What's your signature recipe?

ChefJeff said:

The one recipe I get the most requests for is my Pasta alla Carbonara.

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Same here! I add white mushrooms to mine of all things. No surprises this was listed twice here - What a great pasta!!!!

Pasta alla Carbonara is a famous dish from Lazio (Rome) and uses a portion of the pig's cheek called Guanciale. I really like the white mushrooms in mine, but the authentic dish doesn't use them. This is by no meas a healthy dish and is in fact a real artery clogger, so you may want to have your cholesterol checked a few days later! Anyway, it tastes so good you're going to cry.

Use farm stand eggs, or just the freshest you can find). You can tell if the egg isn't fresh when you crack it and the yolk doesn't stay whole in the dish and breaks apart. A fresh egg has a bright yolk that stands at attention without breaking down at all. This is very important for this dish or others like Caesar salad...

3 egg yolks
1 entire large egg
100 ml heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper (ONLY fresh ground) - I use a bit more, but start with 1 tsp of each. You can always add more.... You want it to have a good kick from the salt and pepper, but just don't over season with either.
Good EV olive 0il
150 g sliced guanciale or pancetta diced into maybe about 5 mm or so (Pancetta really tastes nice too, but use the cheek if you can find it, cartilage and all)
500 g spaghetti (one box, basically)
500 g White Mushrooms, washed well and thinly sliced
Half cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Cheese. It must say Parmigiano Reggiano (not 'parmesan') on the package or it's not nearly as good. TRUST ME... Grate some more to sprinkle when serving.

Beat the yolks, egg, cream in a large serving dish, season with the 1 tsp each of salt and pepper and put aside.

Heat about 2 Tbsp EV Oil and cook Guanciale or Pancetta, stirring constantly, in a small heavy skillet over medium heat till golden brown. Strain the pork and retain all the oil and cooking fat for later.

Heat 3 Tbsp EV Oil with the retained oil and fat and sauté the mushrooms in a large heavy skillet over medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly, till golden and most of the water is gone. You may need to add a bit more oil to coat all the mushrooms. Don't crowd them, either. Also, make sure you drain any extra water if they turn golden before the water evaporates. You don't want the water added to the eggs!

Cook the pasta al dente in salted (1 tbsp and about 6 litre of water per 500 g of pasta) boiling water in a large pasta pot. Barilla or Di Cecco are good brands and state the correct cooking time al dente. Stir the pasta often to keep it from sticking and to evenly cook. Don't use oil in or rinse the pasta when done.

Al dente means roughly firm to the teeth (bite) and overcooked pasta is a complete waste of time and effort. I'm amazed at how many 'Italian' restaurants over cook pasta... It would be refused this way in Italy!!! Anyway, I'm off of my soap box, but it's very important!

Immediately after cooking al dente and fully draining, using tongs or two big serving spoons, toss the pasta together in the serving dish with all the other ingredients without letting the pasta sit (Eggs, cheese, pork, mushrooms) or the eggs will cook onto the pasta unevenly. You want the eggs to completely (and evenly) coat the pasta without leaving anything behind in the bottom of the serving dish. Taste and season with more salt and fresh ground pepper if desired.

Serve with more freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and enjoy! I like to eat mine with plenty of sparkling water to drink. The 'bite' from the water is very nice with this dish. A good dry white cinque terre or sav blanc wine is nice to counter the dish.

The Knize said:

Signature dish may be pasta alla Amatriciana, at least for a savory dish. I suppose soft shell crabs might be in contention, too.
Fruit tart, perhaps, for a desert.

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One of my preferred dishes too, probably close behind what I just posted and alla puttanesca!

The guanciale makes a difference doesn't it? Good dishes all.

Mine is a dessert. My Bananas Foster is always a crowd pleaser.

Broccoli rabe cooked down with olive oil, garlic, and chili.

