Norman’s Tuna Steaks

Norman’s Tuna Steaks

There are a lot of advantages to living in the Chicago metro area when it comes to food. When I was growing up, there weren’t many food choices available. Yes, in the city itself, there were lots of ethnic neighborhoods with many small ethnic groceries, but if you lived in the suburbs, all you had was major chain groceries, with very little choice. That has really changed over the last twenty five years.

Now, so many groceries carry whole lines of ethnic foods. The two I go to most often (not counting Trader Joe’s) have whole aisles of Chinese Korean, Indian, Italian, Polish, and other East European countries’s food. I am really spoiled.

There is one exception, and that is fresh seafood. Being away from either coast, the fresh seafood choices are limited or expensive. This is where Trader Joe’s comes in for me. They have high quality frozen fish available at reasonable prices. The fish is flash frozen and usually has no sign of freezer burn. Their tuna steaks are one of my favorites. This is easy and cooks fast. Have your side dishes ready before you start.

Olive oil

2 or 3 large frozen tuna steaks

2 shallots, sliced thin

red pepper flakes

Onion powder

Cajun seasoning

White wine

Preparation

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a layer of olive oil and place the frozen tuna steaks in the hot oil. Let them sear for a minute or two. Turn them over, sprinkle them with cajun seasoning and onion powder. Add the shallots around the tuna and sprinkle them with red pepper flakes.

After the tuna sears a minute or two, turn them over again, sprinkle this side with cajun seasoning and onion powder. Add white wine until its depth is a little more than halfway up the steaks. Bring it to a boil and then place the skillet under a hot broiler. 

Broil the tuna until the top is just starting to brown. Take the skillet out and turn the tuna over again. Return to the broiler until it starts to brown on that side. Remove and serve.

Serving

The way I like to serve this is to place a large tuna steak on a plate next to a large pile of rice. Spoon some of the cooking liquid over both the rice and the tuna. Now place some steamed, buttered broccoli next to that. Sprinkle everything lightly with some cajun seasoning. Slice the warm, fresh bread you pulled from the oven and open a nice chilled Vinho Verde. Dinner is served.

Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup

I personally think that every meal should start with a bowl of soup. In the colder weather I make soup a lot but in the warm weather I don't make it as often as I'd like. 

When I'm eating at a restaurant, I almost always order soup to start my meal. There is one soup from a restaurant that stands out in my mind. I haven't been to South Louisiana for several years, but the turtle soup served at the Grapevine Restaurant in Donaldsonville, LA is one of my favorites. They serve the soup with a little shot of sherry wine to stir into it, which gives it a nice touch. 

Well, I don’t have turtle meat so I can't attempt to duplicate that soup. If you find some, let me know.

I do like lentil soup which I can make whenever I want. I prefer the red lentils which many stores carry, but any lentils will do. This is a simple lentil soup without a lot of ingredients. I always like my lentil soup with fresh baked bread and plenty of Tabasco sauce.

Lentils provide a deep rich flavor and they cook up faster than peas or beans. Lentil soup also does not produce as strong of an aromatic effect on the gastric system as bean soup, so it is recommended when you are going to be around those easy-to-offend people.

Stock:
Smoked neck bones or smoked ham hocks
1/4 cup minced onion flakes (dehydrated)
1 bay leaf
Water 
Soup:
1 large onion chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped fine
1 lb. lentils
1 tsp. cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. thyme

Preparation

In a large stock pot (by now you should have two or three on hand) add the smoked neck bones and then add a bunch of water. Stop nagging me about how much water. You are going to make a pot of soup, so use enough to fill you soup pot with stock. I never measure this stuff. 

Now donʼt go getting goofy on me. If you canʼt find smoked neck bones, you can use smoked pork hocks, a ham bone or even a smoked turkey leg. Just find some kind of meat or bones that have been smoked. Bring the water to a boil and add the onion flakes and the bay leaf. If you donʼt have the onion flakes, add 2 large onions instead. Let this simmer very gently, for about two hours.

Strain the stock into a large soup pot. Bring it to a boil. Add the lentils which have been sorted and rinsed. Don’t forget to sort through them. You’d be surprised what I’ve found mixed in with lentils - stones, dirt and bits of some other kinds of seeds. I’m boring I guess, but I prefer my lentil soup without those things.

