Baked Leeky Tortellini

If you prefer, sub in a jar of your favorite pasta sauce. Marinara is an excellent choice. The combination of prepared foods and home cooking makes this a wonderfully satisfying weekday meal - with left overs to take to work for lunch!

Baked Leeky Tortellini
nutrition facts for 8 servings

What to assemble:

27 oz packages tortellini (I used three 9 oz spinach tortellini packs)
2 large leeks (or 3 medium)
2 T olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1/4 t black pepper or to taste
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
45 oz canned or boxed chopped tomatoes (or fresh if it is tomato season)
1/4 cup red wine
2 T tomato paste
1 large handful fresh picked basil leaves
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 oz fresh Mozzarella

Options:
Add 1 cup peas to the boiling water with the toretllini
Add sliced mushrooms or spinach when sauteing the leek
1/4 cup cream mixed into the sauce before baking

How to prep:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Set out a large pan or casserole (9x12 works great) and spray with your favorite cookery spray, or line with foil and spray the foil. Set out a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan when it is cooking.

Clean and slice the leeks. The white and light green parts are to be used in the dish and the rest added to your compost bin. Rinse the root end of the leek to remove the external dirt. Slice the roots off the bulb, then cut off the dark green woody leaves. I like to remove the outer layer as I would an onion. This is easy to do if you make a thin slit in the layer. It then peels right off. Slice the leeks into thin ringlets. Add to a large bowl of cool water and separate the rings. Swish a bit, drain into a fine mesh colander. Return to the bowl with more cool water and rinse again. Repeat until all the dirt is removed. Drain well, lay in a tea towel and pat dry. Return to the dried bowl.

Set out the tortellini, measure the oil, mince the garlic, and open the container of tomatoes. Rinse and tear the basil leaves. They don't have to be small, just 2 or three pieces for each leaf. Dry in the tea towel and place in a bowl.

Measure the black and red pepper into a small bowl. Measure wine and set out tomato paste. Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and make thin slices off the block of mozzarella.

The Cookery:

Do not over cheese, this is just right.

Turn the burner on to medium and bring the olive oil to a shimmer. Add the leek rings and saute for a couple minutes, lower the heat to medium low and continue to simmer about five minutes (or until softened). Stir every now and then. During the last two minutes, add the minced garlic, black, and red pepper.  Add the chopped tomatoes and stir. Heat until the sauce is simmering. Add the basil.

Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. I've given you starter amounts. You may love more garlic. If so - add it! You might like it with a more peppery kick - add more crushed red pepper flakes! I do not salt. But if you need it, go ahead... just not too much, ok?

Once the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini and boil for just two minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the finished sauce and stir. Drain the tortellini and return them to the pasta pot. Mix the sauce with the tortellini  Pour into the baking pan and spread smooth. Dot with circles of mozzarella.

Tightly cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, raise the temperature to 425 F and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes - or until the cheese begins to brown a bit.

Remove from the oven and allow to set five minutes before serving.

Mama D's Olive and Eggplant Salad

My husband's Aunt got the Minneapolis St. Paul area cooking and eating lots of Italian-American food! This recipe is not one I'd eat because I am against olives - unless they have been rendered into submission and made into oil. But, I don't want to deprive those odd folks out there that eat black olives of a Mama D classic, so... enjoy!

Mama D's Olive and Eggplant Salad
nutrition facts

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, chopped
pinch of salt
1/2 t pepper
1/3 t oregano
1 clove garlic minced (were I to make this I would increase the garlic dramatically)
1/4 pound black Italian olives
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

black olives

3 sprigs parsley, chopped
2 T olive oil (she actually called for 1/4 cup but I don't think that much is necessary. You can always go oup from 2 T but you can't back off from 1/4 cup)
1 T plus 1 t wine vinegar

Directions:

Cut the eggplant slices into bite sized pieces. Cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and squeeze dry. Combine with the remaining ingredients and toss gently.

Easy and olivey.

Roasted Garlic and Basil Pasta Sauce

This is a very flexible sauce. I've included a vegetarian variation for you within the recipe and a few carnivorous suggestions at the end. Use fresh tomatoes whenever possible. If none are available, I like a brand of tomatoes that come in a box from Italy. Beautiful and just the right consistency without any of the BPA you would get in cans. BPA is still not one of my preferred seasonings. 

If you grow tomatoes, you can save them for the sauce by rinsing, coring, chopping, and putting them into freezer bags. Measure 1 - 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes into each bag and you won't need to buy canned tomatoes.

Roasted Garlic and Basil Pasta Sauce

nutrition facts

Ingredients:

2 full heads of garlic, separated, roasted*, and peeled - do not chop the cloves they must be left whole

3 1/2 pounds tomatoes

1 T pure olive oil

1 onion

A good cup or more of fresh basil, rinsed and torn

6 oz (or more if necessary) of good imported Italian tomato paste

1 cup of beef stock (**vegetarian variation below)

1 cup of good red wine

1 bay leaf

I do not use salt. If you do, don't tell me.

1/2 t or so of fresh ground black pepper

1 t dried oregano

1/2 t dried crushed rosemary

if you are a true fan of garlic, add a few teaspoons of powdered garlic too. I do and it's delicious. Granulated garlic has a distinctly different flavor from fresh whole roasted cloves and add a terrific depth to the flavors.

1 Tablespoon or so of brown sugar (depends on the acidity of your tomatoes, you may not need any sugar)

What to do:

*roast the garlic on a pan in the oven (a toaster oven is fantastic for this). 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12-15 minutes. Let them roast until the papery part starts to brown and they feel softened when you poke them. Allow to cool naturally on the pan while you start the rest of the sauce. I find it easiest for my arthritic hands to peel them if I chop off one end. This is another of my favorite rather messy jobs that make the house and your hands smell simply wonderful!

Rinse, core, and rough chop the tomatoes (see Note). Put them in a bowl and dig in with your hands and squish them a bit.

Note: If you like your sauce smooth, you will want to peel the tomatoes. Unfortunately, if you do that you pitch a great lot of vitamins and fiber, which is not very mindful. This sauce will take a couple hours to cook and much of the peel will break down. I prefer a rather “lumpy bumpy” sauce instead of smooth and love the peel. Give it a try, you may be like me and never peel again!

Rough chop the onion and put it in a bowl. Rinse, pat dry, and tear the basil into pieces; place in a bowl. Measure the stock and wine. Measure and place all seasonings in a bowl.