Or maybe "la genovese". I put a chuck roast in a pressure cooker with two kilos of onions, celery, carrot, rosemary, bay leaf and white wine. Let it cook for a little over an hour at pressure. Put the onions through a food mill and serve that sauce with pasta and your best parmigiano. Then follow up with the meat as the second course. http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/blbk6.htm

Or maybe the red wine braised short ribs from Bon Appétit on top of garlic mashed potatoes. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/red-wine-braised-short-ribs

No, maybe two roasted chickens together with potatoes, carrots, parsnips, a couple halved heads of garlic, peas, and preserved lemon.

Every year for christmas I make lasagne. I'll post some pictures after Christmas of the one. Here is the recipe:

Sauce:
28oz can crushed tomatoes (san marzano)
15oz can diced tomatoes
8oz can tomato paste
8 large basil leaves, chopped
1/2 bunch italian flat parsley, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
1 small carrot, small diced
2tbsp sugar
2oz grated locatelli or parm cheese
2tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2tsp dry oregano
salt & black pepper to taste(about 1tsp each)

Sautee garlic onions & carrots until soft ~8 minutes, dont burn garlic.
Add all canned tomatoes then fill each can with water to get all the goodness out of them and pour about half can each of water in
bring to boil
add all herbs & spices and simmer ~20 minutes

Lasagne
1lb lasagne noodles
15oz ricotta chz
28oz mozzarella, grated
1 large egg
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1lb ground beef (I like 80/20)
2lb sausage (Ground or whole, then chopped small is fine, whatever flavor you like. I like cheese & parsley if you can find it, or any 'italian' blend)
In small bowl combine ricotta, egg & parsley
In large pot boil 4qts salted water
Boil lasagne about ~6 minutes, until soft but not all the way through.
Broil(or cook in a pan) ground beef & sausage until cooked all the way through, drain grease and set aside to cool.

In a pyrex or foil baking dish pour a layer of sauce on the bottom then layer lasagne noodles across evenly
spread a layer of the ricotta mixture, then meat mixture, and sprinkle some mozz on top of layer. then one ladel of sauce.
continue layering like this until everything is gone.
Reserve about 1/2-1cup of mozz and cover top completely with it & a ladel of sauce.

Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 350-F
Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes
Sprinkle with any reserved parsley or basil right as it comes out of the oven

Serve with grated locatelli or parm

Before it goes into the oven:



After:

I made bouillabaise for the first time about two weeks ago and turned out surprisingly well. simple, too.

The dish I get asked about is actually Alton Brown's enchilada lasagna. I double the garlic, add an extra chipotle or two, and substitute mushrooms for half the chicken. And don't skimp on the quest fresco. So good

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/enchilada-lasagna-recipe/index.html

Lotsa tasty stuff here. Gonna have to try several of these.

mdc said:

Broccoli rabe cooked down with olive oil, garlic, and chili.

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mdc - might you have a specific recipe? I am not ashamed to say that I can usually make a passable dish out of almost anything but Rapini has always been like kryptonite to me. It's either too tough, too bitter, or too mushy. I need help!

Meat Spaghetti Sauce. I got the recipe from John Owen's 'Intermediate Eater' column in the Seattle Times over 20 years ago and have been making it ever since. It's always a hit

The Knize said:

The guanciale makes a difference doesn't it? Good dishes all.

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I couldn't for the life of me figure what you were on about... Affording ingredients??? Spell checker knows best! LOL!

Home made egg rolls here. They are not your standard Chinese egg rolls, most of time I use turkey and a slow recipe. Mix together with soy sauce loads of garlic ginger and cumin and then wrap and fry. I started making these with my neighbor when I was 9 years old. Just made them tonight. If Danike and Addisen both ate them they must be good

In cool weather the recipe I do so much of is coq au vin. In warmer months it's a garlic and citrus roast chicken.

StubbleTrouble said:

I couldn't for the life of me figure what you were on about... Affording ingredients??? Spell checker knows best! LOL!

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Thanks for noticing the correction. Auto spell checker knows best for sure!

My Onionized Chicken Cheese Enchilada recipe
**Note this recipe is New Mexican not Mexican. That means no red chile)**

You will need:
Whatever vessel you normally use to cook a whole chicken in the oven.
1 Whole medium sized chicken (Not frozen) minus gizzards and neck
Sage Garlic Butter For the chicken.
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper (optional)
Mix until well mixed. should be spreadable.

