Ribollita (Vegetable Stew)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

5 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 tablespoon crushed garlic (4-6 cloves)
Salt and ground black pepper
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (including juice)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 pound chopped kale, collards, chard, or spinach (about 2 bags or 1 large farmer's market bag)
4-6 large, thick slices of toasted whole-grain bread (The denser and heartier the better to avoid it getting soggy)
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino romano (omit to make vegan)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. When it’s hot, add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Add beans, tomatoes, stock, rosemary and thyme to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to break up the tomatoes.

3. Stir in the greens. Toast bread and lay slices on top of the stew so they cover the top. Scatter red onion slices over the top, drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with Parmesan.

4. Put the pot in the oven and bake until the bread, onions and cheese are browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

Adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman in the NY Times

Egg pasta with stand mixer

Ingredients: 

• 4C flour
• 3/4 t salt
• 2 t olive oil
• 3 large eggs
• ? water

Directions: 

1. In a measuring cup, combine salt, olive oil and eggs. 
2. Add water until total amount of liquid measures 1.3 C. This measurement is accurate for a standard North Carolina day. The actual correct amount of liquid will need to be adjusted up or down depending upon humidity (subtract 1T for a humid day, 2T or 3T if it is raining, etc). 
3. Add flour to stand mixer and attach the mixing / batter attachment (not a dough hook). 
4. Set the mixer to low speed, and slowly add the egg mixture in a steady stream. 
5. Allow the ingredients to fully combine (a minute or two). 
6. Stop the mixer, replace the batter attachment with a dough hook, and allow the dough hook to knead for at least 15 minutes. Observe the consistency of the dough and add additional water or flour in (at maximum) 1T increments. Allow each increment to fully incorporate before reevaluating. 
7. When dough has reached correct consistency, remove from mixer, divide evenly into two pieces, shape each piece into a ball and wrap dough balls tightly in plastic wrap. 
8. Place dough in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days, or in freezer for up to 3 weeks.

Chicken Canzanese

We served this with the polenta recipe below to absorb extra sauce, but potatoes or couscous could work too.

Ingredients

1	tablespoon olive oil
2	ounces thick cut bacon or proscuitto (1/4 inch thick), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
6	garlic cloves , sliced thin lengthwise
8	chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and skin
2	teaspoons all-purpose flour
2	cups dry white wine
1	cup low-sodium chicken broth
4	whole cloves
2	sprigs fresh rosemary (we threw it in whole, but we could try mincing it too)
12	fresh sage leaves
3	bay leaves
1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1	tablespoon lemon juice
2	tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Instructions:

   1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring frequently, until just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic slices and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden brown, about 1½ minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic and prosciutto to small bowl and set aside.

2. 2. Increase heat to medium-high; add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and heat until just smoking. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with ground black pepper. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until well browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate.

3. 3. Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan. Sprinkle flour over fat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly add wine and broth; bring to simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cook until liquid is slightly reduced, 3 minutes. Stir in cloves, rosemary stem, sage leaves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and reserved prosciutto and garlic. Nestle chicken into liquid, skin side up (skin should be above surface of liquid), and bake, uncovered, until meat offers no resistance when poked with fork but is not falling off bones, about 1 hour 15 minutes. (Check chicken after 15 minutes; broth should be barely bubbling. If bubbling vigorously, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.)

4. 4. Using tongs, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with foil. Remove and discard sage leaves, rosemary stem, cloves, and bay leaves. Place skillet over high heat and bring sauce to boil. Cook until sauce is reduced to 1¼ cups, 2 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in minced rosemary, lemon juice, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce around chicken and serve.

   
   

   Tasty! Tender chicken, a slight spicy bite, and just delicious with Alton Brown's polenta.

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

Spinach
1	tablespoon table salt
20	ounces curly spinach (2 bags), stemmed and rinsed
Bechamel
7	tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
8	ounces white button mushrooms , cleaned, trimmed, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
5	large shallots , minced (about 1 cup)
4	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (generous 1 tablespoon)
1/4	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 1/2	cups whole milk
2	bay leaves
3/4	teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/2	teaspoon table salt
1/4	teaspoon ground black pepper
1	ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)
Cheeses and Pasta
8	ounces whole milk cottage cheese
1	large egg
1/4	teaspoon table salt
1	tablespoon unsalted butter for baking dish
12	no-boil lasagna noodles from 1 box
2	ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
8	ounces Italian fontina cheese , shredded (about 2 cups)

Instructions

1. 1. For the spinach: Fill large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat; add salt and spinach, stirring until spinach is just wilted, about 5 seconds. Using skimmer or fine-mesh strainer, transfer spinach to ice water and let stand until completely cool, about 1 minute, then drain spinach and transfer to clean kitchen towel. Wrap towel tightly around spinach to form ball and wring until dry. Chop spinach medium and set aside.
   

2. 2. For the béchamel:(See illustrations below): Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming, add the mushrooms. Sauté until lightly brown, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms to a small bowl. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in the saucepan over medium heat until foaming; add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 1/2 minutes; do not brown. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, whisk in bay leaves, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in Parmesan and discard bay leaves. Transfer sauce to bowl, press plastic wrap directly against surface, and set aside.

3. 3.For the cheeses, pasta, and assembly: Blend cottage cheese, egg, and salt in food processor or blender until very smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl and set aside. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Place noodles in a 13- by 9-inch broilersafe baking dish and cover with hot tap water; let soak 5 minutes, agitating noodles occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on kitchen towel. Wipe baking dish dry and coat with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Use rubber spatula to distribute 1/2 cup béchamel in bottom of baking dish; position 3 noodles on top of sauce. Stir spinach into remaining béchamel in bowl, mixing well to break up clumps of spinach (you should have about 4 cups spinach/béchamel mixture). Spread 1 cup spinach mixture evenly over noodles, sprinkle evenly with Parmesan, and top with 3 more noodles. Spread 1 cup spinach mixture evenly over noodles, sprinkle evenly with 1 cup fontina, and top with 3 more noodles. Spread 1 cup spinach mixture evenly over noodles, followed by cottage cheese mixture. Place the mushrooms evenly over the cottage cheese mixture. Finish with 3 noodles, remaining cup spinach mixture, and remaining cup fontina. Lightly spray large sheet foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes, then remove foil. Remove lasagna and adjust oven rack to uppermost position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Broil lasagna until cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve.

Notes:

• Too mild
• Too sweet
• Excellent
  

Things to change:

• Add cayenne
  
• More Parmesan
  
• Cook mushrooms in white wine (or vermouth) and garlic
• Slightly more salt and pepper