bolognese -

by snebbu

Mushrooms Gone Wild! Top 10 Mushroom Concoctions

Yes. Wife and I went through enough mushrooms already that I can confidently say we are experts. The stinky veggie that leaves us all coming back for more: mushrooms. Mushrooms are a versatile veggie that can be thrown into pastas, pureed into soups and sauces, or be substituted as “meat” for our vegetarian foes. Anywho – here you have it: our top 10 mushroom recipes.

1.Balsamic Mushroom Flatbread

So tasty and “fancy-looking,” while it is so quick and easy. Garlic, mushroom, balsamic and cheese. BOOM.

2. Beef & Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

If you have a complaint about these savory bites, you can go to hell. That’s all.

3. Mushroom Stroganoff

Back when we were trying to eat healthy, we had “meatless mondays.” Sometimes we had successes, others not so much. This dish was always considered a success. I don’t even miss the beef in this dish.

4. Pork & Mushroom Ragu Over Polenta

To soothe the soul on a winter or fall day, try this dish full of tenderness.

5. Oyster & Shitake Mushroom Alfredo

The shitake and oyster mushrooms add the right amount of earthy notes and a bit of sweetness with the creamy sauce.

6. Brioche Stuffing

I believe brioche bread can make anything better. Rather than picking the most stale bread around (hell, even croutons), why not make a stuffing that matches the gluttony of the rest of the meal?

7. Braised Hunter’s Chicken

One of my favorite dishes that my wife makes. Start the tradition of Sunday dinners with this!

8. Mock Bolognese

Again we find that with the right dish, mushrooms can replace beef! Trust me, I’m surprised too.

9. White Winter Truffled Mac & Cheese

Impress your friends. You’re welcome.

10. Mushroom & Blue Cheese Farrotto

Yes, we found yet another way to take something full of calories and make it healthier without compromising the flavor. BANG BANG.

by tvff

Mock Bolognese So Good, Your Friends Won’t…Err…Make Fun of You

In a family with two working parents and a rambunctious two-year-old, I only have a few priorities when it comes to weeknight cooking. I need something relatively simple, something relatively nutritious and something relatively delicious. All three are probably a step down from how things were in the past, but I’m OK with that.

How simple? I’d really like it if my knife prep was the most time-consuming aspect of the meal. We’ve been doing a better job with nutrition by cutting out a bit of meat from our diet and focusing on more vegetables. And I don’t think it’s too much to ask that my pasta sauce taste better than Prego. So when I thought about how I could bring some of the slow-cooked goodness of bolognese to a Tuesday night, I decided to swap out the meat for mushrooms and see how I can amp up the flavor a bit.

The keys were to get a good caramelization using vegetables that didn’t take too long to break down (mushrooms, shallots, garlic), liberal use of tomato paste and a good dash of Worcestershire sauce for some sweetness and anchovy flavor. The result was a richly flavorful sauce that nicely coated the noodles but didn’t weigh it down.

Your diners might not accuse you of spending all day in the kitchen, but if I can get something this good and still have time to watch some Pajanimals with my kid, I’ll take it.

Mock Bolognese (Mushroom Ragù)

5-Hour Energy Lasagna

On my first day off from cooking in about six days, I was wondering what to do with a free day. Those taxes still needed to be done, but that didn’t sound stimulating. I finally settled on doing some cooking and eating of my own after finding the sharpest, most bad ass knife at the Asian Market for $4.99 (seriously!!). It will be a strong competitor to my $135 Shun. Taxes can wait. And after all, a killer knife is somewhat like a new outfit: it’s impossible not to use immediately.

Since cooking rustic Italian food at my new job for the last month or so, lasagna sounded pretty divine. I have no doubt that you ES-ers love some good lasagna. But if you have your own secret lasagna recipe, I would like you to add one thing to the ingredients: one 5-Hour Energy shot. No, not to put into the lasagna…to drink before commencing said lasagna making. I’m a Red Bull girl, but this 5-Hour Energy is pretty stellar. You can do jumping jacks or wrestle on the couch when it is in the oven to burn off some calories, if you’re planning on eating half of the lasagna like a champion (which I would never do).

You should also add the following to your secret family recipe for lasagna: home made pasta (I challenge you to think outside the box of lasagna noodles), good tunes (forget Sinatra, My Morning Jacket is great lasagna making music), fun stories about Friday Fuck Ups, and some box wine (Bota Box Old Vine Zin perhaps) so you can’t tell how much you’re actually drinking. Please take note that you should not cook lasagna on an empty stomach (or without an energy drink). I always like to eat an opposite-type cuisine for lunch when I’m going to cook dinner. That way your palate has been awakened and will not be dulled with the same flavors. Thai food would go nicely in this instance.

Adventures of a Semi-Vegetarian: Pot Roast Bolognese Pappardelle

It’s okay, you can laugh at my semi-vegetarianism. Everyone does. I eat meat one day a week at the most. But when I do, it must be high quality; I’m not a fan of hormones or antibiotics or animals crammed into warehouses. Please respect your food.

After coming out of my food coma, I thought I would share this recipe for Pot Roast Bolognese Pappardelle with my fellow ESers because I know you all enjoy a good food coma. However, you must know, there are a few essentials to this recipe where corners cannot be cut:

Use fresh homemade pasta (you can make ahead).
Take time to braise your meat on low (you can make ahead).
Use homemade vegetable stock (you can make ahead).
Use a full-bodied red wine.
Season your sauce with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and salt your pasta water.

That’s it. If you don’t cut corners, this will be delicious. And yes, even semi-vegetarians will like it.

Pot Roast Bolognese Pappardelle