Pappardelle with Carbonara, Spring Peas & Mint

This dish quickly became a fan favorite for hubs.  He's a big carbonara fan and this recipe has a nice little twist on the original dish by adding an incredible freshness with the mint.  Makes for a fantastic spring dish.  Or (as I did), bring a little spring flavor to your table this February as the streets pile higher with ugly brown, dirty snow, the vicious winds blow the tarps away that are covering your patio furniture, and Jack Frost taps at your window just waiting to give you frost bite. (Does anyone else hate winter as much as I do? I'm thinking no).

Nevertheless this baby's a keeper.

You will need (serves 4):
500g of Pappardelle (I prefer egg pasta)
1 1/2 cups of fresh peas
1 egg
200 ml cream
12 - 15 slices of thick smokey bacon (chopped)
3 sprigs of fresh mint (roughly chopped, leaves only, plus more for garnish)
2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt & fresh ground pepper

To begin, in a mid size bowl whisk the egg and cream with a dash of salt and pepper.  In a large pan, cook your bacon until slightly crisp and golden.  At the same time, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pappardelle.

When the pasta is almost cooked, reserve a little bit of the cooking water and then add the peas to the pan with the bacon for 1 minute and then turn off the heat.  Add your pasta and stir in your mint.   Next, quickly mix in the egg and cream mixture *(note: you need to do this while the pasta is still hot so the residual heat from the pasta will slightly cook the egg but not to the point that they turn into scrambled eggs.)  You should have a nice smooth sauce.  If you need to, add a couple tablespoons of the reserved cooking water.  Add your parmesan cheese and some more freshly ground pepper.  Garnish with some mint and some more cheese, serve & enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

Garliky, Peppery, Oniony, Chili...y, Rapini Linguine!

Big shout out to Daddy-O for introducing this baby to me.  There is just something about the fabulous mixture of the bitterness from the rapini, with the sweetness of the peppers, with the saltiness from the cheese and a little heat from the chili's that make this pasta an absolute flavor explosion in your lucky lucky mouth.  A little tip for my bloggy lovers - if you have never had reheated leftover pasta before - this is the recipe to try it out with.  And no I don't mean pushing start on the microwave reheating, I mean sizzling up your leftovers in a pan with some olive oil on high heat so it gets that niccceeee crisp.  The flavours are more pronounced, the pasta has an amazing texture and i'm not even kidding, sometimes it's even better than eating it fresh!  However, in order to "reheat" leftovers, you've gotta make the dish first so let's take it one step at a time shall we.

Ladies and Gents.... I'd like to present you with this special gift of a recipe... Pasta a la Natola

You will need: (Serves 4)
500g good quality linguine pasta
2 bunches of Rapini (Broccoli Rabe)
2 Red Bell Peppers (sliced thinly, lengthwise)
1 Large Spanish Onion (roughly chopped)
1 Head of Garlic (chopped)
2-3 tsp dried chili peppers
A generous handful of grated Parmesan cheese - plus more for serving
EVOO
Sea Salt
Fresh ground pepper

To start, fill up a steamer pot with 2 inches of water, place your rapini in the steamer insert, bring to a boil, cover and steam!

While your rapini is steaming, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil for your pasta.   At the same time, in a large deep bottom pan, add 3 tbsp of EVOO and saute your onions and garlic on medium high heat until slightly soft (about 3 minutes), add your peppers and chili peppers and some salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat until the onions and peppers are soft.

When the rapini has steamed and is cool enough to handle, roughly chop it and then add it to your pepper mixture.  Add some more EVOO if needed.  When your pasta is cooked al dente, all it to the pan, add your handful of parmesan cheese and toss thoroughly.  Serve with some extra parm on top and voila!

Serve and Enjoy :)


Chef Tip:
For day-after reheating,  simply add a couple tablespoons of EVOO into a hot pan,  add your pasta and let it sit (untouched) for a few minutes before stirring (this way you get a nice light brown crust on the noodles).

xo Chef Natty

the "Counter" ?.... how about the "Craphole", the "Can't cook food" or the "Closing because we suck" - much better.

