Archives for posts with tag: pancetta

One year and 30 meal plans later (including this one) Everyday Banquet is celebrating its first anniversary! I had no idea when I started this blog whether there would be any readers, let alone whether the idea of presenting recipes in the form of a weekly meal plan would strike a chord. It has been fun to read your comments and follow your interest on Facebook. By far the most gratifying comments have come from those of you who don’t cook a lot or didn’t think you liked to cook but have been trying new meals and liking them. That was always the goal – to get more people into the kitchen, cooking relatively simple and quick meals seasonally. So, on what I hope is the first of many anniversaries, I thank you, my readers for sticking with me and supporting me through the year!

Bon Appetit!
Elizas 1st bday cake_web

Meal #1:Beer-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Red Cabbage
Meal #2: Penne in a Cream Sauce with Pancetta, Roasted Red Peppers and Peas
Meal #3: Sausages with Lentils and Green Salad
Meal #4: Roasted Wild Striped Bass with Lemon, Olives, and Rosemary + Roasted Fennel with Artichoke Hearts

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items: 

fennel – 1
rosemary bunch – 1
bay leaves – 2
lemon – 2
red cabbage – 1 medium
red peppers – 2
apple – 1
onion – 1
carrot – 1
greens for a salad
artichoke hearts – 1 can in water
frozen peas
heavy cream – 1 small container
Kalamata olives – 1/2 cup
penne – 1 box
red lentils – 1 bag
dried thyme (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan (if you don’t already have it)
ground chili pepper (if you don’t already have it)
reduced-sodium soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
pancetta – 4-6 ounces
sausage – 1 lb.
pork tenderloin – 2 (1 1/2-1 3/4 pounds total)
wild stripped bass – 1 6-8 ounce filet per person
lager – 1/4 cup

 

Penne with a Pancetta, Roasted Red Peppers, Pea and Cream Sauce
Penne w Pancetta, Peas, Peppers in Cream Sauce

So, it may be January, when we all try to eat a little bit healthier, but Patrick and I had to squeeze one more rich dinner in before lightening it up. This dish, inspired by a recipe from Marcella Hazen’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, is so delicious and takes just 10-15 minutes to prepare (minus the time for roasting the peppers). You could use bacon instead of pancetta and if you want to skip the roasted red peppers, or just buy a bottle of already roasted peppers, that’s fine too.

2 roasted red peppers, diced into small pieces (directions below)
3 TB. butter
4-6 oz. pancetta, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 heavy cream
salt
pepper
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan
12-16 ounces penne

Boil salted water and cook pasta according to directions on the box.

Put the butter and pancetta into a saute pan and turn the heat to medium. Cook for a minute or less, stirring frequently.

Add the thawed peas, and cook for another minutes, stirring to coast them well.

Add the little squares of red peppers, stirring for a half a minute or so.
Peas, Peppers and Pancetta

Add the cream, salt and several grindings of pepper, and turn up the heat to high. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens.

Toss the sauce with cooked, drained pasta, swirling in the grated Parmesan. Serve immediately, with additional grated cheese.

Roasted Red Peppers

Place whole peppers into the broiler for 15-20 minutes. Turn occasionally so that each side is blackened.

Place roasted peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, or place them in a paper bag and tightly close the bag. Let the peppers cool and then remove skin, seeds and inner ribs and dry peppers with a towel.

Tomorrow we celebrate the longest day of the year. With days full of sand and sun and evenings full of fireflies and fireworks. My favorite time of the year… This morning Eliza and I enjoyed the gorgeous weather at Brooklyn Bridge Park. We rode Jane’s Carousel twice, walked along the water, played on a giant jungle gym shaped like a pirate ship and took our sandals off and ran through the grass. It was lovely.

Although we are just hours away from the official start of summer we still have a few more weeks to wait for tomatoes, corn on the cob and fresh green beans. Until then, we can still relish in spring’s bounty of asparagus, spring onions and peas. Hope you enjoy this week’s meals. And, I hope that all of you are enjoying the beginning of summer wherever you are.