Add the onion and celery and then the seasonings. Let it simmer gently for about an hour and a half. Stir often and taste for seasoning - it may need a little more salt or cajun seasoning. When the lentils are soft and the soup has thickened, it’s ready.

Serving

Serve this soup in bowls and have plenty of fresh grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on. You also want a big bottle of Tabasco. If you’d like, go ahead and stir a shot of dry sherry into your bowl of soup and pretend you are at a fancy restaurant. 

Along with a salad, this would make a good beginning to a meal of grilled pork chops and maybe a pasta on the side. Now crack open a good bottle of Barbera DʼAlba wine from Italy, then lock the doors, close the blinds and over indulge. It is ok, I do it all the time.

Chicken Breasts With Mushrooms

Chicken Breasts With Mushrooms

Often when people see me cook they remark about the fact that I seldom measure anything. When I bake bread, I just kind of wing it. Same when I'm cooking something like these chicken breasts. I often just use my palm when adding herbs. When my housemates moved in after the flood, they had to dig out their measuring spoons and cups because I couldn't find mine.

That's the hardest thing about writing these recipes down. If I don't measure anything when I cook it's difficult to say how much I added. I kind of just cook by gut feeling. 

Sometimes my proportions are a little off. What happens then? The sauce might be too thick, but that’s an easy fix, just add a little more chicken stock and let it simmer. But what if the sauce is too thin? 

Here’s a little trick I learned that fixes that problem. In a cup, mix equal parts of flour and room temperature butter. Use a fork and vigorously stir it until it forms a paste. While your too-thin sauce is simmering, add a little flour/butter paste to the sauce. Let it simmer for a minute to see how it thickens. Keep adding the paste until you have the right thickness. Just remember it has to simmer for a minute before you know how thick it will be. I can’t believe I’m giving away all my secrets like this.

You can use frozen chicken breasts for this meal, but it is better with fresh. If you want, you can double the bacon. That could never hurt.

3 slices of bacon
1 tbs. olive oil
3 shallots - minced fine
red pepper flakes
2 large chicken breasts
1 tsp. flour
1/4 cup white wine
4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 cups ham or chicken stock 

1 cup cream

Preparation

Heat a large braising pan. Add the olive oil and cook the bacon until crisp. Allow the bacon to drain on a paper towel. To the bacon fat, add the chicken breasts and cook about two minutes. Turn them over and cook another two minutes then add the shallots and a dash of red pepper flakes. Stir over medium heat for about one minute, but don’t let the shallots brown.

Chop the bacon and add it to the braising pan and sprinkle the flour over it. Stir for a minute and add the white wine. Stir and scrape up anything that has stuck to the pan. Add the mushrooms and stir. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat. Let this simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Remove the lid of the braising pan, remove the chicken breasts and turn the heat up a little so the liquid is boiling. Add the cream and stir while you bring it back to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir until it thickens slightly. Add the chicken back and stir for one more minute.

Serving

Place a chicken breast next to a pile of home made egg noodles or steamed wild rice and cover both with the sauce. Now add some Brussels sprouts sautéed in butter and maybe a bowl of white bean soup. Donʼt forget the warm fresh bread with butter. 

A chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc will add a nice touch as well. Hmm, what else? How about a little dessert to finish things off - maybe some vanilla ice cream with melted carmel followed by an expresso. Not bad considering you just started with a couple of chicken breasts.

Norman’s Grilled Chicken Breasts

Norman’s Grilled Chicken Breasts

I need to get myself motivated again. Ever since the Great Lisle Flood of 2013, I haven't been running. Before the flood, I was running 3 miles, about two or three times a week. Since the flood, I always seem to find an excuse not to run. It is hard to get back to it.

Another problem is that my favorite foods consist of steaks, charred rare; roast leg of lamb and pizza. I usually eat those in massive quantities. I know I should moderate my menu, at least until I’m running every day again. When the guilt finally overrides my appetite, I’ll switch to chicken, at least for one night.

