Domesticated Me...

So the original idea for the blog is to try and get out to taste and review a new place or new dishes maybe twice a month ... but with the recession in full swing and funds a little tight I've decided to start including some of my own personal culinary adventures. This for sure is definitely one as I tend to be "allergic" to anything bitter but love a challenge.

I love greens. Growing up any Green was always a fall or winter staple in New Orleans; what now seems to have been of the last remaining frontiers on local seasonal eating. I haven't lived there for many years now so I'm not sure if it is still done this way, but judging by the climate of places like Georgia (who get fruit from Chile--halfway around the world, or shrimp from China when they could get it from the gulf!) my guess is it's probably not as homegrown as it used to be; but now I'm getting off the subject....

Two nights ago I made a quick sauce pasta dish from one of my favorite cook books by Lydia Bastianich ( http://www.lidiasitaly.com ). It was a sauce made of Broccoli Raab and Anchovies. Those of you who squirm at the idea must know that it's much less squirmy to buy the tin of fillets packed in oil; and also that you are welcome to adjust the flavor. You can make it either a hint of "something delicious" in the sauce, or "something fishy"--- my idea of a good time. The recipe called for 3 fillets but I just dumped the whole thing in plus some of the oil and even that could have been more flavorful for me, it definitely depends on what you're making but this dish in particular is pretty potently broccoli raab.

Ingredients:

Broccoli Raab, Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes -to taste, EVOO, salt to taste, (I added sugar to cut the bitter), pasta water, and your choice pasta shape.

I used Gemilli but that was my choice; I love the chewy quality they lend to dishes. Not until I started dating an Italian did I learn that pastas are shaped differently for a reason! And although this dish is quick in the cooking process it took quite a while to cut off the stems and peel the tough outer of each stalk big or small.

But I digress... It was delicious! 12 Minutes total cooking time, and about $8 for a girl sized version of a weeks worth of food.