It's Pesto Time

Without question, one of my favorite things about summer is growing basil and making pesto.  It's the perfect summertime meal.  Toss in some tomatoes, a gluten free baguette, and a glass of white wine - c'est parfait!  It's quick, simple to make, and a great dinner for my whole family.  Enjoy!




Le Recette:
3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 lb. of your favorite pasta (I used fusilli but any variety will work)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
 *Makes about 1.5 cups

-Combine the basil, walnuts, pine nuts, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Slowly add in the extra virgin olive oil with the food processor running.  Next add in the cheese and pulse until just combined.   
-In the meantime, cook the pasta until al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.  
-Combine 1 cup of the pesto and pasta and slowly add in the pasta water until pasta and pesto is smooth.
*Serves 4
*The leftover pesto can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.  Just drizzle a little olive oil on the top so it doesn't dry out. 
*One of my favorite gluten free baguettes is made by Schär...so tasty!  http://www.schar.com/us/

Clams, Carbonara, and Crevettes

I love when kids eat food that you normally wouldn't expect them to eat.  This little cutie pie and her family are good friends of ours and she is one of my favorite munchkins to  have over for dinner.  Kayla is eating one of my favorite hors d'oeuvres - grilled clams!  It's a recipe from one of my idols, The Barefoot Contessa - Ina Garten.  I made it gluten free by making my own breadcrumbs.  I basically save the ends of my gluten free bread loafs and put them in the food processor until them are finely ground.  This is an excellent recipe to make gluten free.  I love it and the breadcrumb mixture can easily be used as a breading for chicken or fish.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/grilled-clams-with-basil-breadcrumbs-recipe/index.html

This pasta carbonara recipe was fantastic and I loved the combination of these three courses for dinner.  I found this yummy dish in Food and Wine and it was so easy to make gluten free with my favorite BioNaturae pasta.  The arugula really adds the perfect touch. 

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spaghettini-with-arugula-pancetta-herbs-and-eggs?xid=DAILY041513SpaghettiniWithArugula

This soy sauce and lime marinated shrimp salad has so much flavor and I love to make it in the summer.  It's also great with a margarita!  My kids love the shrimp, cucumbers and Parmesan crackers - this is a perfect dinner for us.

La Recette:

6 cups roughly chopped romaine

1 English cucumber cut and half vertically, seeds scraped, cut in half vertically again, then cut horizontally into half inch pieces (it doesn't have to be precise- just sort of cube it)

2 avocados, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 pint grape tomatoes cut in half

1/2 lb. shrimp, 15-20 count, peeled and divined

1/4 cup gluten free reduced sodium soy sauce - I like San-J Organic Tamari (and it's non- GMO verified, extra bonus)

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon honey

1 clove garlic, minced

8 Tablespoons freshly graded Parmesan

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons mango vinegar - I found this at Sur la Table, http://www.surlatable.com/search/searchContainer.jsp;jsessionid=C58A6E627D368D448939682BB5B5E1DC.slt-app-01-p-app3?q=mango%20vinegar&s=true

2 teaspoons minced shallot

1 Tablespoon champagne vinegar

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

-Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large salad bowl for serving.  

-In a separate bowl combine the shrimp, gluten free soy sauce, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and honey.  Marinate for only 10-12 minutes tops.  The soy sauce and lime will kind of "cook" the shrimp.  If it marinates for too long will be really tough after it's roasted.    

-Line a baking sheet will aluminum foil.  Remove the shrimp from the marinade and spread the shrimp out in one layer.  Roast for 8 minutes.  Let them cool to room temperature and add them to the salad bowl.

-Meanwhile, turn the oven down to 375 degrees and line another baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.  Using a Tablespoon, make 8 mounds with the Parmesan cheese and flatten them with the back of the spoon.  Make sure they are spaced a least an inch apart.  Bake them until they are golden 6-7 minutes and let them cool to room temperature.  They should be crispy and easily come off the the parchment.  I like to make extras because they are so tasty and make a great snack.  