Here is a quick and easy way to grill chicken. Chicken, rice and vegetables, that’s healthy, right? If not, I give up. No way I’m eating tofu and veggie burgers. I’d better fix the chicken soon before I give in and buy a two inch porterhouse steak!

4 chicken breasts

10 juniper berries (sold in the spice aisle freeze-dried)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. red pepper flakes.

Cajun seasoning

Preparation

In a bowl soak the juniper berries for a half hour in hot water. Place the chicken breasts in a large zipper bag and then add the olive oil, Marsala, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Seal the bag and shake well to mix. Allow this to marinate in the refrigerator for and hour or two.

Light the charcoal grill and have the juniper berries ready. Just before you place the chicken on the grill, put the soaked berries on the coals. Grill the chicken breasts about five minutes per side. 

Now pay attention here. Chicken breasts vary in thickness. You have to cook them through or you will get sick. If you aren’t sure if it is done, cut into the thickest one to see. I find that food poisoning will ruin an otherwise beautiful weekend.

When the chicken is ready, remove it to a platter and sprinkle it with a little cajun seasoning and serve.

Serving

You want to serve this grilled chicken next to a big pile of wild rice. I would also add grilled broccoli, zucchini, eggplant and onion (grilled in one of those grill pans with holes) which I season with olive oil and cajun seasoning as it comes off the grill. Don’t forget the homemade bread with butter. Why not add some corn on the cob too. Open a bottle of Merlot and you’ll be good.

Deep Dish Pizza Cooked in a Charcoal Grill

Deep Dish Pizza Cooked in a Charcoal Grill

Yesterday I really overate for lunch. I had a gyros platter from this place near my office and it was big enough for four people. Instead of bringing some home, I ate the whole thing in one sitting and I needed a tripod to hold up my belly the rest of the afternoon.

Shortly after I finished, I saw a jogger running by in front of our building and I started to feel guilty as well as being bloated. Since the Great Lisle Flood of 2013, I haven't been running much. Before that I was pretty good about keeping it up, but the flood threw me off the program. 

I know I should start, but so far, I've been unsuccessful. I guess you could say I'm exercising my digestive system instead of my cardiovascular system. I promise I'll try to start exercising again ... tomorrow.

Do you ever try to be good and in spite of your best intentions, you end up back in your misguided ways? About a year ago, I've been running about five days a week for most of the year when, suddenly, my knee went bad. After weeks of icing it down and resting it, it did get better.

Once I wasn't limping, I tried running again. Just like now, I kept coming up with excuses why tomorrow would be better and I kept putting it off. Finally, one day, I was determined. Before I left the office, I change into running clothes. I was finally going to get started.

I pulled into the lot of the YMCA and parked my truck. I stroll up to the door, determined to get a good workout. The door was locked and there is a sign that the power went out and they closed for the day. Damn!

I made it home after my unsuccessful attempt  The weather report said it was still 100º and instead of working out, I ended up making something to eat. I had the makings for a pizza, but didn’t want to put the oven on with the air conditioner struggling to keep the house cool. I decided to make a deep dish pizza on the grill. I drank cold beer and roasted the pizza until it was perfectly done. I ate the whole thing, leaving not a crumb. 

So much for my workout. Hand me a beer!

1 batch of Norman’s Pizza Dough

(or you can use store bought dough)

Corn meal

1 batch of Norman’s Quick Pizza Sauce

(or you can use store bought)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

5 slices of provolone cheese

Thinly sliced genoa salami

1/2 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese

Oregano

Red pepper flakes

Fresh ground white pepper

Preparation

Light your charcoal grill for indirect heat. The best way is to light two separate piles of charcoal, at opposite ends of the grill. That way you can cook the pizza between the fires.

Work the dough with your fingers and shape in a circle which will fit on a 14” pizza pan allowing for enough dough to fold the edge over to form a thick crust. Sprinkle a good layer of corn meal evenly on the pizza pan. Place the dough in the pan and fold the edges over to make a thick crust.