**you can skip the beef stock if you are a vegetarian. Replace the cup of stock with more tomato and wine in the proportion you prefer.

How to cook the sauce:

In a very large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer and dance, add the chopped onion. Sauté until the onion has softened. You can brown the onions or not. Browned onions add a wonderful savory element to the sauce, but it is not absolutely required by law.

Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a nice simmer. The sauce will be a bit thin. That’s ok. Let it simmer at least two hours to reduce a bit. If at that time it is not thick enough for you, add a few more squishes of tomato paste (I love the tomato paste that comes from Italy and is in a tube just like toothpaste!). Stir frequently. As you near the two hour point, taste and adjust the seasonings. When the sauce is as thick as you like cover it with a lid and keep it simmering on low until the pasta is ready. I usually cook this sauce at least three hours, but it has also gone on a simmering quite a bit longer.

You may “need” to check the taste a few times. A nice piece of chewy bread is good for dipping into the sauce…. as often as you like. A cook cannot be too sure, after all, your reputation is on the line…

Optional:

If you are a meat eater, this is a wonderful sauce for adding ribs, meatballs, or your favorite sausage. Make sure you brown the meats well first. Depending on the meat, you may want to extend the cookery time another hour or so. Meatballs will be fine with an hour or two of cookery, but ribs will enjoy a longer simmer until they are tender.

Eggplant and Yellow Squash Casserole a la Mama

Mama D's recipes are the source of most of my Italian-American cookery. She knew her stuff. I've added a few twists to her recipes - increased the seasonings, eliminate or reduce the salt, and reduce the oil. This is a dish that enjoyed the tweakery.

Eggplant and Yellow Squash Casserole a la Mama

nutrition facts

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, hold off on slicing this til just before layering with the rest of the ingredients.

3 yellow summer squash (prepared as instructed below)

1 medium onion, sliced

2 tomatoes, chopped or crushed

1/4 t fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 t dried oregano

4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated

1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 T olive oil

The Mindful Prep Stuff:

Slice of the top and bottom of the summer squash. Then slice vertically so you have long thin strips. Slice the onion, and prep the tomatoes. Put each either in a bowl or on a plate so they are ready when you need them.  Measure the seasonings and put in a small bowl - I love to use those little bitty custard Pyrex cups as a seasoning holding bin. Shred or grate the cheeses. Now you may pare and slice the eggplant to about 1/4 inch slices. Cover with a towel to minimize contact with air as that can make the eggplant bitter.

What do do next:

Preheat the oven to 375 F

Spray Pam on a baking dish. An 11x9 would be fine or a square casserole, it all depends on the size of your eggplant. A large eggplant would require the larger casserole, a small or medium one would make the dish just fine for the smaller square casserole.

Build layers in this way: Eggplant, onion, squash. Cover with the crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle with seasonings. Sprinkle lightly with both cheeses. Repeat until the dish is about 3/4 full. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the whole. Then top with the last of the cheese.

Cover and bake for about 50 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese is browning and the veggies tender.

Pasta with Bacon, Green Beans, and Caramelized Mushrooms

Right now we are at the height of our tomato season. I really need a tomato break. Pasta served with a simple butter, cheese, and pasta water sauce really fit the bill today. Excellent served as a generous side dish with grilled eggplant slices as the star of the meal... or perhaps a side of sliced tomatoes from your garden.

Pasta with Bacon, Green Beans, and Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions
Nutrition facts

What to assemble:

1 pound whole wheat gemelli pasta (any twisty pasta will do)
8 oz. thick cut Applewood Smoked Bacon*, cut into chunks with the bulk of excess fat removed - get the leanest bacon you can find)
1/2 onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (use your favorite mushroom)
4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1 pound green beans, steamed to crisp tender
1/4 t fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste
1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes (I use more)
4 T butter
2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (divided use)

How to proceed:

Measure and prep all the ingredients. Line them up as listed in the directions like nice little soldiers awaiting orders. Mindful preparation is critical for a dish like this as many of the steps overlap.

How to continue:

This part is really is ongoing during the entire cookery stage because the sauce is prepared simultaneously with the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until it is firm to tooth (al dente). Reserve three cups of the cookery liquid. Then drain and return the pasta to the pot. You can use salt in your pasta water, but it's really only necessary if you are a salter of foods. The rest of us will have plenty of salt from the bacon and cheese.

Steam or nuke the green beans to crisp tender and let them sit until they are called for. Green beans are very patient things. I do this step while the bacon is cooking.

Start the bacon well before starting the water for the pasta. Bacon drippings stand in for the usual oil or butter in the caramelizing process. Time it so you have time for the onions and mushrooms to cook for about 30 minutes. This is a rare instance where I will caramelize at a higher heat so the caramelizing process is accelerated. Bacon drippings can take the heat.

About halfway through the onion and mushroom cookery, turn on the heat under the pasta water.

To cook the bacon, heat a large skillet over medium high - any skillet with tall sides is good. When it is hot, add the chunks of bacon. Stir. Remember, you are using medium high heat instead of medium, so don't walk away from the stove. Keep a damp towel handy in case the bacon spits. After about 10 minutes, add the onion and mushroom. Continue to stir every two - four minutes until the vegetables brown well - about 25-30 minutes. Put down that spoon. Yes you. The veggies need to stay in contact with the pan a few minutes at a time or they will never brown. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Add the black and red pepper flakes and stir.

It is possible you will need to put this pan on hold (off heat or on very low heat) while watching for the water to boil for the pasta (yes, the watched pot will boil, I tested that). It's better for the bacon mix to be on hold rather than rushing to catch up with the water and ending up with inadequately browned onion and mushroom.

Pay attention to the boiling water - and add the pasta when necessary. Set the timer so you know how when to check the pasta. Stir.

When the pasta is merrily boiling away, return the bacon mixture to medium heat. Add the butter (if your butter was allowed to come to room temperature this part goes faster). Stir til it melts and bubbles.

With a large Pyrex style measuring cup, remove the pasta water to a handy bowl. Drain pasta into a colander. Return pasta to the big cookery pot. Dump the steamed green beans into the pot of cooked pasta.

Add about 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pasta water to the bacon mixture and simmer about five minutes. Don't worry, the pasta will stay hot.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the simmering bacon water. The butter is what turns the water into sauce - so don't skip it and do not use margarine (blech). The sauce will not be thick like tomato sauce, but it will thicken a bit.

