Whole-Grain Spaghetti with Pecorino, Prosciutto and Pepper

Ingredients


1 pound whole-grain (or whole-wheat) spaghetti
2 tablespoons mixed colored peppercorns, coarsely ground
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups grated (6 ounces) pecorino
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves


Directions

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, about 8 to 10 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking: Heat a small, heavy-bottomed skillet over
medium-high heat. Add the peppercorns and toast for about 20 to 30
seconds. Add the oil and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the
heat.

Drain the pasta reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Transfer
the spaghetti to a large serving bowl. Add 1 cup of the pecorino and
toss to combine, gradually adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to
loosen up the pasta. Add the oil mixture, prosciutto, 2 tablespoons of
parsley, and 2 tablespoons of basil. Toss well to combine all
ingredients.

Garnish with the remaining pecorino, parsley, and basil.

From: food network

Espresso Panna Cotta

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 7 hours
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 heaping teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 small white chocolate bar, for garnishing
1 small dark chocolate bar, for garnishing

Place the milk in a heavy, small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over
and let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Stir over medium
heat just until the gelatin dissolves, but the milk does not boil,
about 2 minutes. Add the cream, espresso powder, sugar, and salt. Stir
over low heat, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 more minutes. Remove
from the heat and let cool slightly. Pour the cream mixture into 2
martini glasses, dividing equally. Cover and refrigerate, stirring
every 20 minutes during the first hour. Chill until set, at least 6
hours and up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, use a vegetable peeler on the chocolate blocks to
create about 1 tablespoon each of the white and dark chocolate
shavings. Sprinkle the shavings over each panna cotta and serve.

Penne with Beef and Arugula

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de
Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive
oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the
meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak.
Set aside.

Meanwhile, 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, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving
1/4 cup of pasta water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard,
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive
oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing
and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more
dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as
needed. Toss, pack for the picnic, or serve.

From: food network

Ginger Sea Bass over Wilted Greens

Cook Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 6 servings


Ingredients


* 6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
* 4 (5-ounce) sea bass fillets
* 4 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
* 8 teaspoons soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons sesame oil
* 1 lime, quartered
* 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves


Directions

Cut 4 (12-inch-square pieces) of aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to
400 degrees F.

Working with 1 foil sheet at a time, place the foil sheets on the work
surface. Place 1 1/2 cups of spinach in the center of each foil sheet.
Top with a sea bass fillet. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of ginger and 1/2
teaspoon of garlic, then drizzle 2 tablespoons of Marsala, 2 teaspoons
of soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil over the fish and spinach.
Gather the foil sheets over the fish. Fold in the foil edges and pinch
tightly to seal. Place the foil packages on a heavy large baking
sheet.

Bake until the spinach wilts and the fish is just cooked through,
about 10 minutes. Transfer the packages to wide shallow bowls. Cool 5
minutes. Open package and fold down to reveal fish, being careful of
hot steam. Squeeze the lime juice over the fish. Sprinkle with the
basil and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com

Spaghetti with Pinot Grigio and Seafood

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

The colors are beautiful, as are the clamshells. There is not a lot of
sauce. But the flavor of the wine is present.

1 pound spaghetti pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 cup Pinot Grigio (or other white wine)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 pounds clams, washed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups arugula

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, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium
heat. Add the shallots and the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until
tender but not brown. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another
minute. Add the wine, shrimp, and clams. Bring the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the shrimp are pink and the
clams have opened, about 7 minutes.

Add the spaghetti to the seafood mixture. Add the salt and pepper and
stir to combine. Add the arugula. Stir gently and place on a serving
platter. Serve immediately.

From: food network

Lamb with Chianti Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
4 to 6 lamb rib or loin chops
2 cups Chianti (or other red wine)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Grill until caramel-colored grill marks appear, and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 125 degrees F. for medium-rare, about 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Meanwhile, place the wine in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil gently until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the honey until dissolved. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.

Serve the lamb chops on a platter with a serving bowl of the Chianti vinaigrette alongside for drizzling over the meat.

I like the tanginess of the reduced wine with the lamb.

From: food network

Lemon-scented Mascarpone Trifle

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings


Ingredients


1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
16 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 store-bought pound cake, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/2 cup creme de cassis liqueur
2 cups quartered strawberries (or whole blueberries or whole raspberries)
Fresh mint leaves, chopped, for garnish


Directions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar with the lemon juice. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the cooled sugar mixture with the mascarpone cheese and the lemon zest. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.

To build the trifle, line the bottom of a trifle bowl with a layer pound cake. Brush the pound cake with some creme de cassis liqueur. Spoon a layer of the cheese mixture over the pound cake, and then a layer of berries. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used, finishing with a top layer of berries. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with chopped mint leaves.

From: food network

Sea Bass alla Fiorentina

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

4 (6-ounce) pieces sea bass
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning fish
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning fish
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow bowl, dredge the fish, tapping off the excess flour to create a light coating.

In a medium nonstick fry pan, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook the fish until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a plate.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, tomatoes, water, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook at a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the basil and the fish and heat for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

From: food network

Prosciutto-wrapped Scallops

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped pitted black olives (about 10 olives)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 medium scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 slices prosciutto
2 cups arugula
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, add the tomatoes, basil, olives, and olive oil and process until finely chopped.

Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper. Rub each scallop with the tomato mixture. Fold each slice of prosciutto in half lengthwise, then wrap each scallop in 1 slice of prosciutto. Place wrapped scallops in a buttered baking dish, seam side down. Bake until scallop is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, toss the arugula with the balsamic vinegar. Season the arugula with salt and pepper. Place the arugula on a serving platter or divide among individual dishes. Top with the scallops and serve immediately.

From: food network