While Certain Someone is Away…Seasonal Bounty Angel Hair Pasta

Certain Someone asked me in a email while waiting for takeoff, why don’t I make him a pasta dish like this. I had told him I was roasting veggies and tossing them with angel hair pasta. I replied that if I said we were having veggies and pasta for dinner,he’d ask me to cook him a sausage!As I mentioned in a earlier post when he’s gone, I tend to lean towards less meat.And without having to worry about his likes and dislikes, I was free to cook. Hyde Park Produce had some excellent Oyster mushrooms that were begging me to take them home. I chose some assorted zucchini, squash, oil/salt cured black olives, carrots, onion, and big sprigs of fresh basil.

Courtney’s Seasonal Bounty

Angel Hair Pasta
zucchini sliced very thin
yellow squash
onion
several cloves of garlic
carrots
oyster mushrooms
cured black olives( use according to taste as flavor is strong)
capers ( according to taste)
fresh basil for a chiffonade
truffle oil to drizzle
salt
pepper
olive oil
oregano
balsamic vinegar

Thinly slice veggies with a mandolin. Toss veggies and garlic cloves with salt, pepper, olive oil, oregano, and balsamic vinegar.Roast in a cast iron pan at 375 degrees for approx half hour or until tender and juices have mostly evaporated.
Boil water for pasta and prepare. Cut pits out of the olives,and add both olives and capers to mixture of veggies.Toss pasta with veggie mixture.Roll basil leaves and slice for a chiffonade to top the pasta. Add grated Parmesan , and drizzle with truffle oil.

Wilton 2 Final Project

Tonight I finished my final cake for Wilton 2. I chose a peach icing for my basket weave rather than the traditional white butter cream. The cake is a chocolate /orange flavor.

Flower Power Cookies


Certain Someone leaves for Germany tomorrow. He has to take care of some business and its his mothers Birthday. His mother is the classic homemaker and into her needlepoint and entertaining. While out shopping a few weeks back I purchased a demi tasse cups and saucers set in assorted pastel colors. I decided to send her a homemade gift to go with and put my cake decorating classes to good use. Cookies are a fun medium as they are firm , and you can do so many great things with shapes. I have been making royal icing flowers all month for class and had extras to add to her cookies. These cookies are totally edible and almost pure sugar with all the icing. Yet they taste pretty good. I used a basic sugar cookie dough I have wrote about before . I also did half with cocoa powder for some variation. I plan to wrap each individually in a cello bag and pack in a tin I picked up at the Container Store. I added crystal flowers onto the tin for a decorative touch. I hope it survives Certain Someones flight to London, then Dusseldorf. Her birthday isn’t until next week so I pray they keep in the airtight tin. Wish I could be there. Shes a incredible cook and baker so I hope she will be kind in her critique.

Busy Body (Interesting Obits, Rissoto Balls, and Bread.)

I’m one of those nosey, morbid people that always reads the obituary section of any paper. So while browsing through the NY times on line today,I noticed two obits with a American Culinary angle. Two people passed this week that either reflected or influenced the way most Americans ate for a period. I wouldn’t say they are household names,but very significant. Both were near in age and attitude towards food. Peg Bracken wrote a book I never heard of, but seemed to be a sentiment of many woman called I Hate To Cook. Seems Peg was a modern woman and go getter in the advertising world who hated the expectation of domesticity. Ironically she wrote a tongue in cheek cook book for those who were like her. Kind of like the Sandra Lee (Semi Homemade) or Rachel Ray (30 Minute Meals)of her day. Love them or hate them,they make a impact. She’s the total antithesis of today’s trends. The other departed was man named Vincent De Domenico, the creator of Rice-A-Roni. Most Americans have had this leading processed convenient food at one time or another. It was interesting to read about his influence and activities in Napa as well. Peg and Vincent were quite in sync.

