Ravioli Redeems the Squash

Despite the sweltering heat that hung over Charm City this first weekend of October, I am totally in the mood for fall food. This is many folks' favorite season for cooking and eating, potentially because of the leeway that the slimming effect fall layers affords the appetite, but I’ll maintain it’s the seasonal ingredients that really get me going. 

Fall at the Farmers Market is amazing, it’s all about gargantuan heads of cauliflower, myriad squash varieties in every shape and size, and a plethora of favorites like lima beans, pears and apples. It’s this time of year I find myself most inspired and active in the kitchen - ok enough gushing...

Squash, the iconic symbol of fall food, presents a conundrum for the conscientious eater in me. At the same time delicious and full of nostalgic flavor, it is also nearly nutritionally void, consisting mostly of water, a notion my grandmother has beaten into my psyche. That said, I justify using this farce of a vegetable for the flavor and textural vehicle it can be for other ingredients.

Now there are plenty of types of squash, and they all have their place - acorn for stuffing and baking, spaghetti for guilt-free pasta, pumpkin for fragrant soups - but the go-to, for me and I am sure many others, is the ubiquitous Butternut. Fortunately, these can be found in droves at nearly every farmers market in the state of Maryland from September through January, so I have plenty of opportunity to experiment, finding new ways to elevate fall food. 

Bakes, hashes, purees, they have all had their day in my kitchen, but on my most recent butternut foray I chose pasta as my muse. It was a Friday night, the work week and the 90 degree October heat which I can't even call ‘unseasonal’ any more, were weighing on my dinner decisions so I decided I wanted to stick to comfort as the theme for the night’s meal. I had invited two close friends for dinner, both of whom responded enthusiastically (a little too much so IMO) to the suggestion of pasta, so it was decided. 

I’d picked up some sage sausage from Pahl’s Hogs the prior weekend, and decided the addition of fresh sage and incorporation with sweet and earthy butternut squash would be the perfect filling for some handmade Casunsei. Casunsei, is a fancy, more Italian (is that a thing?) way of saying Ravioli…Actually it is a type of filled pasta hailing from the culinary tradition of the Italian alps, towns like Verona and Trentino. Casunsei is usually characterized by hearty fillings, its half-moon shape, and is commonly found on the Christmas Eve table - The ideal pasta for autumnal flavors.

With such full flavors going into the pasta filling, the sauce was a no-brainer; a simple brown butter made with my ‘one and only’ Kerry Gold and even more fresh sage. It is both traditional for this type of pasta, and, well, there's nothing better than butter. 

I roasted the squash as soon as I got home, scooped, mashed, and then combined with a sauté of sausage, onion, garlic, and sage, filling the house with autumnal smells prior to my friends’ arrival (I do it all for effect).

I (almost) always try to make my pasta by hand, this was no exception, but it does take time. So while the dough rested, to avoid conversational stagnation and hypoglycemia, I coated some slices of eggplant in egg-wash and cayenne spiced corn meal, and fried them up as appetizers. I topped the ‘Melanzane Fritti’ with a quenelle of fresh ricotta I’d picked up from Fleet Street Market on my way home, and drizzled an 18yr old balsamic reduction on top for a sweet punch. 

The eggplant must have been perfectly ripe, because the creaminess achieved with a quick flash fry, surprised even myself (this appetizer is happening again).

We made the ravioli sheets together, which is a way to make prep more social and temper the pre-dinner wine consumption, win WIN… Once filled, the pasta takes a 5 minute bath in boiling water and is ready to go. I topped with the brown butter, and finished with grated Fulvi Pecorino Romano, the ONLY cheese option for that sharp and salty bite needed to offset the sweetness of the squash.

It’s difficult not to be happy with a dinner of filled pasta, but I have to say this is one recipe I will be sure to repeat. The squash was totally redeemed, while not the star of the dish, it was the key player in marrying all the flavors and textural elements. The dish was perfectly rich and savory but grounded in the season by the honeyed profile of the Butternut, probably one of my favorite dishes so far this year.


Enjoy!

