Bet You Can't Eat Just One!

This year in the garden we tried to grow delicata squash.  We had one little squash.  During the height of summer, care and concern went into the summer squash and by the time, we realized the winter squash was up, it was consumed by weeds.  So while we were on the road, we bought a couple of lovely delicata squash, returned home, found a leak, ran errands for the sick, and crashed for a couple of days, and then we thought of the delicata squash and knew we needed to cook it soon. 

This morning was one of those rainy, cold, dreary days; a sad precursor to the coming winter.  It was a kind of nesting day and there was much to do.  First we turned on the oven...

This may seem like a simple thing.  Most ovens are set to offer the very general 350 degrees.  We rarely cook ANYTHING at 350 degrees.  We cook hot!  We cook low and slow.  Several years ago at Cookbook Of The Day, we wrote about The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper.  As we said then (and it still holds true) it had the best advice we have seen in a cookbook which we will paraphrase (and you can read the review later): when you walk in the door, turn the oven to 450 degrees.  So while you are contemplating what to cook, an staring into the fridge, by the time you do decide, the oven will be ready!

So we turned the oven to 450... cut the delicata, added a bit of salt and olive oil and into the hot oven it went.  In about 10 minutes the kitchen was filled with a carmely aroma, so we turned the oven off, turned the squash rings, and let them sit.  About 15 minutes, they came out of the oven and there was still no clear plan as to how we might serve them, but they were cooked and then...

Well, the title of this post is from an old potato chip add -- a phrase to make you think about how addictive chips are.  The squash rings were just that addictive.  Every step past the pan, was followed by another ring gone.  Needless say,  it was a delicata brunch!

 And since we live on a farm, we saved the seeds.  Next year we will be more diligent with our winter squash!

Jamie's Beautiful Courgette Carbonara

The other night, or early morning, sometime after midnight, I was searching my TIVO when I ran across Jamie At Home. Jamie Oliver, whom I have loved since he was much younger and naked, had a show on the BBC called Jamie At Home which consisted of 12 shows. In the US, the Food Network has been showing the summer season, over and over and over.

In the show, Jamie runs about his garden (carefully taken care of by a gardener.) Jamie gathers food he (read: his gardener) has grown and then he makes quick and easy dishes in a few minutes right before your eyes. As always happens with TV chefs, the show was the perfect platform for a really large and pricey cookbook entitled, Jamie At Home, which, of course, I own.




The show I re-watched (it was after 2 am and there was not a Law & Order on any channel, which is a really rare experience) was on courgettes. In the US of A we call courgettes “squash” of any of the zucchini, crook neck, summer yellow, pattypan variety. On the "squash" show he made a carbonara and it looked so good, I decided to make it.

Here’s what Jamie did….

Boil a package of pasta of the penne variety.

Cut up some bacon, then cut up 2 or 3 squash in slices or small sections the size of the penne.

Throw the bacon in the skillet and cook till dark and crispy.

While it’s getting crispy, mix a couple of egg yolks, a cup of cream or half–and-half and some Parmesan and set aside.

When the bacon is crispy, add the squash and fry it until it a bit soft, and by the time the squash is soft the pasta should be done.

Save a bit of the cooking water, then add the pasta to the skillet and remove from heat to cool down just a bit.

Mix in the egg mixture quickly, add some of the cooking water and serve immediately.

Jamie’s recipe takes longer to read than to actually make the carbonara. (Not quite as long but still…)

Here is the official recipe.

Beautiful Courgette Carbonara

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium green and yellow courgettes
500g penne
4 large free-range or organic egg yolks
100ml double cream
2 good handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil
12 thick slices of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon cut into chunky lardoons
a small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped, flowers reserved (if you can get a hold of flowering thyme)
optional: few courgette flowers


Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Halve and then quarter any larger courgettes lengthways. Cut out and discard any fluffy middle bits, and slice the courgettes at an angle into pieces roughly the same size and shape as the penne. Smaller courgettes can simply be sliced finely. Your water will now be boiling, so add the penne to the pan and cook according to the packet instructions.

To make your creamy carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season lightly and put to one side.

Heat a very large frying pan (a 35 cm one is a good start – every house should have one!), add a good splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta or bacon until dark brown and crisp. Add the courgette slices and 2 big pinches of black pepper, not just to season but to give it a bit of a kick. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, give everything a stir, so the courgettes become coated whit all the lovely bacon-flavored oil, and fry until they start to turn lightly golden and have softened slightly.