Ladle on the sauce evenly. Save any extra sauce for tomorrow’s pizza. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the pizza. Now add the provolone slices. On the provolone, add the sliced genoa salami. Use enough to cover the whole pizza. It is ok if you eat the leftover slices while the pizza bakes. Top the pizza with the shredded mozzarella and then sprinkle it with the oregano, red pepper flakes and white pepper. Be generous.

Place the pizza pan on the grill between the two piles of coals so that (hopefully) none of the pizza is directly over the coals. Close the lid of the grill and cook until the crust is nicely browned and the cheese is starting to brown as well. Every few minutes, rotate the pizza a quarter turn so it cooks evenly. When it is done, remove it and allow it to cool ten minutes before slicing.

Serving

Serve the pizza with a crisp tossed salad. If you are going to eat the whole thing, you don’t need much else other than a cold beer served in a frosted mug. As I said, if you can’t work out your legs and cardiovascular system, at least you can work out your digestive system. If you see my doctor, please don’t show her this recipe. She preaches at me enough already.

Linguine With Tuna

Linguine With Tuna

I don't buy a lot of canned goods. I'm not a big 'stock the pantry' guy. There is one canned item that I like to keep on hand and that's the Italian tuna packed in olive oil. I love that. I can enjoy that right out of the can. 

I don’t know how many times this has happened. I get home. I’m tired and I forgot to stop at the grocery store for something for dinner. I really don’t feel like going back out in traffic to shop. I'm frustrated until I spy that can of tuna on the counter. An idea starts to form. I remember I have a few anchovies left. Problem solved, I think it is time to start cooking.

If you have a can of that good Italian tuna packed in olive oil and some linguine, donʼt worry, your dinner is almost ready to serve. This is quick and easy.

Extra good olive oil
1 6-oz can tuna packed in olive oil

3 anchovy fillets - chopped

1 medium onion - chopped very fine

red pepper flakes

cajun seasoning

1 tsp. flour
white pepper
1 cup white wine
fresh oregano
fresh parsley
1 lb. linguine - cooked al dente

Preparation

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Add the onion and some red pepper flakes and let them cook until the onion softens and starts to turn golden. Add the anchovy and stir for about half a minute then add the flour and stir for about two minutes.

Sprinkle with cajun seasoning and white pepper and then add the white wine. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Add the tuna and all of the oil from the can. Break up the tuna and stir until it is heated. 

Add a generous amount of fresh chopped oregano and parsley. Toss in a serving bowl with the linguini and season with a dash of sea salt.

Serving

Serve this pasta with a crisp salad tossed with a lime - olive oil dressing. You also want fresh baked crusty bread, steamed asparagus and a nice chilled Vinho Verde from Portugal. 

You just turned a little can from your pantry into a feast. You know, if you listen to me, youʼll do all right.

Gram’s Butter Coffee Cake

Gram’s Butter Coffee Cake

I was thinking about my grandmother a lot this week. She would have turned 107 last Sunday. She lived with us the whole time I was growing up and she's like a second mother to me.

Ooh, you're going to like this.

Gram loved to cook, and I acquired most of her recipes and notes. Some day I hope to do a little cookbook in honor of her. One thing Gram liked to cook was this butter coffee cake and it was always one of my favorites. It often accompanied Sunday brunch.

What do you remember about weekends from your childhood? A lot of things come to mind for me. When I was real young, I remember Saturday morning cartoons. When I was older, my weekends revolved around my friends. I remember getting together with my high school friends for our ‘poker games’ which involved more laughing and goofing around than poker. Often a set of darts was involved, but I don’t have room to explain how that worked. Our poker games were sometimes hard on sliding glass doors, but were always fun.

Another memory from my childhood, is the memory of big brunches on Sunday’s after Mass. Eggs and/or pancakes and/or french toast along with bacon, sausage or ham often graced the table. On of my favorite treats was this butter coffee cake.

I was never one for eating a lot of sweets but I always had a weakness for this coffee cake. Gram would make this often and I usually had several pieces of it.

1/2 lb. butter
3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1/2 cup (approx.) milk 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

Mix salt, flour, baking powder, and sugar with the butter until the mixture becomes crumb size. Remove 2 cups of this mixture and reserve.

Add the three eggs, unbeaten, to the remaining mixture. Add enough milk to make a heavy cake batter. Add vanilla, mix well and put into a greased cake pan.