Add the bacon sauce to the pot with the pasta and green beans. Stir to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings. Taste again and marvel at how good sauce can be when it is made with water. Add more of the reserved pasta water if it seems dry.

Serve with the reserved 1/2 cup cheese and more pepper (both black and red) at the table. A nice salad of fresh garden tomatoes and spinach rounds the meal off very well. Enjoy with your favorite friends and family members.

Note:

You could reduce (or increase) the bacon, but I do not believe the dish can stand as is without it. You'd have to make other adjustments in seasonings or proportions. If you want to eliminate the bacon, I'd suggest adding well sauteed strips of peppers - a variety of types from red to yellow to green would work well.

Very good reheated and served the next day.

Meatballs for Pasta

My Italian-American meatballs are made two ways - one firm and small for soups and the other a little larger and semi-firm for simmering away in garlic and basil infused tomato sauces. For Meatball Soup I use dried bread crumbs (Progresso or your favorite is just fine or you can get that mortar and pestle out and use your own well toasted bread). But when I make them to eat with pasta, I use soft fresh bread.

It is important to bake the meatballs separately before adding to the sauce. Otherwise the fats from the meat get all mixed up with your otherwise beautiful and healthy sauce. Nothing mindful about a fatty sauce.

Meatballs for Pasta

What to assemble and measure first because you are so mindful in your preparations. All amounts chosen with the knowledge as to just how flavor filled your family loves its food which will guide your choice in the range of seasoning measurements:

One very large bowl
1 egg
2-4 teaspoons ground garlic*
1 t ground onion
1-1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried or 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 slice of whole wheat bread, torn into tiny pieces and wet down with just a little milk (think tablespoon or so)
1/2 cup or more of your favorite hard Italian cheese - Parmesan, Romano or any of the variations - sharp or mild as is your preference
1 pound of lean ground grass fed beef** (it's better for you and tastier)
1 large baking dish (I love my Pyrex cuz I don't have to worry about the metal flaking off and it cleans easily)
Non-stick spray

* come to think of it, this ingredient is not so very mindful. I use ground garlic not after considered thought, but habitually. I've always done it that way. I suspect that the granules will distribute more evenly which is a good thing. But if you want to crush or mince garlic, be my guest. Ditto with the onion.

** do NOT get "grass finished" beef. It means they sat in those inhumane unsanitary cages and were fed things a cow was not designed to eat and finally force fed some "grass" before taking to market. The words "grass fed" are a legal statement of how the cows were fed. Become a vegetarian rather than buy meat that was not humanely raised.

What to do, or how to have a lot of fun with messy stuff:

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Spray the pan with non-stick spray.

In the large bowl add the egg and seasonings and mix using your hand. Dump in the soaked bread and mix again. Dump in the cheese and mix again. By now your hands are gloriously messy, but you're not done yet! Now dump in the beef and mix using that messy hand. Knead and smash until the bits are all nicely and evenly incorporated.

Spray the pan with non-stick spray. Shape the meat mixture into large balls and arrange in the pan.

Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or til they start to brown and the meat is cooked. The length of time depends on the size of the meatball. There is no need whatsoever to overcook them in the oven if you are going to simmer them in sauce, so don't fret it. Just let it go 25-35 minutes as is convenient for you.

Inhale. Salivate. Repeat.

Use tongs to lift the meatballs out of the fat and nestle them gently in a large pot. Cover with your favorite sauce. If you let the meatballs cook long enough to get the lovely brown bits on the bottom, make sure you scoop them out with the meatballs and add them to the sauce.

The balls in the pic were the result of a double batch. It made 16 meatballs - this is required whenever my son is home for dinner. A single batch (the recipe above) will get you eight goodly sized delectable balls of meat. If you are interested in nutrition facts, here they are. I've got it set to show the calories and such for one large meatball.

Yes, you can sub in ground turkey - humanely raised free range turkey. Increase the seasonings though as the milder meat will need more help. Definitely use the "or more" part of the cheese too.

Note for the seasonings: I use the high end always. Garlic lovers in my family and so that seasoning is always off the charts too far for some. I list the minimum required in all my recipes, so ramp it up to suit you. Use your nose after the mixture is ready to be shaped and if it smells great, it's right. If it doesn't smell awesome yet, add more. Enjoy.

Mama's Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers are one of those simple recipes that many of us have grown up with. What the peppers were stuffed with varied depending on where you are from. They might be filled with rice, meat, grains meat, veggies, etc. Below is a typical Italian American version of Stuffed Bell Peppers created by my husband's Aunt - Mama D - and modified a bit by me. I've done the nutrition facts for you at Calorie Count.

What to assemble in advance of the creation of great deliciousness:

major league deliciousness

8 medium bell peppers - Mama D used green peppers, but you can make them with any of the other colors as you prefer.
1 pound extra lean ground beef - preferably grass fed organic beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/4 t pepper
1 t oregano
1 handful fresh basil, rinse and torn (or 1 t dried basil)
4 slices day old or stale bread (preferably a nice Italian bread), torn into pieces, moistened with water and gently squeezed
2 organic free range eggs
2 cups (plus if you like) marinara (your favorite from a jar or homemade)

Optional But Worthy of Consideration:

Mama D would add salt, I don't. If you are used to salt, you may want to add some good sea salt.

Several dashes of Tabasco Sauce or hot red pepper flakes are great in place salt as they serves the same function of accenting the seasonings. Yes, there's some sodium in the Tabasco, but far less than you would use with even just a few turns of the grinder. If you are super sensitive to salt, use the hot red pepper flakes - start with a pinch or two depending on how much you enjoy spicy flavors.

Try adding about 1 cup cooked farro to the meat in place of the bread.

If you want to reduce the calories, sub in a cup (or more) of chopped sauteed mushrooms for some of the ground beef. I want to thank a friend of mine at Calorie Count, Marydomingue, for this wonderfully mindful idea!

How to Finish the Entire Dish and Fill your Home with Wonderful Aromas:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Brown the ground beef and drain the grease. Stir in the garlic, parsley, pepper, oregano, and basil and saute another minute. Add about half of the marinara to the ground beef.

Slice of the top of the rinsed peppers and remove the seeds.

Combine the meat mixture, bread, and eggs in a large bowl.

Mama D's favorite kind of bell pepper

Stand the peppers in a greased or non-stick sprayed large baking dish.