It is very important to get this next bit right or your carbonara could end up ruined. You need to work quickly. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the courgettes, bacon and lovely flavors, then remove from heat and add a ladleful of the reserves cooking water and your creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. (No more cooking now, otherwise you’ll scramble the eggs.)
Get everyone around the table, ready to eat straight away. While you’re tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan and a little more of the cooking water if needed, to give you a silky and shiny sauce. Taste quickly for seasoning. If you’ve managed to get any courgette flowers tear them over the top, then serve and eat immediately, as the sauce can become thick and stogy if left too long.

Jamie At Home, the cookbook, features another of my favorite recipes, Venison Stroganoff , that we featured on the Cookbook of the Day blog.

Italian Stuffed Squash

We have been growing a lot of small round hybrid squash. They are variations on the French round squash, the ronde de nice. There is a hybrid often called an eight-ball and now there are several varieties ranging from yellow to a dark green.


They are the perfect squash for a leftover/planned over meal. They are beyond easy to core and stuff with the dregs of the refrigerator, turning little bits and pieces into a gorgeous meal. All you have to do is cut off the top of the squash, remove the seeds, stuff the squash with a filling, and bake. You can use the same technique with an oblong squash or zucchini. Simply slice in half, scoop out the seeds and stuff.



The best mixture for the filling includes following combination. If you are a vegetarian, leave out the meat and add an extra vegetable. There are some crossovers, onions can be aromatics or vegetables. Cheese works as a protein or a binder. It is basically a little casserole stuffed into an edible bowl. One from each group works fine.

Aromatics

Any aromatics to flavor the filling such as onions, garlic, shallots, olives, anchovies, lemon, rosemary, thyme, sage, cilantro or any other spices you have handy.

Vegetables

What ever veggie you might have tucked in the crisper, including onions, mushrooms, squash, tomato, potatoes, carrots, celery, broccoli and on and on

Protein

This is a great way to use a leftover chicken breast, roast beef, ham or shrimp. Ground meats like hamburger, sausage, lamb are quick additions. Even tofu or cheese.

Starch

Leftover rice, potatoes, tabbouleh, quinoa, bread, or cornbread.

Binder

You don’t want the stuffing to be dry, so you need a little something to bind the stuffing. Tomato paste, pesto, broth, milk, an egg, cheese, leftover gravy or sauce.


Each squash, when hollowed out, will hold about 1/2 cup of filling. So if you are cooking 4 squash, you need 2 cups of stuffing. If you have a lot of extra stuffing, you can always cook it in the bottom of the pan, thought the squash ball won’t look quite as “Food & Wine."



After the weekend, I had a bit of extra hamburger, part of an onion, some olives and some little balls of mozzarella. I made a little orzo, added some hot red pepper and some tomato paste. I picked some lovely squash ball and made an Italian Stuffed Squash.





Italian Stuffed Squash

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
6 olives, chopped
1 cup hamburger, fried and drained
3/4 cup cooked orzo
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup mozzarella

Cut the top off the squash and scoop out the seeds.

Salt and pepper the inside of the squash and add 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.

Sauté onions until translucent and set aside.

Fry the hamburger in a skillet about 5 minutes, drain fat.

Add the onions, olives, red pepper, cooked orzo, tomato paste and mozzarella to the hamburger and mix.

Spoon the hamburger mixture into the squash and replace the top.

Set the filled squash into a baking pan, add a 1/4 cup water into the bottom of the pan.

Bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes.




Here’s another favorite. I always have leftover chicken. If I have leftover chicken, there is usually leftover rice. Add some onions, cheese, some chopped celery, maybe a few peas and you are good to go.



Chicken and Rice Stuffed Squash

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 sprig thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped onions
1 stalk chopped celery
3 mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chopped chicken
3/4 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup cheddar cheese


Cut the top off the squash and scoop out the seeds.

Salt and pepper the inside of the squash and add 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.

Sauté the onions, celery, thyme, and mushrooms in 1 teaspoon olive oil about 5 minutes.

Add the chopped chicken, leftover rice, broth and cheese to the sautéed vegetables.

Mix well.

Stuff into the prepared squash.

Set the filled squash into a baking pan, add a 1/4 cup water into the bottom of the pan.

Bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes.