Chef Chuck's Pasta with Shrimp and Artichokes

Cannolicchi con Gamberi e Carciofi

A pasta dish inspired from our recent trip to Lake Garda in northern Italy.  Succulent shrimp sauteed in a light red sauce with cherry tomatoes, marinated artichokes and a touch of fresh basil. This blend of marinated artichokes and a touch of the sea gives this dish a memorable flavor.

                                                                                                                                                          Chef Chuck's Pasta with Shrimp and Artichokes

1/2 pound pasta
8-12 medium shrimp, peeled
1 cup artichoke hearts 
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Cook pasta in salted boiling water till al dente.  
Meanwhile in a large frying pan heat olive oil add garlic and saute for a minute, remove and discard.  
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, artichokes, salt and pepper saute for a few minutes.  Add shrimp and cook a minute or two.  Strain pasta and combine with other ingredients, stir to coat and sprinkle basil leaves on top.
Ricette by Chef Chuck's Cucina

                                                         

Chef Chuck's Mostaccioli and Artichokes

Pennette con i cariofi

Mostaccioli with red sauce, artichokes and kalamata olives is a fantastic weekend pasta dish. The artichokes add a nice texture and taste, as the olives add a special brightness. I used pecorino cheese to add yet another enticing flavor. This is an easy pasta recipe anyone can make it.

Pennette and Artichokes1 pound pennette
3 tablespoons extra virgin
olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 large cans tomato sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups artichoke hearts, sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
pecorino cheese, grated
red hot pepper flakes, optional

Heat olive oil add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds and pour in tomato sauce bring to a boil. Lower heat and add artichokes, olives, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat a large pot of salted water and cook pasta al dente. Combine pasta to sauce, add cheese and pepper flakes and enjoy. You will have left over sauce.

Chef Chuck's Pane di Fontina

Pane e Fontina

A sure sign that the weekend has arrived, the oven is on 500 degrees, and the stone
is hot. It's time to make the pane ( bread ). Fontina is one of my favorite cheeses,
and it melts so well. The pungent flavor of the San Marzano sun dried tomatoes from
last years garden add texture and color. The artichokes and mushrooms are an added
surprise!

Pane and Fontina
2 cups warm water

1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
Makes 2 loaves

Filling for 1

Fontina, sliced
mushrooms, sliced
artichoke hearts
San Marzano sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Add 1 tablespoon of yeast to warm water and sugar, stir. Let sit for 7 minutes (until foamy). Pour into mixer bowl, set to a medium speed, add olive oil. Mix in one cup of flour at a time with salt until it forms into a ball of dough. Dust a cutting board with flour and knead dough for 3 minutes. Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil, transfer dough and cover with plastic wrap and layer towel on top. Let rise in a warm area for 1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours. When dough becomes 2-3 times it's original size, take out and divide in two. Spread one piece onto a flour dusted cutting board and form into a rectangle shape about 1/4 inch thick. Layer fontina, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and tomatoes on dough. Roll dough and form a ring place on a baking sheet or directly onto heated stone. Brush egg whites on dough. Place in a 500 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chef Chuck's Chicken and Artichokes

Pollo e Carciofi

This is one of our favorite chicken dishes, from my, Mom. Our family has enjoyed this recipe for a long time. The chicken is very moist and tender if cooked at the right internal temperature. The marinated artichokes release a concentrated flavor when baked. The plump whole mushrooms also add more moisture. The homegrown carrots we picked from the greenhouse add color and sweetness. Recipe below.

Chicken and Artichokes

2 organic boneless chicken breasts

1 egg beaten
panko breadcrumbs
12 fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup marinated artichokes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup organic chicken broth
3 tablespoons pecorino cheese
salt and pepper to taste


In one bowl beat egg add 1 tablespoon grated pecorino, salt and pepper. In another bowl pour in breadcrumbs. Wash and pat dry chicken, wash hands, dip chicken in egg mixture and then into breadcrumbs. In a large fry pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil and brown chicken for about 3 minutes on both sides. Add artichokes, mushrooms, and broth put lid on and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Internal temperature should be about 170 degrees. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of pecorino over finished dish.
Serves 2


Walnut Carrots


Steam carrots, set aside. In a small fry pan heat olive oil add chopped walnuts and stir for 1 minute. Add sliced garlic and simmer 1 more minute. Add carrots, parsley salt and pepper stir and enjoy.

Chef Chuck's Penne and Artichoke

Penne con carciofi

We have a family dinner every Sunday, when we look forward to having our children, significant others and dogs coming for dinner. Our tradition is to have a pasta dish. This elegant and light penne dish is sure to please any pasta lover. Each ingredient comes together to create a blend that is delicious. The artichokes marinated in olive oil have a soft texture and great taste. By simmering the pistachio's in olive oil, it allows the nuts to release it's nutty flavor and gives the penne some crunch. Any pasta dish with peppers, olives, garlic and of course parmigiano is always fantastic.

Penne and Artichoke
1/2 pound penne pasta

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup artichoke hearts halved
3 tablespoons red roasted peppers chopped

2 tablespoons salted whole pistachio's
1 garlic clove minced

10 large black olives halved

1 cup parmigiano cheese grated

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot to boil add a generous amount of salt and cook pasta to al dente. In a large sauce pan on medium heat add 4 tablespoons olive oil and simmer pistachio's 2 minutes. Add peppers, olives, and artichokes and mix together. Stir in salt, pepper and garlic. Drain pasta and add to artichoke mixture stir in parmigiano cheese and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top.

Buon Appetito

Chef Chuck's Stuffed Artichoke

Tasty Thistles!!

Artichokes are from the thistle plant originally from Sicily so they say.You can often find these jewels in the streets of Italy! There are vendors who are masters at carving the artichoke just right for cooking. I like to find artichokes in Rome, there they fry the artichoke, at that point it takes on a whole different meaning! All my life we made stuffed artichokes as an appetizer. Scraping each leaf, is so tasty and seems to get softer as I reach the heart. The heart has a concentrated flavor of all the leaves in one.
Enjoy!

Stuffed Artichokes 2 large artichokes
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmigiano cheese
2 or more garlic cloves minced
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil


Cut about 1/2 inch off tops of artichokes and then cut the stem so it will sit. With scissors cut each point off of each leave. Open leaves up and add bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Place artichokes in pot with 1 inch of water drizzle olive oil on top and place lid on and steam for 45 minutes up to 1 hour. Check on your water level, add some when needed. When leave pulls off easily, the artichoke is ready to enjoy.
Ricette by Chef Chuck's Cucina
How to eat an Artichoke

Pull off a leave and pull through teeth to remove stuffing and artichoke pulp then discard. Continue till all petals are removed. With a knife or spoon scrape out and discard fuzzy part, called the choke. The heart or flower remains, cut in pieces add salt and enjoy the best part.