days of spring.  The ones that still leave you longing for a bit of warm comfort food.  And it's the perfect recipe for someone who wants to try out cooking beans from scratch.  If you've never done so, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the texture of home cooked beans -- which are a bit more firm than canned beans, and (IMHO) infinitely more flavorful. There's also a chance that the beans are infinitely more nutritious -- but, I'll leave that to the discernment of the experts who can actually measure such things.  The fact is, I cook my beans from scratch because they taste good.

Of course, my technique (as with many other things) for cooking beans, is still a work in progress. For example, the jury is still out for me on whether or not to soak beans.  Soaking definitely cuts down on the cooking time, but I'm not certain that it bears much other benefit. Lately, I've been ignoring the pre-soaking -- particularly for black beans, which seem to lose a great deal of color when soaked. As a result, I tend to cook my beans on the weekend, when I have plenty of time to wait for them to cook.  I've also been adding a strip or two of kombu (seaweed) to my beans as they cook. Like other seaweeds, kombu contains trace minerals -- which give a nutritional boost to the beans.  It also contains enzymes that reportedly help to break down the raffinose sugars in beans (the cause of excessive gas and bloating), increasing digestability.   The added nutritional benefit is enough for me -- but if it happens to also reduce some of the unpleasant side effects associated with beans, all the better.

This particular bean pot was inspired by a lazy afternoon when the rain was coming down in torrents outside the window.  Fresh Mexican-style chorizo was on sale at the Outpost, and I had almost two pounds of spinach languishing in the refrigerator.  I wasn't in the mood for soup -- but I was seriously craving a pot of beans.

I cooked the beans simply -- in plenty of water with a large red onion and some garlic cloves. I let them cook gently in my dutch oven for most of the afternoon -- pausing to test every 15-20 minutes during the last stages of cooking. Black beans are done when the skin easily gives way when pressed between two fingers, and the creamy flesh oozes out in a fantastic display of nutty deliciousness.

When the beans were nearly cooked, I sauteed a bit of chorizo and a large red pepper.  I also pulled out a 15 oz can of chopped fire roasted tomatoes and a couple of chipotle peppers, which I chopped finely.  I added everything to the cooked beans with a bit of salt, and allowed them to simmer for about 20 minutes -- just to let the flavors meld. Then, I added the chopped spinach.

Once the spinach was wilted, I removed the pot from the flame, and spooned the beans into bowls, topping them liberally with cilantro and a nice squeeze of fresh lime.

We scooped up our beans into warm tortillas, slurping up the flavorful sauces as they dripped.

The sheer simplicity of this dish made it an immediate favorite.  Seasoned with little more than the spices from the chorizo, a hint of sweetness from the red bell pepper, and a bit of smoky heat from the chipotles, this was one of the best pots of beans I'd ever eaten.   And it was even better the next day for lunch, alongside a cheese and jalapeno quesadilla.

Excellent paired with a well-mixed margarita with plenty of lime. 

Mexican Bean Pot with Spinach & Chorizo


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Spinach Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Burgers

We certainly eat our share of burgers around here during the summer months -- beef burgers, bison burgers, turkey burgers... you name the burger, and we eat it. But, believe it or not, one of our favorite burgers is actually not made of ground meat. It's made of mushroom. Stuffed mushroom.

Portabella burgers are nothing new. People have been grilling up savory mushroom burgers for years. People have also been stuffing mushrooms for a very long time. And stuffed mushrooms aren't exactly original either. They usually appear as part of an appetizer menu. But, if you ask us, they also make a very fine burger.

So, get out your charcoal grill, and give these a try.

First, take a few nice portabella mushroom caps and give them a good 20 minutes to marinate. Our favorite marinade is comprised of a few tablespoons of good quality balsamic vinegar, some red wine, a bit of tomato juice (spicy is nice), a few teaspoons of Dijon mustard, and a tablespoon (or so) cajun seasoning. You can also use your favorite Italian (or other spice) blend. We like to remove the gills from our ports before marinating; not only does this preserve the color of the mushroom, but it also keeps the 'shrooms from getting too soggy during the marination.
While the mushrooms are getting their marinade on, gather up a few cloves of garlic and a nice pile of fresh spinach leaves.
Saute the chopped spinach and minced garlic in a bit of olive oil, and then toss with a liberal handful of breadcrumbs (we make our own, but you can also purchase dried breadcrumbs in the supermarket).
When your filling is ready, retrieve your portabella mushroom caps and take them out to your preheated grill. Place the mushrooms cap-side-up on the grill, and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the caps are nicely browned.Flip the mushroom caps over, fill with the spinach filling, and grill for another 3-4 minutes -- until they're browned on the other side and the filling is heated through.
Now, if you're like us, you'll agree that any burger is better with a bit of cheese. You can add a bit of feta cheese to the top of your burger for a Greek-inspired burger... a bit of bleu if you're feeling like a steakhouse burger. Or you can do as we did, and cover your port burgers with a slice of Swiss or cheddar cheese.
Cover the grill and allow the cheese to melt. When everything is lovely and melty, remove your portabella burger from the grill and place on a nice crusty bun. We grilled our sprouted grain buns over the fire for a moment or two to give them a bit of crusty appeal.
These burgers are juicy enough that they don't even need that spot of ketchup you're just dying to add to the mix.

Spinach Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Burgers



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