-For the dressing, combine all the ingredients and whisk vigorously for 10-15 seconds until well combined.  Drizzle the dressing on the salad, toss, and serve the chips on the side.  Enjoy!

Serves 6

*If you don't have the mango vinegar, put all of the dressing ingredients plus 1 Tablespoon of fresh mango and blend in a food processor or blender.  Also, add 3 Tablespoons of champagne vinegar instead of 1 teaspoon.

Rigatoni Aubergine

Aubergine en anglais, c'est eggplant and I love this dish because it got my kids to eat it!  Yea!  This plat principle (main course) is packed with flavor and very easy to prepare.  I prefer the Japanese eggplant (pictured right).  It's a prettier color, sweeter and less seedy.  However, any eggplant will do just fine.  Please try it and I bet your kids become aubergine eaters!    

La Recette:
1 lb. gluten free rigatoni (or any other preferred pasta) 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2.5 cups eggplant chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes sliced in half vertically
1.5 cups smoked mozzarella cut into small cubes
3/4 cup chicken stock (vegetable stock works too)
1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pasta water reserved
Top with a fresh basil chiffonade (8-10 leaves)

-Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large sauté pan until fragrant.   
-Add the eggplant, and cook until browned.   Eggplant acts like a sponge and will soak up the oil quickly.  If it looks too dry, add a few extra drizzles of oil.  There should be some brown bits on the bottom of your pan from the eggplant.  Pour in the chicken/vegetable stock and deglaze the pan (scrape up all of the brown food particles and mix into your sauce).  
-Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and simmer for about five minutes (you don't want the tomatoes to break down too much).
-Bring a large pot of salted water with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a boil.  Cook the pasta to al dente.  Before draining the pasta reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water and add it to the eggplant and tomato sauce.
-Once the pasta is drained combine with the eggplant and tomatoes and mix well.  Wait 10 minutes for the pasta to cool slightly and add the smoked mozzarella.   Mix again and top with the basil.  Enjoy!
-Makes 4 adult servings.

Roasted Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter Pasta

This pasta dish is a big winner.  My kids gobble up the shrimp and pasta.  My husband loves it and I am happy everyone enjoyed their dinner:)  It is SO simple.  I can easily have it ready in 20 minutes.  The flavor is amazing.  You can substitute chicken or just make it a plain pasta dish - throw in some veggies, basically tailor it anyway you like.  I prefer to make it with shrimp and usually a green vegetable on the side (asparagus/hericots verts), and I am thrilled if mes petites eat a few bites of the "green stuff".  Also, if you have a dairy allergy, you can substitute earth balance for the butter.

La Recette:
1 lb. shrimp (around a 30 count) - they will be medium sized and I peel and devein them myself because it's more cost efficient at my grocery store.  It doesn't take too long and it's a big money saver.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 lb. gluten free pasta (I prefer penne or fusilli but any variety will work)
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup pasta water
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley chopped - for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  
Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1T.)  to boil.  I also add about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil - I find it helps keep the gluten free pasta separated.  Cook until al dente.  Roughly 12 minutes.  *Put the shrimp in about the same time the pasta goes into the boiling water.  The shrimp will be done first, then the pasta.   
After the shrimp are deveined, I put them in a medium bowl with 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper and the minced garlic.  Toss.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spread the shrimp out in a single layer (you can prep the shrimp the night before and keep them in the fridge). Cook for about 8 minutes.  
While the shrimp and pasta are going, melt the butter in a medium sized sauce pan.  Add 2 tablespoons of evoo, lemon zest, lemon juice salt and pepper.  Give a quick whisk until combined.  Turn the burner down to low.  
Just before you are ready to drain the pasta, scoop out a 1/2 cup of pasta water and put into the lemon butter sauce.  
Once the pasta is drained, dump into the lemon butter sauce, add the shrimp and toss well.  Sprinkle parsley over the pasta.  Serve immediately and enjoy!


*Note to Moms: After a long day, I really enjoy this dinner with a glass of Kim Crawford 2012 Sauvignon Blanc.  Really good ;)