Well I love to cook, but don’t always have the time as I work a full time job and two part time.As well as take a class.I’m not adverse to leftover and convenience. Reading many blogs , I have discovered many things I want to try.Above are some my adventures this week. I give full credit to Deborah at Taste and Tell for inspiring me to make a risotto( but I added butternut squash puree purchased from Williams and Sonoma) and Rosa at rosas-yummy-yums for making a pumpkin challah( of which I didn’t take a photo, topped with Pepita’s, and devoured). They both turned out excellent and I served it alongside my improvised Coq Au Vin for dinner last night. Certain Someone and I gobbled it up.I then took the leftover risotto , rolled it in some leftover panko /pecan breading, and made fried rice balls.So good!See convenience, inspiration, and creativity.

Courtney’s Coq au Vin

Chicken Breasts

country bacon

sweet onions( I used a variety called Candy Onions)

Herbs de Provence

Bay leaf

1/2 bottle of red wine or more depending on amount of chicken( I used a cheap Merlot hanging around)

salt

pepper

garlic cloves

*I didn’t have mushroom, but they are a traditional component

Chicken Stock

Cut up bacon and brown in a heavy duty casserole. Drain most fat and add chopped onion, and spices, and herbs. Add chicken and brown the skin on all sides. The bottom of the pan should start to caramelize. De glaze with red wine. Add chicken stock and cover to simmer, stirring occasionally. This dish takes approx 45- 1 hour depending on cuts and amounts of the chicken. Cook till tender. I like to do this in a slow cooker as well. The chicken will fall of the bone.

A Mano

Certain Someone decided to change things up a bit and take me to a new restaurant. A Manomeans by hand and is the new brainchild of my friends and family at Bin 36. I have worked over the years at both Bin 36 and Bin Wine Cafe part time in their wine shop and as a hostess. Chicago being a big city , but small town, keeps you always connected by six degrees of separation. Currently I work with the former head chef at one of those establishments in the catering world. So he had mentioned this new venture, and I was happy when Certain Someone booked a table.Brian Duncan, a partner , and one of the countries leading wine experts, greeted us so warmly. He sat down , offered us a glass of a Pinot Nero( which is actually white and made without the skins), and we talked. He is the consummate host and professional. Everything I know about wine was gleaned from him,a taskmaster, but fair and gracious. After we caught up our antipasti and salumi arrives. We ordered 6 items for $ 22. I chose the vegetable , while Certain Someone chose the salumi. Brian commented on our excellent selections of Eggplant Caponata (with pine nuts,raisins, and peppers), Roasted peppers( with Capra honey Goat cheese, and dandelion leaves), marinated wild mushrooms,Mole Salumi( spiced up with chocolate, cinnamon, and ancho chilies) which was our favorite, and Prosciutto di Parma.The salumi was shaved so thin they melted in your mouth. Remember all this is hand made on the establishment. Certain Someone and I then picked and played with the following courses. I chose a Primi Piatti of grilled quail with poached pear , baby dandelion leaves, and a Passito wine vinaigrette. That followed with a half portion of Pappardelle with braised boar and raisins. Certain Someone chose a full portion of Gnocchetti and a Secondi Piatti of Country Cottage Famrs Chicken Breast with Honey Roasted Cipollini Onions and Fregola. Outstanding!The wines were perfect I feel so unknowledgable about the Italian Wines. I chose a Lagrein ,a medium bodied wine. Certain Someone chose a Peroni to start ( a German needs his beer), and followed with the Bin 36 Cabernet Sauvingnon. Brian blended several selections for the the restaurants. I decided to have a cocktail after the meal and picked a Rosso Sicilano which is made with Sicilian Blood Orange Juice and Averna. It was a bitter Campari like taste that grew on you. We shared dessert of Brachetto Zabaglione with seasonal Fruit.
What I liked best about this dinner was that we didn’t feel stuffed and guilty as you can after a evening of dining out. Portion control was perfect and they lure you into each course wanting more. It was nice to see so many old friends and we do vow to return. A Mano has only been open for a week , but Chicago has a new culinary hit.