Spoon the meat mix into the peppers.

Top each pepper with the remaining sauce (allow to dribble down the side) and bake for 45 minutes or until the peppers are tender. You can add some extra sauce to the dish around the base of the peppers if you like, but not too much as some will exude from the peppers.

For a jaunty appearance, you can put the "hats" back on top of each pepper. Kids think it's fun to remove the food's hat before eating.

Simple.

As these are being served, take a moment to think about the family food memories you hold most dear. Then inhale the wonderful aroma and dig in. Enjoy each and every mindful bite.

Creamy Pasta with Peas and Turkey Bacon

The following bit of deliciousness is my take on traditional Pasta with Ham, Peas, and Cream. If you are fortunate to be in Italy, you may find it listed as Alla Medici on many a great menu. Nigella gives you the proportions and preparation instructions so you can toss together that classic version of this dish to perfection here.

I am not a classicist though and simply cannot leave a recipe alone. First, there must be garlic... I know, the overuse of garlic is such an American thing, but hey, I'm an American so garlic there will be! Second, there must be onions because well, everything must have onions...and more cheese because more cheese makes everything better. Third, I want the recipe to retain its quick to make on a weeknight awesomeness which means that I do not want to add any extra steps (like chopping, smooshing, and sauteing garlic and onions). Finally, I want to reduce the sodium and fat a bit (since I just ramped it up with the cheese), and so will replace the ham with low sodium organic turkey bacon and replace some of the cream with milk.

So, with apologies to Nigella for mangling her recipe, I'd like to offer you my version of Creamy Pasta with Peas and Turkey Bacon. 

The things I gathered to make this beautiful dish with a note about what NOT to gather:

1 pound penne pasta

1 pound frozen peas, thawed
1/2 small onion, chopped or 1 t granulated onion*

1 cup milk (I used skim and it worked!)

3/4 cup cream

11 oz package of low sodium organic turkey bacon, cut into chunks

2 t granulated garlic *add granulated onion with garlic

1/4 t fresh cracked black pepper (or to taste)

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggianno

Please don't add salt. The cheese provides all the sodium needed. Taste it first before you salt, ok?

Before all else:

First, measure and prep all your ingredients, set out a large pasta pot and a large colander. In fact, go ahead and set the table. It makes the cookery go so smoothly when you prep first and this is a very fast to make meal. I like to use the little acrylic custard bowls to hold things like seasonings but you use whatever you have.

Now that you are ready, here is the how to of the cookery with admonishments as to the great error of leaving the room at certain times:

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil on your stove - you can salt the water or not as you prefer. Add the pasta, return to a boil, and cook per the package directions. About five minutes before the pasta is done dump in the peas and onion so they can merrily cook right along with the pasta. When the pasta is perfectly al dente, dump the entire thing into a colander and allow to drain while you make the sauce.

Now, I warned you that there would be a time where your presence in the kitchen was mandatory. The next step is that time. You do not want the beautiful sauce to curdle or burn on you, so stay firmly planted near the stove from now on. Trust me, this is experience talking here.

Return the pot to the stove top with the temperature set to not quite medium. Add the milk, cream, bacon, garlic and onion powders, and black pepper to the pot on the stove. Stir while it warms. Once the sauce is warm, add the Parmigiano Reggiano and stir until the cheese melts a bit - just a couple minutes will do. The cheese provides a thickening assist to the cream which would do a nice thickening on its own if it were not for the milk. Yes, for those of you not used to cooking with cream, it does in fact thicken as it simmers, if you use milk you may need more cheese. Milk though, curdles instead of thickening and burns so watch it like a hawk.

Add the peas, onion, and pasta to the creamy mixture and stir for another minute or two while the entire thing heats to serving temperature on lovely plates of a contrasting color.

Make sure the hand grater is on the table for those that think even more cheese is perfect. A nice leaf salad with a few sweet red pepper strips sitting on top is the most mindfully perfect accompaniment.

The Gnocchi of Peace

It's time to gather everyone from all across this beautiful Earth for a communal meal that is peaceful, wholesome, and delicious. Pull up a chair and join me in some good food, a nice chat... and may I pour you a glass of wine? Yes, it's red. I know, most people pair a white wine with a meal like this and if I had a Frascati chilling in the fridge, I might serve that. But this Ruvei Barbera d'Alba is so wonderful... and besides, the red kind is my favorite.

What's a gnocchi and why would it be peaceful? Gnocchi is a little dumpling made of potato and semolina flour.  They can be boiled or pan fried very quickly so they are perfect for a peaceful cookery conclusion to a wonderful day - even to a work day. I purchased pre-made gnocchi - sweet potato and whole wheat gnocchi! Lovely flavor, do try them.

As this is a quick recipe to make, it's a good idea to get all your prep done first. Far less stressful that way. You also have the time to enjoy company while you cook so you don't get all frazzled once you realize you forgot the garlic.

Frazzled people are not peaceful, so let’s cook up some peace.

The Gnocchi of Peace

Things you will need:

1 1/2 pounds or more of broccoli crowns

2 large garlic cloves

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes

1 t hot red pepper flakes

2 T olive oil1 pound whole wheat gnocchi

Parmesan to taste or omit the Parmesan and make it Vegan!

How to Prep and Assemble the ingredients in lovely bowls and containers all smartly lined up on the counter in order of appearance:

Set your bottle of olive oil and gnocchi on the counter next to the stove.

While you are at it, you may as well make sure there's some good fresh Romano or Parmesan in your cheese grater. I do hope you have one of those nice little hand held cheese graters for use at the table. There is nothing like freshly ground cheese to finish a dish nicely.

Cut the stems off the broccoli close to the crowns. You can save these for another use or you may peel, slice, and use them in the dish. Separate the pretty little crowns of the broccoli so that you have them all nicely down to a manageable bite assuming the bite will also contain a gnocchi. Put the broccoli in a colander and gently rinse. Just let it hang there in the colander until its presence is required in the cookery directions below.

Slice the garlic or run it through a press if you prefer. It all depends on how you enjoy your garlic. Allow it to sit exposed to air while you prepare the sun dried tomatoes... The World's Healthiest Foods says that the chemical reaction when the garlic juices are exposed to air enhances certain nutritional elements. I have no idea if it works, but my scientist family says it makes sense so I do it.

Rough chop the sun dried tomatoes and place them in a small bowl.

