Chicken Ragu with Kalamata Olives

After a few recipes that lean towards the sweeter side of things, I figured it's time to turn the tables over to something savory. And anyone who knows me knows that when it comes to savory, pasta is my main squeeze. I've been making a rendition of this Chicken Ragu I found in Food & Wine for my clients lately. They just flip for it, and so do I.

There are a few of things about this dish that I think are fantastic. First, pappardelle is way up there on my list of favorite pastas, second only to Bucatini- which I love so much that I named my cat after it, so yeah, my love affair with noodles is not to be taken lightly- and this rich, hearty sauce stands up perfectly to the thick, wide, glorious ribbons.

Second, the olives. They absolutely make this dish. Every time you get a briny bite of kalamata it's like a little explosion of flavor and you instantly get the feeling that without it the dish would be left lacking something. You definitely don't want to skimp on the olives.

Lastly, this ragu is vaguely reminiscent of something my mom used to make for us when I was younger, a recipe she got from an Italian co-worker made with dark meat chicken, sundried tomatoes, spaghetti and herbs that we affectionately referred to as "Leanne's Spaghetti," which became such a hit that it quickly earned a coveted spot in our dinner rotation. Now I don't expect anyone else to relate to this besides my family and I (and possibly Leanne, wherever she may be), but I think it's that sense of nostalgia- that incredible way that a dish can transport you back to your childhood days- that I really enjoy about this Chicken Ragu...and about food in general. And that's something I think everyone can relate to.

adapted from Food & Wine

serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 red onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, cored and chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. skinless bone-in chicken thighs, fat trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp. sage, chopped
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sherry wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
3/4 lb. pappardelle pasta, cooked to al dente and drained
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Instructions
1. In a food processor, combine the onions, fennel, celery, carrot and garlic and pulse until very finely chopped.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pot (preferably cast iron). Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the pot. Sear on both sides over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a platter.
3. Add the vegetable mixture to the pot and season with salt and pepper; cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are softened and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, rosemary, sage and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the vinegar and cook for a few minutes until reduced by half, then add the sherry and cook for a few more minutes until reduced by half.
4. Add the broth and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pot. Cover partially and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour.
5. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let cool slightly, then shred the meat, discarding the bones, and stir it into the sauce along with the olives.
5. Season the ragù with salt and pepper and toss the pappardelle with the ragu. Serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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Vegan Linguine with Chipotle Pumpkin Cream Sauce + Giveaway!

If you have ever purchased a can of chipotles in adobo for a recipe only to use one or two peppers and leave the remainder sitting in the can in the back of your fridge indefinitely, you're not alone- I'm right there with you. The smoked, dried jalapeño peppers pack such a flavorful punch that you'll rarely ever need an entire can for one dish, so the rest sadly often goes to waste. But this conundrum is now solved with an ingenious product I recently discovered called Olo's Chipotle Paste.

Similar to the tubes of tomato paste you may already be familiar with- because who ever uses a whole can of tomato paste in one fell swoop, really- all natural pureed chipotle is packed in a resealable aluminum tube for a practically everlasting shelf life. And the fine paste consistency conveniently allows you to skip the step of seeding and mincing your chipotles, a worthwhile advantage in my opinion. 

I was eager to play around with my new find, so when I came across this recipe from fellow food blogger Stefanie at Sarcastic Cooking I knew I had to recreate it. Her Fall-inspired chipotle pumpkin linguine is unique and and comforting, and you would never know that it's a vegan dish from the looks of it, or the taste! I adapted it only slightly by adding a touch of agave syrup at the end; I think the hint of sweetness is the perfect thing to balance the smoky spice of the chipotle. 

Definitely give this recipe a try- it would be brilliant as a vegetarian main course with fresh sautéed veggies added to it (think zucchini, tomatoes corn or peppers), or wonderful as a side dish alongside pan seared chicken or a roasted pork tenderloin.

Olo Foods was kind enough to send me a tube of their All Natural Chipotle Paste to give away so that you can make this and many other chipotle recipes of your own at home! To enter this giveaway, complete the following steps:

1. Leave a comment below telling me what you would make with Olo's Chipotle Paste!

2. Follow me on Twitter.

3. Add me on Facebook. 

I'll announce a winner via Facebook on November 1st. Good luck!

adapted from Sarcastic Cooking
serves 2
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp-1tbsp chipotle paste (or canned chipotle in adobo)
3/4 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp agave syrup
4  oz dried linguine pasta
2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
Salt, to taste

Instructions
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add linguine. Cook until pasta is al dente, then drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chipotle paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add pumpkin puree and stir to combine. Gradually whisk in almond milk until well incorporated and bring to a simmer. Cook for a few more minutes until sauce is thickened and remove from heat. Add agave and season with salt.
4. Toss pasta with sauce and top with pumpkin seeds and cilantro.

