Carbonara with tomatoes, chives, & bacon

A simple, hearty dish that makes good use of fresh veggies.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20-25 minutes
Serves:   6 at least

INGREDIENTS
1 lb whole grain pasta (your favorite shape)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chives, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Start water heating for the pasta.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon, and slice the tomatoes and chives.

Cook the pasta.  When it is al dente, reserve a cup of the pasta water and drain the rest in a colander.  Return the pasta to the cooking pot .  Add the eggs and Parmesan and stir (the hot pasta will cook the eggs).  Stir in some of the reserved pasta water and stir.  You will notice that the water will disappear.  Stir in a little at a time until a creamy sauce appears in the bottom of the pot.  Now stir in the tomatoes, chives and bacon. 

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve this with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and all is right with the world.  Don't skimp on the freshly ground black pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Cream of Potato Soup

Sometimes the best thing you can find in the fridge are leftovers.  Follow Plato's advice (you know, the chestnut about "necessity is the mother of invention")!

Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 18 Minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
3 TB olive oil
1 small onion, 1/4" dice
4-5 fresh sage leaves, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
3-4 cups stock
2-3 cups cooked potatoes with peels on, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
Cooked bacon to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion and sage, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Using an immersion blender (or a food processor in batches) process the onions with 2 cups of the stock, the potatoes, and the salt and pepper.  Add more stock to achieve the consistency you like. Heat soup over medium-low heat in the saucepan, stirring.

Serve, garnished with the bacon.  Talk about comfort food.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Tatsoi Mac & Cheese

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick









This is not your kids' mac and cheese. 

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  6-8

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni (or your favorite pasta shape)
5 strips bacon
3 cloves garlic2 cups chopped tatsoi, stem parts separated from leaves
1 tsp. ground paprika
2 eggs, whisked
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS
Heat water for your macaroni.

While water is heating cook the bacon in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat.  When bacon is done, remove to drain on paper towels and pour off excess fat, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pan (or use olive oil).  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, or until tanned and fragrant.  Add the tatsoi stems and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring.  Then add the leaves, and sprinkle with the paprika.  Cover, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until greens are wilted.  Remove from heat.

Cook the pasta as you like it.  Drain the pasta, quickly return to the pan, and stir in the eggs.  The hot pasta will cook the eggs.  Then stir in the sour cream, Parmesan, and crushed red pepper, if using. 

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, and garnishing with chopped cilantro.

A rich pasta dish like this will pair well with a range of wines, from a full bodied white, such as a California chardonnay; to a dry rose, or even a light or medium-bodied red.

Radicchio Minestrone

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick










In this simple soup, sweet tomato pairs with bitter radicchio for flavor fireworks.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  4

INGREDIENTS
3 strips bacon
1 small onion, 1/4 inch dice
1 jalapeno or other hot pepper, cleaned of membrane and seeds, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3-4 cups coarsely chopped radicchio
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup marinara sauce
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1-2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Shredded Parmesan for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Cook the bacon to your liking in the bottom of a stock pot over medium heat.  Remove bacon to drain, and pour off most of the bacon fat.  Add a little olive oil, and cook the onion and jalapeno for 5 minutes, stirring, or until onion is tender and turning tan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, add the stock, radicchio, tomato, marinara, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Distribute to serving bowls, sprinkling with crumbled bacon and Parmesan.

Variation:  If you're using vegetable stock, just omit the bacon for a vegetarian dish.  And in the other, non-vegetarian direction, the addition of cooked Italian sausage instead of, or even in addition to, the bacon adds flavor and richness.

Turnip Green Soup

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick









We should have a flavor tag that says "Tastes Green".  Turnip Green Soup would be first on the list.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  2 - 4 as a side dish.

INGREDIENTS
2 strips bacon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large bunch turnip greens, washed, stems separated from the leaves. (3-4 cups chopped)
 2-3 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1/4 tsp ground cumin
pine nuts to garnish (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cook the bacon in the bottom of a stock pot.  When done to your liking, remove the bacon to drain and decide whether to use the bacon fat for cooking, or to pour it off and use olive oil.

Turn the heat under the container you used to cook the bacon to medium, can cook the garlic and stems for 2 minutes, stirring, or until the garlic begins to tan.  Add the turnip greens, stir, and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock, thyme, and cumin.  Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until greens are tender, stirring occasionally.

Using an immersion blender or a countertop blender, process the soup to the consistency you like.  Distribute to serving bowls, garnishing with pine nuts and crumbled bacon.

Variation: Add a cooked potato or a dollop of yogurt for a thicker, creamier soup

Sauteed Carrots & Collards with Oyster Sauce

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










Low, slow heat brings out sweet flavors and meltingly tender texture.

INGREDIENTS
2 strips bacon
1 clove garlic, crushed
5-6 carrots, peeled, 1/2" dice
6-8 collards leaves, washed, stems separated from leaves and cut into 1/2" dice, leaves coarsely chopped.
2-3 TB oyster sauce

DIRECTIONS
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium low heat. When done, remove bacon to drain on paper towels and pour off fat, leaving enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic, carrots, and collards stems and cook for 15 minutes, stirring, or until carrots and stems are just starting to turn tender. Add the collards leaves, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until leaves are also tender. Add oyster sauce, turn to coat, and serve.

Variation: Cook carrots and collards separately for color contrast in the finished dish.

Served up by Tod Dimmick