Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (13 page)
Read Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites Online
Authors: Giada de Laurentiis
Tags: #Non-Fiction, #Reference
Use this recipe as a guideline and a suggestion, as you could really serve any odds and ends you find in the vegetable bin with this versatile vinaigrette. Think about adding broccoli florets, green beans, or summer squash, just to name a few.
4 servings
Tarragon Vinaigrette
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable Sauté
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 bunch of asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and cut in 3-inch pieces
1 (8-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
½ pint teardrop tomatoes, halved
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the tarragon vinaigrette,
combine the oil, vinegar, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a glass screw-top jar. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to mix.
For the vegetable sauté,
warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the asparagus and artichokes and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper; toss with the vinaigrette.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
Artichokes take a little time to prepare, but it’s time well spent for a dish this extraordinary. The filling becomes hot, bubbly, and creamy, like an individual serving of warm artichoke dip for each diner. You can get most of the prep work out of the way well ahead of time, too; the artichokes can be boiled earlier in the morning and baked later or, if you prefer, the whole dish can be prepared a day in advance, as it reheats very well.
4 servings
4 artichokes
3 lemons
10 ounces mild Gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Trim the artichokes by cutting off the top inch or so. Cut the stem close to the base of the artichoke so the artichoke can stand upright, and remove some of the tough outer leaves. Using kitchen shears, trim the sharp points off of any remaining outer leaves. Drop the artichokes into the boiling water. Halve the lemons and squeeze the juice into the boiling water, then toss in the lemons. Cook the artichokes until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the artichokes upside down on a clean kitchen towel and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the Gorgonzola cheese, cream, thyme, 2 teaspoons of the parsley, the garlic, salt, and pepper. In another small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and the remaining tablespoon of parsley.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the artichokes open with your fingers and use a small spoon to scrape out the center choke. Stuff the cheese mixture into the artichokes and arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle the artichokes with the bread-crumb mixture, then drizzle them with the olive oil. Bake until the artichokes are heated through, the cheese is melted, and the bread crumbs are crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer the artichokes to a serving dish and serve.
WHOLE-WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON, BASIL, AND SALMON
PASTINA WITH CLAMS AND MUSSELS
TAGLIATELLE WITH SMASHED PEAS, SAUSAGE, AND RICOTTA CHEESE
BAKED ORZO WITH FONTINA AND PEAS
WHOLE-WHEAT LINGUINE WITH GREEN BEANS, RICOTTA, AND LEMON
PENNE WITH SHRIMP AND HERBED CREAM SAUCE
ORECCHIETTE WITH SAUSAGE, BEANS, AND MASCARPONE
SWISS CHARD AND SWEET PEA MANICOTTI
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND VANILLA RISOTTO
LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP AND LEMON OIL
RIGATONI WITH SQUASH AND PRAWNS
RIGATONI WITH VEGETABLE BOLOGNESE
Next to chocolate, pasta is my favorite food. It’s inexpensive, versatile, and appealing in all its various sizes and shapes. Most important, pasta is delicious. It can satisfy a hungry crowd or serve as an intimate dinner for two. It rarely disappoints when it’s prepared properly, and it makes a perfect meal, with or without a protein. Serve my Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns on a special occasion; it looks so elegant but tastes like something Grandma could have prepared. Try the Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas when you’re in the mood for something rich and comforting, and be sure to give some of the whole-wheat pasta recipes a try; the flavor and texture of whole-wheat pasta has definitely improved in the past few years. One of my favorite weeknight dinners is Whole-Wheat Linguine with Green Beans, Ricotta, and Lemon. It’s quick and easy but it makes me feel good about what I’m eating and fills me up! What more can you ask for from a pasta recipe?
If you’re looking for a healthy pasta dish, you can’t go wrong with this one. The spinach doesn’t really cook, it just gets wilted by the heat of the warm pasta. When I eat this I feel I’ve both indulged a craving for pasta
and
treated myself to something especially healthful and nutritious!
4 servings
½ pound whole-grain or whole-wheat spaghetti
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to combine.
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove the salmon from the pan.