Chef Chuck's Linguine with Anchovies and Walnuts

Linguine alle Acciughe


Pasta with anchovies and walnuts is a pasta dish filled with many flavors. The smell in our kitchen reminded me of being in Sicily. When using just a few ingredients, always use the finest anchovies, garden fresh garlic and oregano, and quality olive oil that you can obtain. Another quick, inexpensive and tasty recipe to enjoy with your family.


Linguine with Anchovies and Walnuts
1 pound linguine
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-6 ounces anchovies in oil,
chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
parmigiana cheese, grated


Toast walnuts in a small pan on low heat for 7-10 minutes, toss occasionally. Cook pasta in boiling salted water till al dente. In a large pan heat olive oil saute anchovies for 1 minute add garlic and walnuts for 30 seconds. Add pasta with a ladle of pasta water, salt, pepper and oregano. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and parmigiana cheese on top.

Chef Chuck's Roasted Lemon Sage Chicken

Pollo al Limone Salvia Arrosto


This succulent roasted lemon sage chicken, left an inviting aroma in our home. It was a gift from our neighbor, a free range organic plump chicken. We surrounded the chicken with potatoes, onions, artichokes, olives, olive oil and fresh lemon juice. This juicy choice chicken was a dinner to remember.


Roasted Lemon Sage Chicken
2-4 pound whole organic chicken
4 stems of fresh sage leaves, about 1/3 cup
4-5 red russet potatoes, quartered
4 small onions, halved
1/2 cup marinated artichokes, quartered
1/4 cup kalamati olives, halved
2 lemons
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper


Rub


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
salt and pepper


Soak whole chicken in a salt bath for 30 minutes, rinse and place in roasting pan. Place 2 stems of sage inside chicken along with 1 lemon quartered and squeezed and half a lemon in opening. Arrange potatoes, onions, artichokes, olives, around the chicken, drizzle olive oil, juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper. Combine ingredients of the rub and rub all over the chicken. Bake at 400 degrees, uncovered for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Chef Chuck's Marinated Eggplant

Melanzane a Scapece

Marinated eggplant picked from the garden, makes this a summertime recipe tucked in a jar waiting to be opened and relished. The eggplant absorbs all the flavors from the olive oil to our oregano, garlic and hot peppers also grown in the garden. With a touch of vinegar to bring it all together, grab some homemade crusty bread and indulge in some eggplant antipasto.


Marinated Eggplant
2 large eggplants or 4 small eggplants
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 hot chili peppers, diced
or 1 teaspoon red hot pepper flakes
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste


Cut ends off eggplants and peel, cut in half and place in salted boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove, drain and cool, press with a cloth to remove a lot of the excess liquid. Slice eggplant and place in a bowl. Combine all the other ingredients in a small bowl and whisk. Pour marinate over eggplant ,cover and chill for at least 24 hours.

Chef Chuck's Sausage Pepper Poppers

Peperoni Salsiccia Piccola

The tiny italian palumbo peppers just picked from the garden stuffed with my homemade Italian sausage, sauted onions and parmigiano cheese are a one bite popper. Packed with many intense flavors this recipe is the perfect appetizer. These particular peppers are grown from seeds we bought in Italy, easy to grow and are not hot, similar to a baby bell pepper.


Sausage Pepper Peppers
12 Palumbo peppers or
any small pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin
olive oil
3 Italian sausage links
1/2 onion, diced small
1 teaspoon dry oregano
2 tablespoon parmigiano cheese, grated


Wash and cut tops off peppers clean out insides. Boil for 15 minutes, set aside. In a large frying pan heat olive oil and remove sausage from it's casing and brown. Cook onions in same pan with the sausage for a few minutes, add oregano and cheese. Stuff each pepper, place in a pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parmigiano cheese and serve.

Chef Chuck's Roasted Tomato Soup

Zuppa di Pomodori Arrosto


A bowl of roasted tomato soup is the perfect way to end the summer. Fresh picked from the garden and roasted makes this soup extremely flavorful. A wonderful warm season soup served with crusty bread and a salad.


Roasted Tomato Soup
2 pounds ripe garden fresh tomatoes
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup organic chicken broth or vegetable
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
red hot pepper flakes, optional


Wash and core tomatoes, cut in half place cut side up on a baking pan. Place four garlic cloves on pan and sliced onions. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn onions during roasting and remove onions and garlic before they turn brown. Depending on the size of your tomatoes it could take a bit longer. Remove from pan and pour into a blender or food processor along with the onions, garlic, basil leaves, broth, cream and sugar. Blend till smooth season with salt, pepper, hot pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil or heavy cream. Serves 4 hot or cold.

Chef Chuck's Strawberry Crepe Torta

Torta di Crepes


Strawberry Crepe Torta, is a layer cake made with soft thin crepes, creamy flavored ricotta, and sweet juicy strawberries. The cream is blended with ricotta, whipped cream, sugar and vanilla, and is delicious. This is the season for fresh organic strawberries so get creative.

Strawberry Crepe Torta
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt


Filling

1 cup strawberries, sliced
6 ounces whole milk ricotta
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 cup whipped cream, firm peaks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
powdered sugar for dusting


Whisk together all ingredients for the crepes, cover and let rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile in a mixer combine ricotta,1 tablespoon heavy cream, vanilla and sugar beat till soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream cover and refrigerate. In a 6 inch non stick pan on medium heat pour about 3 tablespoons of batter in center of pan and twirl around to make a round crepe. Cook for about 1 minute then carefully flip and cook another 30 seconds or until golden brown. Cool crepes, lay one in center of plate spread filling lightly then add sliced strawberries. Place another crepe on top and repeat process till the fifth layer. Decorate top layer with whip cream, sliced strawberries and powdered sugar.

Chef Chuck's Lemon Pork Chops

Arrosto di Maiale al Limone


The aromas from the lemon pork chops was intoxicating. The potatoes were so lemony and the pork chops were tender and moist. A great combination of flavors for a lovely dinner.


Lemon Pork Chops
2 pork chops
flour
zest of 1 lemon, juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
a sprig of rosemary, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1/2 cup vegetable broth


Wash and pat dry the chops, flour both sides. Heat oil in a large pan and brown both sides. Add potatoes, garlic, rosemary, bay leaf, zest of one lemon and the juice, garlic, salt and pepper and broth. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until internal temperature is 160 degrees. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 2