Sprinkle the 2 cups of reserved mixture over top. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Serving

Here's to you, Gram. Happy belated birthday.

This coffee cake is a great way to finish off a nice brunch. It is not too sweet and goes great with French Roast coffee.

Serve this coffee cake after eggs over easy, thick sliced ham  carved off the bone, fresh baked bread, toasted and spread with butter and a fine Veneto Prosecco sparkling wine from Italy. 

If you would also like some coffee, that's ok. Have the wine with the ham and eggs and the Starbucks with your coffee cake. 

Norman’s Garlic Chicken Pasta

Norman’s Garlic Chicken Pasta

I find the garlic makes me more attractive.

About a year ago, I was visiting old friends that I haven’t seen in decades. One was visiting from Kentucky and the other lives in the area. They suggested I bring Squeeky and Camper since there is plenty of room for them to play. My friend who hosted the evening has a German Shepherd. When I got there we all had a great time, including the dogs. There was another dog in attendance as well, an all white German Shepherd. 

Around dusk, the white Shepherd chased after a skunk and came back ‘skunked’. As they were gathering stuff to clean the dog up, he ran back out and got skunked a second time, this time in the face. I made Squeeky and Camper stay by me as my friends used peroxide, baking soda, water and dish soap to de-skunk the dog.

I don’t know if the recipe for de-skunking works or not, but this garlic chicken recipe ain’t bad. Who knows, the garlic might repel skunks (it seems to repel girls when I’m running on the treadmill). 

The bright, fresh lime juice goes good with the bite of the garlic and the saltiness of the feta. Now, Iʼm warning you, donʼt even think about using bottled lime juice for this dish. Use only fresh squeezed lime juice. Stop trying to tinker with my recipes and do as you are told.

2 chicken breasts - cut into strips olive oil

8 cloves of garlic - smashed and minced

red pepper flakes
cajun seasoning
1/4 cup lime juice - about three limes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 lb. frozen cut spinach (or 1 lb. fresh spinach)

1/2 lb. good feta - crumbled
1 lb. cork screw pasta cooked and drained

Preparation

Heat a large cast iron skillet until hot. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom and then add the chicken strips. Stir and cook until the chicken is nicely browned, but, when the chicken is half way browned, add the garlic. Add a good sprinkle of red pepper flakes and cajun seasoning too. As this cooks, you will notice that the garlic is browning a little. Usually you donʼt want the garlic to brown, but in this recipe it is ok.

When the chicken has browned nicely, add the lime juice and white wine and de-glaze the pan. If you donʼt know how to de-glaze the pan just take a spatula, stir and scrape up anything that has stuck to the pan. When the liquid has come to a hard boil add the spinach and stir until it is hot. Add the crumbled feta and stir again.

Serving

Toss with the al dente pasta. Now you can serve it as it is. However, I would squeeze the juice of one more lime over the pasta and and toss it one more time. If you are worried about your weight, sprinkle some of your best olive oil over the pasta too. 

Serve this pasta with a fresh tossed salad. Add bread fresh from the oven, sprinkled with good olive oil and fresh grated parmesan. I’d add some sausage and peppers, just because I like them. Now, open a chilled bottle of Prosecco from Italy and life is good.

Steaks, Charred Rare

Steaks, Charred Rare

I've been doing a lot of grilling lately. With the hot weather, it is better to cook outside rather than heating up the house. My housemates were raised in Wisconsin and, like most people from that state, they like brats (and the Packers too, but I don't want to talk about that). Needless to say we've been eating brats fairly often. 

Every once in a while however, I'll grill up a batch of steaks for us. I love a big thick steak. Whenever I see thick steaks at a decent price, I have to pick some up.

A good steak is a simple thing. There is really not much to it. It is simply meat, that you season, and then grill. Hard to screw up, right? Well, maybe not-so-right. Far too often over the years, I’ve paid too much at a restaurant for a steak that was mediocre at best. There is more to it than just having a quality piece of beef.