Enchilada
8x12” cake pan
27 corn tortillas
1 jar of 505 Green Chile Sauce
1 jar Hardez Salsa Verde
Whole Large onion chopped
2 Pounds of grated Sharp Cheddar cheese
California Garlic Seasoning (Has Garlic and Parsley in it)

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F
After placing the chicken in the chosen vessel (I use a cast iron pot), mix the sage and garlic butter. Tuck the butter under the chicken skin until skin can no longer hold more. Smear the rest all over the chicken.
Put chicken in oven on middle rack and cook for 90 minutes turning it over half way through.

Once chicken is cooked, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Once Chicken is cooled, used preferred method of separating flesh from bone. (I use my hands {after I wash them surgeon style of course}).. Both the Dahk (dark) and White meat is needed so don’t discriminate. Put chicken in large mixing bowl, with whole jar of 505 Green Chile Sauce, 1 pound of cheddar cheese, whole chopped onion. Mix it thoroughly with either a large spoon or hands.

Get the 8x12” cake pan and lightly brush it with vegetable oil
Arrange 2 rows of 3 corn tortillas (they will overlap. This is okay) on the bottom of the pan. Lightly brush the tortillas with vegetable oil. Spread some of the chicken mixture onto the tortillas until you cannot see the tortillas or the bottom of the pan anymore (about ½ inch thick). Sprinkle with some of the remaining cheese (how much is up to you). Top with 2 rows of three tortillas and repeat proceeding steps. Repeat process until cake pan is almost full (2 or 3 layers). One final 2 by 3 layer of corn tortillas and cover them liberally with cheese. Sprinkle with Hardez salsa Verde by using a normal flatware spoon (How much is up to you {it is a good way to add some tang}).

Put enchilada in the oven and cook for 40-50 minutes at 375 or until cheese is bubbling. You can cook for longer if you prefer your cheese to be slightly browned on top.

Remove from oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. This will help it set and you will not receive new burn scarring in your mouth when you eat it. This makes 6 servings.

http://www.505chile.com/
http://www.herdeztraditions.com/salsas/herdez-salsa-verde/

I have 3 that come to mind right away…. Smoked Mac and Cheese

And what we in the BBQ world call "fatties"



You can put anything in them and smoke them for about 2.5 hrs or so.



and Brisket


This one I made into burnt ends

A bacon laced fatty! Genius!!!!!!!
I often wrap mine in dough and then go on to bake them.

I definitely wasn't the first to think of this, but man do we like them! thanks!

guerreit2 said:

A bacon laced fatty! Genius!!!!!!!
I often wrap mine in dough and then go on to bake them.

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BubblesTGB said:

mdc - might you have a specific recipe? I am not ashamed to say that I can usually make a passable dish out of almost anything but Rapini has always been like kryptonite to me. It's either too tough, too bitter, or too mushy. I need help!

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I'll do my best as I don't follow an exact recipe. To address bitterness, you must cut off a good portion of the stems. For the ones I buy in the SF Bay Area, I cut above the band where the bunch is tied. Try this for 4 small sides:

3 bunches broccoli rabe, trimmed of thick stems
4 cloves garlic, peeled and hand cracked
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chili flake (optional)
2 good pinches kosher salt

Wash the trimmed broccoli and shake off excess water. Don't dry completely. Heat olive oil in a thick-bottomed 8-10 qt pot on meduim heat. Add garlic and chili flake, simmer for 2 minutes careful not to burn garlic. Add broccoli in a huge handful that covers the whole bottom of the pot to prevent splattering. Add a salt and cover for a few minutes. Lift the lid to find the broccoli wilted. Stir to coat all broccoli in oil. Remove any garlic that's too brown. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or so at low heat. The pot should be hot and not require much flame. IMPORTANT: check the broccoli every few minutes to ensure you don't scorch the greens. Scrape any broccoli that stick to the bottom. You are looking for a very soft consistency and all stems should be soft and limp. Serve hot.