Measure the hot red pepper flakes and pour them on the tomatoes. If you want, you can put the garlic on top. It can finish it's magical chemical reaction right there. Put the seasoning bowl next to the gnocchi package.

You might as well set the table now and open the wine to breathe.

How to finish the meal:

Put the broccoli in a 2 quart casserole with about a cup or so of water and nuke for 5 minutes if you have a new fangled fast microwave and 8 minutes if your microwave is 25 years old like mine and rather slowish. Let it sit covered while you start the gnocchi. If you are anti-microwave, no worries. Just boil or steam the broccoli for about 5-6 minutes and drain - make sure you reserve at least a cup of the boiling water.

While the broccoli is cooking, pour about 2 T of olive oil in a skillet and heat the pan over medium until the oil just starts to shimmer. It's so pretty when it does that. Add the gnocchi and saute until they soften and brown. Let them sit a few minutes between stirs because that will help them to brown. They really don't take long to cook. They will soften and plump just a bit.

While the gnocchi finishes browning, put the colander over a small bowl and drain the broccoli, saving the cooking water for later - in fact, just go ahead and put the cooking water by the stove so you don't forget about it.

When the gnocchi are pretty and lightly browned, add the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and hot pepper flakes. Saute for a couple minutes. Then add the broccoli and continue to stir. Add about 1/2 a cup of the water and keep a stirring. Keep this up until the dish is nice and hot throughout. Add water as you need to.

Place in a serving bowl and enjoy with a twist of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

This is not a "juicy" dish. Nor a complex one. If you would like it to be more moist, as if there were a sauce, add more cookery water from the broccoli and allow it to cook a bit more. It would probably be ok with some chopped fresh tomatoes which you could put in with the broccoli.

To complete this meal, make a salad of mixed leaf lettuces with either sweet red pepper or tomatoes.

If you want to make your very own gnocchi, let Benny the Chef show you how with his cookery book.

You can over garlic this dish. I did. I used four large cloves of garlic and they overwhelmed the other subtle flavors. Two large cloves or 3 smaller ones will be fine.

With this wonderful recipe, I Declare World Peace. Enjoy, mindfully... would you like another glass of wine?

Pepperoni Pasta

Did you know that you should never use hot water when filling the pot to boil pasta? Well, if you've been doing that, stop right this minute. The problem stems from the rust and crud that coat the insides of water heaters. You don't want to eat that.

Last night I made a family favorite, the oft praised Pepperoni Pasta. Everyone loves it because it's seriously tasty. I love it because it is fast and easy to make even on a week night.

What you need:

1-2 T pure olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 t fresh chopped and smashed garlic - this dish is one of the few exceptions to my rule that you cannot ever use too much garlic, because here, it is quite possible. So just use either a couple nice sized cloves or four smaller ones.
4-8 oz Good quality pepperoni with the pieces sliced in half (like half moons) - I like Wilson's brand as it has lots of flavor and does not taste greasy or salty to me. Really do not like Hormel. The best pepperoni comes from a great Italian Deli in Pittsburgh called Parma Sausage. I often order their delicious meat. It's worth every penny of the shipping charge. Use four ounces pepperoni if you are counting calories and eight if you want a more substantial meal.
2 cans diced tomatoes - You can use plain, roasted, or the one with oregano and garlic.
Anywhere from 1/2 to 2/3 of one of those pint sized heavy whipping cream things.
black pepper to taste
1 pound pasta - preferably something like penne. This does not work well with the longer pastas. 

What you do:

Prep your onion, garlic, and pepperoni.

Fill the pot with cold water, with some salt added (I have no clue why I do this. Always have but if I remember right, it does help the pasta achieve a state of perfection and you do drain it off), and place the pot on a burner set on high to bring the water to a boil.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and when the oil starts shimmering, add the onion. Saute til the onion is clear or even a little browned if you have the patience. Add the garlic and saute for two more minutes.

Add the pepperoni and saute for two more minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring the thing to a nice simmer.

Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, add the cream to the tomato sauce. Add and stir in batches until it looks lovely to you. Grind some black pepper into the sauce. Taste and determine if you need to add more cream or pepper. Simmer on low while the pasta is cooking.

When the pasta is al dente, drain it well in a colander. Then return it to the pot and dump in the pepperoni sauce. Stir well and serve with some fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a loaf of crusty chewy hot bread to help push the pasta onto your fork and to mop up the remains of the sauce.

Do Not Ever Salt the Eggplant Parmigiana

Sometimes we do a thing the way we've always done it just because, well, that's the way we've always done it. That doesn't make it right, it just makes it a habit. Lots of us have the habit of salting eggplant to draw out the moisture and then rinsing the salt before prepping it for Eggplant Parmigiana. Today, I discovered that the practice of salting the eggplant (actually called degorging....doesn't that sound unpleasant) is not the traditional and proper way to work with eggplant, it's just a modern habit. Also discovered that I was slicing the eggplant all wrong! So, with those two lessons (plus one other) from Benny the Chef, using the recipe from his wonderful new cookery book as a starting point, adding a few of my own preferences and inserting one convenient item that would appall Benny, I made the following fabulous sweet not bitter at all Parmigiana.

Do Not Ever Salt the Eggplant Parmigiana

(a rather Americanized version of the Roman classic. If you want to see how Benny made it, Like him on Facebook and you can see a series of pictures where he makes this in the totally Roman way!)

Serves 6-10 depending upon if it is the main dish or a side veggie or what you consider a serving. Here's the nutrition facts on the recipe based on 8 side servings which are very interestingly good given the fact that I allowed for a full 1/4 cup of oil to be absorbed and that there is a ton of cheese! But then, the eggplant itself only adds 49 calories to each serving. What a Mindful Win!

My Ingredients and my apologies to great chefs like Benny along with an accompanying warning:

3 young eggplants with firm skin and a beautiful green stem
2 cloves of garlic skin on
Grape seed oil for frying
16 oz fresh mozzarella
*****1 (24 oz jar) of Newman's Own Roasted Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce (I'm sorry, Benny, really I usually would make fresh sauce, but this time I was in such a hurry... and I have to admit, mine would be a little different from yours anyway, oh dear, I'm in big trouble now...)
2 eggs
3 cloves of garlic minced (or pressed if you have one of those presses and don't have arthritic hands which makes it dratted difficult to do) and added to the sauce because I LOVE garlic
a T of brown sugar because I had never used this brand of sauce before and it was a tad acidic
a big handful of fresh picked basil from my garden - both purple and green
4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano
2 oz grated Pecorino Romano
fresh cracked black pepper to taste

*****warning, because I ran out of time and tomatoes and did not make my homemade sauce, I consider this recipe unfinished but adequate, although I do know that even if I put my sauce in here many of you would use a jar anyway so I'll post some of my sauce recipes separately.