Butternut Squash & Fresh Sage Sausage Casunsei

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups ‘00”’ or all purpose unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon EVOO
• Sea Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper + more to tsate
• 6 oz Slab bacon or pancetta (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 medium white onion (chopped)
• 1 large butter nut squash, halved, skin on
• 1 lb fresh ground pork sausage
• 2 oz + 1 oz fresh sage (chopped) + more for garnish
• Pecorino Romano to taste (grated)
• 4 tablespoons Kerry Gold Butter
• 1 large butter nut squash, halved, skin on

Preparation:

• Filling
• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
• Brush squash with evoo and roast face up for 45 mins or until fork tender
• Carefully scoop from the skin and place in a medium bowl
• While squash roasts, heat 1 table spoon evoo in medium sauce pan of medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add sausage, sage, black pepper, and sea salt and cook, using a spatula break up the sausage as finely as possible. Continue until fully cooked, but do not brown.
• Combine sausage and sage with roasted squash and ‘mash’ together until smooth, set aside.
• Pasta:
• In a large bowl, mound the flour forming a well in the center (looks like a volcano).
• Put eggs, evoo, and salt into the well. Using a fork, incorporate the flour into the well, move to using your hands until all the liquid is absorbed and you have a cohesive dough ball.
• Add water as needed and knead for 10+ minutes until dough is smooth
• Once smooth, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for about 30mins – Then run through pasta maker to desired thickness and width – For Ravioli you do not want to go too thin as this will not stand up to the filling process.
• Use a cookie cutter or other kitchen instrument to cut 3-4” diameter circles in dough sheets. Place 1 heaping table spoon filling into the center, fold over, and using your fingers, press edges together making a semi-circular half-moon shape. Be sure to seal each ravioli well so it does not come open during cooking.
• If the dough is too dry, you will need to use some beaten eggs to seal the ravioli
• Flour the filled ravioli to and place on a parchment lined baking sheet
• Cook in salted boiling water for 5-8 minutes until al-dente.
• While pasta boils, brown the butter in a small sauce pan, adding the remaining sage just as the colors turns a deep golden hue.
• Serve immediately, drizzling brown butter over pasta, and finish with grated pecorino and fresh sage.

Any Given Sunday (50 Shades of Caramel Custard)

This Sunday started like any other… with strong roots in Saturday night. The prior evening I had decided to make my triumphant return to the enigma that is Baltimore’s Gayborhood, Mt. Vernon.  While it was a tame night by most standards, the vigor with which I took to the dance floor and the hour I returned home, had an indelible effect on my energy level on Sunday morning.

I awoke early, determined to track down some of the elusive ingredients I lacked for an important cooking assignment this week, so I forced myself on my bike and headed toward the JFX. I think this initial burst of endorphins was the key to shaking off the exhaustion or at least it helped to sweat out my Saturday. 

I was at the market before 8, and by 8:15 I’d realized my pursuit of heads-on mackerel was going to fail (don’t ask) and decided to make my way home. Not without first buying the inaugural organic cauliflower of the season, something I most certainly didn’t need…it’s the little things.

Somehow I’d agreed to do some work at the office this Sunday - I can’t say I’m totally stable - so I decided to temper this situation with an equally misguided breakfast decision at Jimmy’s in Fells Point. A tomato-bacon omelet, home fries, and slab of scrapple later, I had officially heard the last of Saturday night and was beginning to feel the grumblings of the guilt associated with such caloric indiscretions – I’ll call it a draw…

Work was work, but I’d signed up for a Terrarium Making Class at Local Color Flowers at 11, so I had something to look forward to.

I met my friend Erica at the Charles Village studio that lived up to every charming and rustic expectation I had developed in my years of Facebook and Instagram stalking of LocoFlo, Ellen Frost and co. If you’ve never seen their work, look it up, they use only locally grown flowers and greens to create breathtaking arrangements and displays. They also happen to be an incredibly charming group with which to work and exercise an impeccable aesthetic.

The class was amazing, and definitely appealed to the 12 year old Discovery Channel Nerd that occasionally inhabits my body. We learned about the history of terrariums, got some design tips, and suggestions to care for our subject, succulents. My terrarium was decidedly restrained, with neurotic attention paid to color, contrast, and arrangement. Erica's on the other hand was an example of whimsy and color that had everyone talking. Both clearly made appearances on Instagram.

The entire experience was incredible, and while it didn’t turn out to be the “single and ready to mingle” format I delusionally thought it might, what better than to end up with another embellishment for the home and some new friends with minivans? My only thought is, why not add wine? then again, when am I NOT thinking about adding wine?

Post planting, reality set in and I still needed my mackerel. I texted the only person who I knew wouldn’t react badly to the following message  - “I desperately need whole mackerel! I can’t find them anywhere! I’m facing ruin… I think I need to go to the Asian Supermarket!” – Enter Sage (and yes these names are changed)

Sage, in addition to being “my kind of crazy”, an incredible friend, possessing a ridiculous appreciation and taste for food and wine, has also lived in Bangkok in a past life, often pines for it, so was clearly on board with my mission.

H - Mart is a short drive from Fells, but it’s a whole different world. If the Korean man playing an accordion in a mariachi outfit greeting customers at the front door doesn’t give you the picture, then you need to come see it yourself.

