Broccoli and Pasta

For as long as I can remember, my mom has been making a dish that she affectionately refers to as 'Broccoli and Pasta.' Now, that name is a little deceiving - this isn't quite a vegetarian meal - but it does mirror the simplicity of the recipe.

I've never asked her for the instructions, but when I noticed that I had all the necessary ingredients on hand in my kitchen I thought I'd give it a shot. The result was something quite tasty that reminded me of home.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil

3 Cloves of Garlic

1 Head of Broccoli

3-5 Slices of Salami

Rotini Pasta (or whatever variety you have on hand)

Steps/Analysis:

First thing's first, you want to get your pasta boiling. I don't have exact measurements for this portion of the recipe, but I used a smallish pot, nearly filling it with 3-4 big handfuls of pasta. Don't worry about making too much, though, this dish stores and reheats beautifully.

So, get your water boiling and throw your pasta in, salting the water for taste. It'll probably be 15-20 minutes until it's tender, but the only way you'll be able to tell for sure if the pasta's done is to (carefully) taste it.

In the meantime, we've got some chopping to do. Peel and dice the garlic as small as you're able to. Cut the broccoli into bite size pieces. And don't throw out the stalk! If you cut or peel away the woody outside, you'll find that the inside is as tender as the leaves.

Now, regarding the meat; the beauty of this meal is that you can use just about any meat that you have on hand. Ideally, my mom used Italian prosciutto, but it wasn't unheard of for her to use bacon, ham, or even Taylor Pork Roll, in a pinch. As it happened, I had some salami in the fridge this night. Whatever porky meat you have, give it a rough chop.

If you've timed this well, the pasta should be just about done at this point. Drain it, return the pot to the stove top, and lower the heat to the Medium range.

Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot and a little more. Toss in the garlic, broccoli, and salami and cover with the lid. Let everything saute and marry together for about five minutes or so, stirring from time to time. When the broccoli turns a bright, vibrant green you're done.

Next, add the pasta back to the pot and stir to coat with the garlicky oil and incorporate everything. That's all she wrote!

Serving/Notes:

This is pretty satisfying as a one pot meal. You'll want to salt and pepper to taste. A good piece of bread on the side to sop the plate afterwards would be welcome, too.

If refrigerated, this will last for at least a week. Just microwave any leftovers for a couple minutes and enjoy again!

Chicken Marsala: Classy and Easier to Make than You Might Think

Chicken Marsala is the kind of dish I'm used to seeing only on menus of reputable Italian restaurants. As a result, it lodged itself in my brain as one of those dishes I could never hope to make myself. When I discovered how easy the basic recipe is, I thought that someone must be putting me on. Truth be told, the hardest part of this meal was finding Marsala wine in my local liquor store; my eyes are trained to locate drinking wine, not cooking wine.

Ingredients:

Thin-cut Chicken Breasts (as many as you need for the group you're feeding)

1/2 Medium-sized Onion

1/2 Cup Sliced Mushrooms

1/3 Cup Dry Marsala Wine

Steps/Analysis:

Start by putting a large pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Quick aside: I thought it might be a good idea to season the oil with basil and thyme. I experienced a lot of spitting oil throughout the cooking process, but it was difficult for me to determine if that was because of the amount of oil, the herbs, or an improper heat. In any case, it was a nuisance to deal with, but not overly painful or dangerous. I invite comments to let me know where I went wrong.

Cook your chicken breasts for approximately 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. I always cut them open as I go along to make sure there's no pink in the middle. Remove breasts to a dish and cover to keep warm.

Thinly slice your onion and sautee with the mushrooms in the same pan for just a couple minutes. Don't let them get mushy.

Carefully add your Marsala wine and stir up all the goodness stuck to the bottom of your pan. Salt liberally. Heat for a few minutes before putting your chicken back in the pan. Stir to coat the breasts.

That's it! No lie! I went for the most basic of sides to accompany the chicken: baked potatoes and frozen green beans, both cooked in the microwave.

Notes:

This recipe is good, but a little bland and lifeless as is. In the future, I might bread the chicken first for a little more flavor/texture. Also, it might not be a bad idea to thicken up the sauce a little bit or maybe add some chicken stock to it.

I know I've forced a lot of chicken on you lately (mostly because it's a pretty safe place for a beginning chef to start), but don't worry; my next post will bring something new to the table!