Three Things I Have Learned and Directions noting some things I did Benny's way and some things I did my way because I'm stubborn.

The first thing I learned was how much oil to use. Benny uses 2 cups of extra virgin olive oil to bathe them in deep oil. He has far better fry pans than I, and is more skilled, knowing just when it's hot enough to cook the eggplant and not burn the oil. Besides (yes, I always have excuses) I had a mental block with using excess oil so instead I experimented. In one batch I hot bathed the eggplant in 2 cups of oil seasoned by adding the two skin on garlic cloves. I found that those slices were a just a tiny tad greasy and had to press them repeatedly with paper towels. I really think it was not all my fault, it's because I need to get one of those 2.5mm copper fry pans and besides, my stove is having even heat distribution issues (see? many many excuses!). For the second batch of slices, I used enough oil to coat the pan well, seasoned it by adding two more garlic cloves skin on, and quick fried the eggplant slices in batches to a beautiful golden brown. Still had to press between paper towels, but only briefly. Both ways of frying worked. One just used more paper towels and more oil. So, until I get a better fry pan and a new stove, I learned that I must use less oil.

The second thing I learned is that one should never cut the eggplant into slices while laying it on its side. Cut off the ends and stand it up to make the slices. The reason for this is that it changes the way the flesh presents and makes it less inclined to soak up all the oil when it fries. Slice off one slice of skin and discard. Then make 1/2 inch slices without peeling so that all your slices have a bit of skin around the edges.

The third thing I learned was that you MUST fry the slices right away after they are cut to a point of being golden brown and that this will help make them not bitter and soggy. After frying, remove them to a paper towel and blot well. I sliced one eggplant at a time and fried.

What to do to get it all ready for the pan:

Vertically slice and then fry the eggplant in just a tad of oil to which has been added a couple skin on garlic cloves. Do not slice all the eggplant ahead of time. Slice and fry, slice and fry.

After the frying, slice the mozzarella and put it on a handy dandy plate, rinse some fresh picked basil leaves, and dry them off. If you don't grow basil, do give it a try. It is such a simple forgiving plant to grow and nothing is better than heading out to the garden for fresh basil.

Next, mix the eggs with the the Pecorino Romano and 3 oz of the Parmigiano Romano (reserve one oz for topping). Warm the sauce in a medium sized pot.

Stir the egg/cheese mixture in to the warmed tomato sauce. Stir quickly to incorporate the eggs before they curdle.

Now you should have assembled the following on plates, a pot, and few bowls:

golden brown eggplant, thick sauce, basil leaves, and pepper....I did not use additional salt. I rarely add salt, but if you are used to it you may have to use it here as you layer ingredients. I will avert my eyes as you do so.

ready for the oven

Layering the thing:

In a large baking dish spread some of the tomato sauce on the bottom (no, I did not treat the pan w/Pam or anything else), top with a layer of eggplant (add salt if you must use it), grate some pepper over it, add a few whole basil leaves, and top with chunks of mozzarella. Then, repeat until you run out of everything but the sauce and spread that on top and sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano. In this large 8 x 11 pan, I had three layers. I also like my Parmigiana rather saucy. In Benny's recipe the delectable sweet eggplant is quite obviously the star of the dish!

Bake at 400 F for 40 minutes, raise the temp to 500 F and bake until the Parmigiana is browned. While waiting, make salads. If you are making pasta, start the water a little before the Parmigiana is done so that the pasta can cook while the eggplant sits a bit.

Let the beautiful Parmigiana rest for 10 minutes, it is hard work to change from a purple skinned plant to a layered work of art. Enjoy it mindfully with a small side of whole wheat pasta seasoned only with your best extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh cracked black pepper, and well browned mushroom slices. A beautiful salad of mixed greens with carrot bits rounds the meal out perfectly.

More Fun with Oxtails and Rich Gravy

"Does she still make that incredible oxtail gravy?!" This question came from friends that nearly 15 years ago had moved to Alaska. I thought that was a pretty nice compliment. Primal Sauces such as this one implant a culinary memory that becomes permanently etched in our psyches. The extremely rich sauce needs a robust pasta so do not put it on thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta.

If the idea of oxtails grosses you out, no worries. Just cook up some Sicilian or Hot Italian sausages instead. The meat needs to be particularly well flavored or it will become lost in the sauce which is not at all mindful. Mangia!

Oxtail Gravy for Pasta, but not Wimpy Pasta, Only Nice Substantial Pasta
nutrition facts

raw ox tail

Ingredients with special notes and all that stuff:

2 T pure olive oil
1 nice sized onion, chopped up nice and fine to hide, from my onion hating son, the fact that an entire onion is in there
2 full heads of garlic, separated, roasted*, and peeled - do not chop the cloves they must be left whole
2 pounds or so of oxtails**
3 pounds or more tomatoes, squished by hand*** (more fun! very mindful) or chopped or from a can
6 oz (or more if necessary) of good imported Italian tomato paste
1 cup of beef stock
1 cup of red wine - now in a perfect world, you have a bottle of port on hand, because let me tell you there is absolutely nothing better in this dish than port. Use red wine if you are subbing sausage for oxtails.
1 Tablespoon or so of brown sugar (more if the tomatoes are particularly acidic. Use less or none at all depending on your tomato source. With homegrown fresh tomatoes, sugar is usually not necessary)
1 bay leaf
2 t dried basil or a whole mess of fresh basil grabbed by the handful rough chopped and dumped in until the flavor and aroma is just right
I do not use salt. If you do, don't tell me.
1/2 t or so of fresh ground black pepper
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried crushed rosemary
if you are a true fan of garlic, add a few teaspoons of powdered garlic too. I do and it's delicious.
1 pound of your fave sturdy pasta such as ziti or those lovely little wagon wheels cooked al dente

Methods of various sorts and even more notations as I think of them:

Heat the oil in a nice big heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtails well on all sides - best done in small batches so they don't crowd and "steam" instead of brown. The brown adds flavor to the sauce. Seamed meat does not add much extra oomph. Set aside on a plate for a moment while you proceed.