The produce section is a full contact sport where Grandmothers become gladiators and persimmons and star fruit fly with such speed I’ve considered wearing goggles. The meat section looks like an anatomy book, and the noodle selection is as widely varied as the packaging is colored. The whole thing is a cacophonous, overwhelming, and beautiful sensory experience. Needless to say, I found my fish. And Sage found about a million things…I won’t disclose details, a lady never tells….

We decided to celebrate our victory with Pho, as if there is any other way when you’ve braved H-Mart and come out alive. In a bowl so large I could have bathed myself, I found heaven. I don’t need to expound on my love for Pho, anyone who’s had it understands….

Nirvana achieved, we headed home, I had a mountain of prep work to do for the week ahead so I made the difficult decision to skip dinner at Gran’s….It’s that Catholic guilt, gets me every time.

A quick run around Fells with Lady Gaga in my ear, and the requisite stop at Chesapeake Wine Co under my belt, I headed home to get to work in the kitchen, a lovely Riesling from Pfalz in tow…

My main objective that evening, was to re-learn how to make custard.  I had what appeared to be an amazing recipe courtesy of a like minded colleague whose taste I trust implicitly, but I was nervous about the execution. 

This Salted Caramel & Spiced Rum custard was a conundrum, promising to be as be as difficult to make as it is simple to eat…There are temperatures to consider, actual measurements, and generally the whole process feels like a risky gamble. Mind you, I normally wouldn’t stress over dessert, but this was to be the final sweet note, the signature, if you will, I would put on my cooking assignment this coming week, and it HAD to be perfect. 

The present endeavor was to be the dress rehearsal, the dry run of all my dishes, the moment of truth…This kind of high stakes, hot pursuit, adrenaline pumping, make-you-sweat cooking is the perfect way to spend Any Given Sunday… there you go, there’s your sports reference...that felt forced.... Go Ravens!

I prepped many items that evening, but I will focus on 'the custard', because I know that's what everyone really wants to know about.

Now, I’m not a fan of using a hand mixer and this certainly led to some tense moments in texture, but what resulted was truly divine.  I’m not typically a dessert person, but this sweet, savory, creamy and  oh-so-rich pudding just may be the best thing I have ever made. Not that caramel, sea salt, and rum really need any embellishment, but bringing them all together in a heart-stoppingly decadent custard was a transcendent, dare I say orgasmic food experience.

Needless to say, it was a success, the climax of my weekend...I’m still glowing and was honestly tempted to call this post “50 Shades of Custard” – but frankly, it’s better than that!

So for your pleasure, the recipe:

Salted Caramel & Spiced Rum Custard

·    Ingredients

o   3 cups whole milk, divided

o   1/4 cup cornstarch

o   3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

o   3/4 cup water

o   5 large egg yolks

o   3 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temp)

o   2+ teaspoons dark rum

o   1 teaspoon kosher salt

·     

   Preparation

o   Whisk 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.

o   Heat the remaining 2 1/2 cups of milk until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

o   In a large bowl with a hand mixer, whisk egg yolks on medium speed for about 3 minutes – really, time yourself

o   To make the caramel, stir the brown sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. At that point, increase the heat, and cook without stirring until an instant read thermometer reads 210 – 220 degrees, it will darken and be careful not to scorch. Remove from heat.

o   With mixer at low speed (you may prefer to do this by hand), gradually whisk in the hot milk, then the cornstarch mixture into the eggs. Slowly whisk in the caramel. You will have a foamy mess of sweet hot milk at this point, don’t panic!

o   Return the mixture to the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat, until the mixture thickens (coats back of a spoon) and a thermometer registers 175 degrees, about 7 to 10 minutes. Honestly, at minute 7, I almost gave up, sure that this foamy mess was my fate and I had failed, but I pressed on, and all of a sudden it came together, so have patience, this will work!

o   Remove from heat; whisk in the butter, rum, and salt

o   Once whipped smooth and allowed to chill slightly, serve with whipped cream and sea salt. I made my own cream and used black sea salt…just because I’m fancy.

Back to Basics

There seems to be some universally accepted notion that when certain aspects of life are in flux or hard times come upon us, that one is best served to ground oneself in that which is most core, basic and essential, the defining characteristics of identity, values, and lifestyle.

But what is one supposed to do when those very things that define, are those that are called into question and are so shaken that they no longer feel real, much less definitive?

How about a graceful, Victorian style, nervous breakdown? Maybe a public, embarrassing, binge eating episode? Don’t worry, no pressure friends, I am paying my therapist to navigate this minefield with me…brave soul that she is…

You see, this summer has seen some fabulous meals, excruciating moments, trips to the Whitsundays and the South pacific, and ultimately seismic changes in my personal life.