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Beet & Goat Cheese Ravioli

 It's not very often that I get a hankering to make homemade pasta. Don't get me wrong, I could eat pasta every day of the week and twice on Sunday (I don't, of course...but I could). It is easily my favorite type of food, and nothing compares to pasta that is painstakingly made from scratch. Not even the most expensive, high-quality, imported dried pasta comes remotely close. The texture and flavor of fresh pasta is simply out of this world, but it's such a commitment. Make the dough, roll it out, shape it, cook it...ain't nobody got time for that! It truly is a labor of love. So the shortcut variety almost always wins out, but when I woke up one cloudy morning with a rare clear agenda I thought to myself, today is a perfect day to make some pasta.

But not just any pasta. Ravioli. And not just any ravioli. Beet and Goat Cheese Ravioli! The filling is light, fluffy and tangy; a wonderful contrast to the dense, chewy pasta that envelops it. And I'm crazy about the intense fuchsia hue- who cuts into a ravioli and expects to see that?! I marvel at the fact that a color so bright can be found in nature, so that last thing I wanted to do was to disguise it with a heavy, opaque sauce. To keep it simple I made a quick sauce from a bit of starchy pasta water, fresh chives and butter. Less is more!

serves 2

Ingredients

Fresh pasta dough

1 large beet

1/4 cup goat cheese

2 tbsp grated parmesan, plus more for garnish

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp fresh chives, minced

salt & freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap beet tightly in aluminum foil (drizzle with olive oil first if desired) and roast for approximately 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely and then coarsely chop.

2. Add beet, goat cheese, 2 tbsp parmesan, egg and a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Transfer mixture to refrigerator to chill while rolling out the pasta dough.

3. Roll out two sections of dough into thin sheets using a pasta machine. Test the thickness of the sheets by placing your hand behind it (if you can make out the shadow of your hand behind the pasta it is ready to be filled).

4. Place rounded teaspoons of the chilled filling onto one pasta sheet about 3 inches apart. Cover with the second sheet of pasta, pressing lightly on the filling to remove any air bubbles. Cut ravioli using a round cookie cutter and press around the edges using the tines of a fork to seal.

5. Add raviolis to salted boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes until pasta is cooked. The raviolis will begin to float to the surface when the pasta is done cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to serving plates.
6. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add chives and cook until water begins to evaporate. Gradually add butter 1 cube at a time, allowing each cube to melt before adding the next.
7. Spoon butter sauce over ravioli and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with grated parmesan if desired.

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Italian Braised Pork

Here's a comforting dish that's minimal on prep but really delivers on flavor. Economical pork shoulder (only $4.99/lb...and at Whole Foods no less!) is elevated to fork-tender perfection by braising it in a rich Chianti-tomato sauce accented with hearty portobello mushrooms and fresh oregano. Simply toss the ingredients into a slow-cooker (or a dutch oven) in the morning and let them simmer away all day, filling your home with a wonderfully savory aroma. I paired it with fresh, homemade pappardelle pasta for an authentically Italian dinner, but it would be just as tasty with any number of less time-consuming options, such as store-bought pasta, polenta or even mashed potatoes!

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
3/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 cup Chianti or other dry red wine
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup portobello mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

Instructions
1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, celery and fennel seeds to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes.

2. Add wine and cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add to slow cooker along with tomatoes. Cover and cook on high until pork is very tender, about 4 hours (or 8 hours on low). Add portobello mushrooms to slow cooker during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

3. Transfer pork to a cutting board. Shred meat into bite-size pieces with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Skim fat off sauce and discard. Return shredded pork to slow cooker and stir to combine. Serve over starch of your choice and garnish with fresh oregano, if desired.

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Lamb Ragu with Mint

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my greatest weakness: pasta. I can't get enough of the stuff, but for the sake of my waistline I limit my intake (and thank goodness for gluten free pastas these days!). This lamb ragu with penne is the perfect twist on a classic pasta dish, and a sprinkle of fresh chopped mint adds an unexpected element of brightness. Mangia!

adapted from Giada di Laurentiis

Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup red wine
4 cups marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and the garlic and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the ground lamb, salt, and pepper. Cook until the lamb has browned and the juices have evaporated.
4. Add the wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half.
5. Add the marinara sauce and simmer over low heat until the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the mint and ricotta and stir until combined. Add the pasta and stir to coat.

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