If there's too much oil in the pan, drain some off and if you drained too much then stick in another tablespoon or so of pure olive oil - oh, do not use extra virgin because the smoke point is too low, just regular pure olive oil. Heat the new oil or reheat the old if you left some in there, and add the onion. Saute over medium heat until they start to brown. No need to caramelize them, just brown them.

the sauce with whole wheat penne pasta

Put the oxtail back in the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes (do crush them with your hands, so much fun!). Most people seem to like to use canned tomatoes which means they will already be peeled. If you are using real live actual unprocessed tomatoes, you may want to peel them. I do not peel. I think mainly people peel them because the floating tomato skin bits may not be particularly attractive. They are dratted tasty though and if the sauce is cooked long enough they incorporate well and are not noticeable. If you used canned tomatoes add the liquid from the can. I also do not remove the seeds my tomatoes. I like a lumpy bumpy texture filled sauce.

Add everything else but the pasta and bring to a brief boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about three hours. Yes three hours. Lid on for the first hour. Lid off until the sauce is as thick as you like. You cannot over cook this sauce. It "matures" the longer it cooks. I've let it go for six hours and the results were awesome. Do not minimize time cooked as the oxtail needs to meet with all the nice other ingredients, overcome its natural shyness, become good friends with the seasonings, and tenderize to the point where it is about to fall off the bone.

Stir now and then so it doesn't burn. Sometimes when you cook with oxtails a bit of foamy stuff floats to the top; just skim it off. If the liquid reduces too much, taste first, then add more of whatever you think it could use more of - fresh squished tomato, beef stock, or port. If you add more liquid you may need more spices too, but hold off on more oregano and rosemary, they are just supportive notes and not front and center. Garlic and basil are center stage here.

If the sauce is too thin and dinner is only an hour away, add more paste. I love to use a paste that comes from Italy in a tube. The ingredient list says only tomatoes and salt. Not much salt at that because I could tell if it had a lot. I can detect a grain of salt in a cup of sauce. I'm magical that way.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. If you are a salter, I'll avert my eyes here and sing songs to cover the sound of the grinder. If you want to try what I do when a sauce asks to be salted, add several drops of Tabasco sauce. It does the same accenting of flavors that salt does with less sodium (yes, I know there's salt in there, but there's not that much in a half dozen shakes). Depending on your tomatoes and what you are used to, you may need a pinch more of brown sugar. Italian-Americans often do this to remove the acidic notes of some tomatoes.

Cook the pasta, drain, and put on a platter. Serve with the pot of sauce and let everyone top the oxtails with gravy and select their preferred size of oxtails. Serve with a ton of good fresh made Italian bread so every last drop of the sauce can be mindfully consumed.

Notes:

*roasting garlic: separate the cloves but do not peel. Place on a small baking sheet - I like to use my toaster oven as there is no need for a large oven for this little bit of garlic. Roast at 375 F for about 20 minutes - or until the papery ends start to brown and curl and the house smells simply divine. Allow to cool and then peel. Yes. You eat them whole and fights will break out over who gets the last ones so make sure you roast a lot.

**we love the small oxtails, but some people prefer the larger pieces. I find those too difficult to extract the meat from. You can just put the small ones in your mouth whole and suck off the meat like you would a rib. If you buy a package already wrapped from the store, it will have both small and large pieces, so if you've not made this before do that and then you can figure out which size you like and then ask the butcher for a special package the next time. It helps to be friendly with your butcher. Likely he's squirreled away a bunch of the lovely small oxtails for himself.

***I do not peel the tomatoes. There's lots of good stuff in the skin, and I like a sauce with texture instead of a smooth liquid. I do not very often use my blender stick for that reason. If you don't like the skin mixed in with the sauce and prefer to peel, then do it. But please put the peel in the compost bin. Then you can salvage some mindfulness. :D

Barbecued Spareribs with Italian Style!

Italian Style Barbecue Spare Ribs!

Want the most awesome lip smacking, sticky finger licking amazingly meaty ribs ever? Then you have got to try Italian Barbecued Spareribs.

My plan - first make a great Italian BBQ sauce, then apply to ribs and bake. Easy peasy! When making your Italian spareribs, remember that a recipe is nothing but a template, a springboard for you to begin to create something just for you! So taste and change the sauce to suit you and your family. I modified the following recipe from a wonderful recipe by my Aunt-in-law, Mama D! 

Prep the Ribs! (preheat oven to 350)

3 lbs of nice lean spare ribs (whatever kind you like, I used the St. Louis Cut in the photo)
rub with 1/8 cup of pure olive oil.

Mix together 1/2 t fresh cracked black pepper, 1 t oregano, 2 cloves minced garlic or equivalent powdered, and 1 t of dried rosemary and rub all over the ribs.

Place the ribs in a great big economy sized baking pan (I used Pyrex for ease of cleaning later), brown a bit in the oven on both sides and then drain off the grease. I think it took me 20 minutes on one side and another 15 on the other. It will depend on how hot your oven runs.

Top with a few rings of onion slices if you like and then cover with every bit of the delicious Italian Barbecue sauce (below). Then bake in the oven for about another 2 hours or until the ribs are as tender as you like. Baste frequently. The amount of final baking time will depend on the weight of the slab of ribs. Make sure your side dishes are flexible timing-wise in the meal so if it takes a little longer there is no problem. I cooked mine about 45 minutes longer than the 2 hours, but then, it was nearly 4 pounds of glorious ribs!

Italian Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients and a few notes of stuff as I think about it:

1/4 cup pure olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic (all depends on the size and more would not hurt it at all), minced
1 onion, chopped (now Mama D specified two onions chopped, but I have a member of the household that is not the biggest fan of onions so I just used one)
1 29 oz can of tomato puree (or a #2 1/2 depending on where you live your cans are numbered instead of weighed in ounces!)
2 T wine vinegar - get a good one, I used Colavita
2 T packed brown sugar...packed firm and maybe even rounded a bit!
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
1 t oregano

Sauce Directions:

Heat the oil in a sauce pan, add onion and saute til starting to soften, add garlic and saute another couple minutes to release the glorious garlic aroma! Add the remaining ingredients and stir frequently while simmering for about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings after about 20 minutes of simmering.

It is impossible to not be very mindful indeed when eating these ribs, so enjoy!

