Spaghettini with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Gorgonzola

 

1 pound spaghettini (or any thin long pasta)

1 pound of brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

1 large onion, sliced thinly

6-8 ounces thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch strips

3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, saute bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is almost crisp. Remove bacon from pan, saving the fat in the pan. Saute onions in the pan over medium heat until golden and softened. Increase heat to medium-high, add brussels sprouts and stir once in a while until cooked and bits are getting caramelized. Add bacon to this mixture.

In the meantime, cook pasta in large pot of salted water until al dente and a bit firmer than you want in the end. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water. Add pasta to the vegetable-bacon mixture while on medium heat, tossing the pasta. Add gorgonzola and 1/2 cup of pasta water, keep tossing until the water is absorbed. Add more water if it seems dry. Season with salt and pepper and serve piping hot.

Linguini with Gorganzola Cream Sauce, Bacon, and Leek Confit

Yes, it is excessive
Yes, it is delicious
It was PERFECT served with kale chips. Liam ate silently. That never happens.

Serves 4-6
1 pound linguini
1/4 pound thick cut bacon (Whole Foods Black Forest)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2-3 cups of leek confit (see recipe below, from about 2 bunches leeks)
1 cup cream approx
1/2 cup milk 3 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled (Gorgonzola Piccante IGOR)
salt and pepper to taste

 Make sauce while linguini is cooking

 In a large shallow saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until nearly crispy. Remove bacon from pan, reserving the fat. Turn heat to low, add garlic to the bacon fat. Stir for about 10 seconds, then add the flour, stirring until evenly absorbed. Add leek confit, stirring to prevent sticking. Once leeks are warmed, add cream and milk. Stir gently until thickened and bubbling. Add gorgonzola and blend gently until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. You can add a bit of pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

LEEK CONFIT

 We buy leeks only when they are on sale at the Italian Market in South Philly. This weekend we got 3 huge bunches for $3. Whenever I have lots of leeks, I make leek confit and use it as a side, on top of pizzas, or in pastas like the one above. The recipe is easily scaled up and down. It really is worth making when you have more than one bunch of leeks at hand, since it takes the same amount of time either way.

3 bunches of leeks, rinsed well, halved lengthwise
6 tablespoons of butter (about 2 tablespoons per bunch)

In a large heavy pan (I use a wide, shallow, enameled cast iron pan), gently heat the butter on low-medium heat. Add leeks and cover, stirring every 10 minutes or so until softened and starting to caramelize around the edges, about 30-40 minutes at least. By the time they are ready, the leeks should nearly melt together. If they end up a bit watery, remove the lid and let the water boil off.

 These store pretty well in the fridge, but never last very long.

Harvest Salad

Some of my favorite flavors all combined into a delectable salad...bacon, roasted sweet potato, walnut, mustard, maple, pomegranate. Baby spinach does a great job holding it all together.

Serves 2
Takes about 25-30 minutes from fridge to table

6-8 cups baby spinach
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes
small handful walnut halves/pieces, toasted
2-3 thick cut strips of good quality bacon (Trader Joe's Applewood Smoked)
seeds from 1/2 small pomegranate (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons good quality olive or walnut oil (I used walnut)
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B is most flavorful)
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat broiler to 450 degrees F. Toss sweet potatoes in a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread out into a single layer on a large baking sheet near the top of the oven (either top rack or 1 rack down). Broil for 15-20 minutes until sweet potatoes are soft and crispy at the edges. Stir about halfway through.

While the potatoes are roasting, prepare remainder of the salad, including prepping the pomegranate, toasting walnuts, and washing the spinach.

2. Slice bacon into small strips. Heat large skillet on medium-high and fry the bacon. When it is golden and crispy, about 5-10 mins, add mustard and turn down the heat to low. Be careful because the oil will spatter and the mustard seeds will pop wildly and fly all over the place. Give them a good stir, then add oil, maple syrup, and vinegar, stirring in between each addition. Let the dressing simmer a bit, glazing the bacon nicely.

3. Transfer the sweet potato cubes into your skillet, stirring them around to coat with dressing. Make sure everything is nice and hot.

4. In a large salad bowl, toss spinach, warm potato mixture, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. Season to taste with freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt.

Enjoy with a lovely glass of Cabernet :)