The Counter..... ohhhh The Counter.... where do I begin.  I'm sorry Mr. Thompson Hotel but I am gunna have to go ahead and add your "diner" to my hate list.  Yes, they are few and far between, but the garbage can meal that was served to hubs and I today makes the cut to my " you are so shitty, i hate you, make better food or close" pile.

Now,  before I begin I would like to completely exclude our wonderful waitress from this blog bash as she was wonderful.  Very attentive and understanding to how horrid the kitchen was functioning and she deserves nothing but sunshine and rainbows.

As for the rest of "The Counter". you suck. alot.  Mr. Head Chef.  you cannot cook.    As we enter we were sat right by the drafty door - which ok fine - I understand someones gotta sit there - but that just started it on a bad note right off the bat.  After we placed our order (which I was quite excited about because the vast menu does offer alot of choices that you think would be delish), it took about 1 hour for our food to come out.  We watched table after table get their food before us - even tables that had been seated over 30 minutes after us.  We could actually hear our sunshine rainbow waitress in the kitchen yelling for our food.  My guess?  A past nemesis was working the kitchen and did not want us to eat. ever. 

Once our food did arrive - our waitress took one look at the onion rings she had suggested to us - and immediately asked the kitchen to bring us out a new order because they looked so horrid in comparison to the pile high crispy rings covering every table around us.  We were going to send them back anyway - but they were SO bad she beat us to it.  About 25 minutes later our onion rings arrived.  So prompt.  Hubs had already finished his meal by then (worst Reuben of life), and I had completed picking at the supposed "best thing on the menu" - the truffle mac and cheese which was so bland it made La Castile's vegetables look OVERspiced.  Seriously people its mac and cheese - a newborn orangutan with no arms could have done a better job.

The funny thing is, as the food is coming out - it looks like it is going to be a fantastic meal.  Big diner style plates full of deceiving goodness.  However, once you take a bite you can't help but wonder if the kitchen is trying to play some kind of sick joke on you.  It's got to be a look-a-like placebo meal right?  My waitress is behind THAT wall RIGHT now with my REAL mac and cheese right? The one that doesn't taste like curly drywall shavings soaked in skim milk?  But alas you will find the joke is on you.  They have stolen wasted calories from you that you will never get back.  What a waste of a suppose to be delish Sunday fat brunch with hubs.  I will be cursing you tomorrow "The Counter" when I am reluctantly on the tredmill.  a-holes.

xo

Chef (my mac and cheese rocks) Natty

Seared Sirloin Steaks with Marsala Mushrooms

Foodie friends?  Are you there?  Have your been anxiously waiting for my long overdue return to bloggage? (just say yes).  After a long, eventful and most importantly, delicious holiday season followed by a glorious vacay to aruba I am now back with bells on to start sharing all the yummy treats 2011 will bring.  It's simply way too cold and snowy to go outside these days - so blogging it is.

To kick off 2011 lets start with a lil MEAT.  yes please.  I took my tushie all the way to McEwan's grocery store to get a couple really nice sirloin steaks for this recipe and though its more than just a hop, skip and a jump away from L Village, it was well worth the trip.

Usually I reserve the marsala sauce making for veal - since its a natural pairing and its probably what most people are used to seeing on a dinner menu, but I decided to mix it up and pair this amazing, sweet mushroom sauce with my steaks and it was simply fantastic.  Throw in a side of maple glazed roasted winter vegetables and you've got yourself a great time.

For this recipe you will need: (serves 2)
2 8-9oz sirloin steaks (do not cut off the fat)
4 heaping handfuls of button mushrooms (lighted washed and halved)
3 shallots (minced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 cup sweet marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 fresh rosemary sprig (leaves only)
EVOO
2 tbsp butter


Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add your sirloins and cook for about 4 minutes each side for a nice medium rare.  Transfer your meat to a plate and let rest.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Add your shallots and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add a touch more oil if you need it and then add in your mushrooms.  Saute the mushrooms until they are tender and the juices evaporate (be sure not to crowd your mushrooms or they will not brown!) This should take about 4 - 5 minutes.  Season them with salt and pepper and then add your marsala and reduce it by 1/2 - about 4 minutes.  Add the broth and the rosemary leaves and simmer until reduced by half.  Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the sauce and season with salt and pepper.  Pour over your steaks and enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

Santa's next stop? The Village Cheesemonger of course!