Pizza Bones

The most important part to making pizza is giving it good "bones". Nothing is more important than the crust.

Mama D as painted by the great Tony Bennett!

My standard go-to recipe is from my husband's Aunt Jenny, who was better known in Minneapolis St. Paul area as Mama D. Thanks to my new friend Benny the Chef!, I've also learned to make pizza bones in the Roman way - a leisurely slow rising crispy crust with wonderfully chewy bones. Do purchase his new cookery book The Art of Cooking According to Me so you can try it sometime, as his dough is simply awesome.

This time, I'll show you how Mama D taught me.

not quite done kneading, but just about!

Mama D's Pizza Dough 

The nutrition facts for those that like such things, can be found at Calorie Count

Ingredients:

2 envelopes dry yeast
2 C warm water
5 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t sugar
4 T olive oil

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Put the flour into a mixing bowl and stir in the salt and sugar. Make a well in the flour and add the yeast mixture and oil. Mix well until the dough is soft but not sticky - if it is sticky, add a little more flour in the next step.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board (more flour here if dough is sticky). Knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic - it will pop back if you stick a finger into it.

A Bowl Too Small

Place the dough inside a lightly oiled bowl and brush a bit of oil on top of the dough. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place such as in an oven. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the dough is doubled in size and a hole remains if you poke your finger into the dough. LOL! Make sure your bowl is big enough, as you can see, when I doubled my recipe, I failed to double my bowl!

Shhhhh! The pizza dough is resting.

Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down on a board..I just LOVE doing that! Divide into 2 equal balls for two large pizzas or 4 balls for four smaller dinner plate sized pizzas, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Taking 1 ball at a time, roll it out or pat and stretch it into a circle about 14 inches in diameter with the dough a little thicker and pinched up a bit at the edges. Place on a pizza stone or a lightly oiled baking sheet and prick all over lightly with a fork. Before adding the sauce and other ingredients I like to brush the dough with olive oil, spread with garlic and sprinkle with Romano cheese.

pizza bones with sauce and fresh basil leaves!

My new favorite topping is a bunch of whole basil leaves plucked fresh from the garden and slices of fresh mozzarella - in fact, there is now a new Mindful Rule - you are not allowed to buy pre-shredded mozzarella cheese for your homemade pizza. Nope, not allowed. You must purchase logs of fresh mozzarella and cut slices and lay them on the top with great reverence.

After the bones are topped with the rest of the ingredients, bake in a 400 degree oven until the crust is done - about 20 - 30 minutes depending on how hot your oven runs. I have also, after neglecting to check my recipe first, baked it at 375 or even 350 with good luck so if your oven runs hot, go ahead and do that.

Delicious homemade pizza!

It is so easy and fun to make homemade pizza. The dough is very simple and you can make sauce and prepare your ingredients while the dough rises. You are in charge of the quality of the ingredients and should always choose the best available. Share pizza building with family and good friends - as well as a nice Chianti.

Enjoy your pizza Mindfully, it's good for you. Mama said so.

Italian Beef

Inside this pot is a well browned extremely lean 4 pound top round roast on its way to becoming one of my family's favorite comfort meals - Italian Beef. It's a dreary rainy day and just perfect for simmering this wonderfully aromatic roast. Will serve it on hoagie rolls toasted with melty provolone cheese. Sometimes I'll saute a bunch of onions and sweet red peppers in olive oil for an extra topping, but today I think we'll just do the meal in all its simple glory.

Italian Beef
nutrition facts

Ingredients:

1 4 pound very lean roast such as top round
2 tablespoons of Canola or Grapeseed oil for browning the roast.
1 C Kitchen Basics beef stock (go ahead and have another cup handy in case you leave the lid off too much and all the stock evaporates)
3 bay leaves - make sure they are nice and fresh like those in the pic to the right
cracked black pepper to taste
4.5 oz jar chopped garlic, if you are a fresh garlic purist, smash or chop and add 6-8 garlic cloves of decent size as a minimum. Fresh garlic is stronger in flavor so you don't need quite as much. I like the mild flavor that jarred garlic adds.
1 t oregano
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
several shakes of Lea and Perrins Worchestershire Sauce

Directions:

Trim the fat off the roast and then wiped dry with a paper towel. Heat the oil in a very large pot over medium high heat. Brown the roast well on every side in the hot oil until every bit of the roast is browned. Don't turn too often as contact with the hot oil is what will make the roast make the delicious brown bits. Check after a minute or two but do not turn until each side looks like the pic below.

If you did not trim your roast, you may have a lot of oil in the pot. If so, remove the roast to a plate with sides and pour off the excess fat. Return the roast to the pan with all juices.

Lower the temperature to medium low and add the stock, bay leaves, oregano, fresh cracked black pepper, garlic (yes use an entire 4.5 oz jar), and several shakes of Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the temp to low, cover the pot and simmer two hours.

After two hours, start reducing the size of the roast by slicing it into smaller chunks every half hour.

I usually just use a small knife and fork - pick up a chunk and place it on top of another to protect the pan and slice away.

Chunks of simmering roast

After the pieces have been reduced and the meat is fall apart tender, you are ready for the great Forking Event. This is where you take two sturdy forks and pull apart the strands of meat until it looks like what you get with a pulled pork sandwich.

One thing you will notice is that as you pull the beef, the sauce gets thicker. This is a fine thing indeed.

pulled beef

At this point, remove the bay leaves, taste, and adjust the seasonings. Some of you may like more Worcestershire, maybe add more black pepper, or some dried parsley or a pinch of oregano (but not too much).

You might notice I did not add salt, some of you will require it and should add it now - but really, the Worcestershire sauce has a little sodium so why bother? Your blood pressure and your doctor will thank you. If there is too much liquid, simmer it uncovered until the sauce reduces a bit. If the liquid reduced too much, you can always add more stock.

Keep it warm on the stove til dinner or refrigerate for heating later.

served with sauteed summer squash

Slice and open hoagie buns, top with smokey provolone cheese and toast open face in the toaster oven til the buns and cheese are as toasty brown as you like.

Fill with the beef, a drizzle of stock, maybe add a bit of sauteed onions and peppers sauteed or not, or even some of that great new thick Worcestershire sauce. Mmmmmmmmm.

According to my son, when I told him I was going to post the recipe on the blog - "there's not going to be a better one out there."

Enjoy it very mindfully indeed.