DuPuy Lentil Salad

The Dorie Greenspan way ...  modified

Ingredients
1 Cup du puy lentils
1 carrot diced
1 stalk celery diced
1 clove of garlic smashed and germ removed
1 onion cut in half, skin removed
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
3.5 cups of water or stock

1 Tbs Cognac
1 Shallot


Pick through dupuy lentils, over with water and boil for 2 minutes, strain.  Cover dupuy lentils with 3.5 cups of water or stock and bring up to boil.  Press the cloves into the onion halves and throw into the pot  along with the carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaves.   Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 25 - 35 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and cook another 5 - 10 minutes until the lentils are tender.  Stir in the Cognac, and stir over the heat another minutes.  Drain the lentils and reserve the liquid if you are going to be reheating it.

Mom's Clam Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 Cup chopped shallots
2 Garlic cloves minced
2 Tbs flour
2 Tbs Butter
1/3 Cup of dry white wine
1 cup bottle clam nectar
1 10 ounce can of clams
1/4 cup minced parsley
2 teaspoons minced thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 pound linguine noodles

Melt butter over medium heat, add shallots and garlic and cook until golden.  Add the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Stir in the wine, bottle clam nectar and clams and bring up to a simmer.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in parsley, thyme and season with salt and pepper.  Keep warm.  Cook the linguine in salted water until al dente, drain, and toss into the skillet with the clam sauce.

for 2

Rustic Fish Stew with Kale

- olive oil
- 1 leek roughly chopped
- 1 fennel bulb sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 small can clams with juice
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 bunch kale
- 1/3 cup beans
- 1 white fish fillet, cut into 1 inch chunks
- parsley for garnish

Directions
1. Saute leek, fennel and onion until translucent. Add garlic and saute until fragrant
2. Add tomatoes, wine, clam juice, broth, thyme and bay leaves. Boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add beans. Salt and pepper.
4. Add kale and fish. Simmer for 5 minutes
5. Serve and garnish with chopped parsley

Chinese Style Eggplant

2 japanese eggplants or multiple chinese (egg) eggplants chopped
2 Tbsp oil
1.5 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar or l.5 tsp of black vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Chili sliced thin
1 tsp corn starch
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili oil

Heat oil and fry eggplant.  Add the rest of the ingredients and braise until the eggplant is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Korean Style Potatoes

2 cups of potatoes chopped
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp oil
2.5 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Garlic minced
2 Tbsp Corn syrup
1 - 1.5 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sesame seeds

Fry potatoes in oil for 5 minutes on med high.  Add garlic, sugar, soy sauce, sugar, corn syrup and water.  Boil, then turn heat down and braise for 5 minutes.  Add Salt to taste, continue to cook until potatoes are cooked and glazed.  Top with toasted sesame seeds.

Also delicious to add 1Tbsp of chilli sauce.  Yum!

Perciatelli with Bolognese

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta, minced
• 1/2 cup dried porcini, soaked, drained and chopped fine
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground skirt steak
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large can San Marzano crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
• 2 cheese rinds from Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (roughly 1/2 cup total in large chunks)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 2 pounds dry perciatelli pasta
• 1/2 cup ground Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

In a large cast-iron or Dutch oven casserole over medium heat, heat some olive oil and then add the pancetta, porcini, garlic, onions and carrots. They should cook slow and lightly brown, about 20 minutes.

In another large casserole over medium heat, brown the meat slowly in olive oil until it is a nice even brown color. This process should take around 30 minutes and the mixture should be stirred frequently so it will not stick. Salt and pepper liberally. Then add the tomato paste and saute for 5 minutes.

When finished, deglaze the pot with the vegetables by adding 1 cup of the red wine. Next, add the vegetables and pancetta to the pot with the meat. Then add the remaining red wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape all the bits and pieces that might accumulate and reduce by half, about 10 minutes. Then add the chicken stock, milk, crushed tomatoes and cheese rinds and simmer very gently for 2 hours.

Remove the cheese rinds and discard. Let the sauce sit and cool down before using; it's even better the next day! Finish the sauce with the basil and thyme.

Boil 2 gallons of salted water and add the perciatelli pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain all but a 1/2 cup of water off of the pasta and put the pasta directly into the pot of bolognese sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes to incorporate the sauce into the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as necessary. Finish with the ground Pecorino Romano, torn basil and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil on top. Bon appetit!

Bucatini All'Amatriciana

Serves 4

Ingredients:
- ¾ pound guanciale, or pancetta, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 red onion, halved and sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 ½ teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ cups basic tomato sauce
- 1 pound bucatini
- 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
- Pecorino Romano, for grating 


Directions:
1. Being 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
2. Place the guanciale slices in a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan in a single layer and cook over medium-low heat until most of the fat has been rendered from the meat, turning occasionally. Remove the meat to a plate lined with paper towels and discard half the fat, leaving enough to coat the garlic, onion and red pepper flakes. Return the guanciale to the pan with the vegetables, and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions, garlic and guanciale are light golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, add the tomato sauce, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Cook the bucatini in the boiling water according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the simmering sauce. Add the parsley leaves, increase the heat to high and toss to coat. Divide the pasta among four warmed pasta bowls. Top with freshly grated Pecorino cheese and serve immediately.