Have no fear, you will get to hear about Fiji, but this post is about finding myself in the basics in the face of overwhelming change. I tested this notion of grounding in the simple things recently, and turns out, it works. It’s not a complete answer to life’s challenges, but doing what you love and what makes you feel good is a great place to start – And for me that’s dinner!

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I planned this test one Wednesday night, and invited my good friend S over for dinner. Not only has he been an incredible sounding board, reality checker, and an integral part of my summer survival experience, but he is also potentially the biggest fan of my cooking and therefore the perfect guest for the dinner at hand. He a took little convincing to make the trip, but when I told him I was making pork chops he was all-in.

Per usual, I’d spent the previous Sunday morning over-buying at the JFX farmer’s market. Overkill on groceries being one of the less painful aspects of being newly single, it has played significantly to the advantage of my friends. During this particular trip, I was seduced by some incredible red chard, bone-in pork chops, red skin new potatoes, and fresh sour cream….among far too many other things….

Planning the meal was a no-brainer - pork chops and warm potato salad, starch and protein – You can’t get much more back to basics than that. 

I marinated the pork in garlic, salt, pepper, a little evoo, and fresh rosemary from my garden. I’d also chopped and par-boiled the potatoes so I could make the salad more easily once S arrived. I saw the fear is his eyes, when I narrowly avoided the meltdown moment when flipping on the grill only to find the propane was spent, but I dodged that bullet, recovered and moved the cooking indoors without so much as a clenched fist.

I placed the potatoes in the bottom of a non-stick pot in some evoo, diced shallots, and fennel, placed the chopped chard on top to let it wilt slightly while the potatoes heated up. Meanwhile, I seared the pork shops with even more garlic and rosemary, an easy and equally as satisfying way to cook them as the grill – Deep breathes…

Once the chard and potatoes were hot, I added the sour cream, some mayo, and a healthy portion of chopped ricotta salata I’d picked up at Fleet Street Market. 

Side note: If you haven’t tried ricotta salata, do! It’s a delightful salty flavor profile, but has been dehydrated as it ages. Due to its low moisture content, it doesn’t melt when combined with warm ingredients or sauces, hence it’s a unique way to add flavor and texture to a dish through cheese.

Back to the dinner… With the potato salad combined, and the chops achieving golden caramelization and perfect medium rare temperature, I plated with a sprig of Rosemary - it was that simple.  If I had to change one thing about the dish, I would have preferred green or yellow chard. The red chard bled, and combined with the red skin potatoes, and the pink of the pork, it made for somewhat of a monochromatic plating – but now I’m nitpicking as it was delicious!

Despite the trials and tribulations that life has and will no doubt continue to send my way, I’ve found a way to ground myself in my cooking and my friends. 

My dishes aren’t always this simple nor the company always the same, but the simple act of preparing a meal and enjoying it with people I love has been a prevailing force of good my life, and I intend to make sure it continues.

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Pork Chops & Warm Potato-Chard Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 bone in pork chops, 1 ½” thick
• 1 bunch chard, rough chop
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 1 small fennel bulb, diced
•  8 - 12 small red skin new potatoes, chopped into uniform pieces and boiled in salted water until fork tender (this can be done ahead of time and refrigerated)
• 4 cloves garlic - 2 sliced, 2 minced
• Evoo (don’t measure, use judgment as needed)
• 5 Sprigs fresh rosemary + 2 for garnish
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 cup sour cream
• ¼ cup mayonnaise (plus more depending on your potato salad “dressing” preferences)
• 2 cups chopped ricotta salata

Preparation:

Pork Chops

•  Marinate the pork in evoo, 2 minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and 5 rosemary sprigs overnight in the refrigerator.  Allow to come to room temperature prior to cooking. Press rosemary from marinade and sliced garlic on to each side.

• In a large non-stick pan, over medium heat, warm evoo, and once hot place the pork chops down forcefully to ensure maxim exposure to cooking surface. Cook until caramelization begins and the pork is medium rare, about 5 mins each side depending on heat and thickness.

Warm Potato-Chard Salad

• In a non-stick pot, over medium-hi heat, warm evoo and sautée shallot with the fennel until translucent. Add potatoes and stir to coat with oil.
• Place chard on top and cover, cooking until chard is wilted and potatoes are war
• Remove from heat and add mayo, sour cream, and ricotta salata, stirring gently as not to smash the potatoes but to incorporate the “dressing” evenly
• Plate salad first, place pork chop on the side, and garnish with reserved fresh rosemary sprig.