How would you describe the perfect steak? For me, that’s easy. A thick porterhouse or rib steak, charred evenly on the outside and rare to medium rare in the center. To do that, you need a hot fire, hot enough to char the outside before it overcooks the center. The timing depends on the heat of the fire, the distance from the fire and the thickness of the steak. With a little practice, you’ll get a feel for when it is just perfect.

I do recall one Saturday years ago, when I stopped at a little butcher shop on a whim. I looked in their refrigerated display case and instead of steaks and chops, I saw huge chunks of meat. The butcher asked, “What can I do for you?” I asked if he had porterhouse steak. He pulled out a huge chunk of thick meat and asked how thick I wanted it. I held my fingers a good two inches apart and said this thick. He got a gleam in his eye and carried the meat over to a bandsaw and cut a huge two inch (plus) thick porterhouse and asked if that was ok. I said it was perfect. 

He wrapped it up. The steak weighed well over two pounds and cost almost $35. Yes, I know I should be supervised and shouldn’t be allowed to buy things like that on my own. You see, this was well before the Great Lisle Flood of 2013, so the only supervision I received was from my dogs, and they're very lenient.

At home, I fired up my big Brinkmann grill, which can burn wood, charcoal or both. You can raise the fire up, closer to the grate, or down, further from the grate. I got a roaring hot charcoal and wood fire going, and let it burn down to super-hot coals. I set the fire a little farther away from the grate than I normally do for a steak, because of the extra thickness, and then I grilled this monster to perfection. 

Most of the inside was medium rare and the very center was rare. The outside was charred evenly on both sides. I put the sizzling steak on a platter and plopped a tab of butter on it. I had a salad and baked potato with it along with a bottle of Cabernet. It was out of this world and I ate every scrap. As I said, I need to be supervised.

I don’t recommend two inch thick steaks for everyone, but inch thick steaks should be a minimum. If, however, you find a butcher shop with a bandsaw, go ahead and ask for a two inch porterhouse. Everyone should do that at least once.

1” thick Porterhouse or Rib steaks, about a pound each

Equal parts of Cajun Seasoning

Onion powder

White pepper

1 Pat of butter for each steak

Preparation

You want a very hot charcoal grill. I don’t think you can do this on a gas grill, because I don’t think it gets hot enough, but you can try if you want to. I prefer charcoal. If you do use charcoal, go ahead and add a couple chunks of oak or maple for flavor.

Rub both sides of the steak evenly with the seasoning and let them sit while the coals are getting ready. While that is going on, make some sautéed spinach and bake some potatoes. As long as you lit the oven, bake some bread too.

When the coals are ready, let the grate get real hot and place the steak directly over the fire. Close the lid on the grill and let them sizzle for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. The heat of the fire and the distance from the fire will cause the cooking time to vary. Flip the steak only once. Remove the steak to a platter and put a pat of butter on it.

Serving

A medium rare rib steak is ready and waiting!

To serve one of these perfect steaks, place it on a plate next to a big pile of sautéed spinach and a baked potato. I also like a Caesar salad too, along with fresh baked bread. Open a bottle of Petite Sirah or a high quality Cabernet, and the meal will be perfect.

Pasta With Eggs, Cheese, Garlic and Butter

Pasta With Eggs, Cheese, Garlic and Butter

We all know the food police are out there. You've heard the stories. They are always telling us what we are allowed to eat and what we aren’t allowed to have. Now they are even passing laws limiting how much soda we are allowed to purchase. One thing is certain, the food police will even be more intrusive as time goes on.

I’m sorry to say that this is a recipe that will get you in trouble with the food police. Big time. 

Not only is it made with cheese, butter and eggs, it is even worse because it is made with uncooked eggs. That will put them in a tizzy for sure. You see, there is a remote chance of salmonella poising from raw eggs.

They claim that one or two percent of supermarket eggs are contaminated with salmonella, but I find that hard to believe. For the last forty years I’ve eaten eggs over easy (that means undercooked, with a raw yolk) two or three times a week. That comes out to four or six eggs a week, fifty two weeks a year, or almost 9000 undercooked eggs in my lifetime. If their estimate of contamination is correct, I’ve should have come down with salmonella about once a year.

Still, there is a chance of getting food poisoning from eating uncooked or under cooked eggs. If you don’t want to take a chance, you can still make this dish using the new, pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs that I’ve seen in groceries. They look like uncooked eggs, but they have been processed to kill any bacteria. I’ve tried them and they don’t taste any different than regular eggs. But, alas, the food police will still complain about the butter and cheese in this recipe. No pleasing that bunch.

1 stick of butter

olive oil

8 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced

A dash of red pepper flakes

4 eggs beaten

1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated

Salt and fresh ground white pepper

Homemade pasta or 1 pound of frozen egg pasta, 

Preparation

Make sure you use real Parmigiano Reggiano.
It makes a difference.

Heat a large skillet and melt the butter along with a little bit of olive oil. Don’t let the butter brown. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for a minute until the garlic is sizzling, but don’t let it brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the pasta, drain it and put in a large serving bowl. Immediately toss the pasta with the garlic butter mixture and then stir in the beaten eggs. Stir the hot pasta and eggs for a minute to mix well. Now stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Finally, sprinkle on some fresh ground white pepper and a little salt. Toss and serve immediately. 

Serving

Serve a large pile of this pasta next to chicken breasts broiled in white wine. Now add a bunch of sautéed baby broccoli. You might also want a bowl of pasta and bean soup. Don't forget fresh baked bread and butter. Now, I'd open a bottle of Sangiovese wine from Italy to wash everything down.

Corkscrews With A Tomato Mushroom Sauce

Corkscrews With A Tomato Mushroom Sauce

Make a lot, you're going to have seconds!

As many of you know, I am very fond of my dogs and they are a big part of my life. Squeeky is my old friend and she is approaching thirteen years old. My younger dog, Camper is, at this writing, approaching four years old. Their personalities are as different as night and day.

Squeeky is easy going and accepts things pretty mush as they are. Camper generally insists that things be as he thinks they should be. Camper is mellowing as he matures, but he is still impulsive. Usually it is amusing, but sometimes it is frightening.

On a couple of occasions he has given me a real scare. The first was when I was camping in Michigan's Upper Peninsula one afternoon. I noticed that Camper was busy with something. I walked over and saw him chomping away on a toadstool-shaped mushroom. I think my heart stopped. I yelled at him, grabbed the mushroom and tossed it into the forest and then had to have my heart re-started.

A month later, I was mowing my back yard. Typically, when I do this, both dogs follow behind me. I looked over and saw that Camper was nibbling on a large plate-shaped mushroom growing out of a dead tree branch. Once again I was horrified.

I guess he is an expert at selecting mushrooms that aren’t poisonous, because he didn’t have any ill effects in either case. For me, I think the shock has shortened my life by several years. I still have palpitations just thinking about it.

Well, in honor of Camper, here is a recipe that uses a combination of wild mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms. He assures me that these mushrooms are all safe to eat.

Olive oil

2 Medium onions, chopped.

5 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced

Red pepper flakes

1 cup boiling water

1 package of mixed wild mushrooms, dried

1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms, sliced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

4 fresh sage leaves, chopped

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped parsley

salt and pepper

2 tbs. butter

1/2 lb. corkscrew pasta, cooked al dente

Preparation

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water and set them aside for ten minutes. Heat a large skillet and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Add the onion, garlic and some red pepper flakes. Sauté gently for a few minutes until the onions start to clarify. 

Remove the soaked mushrooms from the hot water and strain the water into a bowl through a coffee filter. Add the mushrooms to the skillet, along with the shiitake mushrooms. Cook down for a few minutes. Add the chopped rosemary and sage along with the strained mushroom water. Let it simmer for a minute.

Add the canned tomatoes, and break them up with a knife and fork. Bring it to a simmer and add the parsley. Taste it and adjust for salt and pepper and let it simmer for ten minutes. Turn off the heat and add the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and evenly disbursed.

Serving

Place a pile of the pasta on a plate and smother it in the sauce. Grate some parmesan cheese over it. To that, add some broccoli sautéed in butter and sprinkled with some shaved parmesan. Now add some pork chops broiled in white wine. You’ll also need a salad and some freshly baked bread and butter. Open a bottle of Valpolicella and you can call it dinner.