Gnocchi with Bacon & Peas

Gnocchi with Bacon & Peas

Ingredients

1 pkg. store bought gnocchi

4 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T Butter

1 T Flour
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth, hot
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup light cream
1 T fresh Basil
fresh Parsley for garnish

Directions
Set a large pot of water on the stove, bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, begin to brown the diced bacon over medium high heat.
Chop the onion and mince the garlic.  When the bacon is browned, remove from pan to a paper towel-lined plate.  Drain all but 1 T of the bacon fat from the pan. Return pan to stove over medium heat.
Saute the onion, seasoned with S&P, in the remaining bacon fat until soft 3-4 mins.  Add the garlic and stir.  Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir and cook for about 1 minute.  Deglaze the pan with the wine.  Add the hot broth, the Parmesan, the cream, and the basil.  Season with S&P. Bring to a low simmer, but do not boil.
Cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water, following package directions, about 5-6 mins.
Add a ladle of the water from the gnocchi to the sauce, the drained gnocchi, and half the bacon bits.
Stir and cook a few more minutes until sauce is thickened nicely.
Serve sprinkled with fresh Parsley and the remaining bacon bits.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie

Traditionally made with lamb, this version with ground beef would more accurately be called Cottage Pie


Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs. Russet Potatoes, peeled, cubed
1/2 C milk
2 T butter
1 egg yolk
S & P

1 med. onion, diced
2 med. carrots, diced
1 lg. celery stalk, diced

1 lb. ground beef

1 T+ flour
1/3 C white wine

1-1/2 cups beef broth
1 T Kitchen Bouquet
1 T tomato paste
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 T fresh thyme
S & P

1/4 cup grated cheddar
Paprika

Directions

Peel and cube potatoes.  Put in a pot with cold water covering them about an inch. Cover, BTB, RTS, cook until tender - about 12 mins.
Drain. Return to hot pot.  Mash some, then add Hot! milk and butter and continue mashing until smooth.  Add egg yolk, season with S & P, and stir to combine.
(I was tempted to add more milk...like if I were going to serve them like that, but the should be a little thick)

While the potatoes are on their way...cut the onion, carrot, and celery and get them sauteing in a large heavy pan (not non-stick), hot with olive oil.  Season with S & P.  When the veggies begin to soften add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.  Drain.  Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture, then stir in and let cook 1-2 mins.  The pan should be dry and beginning to brown up a bit.  Deglaze pan with white wine,  scraping the bottom clean.

Add the broth, KB, tom. paste, and seasonings.  Cover and let simmer for 10-12 mins.  There should be some liquid, but it shouldn't be soupy.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Place meat mixture in a large pie plate.  Spread mashed potatoes over the top.  It's best to start around the outsides, using a spatula to press down and wipe clean over the edge, creating a good seal so any liquid doesn't bubble out.  Working inward, cover with a nice even layer. Like with icing a cake...leave some points - they will get nicely browned.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and paprika...some more fresh thyme.

Bake 30 mins., or until nicely browned and cheese is melted.  Let stand at least 15 mins. to set and cool.

Enjoy

New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder


Directions

2-1/2 lbs. hard shell clams (I used cherrystones)
1 md. onion, diced - reserve peels
1 lg. carrot, diced - reserve peels
1 lg. celery stalk, diced - reserve peels
2-3 stems, fresh thyme
1 lg garlic clove, smashed -peels and all
1/2 cup water

In a large heavy bottomed soup pot or dutch oven, steam clams with vegetable peels (not the diced veggies...they're for the next step), thyme, and garlic... maybe another stalk of celery and another small onion roughly cut up, and a 1/2 C water.  Steam until all clams open, about 10 mins.
Strain liquid through cheese cloth in mesh strainer, reserving strained liquid.  You should have almost 2 cups.
Remove clams and set aside to cool

4 slices smoked bacon, diced
1 lg clove garlic, minced

Wipe pot clean and return to stove over med. high heat.  Add bacon and saute until nearly all is crispy.  Add the onion, celery, and carrot...S&P (I used white pepper)...and saute until beginning to soften.  About 5-7 mins.  Add the garlic and saute about a minute.

1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup wine

Sprinkle the flour over the top, stir in, and cook for about 2 mins.  Deglaze with the wine and cook out for about a minute, until all liquid is removed.

Top off reserve clam broth with water until you 4 cups in total
1 bottle clam juice
3-4 med Red potatoes, diced
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 T fresh thyme
reserved clams, chopped

Add broth, clam juice, potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and clams.  Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and let cook for about 1/2 hour...until potatoes are tender.

1 pt. Heavy cream

Once potatoes are tender and ready to serve, reduce heat until just below a simmer.  Whisk in the heavy cream and cook until heated through.  Taste for seasoning.


Serve, garnished with minced fresh parsley.

Beef & Barley Vegetable Soup

Beef & Barley Vegetable Soup

Nothing is more satisfying after a day of hanging Christmas lights then a nice pot of soup.  My friend's daughter was sick yesterday and she made this soup.  The thought has been with me since she first mentioned it and today I figured I would take a crack at trying to develop my own recipe. 

• 5-6 dried shitake mushrooms

Reconstitute mushrooms in 2 cups hot water

• 1-1/3 lbs. top sirloin steak, cubed
• 1-2 T olive oil

Heat a heavy bottomed dutch oven or soup pot and the oil on high heat.

Brown the meat and remove from the pan

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• S & P

Saute the onion and pepper until soft, about 5-7 mins.

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh oregano, minced
• Fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 C Sherry

Add the garlic and herbs, saute 30 secs or until fragrant.  Pot should be browning a bit on the bottom.

Deglaze with a 1/4 cup sherry.

• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
• mushroom broth from shitakes
• diced shitakes
• 8 cups water
• 3 T beef bouillon (I like the paste type 1 tsp = 1 cup broth...)
• white pepper
• 1 t marjoram
• 1 T kitchen bouquet
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce

Add above ingredients.  Bring to boil.  Reduce to simmer. 

Simmer 1 hour

• 1 cup carrot, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 3 cups frozen veggies (I used corn, peas, green beans, and okra)
• 1 cup quick cook barley
• reserved beef

Add above ingredients.  Simmer another half an hour or until vegetables are tender.  

Let stand a bit before serving.

Mmmmm, must have crusty bread :-)