Laying in the grass

Selfie in the grass

Meal #1: Fettuccine with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta
Meal #2: Roasted Salmon with White Wine Sauce and Sautéed Summer Squash and Spring Onions
Meal #3: Steak with Parmesan Butter, Balsamic Glaze, and Arugula
Meal #4: Roasted Wild Stripped Bass with Lemon, Olives and Rosemary and Roasted Fennel and Artichoke Hearts

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

zucchini – 2
summer squash – 2
spring onions – 1 bunch (or 1 red onion)
arugula – 2 large bunches or 1 large bag
asparagus – 1 bunch
peas – 2 cups
scallions – 1 bunch
fennel – 2 bulbs
chives – 1 bunch
rosemary – 1 bunch
parsley – 1 bunch
basil – 1 bunch
shallots – 2
lemon – 3
artichoke hearts – 2 cans
fettuccine – 1 box
heavy whipping cream – 1 small container
flour (if you don’t already have it)
brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
balsamic vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
ground chili pepper, preferably Turkish or Aleppo (if you don’t already have it)
pitted calamata or other good-quality black olives – 1/4 cup (if you don’t already have it)
white wine
pancetta – 3 ounces
rib eye steak – 2, 1 1/2 inches thick each
salmon fillet, skinless – 1 1/2 pounds
wild stripped bass fillet, skinless – 1 1/2 pounds

Fettuccine with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta

IMG_1399 web

Oh boy, is this good! The pancetta and cream give this dish a bit of decadence while letting two of spring’s best vegetables shine. I used linguine because that is what I had and it was fine.

This week kicked off with two celebrations – Eliza’s 2nd birthday and St. Patrick’s Day. For Eliza’s birthday we hosted a small family party and kept it simple by ordering pizza, but we did have a homemade birthday cake. Last year, I made the same chocolate cake with vanilla icing and decorated it in a festive confetti style.
Elizas 1st bday cake_web
But, this year, since Eliza’s interests are much clearer, I indulged her love of Elmo and all things Sesame Street with this cake. I was pretty proud of my work!
Elizas 2nd bday cake_Web

Since St Patrick’s Day was the next day, and fell on a Monday, I didn’t have it in me to make a stew or shepherd’s pie (I am not a corned beef and cabbage girl). So instead, I opted for something a little easier, but still in line with the holiday – Martha’s recipe for salmon, red cabbage and potatoes. I figured it had cabbage and potatoes, and the Irish love salmon so it worked. Plus, Patrick and I each had a Guinness with dinner – and there is nothing more Irish than that!

Meal #1: Salmon, Red Cabbage and Potatoes
Meal #2: Butternut Squash Salad with Pine Nuts, Pecorino and Balsamic Vinegar
Meal #3: Skirt Steak with Winter Salad
Meal #4: Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and Pancetta

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

lemon – 2
red cabbage – 1 small head
red potatoes – 4-6 depending on size
Brussels sprouts – 1 lb.
butternut squash – 1 small (about 2 lb.)
fennel – 1 bulb
radicchio – 1 head
arugula – 1 bunch or bag
rosemary – 1 bunch
horseradish
sundried tomatoes
pecorino cheese – ¼ lb.
kalamata olives (if you don’t already have them)
grainy mustard (if you don’t already have it)
ground coriander (if you don’t already have it)
ground cinnamon (if you don’t already have it)
ground cumin (if you don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper flakes (if you don’t already have it)
pine nuts (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
penne – 1 box
pancetta – 6 oz.
salmon filet – 1 ½ lb. skinless
skirt steak – 1 ½ lb.

Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and Pancetta
By now, we’re all over Brussels sprouts; I know. But, trust me, this recipe from Melissa Clark will still make you crave them. I love the idea of using Brussels sprouts in a pasta dish, it is so unexpected. The use of pancetta doesn’t hurt either.
Brussels Sprouts Web
The recipe is for 2 servings, just double the ingredients to accommodate 4 people. I also tone down the chile because Patrick can’t tolerate spicy food, so go ahead and adjust according to your taste.