It's beginning to look alot like.... Christmas Partiessss.  And what goes hand in hand with a great party?  A great hostess gift obvi.  Only this year, why not swap the bottle of Merlot for your lovely party host with a specialty olive oil or vintage balsamic vinegar?  Thinking of putting together a gift basket?  The Cheesemonger has hand crafted wooden, inscribed boxes ready to fill up with anything your heart desires.  Fill it up with all cheese - mix in some crackers, chocolates & chutneys - or leave some room to add in a bottle of wine!

These cheese boards have been a fan favorite this year for gift giving - especially around the holidays.  They are all re-salvaged wood from Toronto.  tres sexy.

Note the assorted chocolate fondue sets...

I must have had about a million hot chocolates in my life thus far - being that it was mine and my sister's drink of choice for many many years.  So needless to say, when this little creation graced the cheesemonger I was quite excited.  What's so special you might ask?  These little delights are wooden spoons with three different chocolates attached - warm up your milk - stir in one of these babies - cuddle up infront of a fire.... genius.  perfect stocking stuffers.

Brie bakers, goat cheese bakers and these special little handmade artisinal bakers with a yummy cheese accoutrement all tied up in a bow.  

 

 

 

Scarpetta's Spaghetti

NYC's amazing restaurant 'Scarpetta' has recently planted itself a Toronto location in our very own Thompson Hotel.  With an absolutely delish looking menu I was quite excited to find the recipe for their famous spaghetti in The Star.  So alas, another non chef natty original makes it to my blog.  But considering my desire to keep this blog as original as possible, that must mean that this Spaghetti recipe is SUPER special (as was Mario Batali's Bolognese).  Otherwise I would spare myself the ego hit.  Nevertheless I consider it my job to provide my little foodie lovers with the best recipes - so I will wipe the bratty pout off my face one more time and share this little gem with you .... but i am not happy about it...

You will need: (serves 4)
500g Spaghetti or Bucatini (I used Bucatini)** cook 7/8 of the way to al dente and then set aside, reserving some of the starchy pasta water for later**
20 fresh and ripe Roma Tomatoes (peeled and seeded) **refer to previous blog on instructions how to peel a tomato)** 
10 fresh basil leaves (for oil infusion)
6 fresh basil leaves (rolled and cut length-wise
1 tsp chili flakes
1/2 cup EVOO
7-8 cloves of garlic (slightly crushed)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Kosher salt

In a large pot at medium-high heat, add your tomatoes and a few tablespoons of EVOO.  A few minutes later, use a potato masher to mash up all of your tomatoes and bring down to a simmer.  Let the sauce cook for about 30-40 minutes adding salt to taste.  At the same time in a separate small saucepan, all your EVOO, chili flakes, garlic and basil and let it sit at medium-low heat.  This process infuses the olive oil with these fantastic flavours.  Let this heat for about 30 minutes - it will almost come to a boil.

When your sauce is about ready - add the infused oil into the sauce (straining out the ingredients and only adding the oil itself).  Finally, when ready to serve (this step is best done one portion at a time if possible), add a couple ladles of your tomato sauce into a pan at medium-high heat and add your pasta, 1/2 tbsp butter per serving and your basil as well as a touch of the pasta cooking water.  Cook until pasta has reached al dente.

Plate, Serve & Enjoy!

xoxo Chef Natty (except not)

The Village Cheesemonger - not just cheese.

Salamis, Charcuterie, Proscuittos oh my!


With a meat selection increasing every week - here is a little sampler of what you can put together with products from The Village Cheesmonger in Liberty Village, Toronto.  A-maz-ing.

the best spinach papardelle bolognese you will ever have. ever.

Now, though I do like to keep this blog consistent with my own personal recipe creations - I will not take credit for a dish that is not mine.  Therefore for this recipe blog, I have to give full credit to one of the best Italian Chef's in the world - Mr. Mario Batali.  I have tried some really good bolognese sauces but this one is by FAR the best one.  I'm not kidding, it is a life changing bolognese.  Makes all the rest seem like a second rate knock off of chef boyardee.  it is THAT GOOODDDD!  I was inspired to try this recipe after skimming through the Babbo website (a fabulous NYC restaurant a la Batali) and now, I don't think I will ever be able to go back to another bolognese recipe - try it and you will see.  you will allll seeeee. Layers and layers of flavour

You will need:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 onion (chopped fine)
3 carrots (chopped fine)
4 celery stalks - the mirepoix (chopped fine)
4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
3/4 lb ground pork
3/4 lb ground beef
3/4 lb ground veal
Salt and Pepper
2 cups tomato paste
2 cups milk
1 1/3 cup dry white wine
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

 **Note - keep the lid off the pot for all beginning steps until instructed otherwise)

Start with a heavy deep bottom pot (I use my Le Cruset crock pot (a kitchen must-have that I simply could not live without).  Add your olive oil and butter and let it heat up on medium high heat.  Once your butter has completely melted - add your onion, celery, carrots and garlic.  Let cook for 25-30 minutes (do not let them brown).  Next, add your meat and season it with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Cook on a slightly lower hear (medium) stirring a few times for 45 minutes, this will render the fat out of the meat and allow the meat to brown in a very special way creating an amazing layer of flavor. You should start to hear a crackling noise towards the end.  Using a flat bottom wooden spoon, scrape up the bits that have stuck to the bottom - again - creating another layer of flavor.   Now, add your tomato paste and stir.  This will caramelize the sweetness of the tomato flavor.  Let this simmer for 30 minutes.  Add your milk (this will act as a deglaze and pick up more flavor from the pot), let this reduce for 4-5 minutes only.  Add your wine which provides a nice amount of sugar and acidity to the dish - really lower the heat at this point and put the lid on the pot.  Let cook for 1 hour.  Taste for seasoning.

The best way to pair this sauce is with a nice spinach papardelle pasta.  I made some homemade for this dish and it was the perfect pairing.  For a homemade pasta spinach papardelle you will need:

1 tbsp sea salt
1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
5 large eggs


To prepare the spinach, bring some salted water to a boil and set up an ice bath next to the stove.
Blanch the spinach leaves in the boiling water for 45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately place into the ice bath to cool.  Once cool, use a strainer to squeeze out the excess water. Then place onto a kitchen towel and twist to remove as much moisture as possible.

To make the dough, chop the spinach verrrry finely and then combine it with the eggs in a bowl.  Mix well until smooth. Mound the flour on the countertop and make a well in the center. Add the spinach mixture. Begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. As you expand the well, keep pushing the outside edge of the flour to retain the well shape (don’t worry if it looks messy).
When half of the flour has been incorporated, the dough should begin to come together. Start to gently knead the dough with your hands to incorporate the flour. As soon as the dough comes together in a cohesive mass, set it aside. Don't worry, as you may have more than 1 cup of flour that has not been incorporated. Scrape up any dried bits of dough and leftover flour and discard.

Then lightly flour the countertop and continue kneading the dough for about 10 minutes. Dust with a bit of flour, each time the dough sticks to your hands or the counter. Scrape the counter from time to time, just to make sure any dried bits aren’t being incorporated into the dough.

After kneading for about 10 minutes, the dough should be smooth and soft and just a touch tacky, but it should no longer be sticking to your hands or the countertop. Once ready, wrap it in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.  This dough can now passed through a pasta maker to create nice green sheets.  Once you have the sheets, lightly flour and roll the sheet up into a long tube.  Using a knife, cut the pasta horizontally into papardelle noodles about 1 inch thick.

Cook for only 3-4 minutes in salted boiling water.

Combine the fresh pasta with the bolognese sauce and a touch of the starchy pasta water. Add some Parmesan cheese - serve & enjoy!

BLD...nap......BLD.....nap.....

Here's a question.  If you found a restaurant that offered breakfast, lunch, dinner and an abundance of delish alcoholic beveys all under one roof - would it be totally inappropriate to bring a sleeping bag and camp out overnight so you can roll last nights dinner... into the next morning's breaky without the hassle of even going home? I'm thinking this is a fantastic idea - and one I am contemplating doing at Toronto's BLD restaurant.  Why bother going home when you've got one of Toronto's best chefs ready and willing to feed you buttermilk buckwheat pancakes and fresh squeezed orange juice for my morning pick-me-up - maybe a lil foie gras poutine for lunch? yes, please.  Then just finish the day off with short ribs... or maybe the miso black cod... or how about anything on the menu as long as I have a bucket of that blue cheese gnocchi on the side.  Executive Chef, Taylor Quinn takes chances with his dishes and from what i've seen - succeeds every time.  Hubs refers to himself as having a "delicate palate" and his ever so precious taste buds were dancing all night.  

The decor is very chic - top of the line everyyything with a really modern black and white color palate and a touch of pink.  Contemporary feel but still cozy and comfortable.  right up my alley. sexy bar chairs.  I almost stole one.

BLD has been open for breakfast/lunch & dinner (obvi - hence the name) for just over two months now and even has an express counter with fresh daily features.  For more info. visit their website www.bldrestaurant.com

Oh and if anyone is looking for me - I'll be napping in the fetal position with a pillow under a booth waiting for Taylor to feed me my next meal.

xo Chef Natty

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas!

 

Saturday night's dilemma?  Option A: dressing up like a hooker on Halloween and getting elbows smashed into my face squishing through a crowded bar... Option B:  Get drunk at home with my fabulous hubby and have a Mexican fiesta theme night avec a lovely line up of horror flicks.  Option B won the race.

In light of this decision I decided to go all out and make a full out authentic Mexican feast.  Menu consisted of chips with tomatillo salsa to snack on pre-game.  Cervesas. Cornbread. Refried Beans. Mexican rice & of course - the star of the show - Chicken Enchiladasssss! The recipes for everything else are soon to come - but for now - let's master the main event first.

You will need: (makes 8 enchiladas)

2 roasted chickens (fully cooked)
EVOO
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Mexican spice blend
2 small red onions (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 cup canned corn
5 whole green chilies - canned (chopped and seeded)
4 chipotle chilies - canned (minced and seeded)
1 28 oz can stewed tomatoes
8 flour or corn tortillas
4 cups enchilada sauce
3 cups shredded montery jack, manchego and mozzarella cheese
Garnish: cilantro, sour cream & scallions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Using your hands, shred your chicken.  In a large pan, coat it with oil and add your shredded chicken along with your cumin, garlic powder and the Mexican spice blend.  Saute for 2-3 minutes and then remove chicken and set aside.  In the same pan, saute your red onions and garlic until tender.  Add your corn, chilies (both) and stir well.  Add the stewed tomatoes and saute for another minute.  Add the chicken back into the pan and let simmer for 30 minutes.  Taste for salt.

Microwave the tortillas for 30 seconds (this helps make them more pliable).  Coat the bottom of two baking pans (or one large one) with a ladle of enchilada sauce.  In a separate bowl add the rest of your enchilada sauce.  Coat a tortilla with some enchilada sauce and then spoon 1/2 cup of your chicken mixture into it, folding, and then placing it in the pan - seam side down.  Repeat this process for the rest of the tortillas and use the extra enchilada sauce to drizzle over the top of when you are finished assembling them.  Top them with some shredded cheese and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese melts.  Garnish & Serve!

Stay tuned for the rest of the fabulous sides to this amazing Mexican fiesta feast!

xo Chef Natty