I will say this right off the bat: there is nothing authentic or particularly traditional about my carbonara. Zero. Zip. Starting with the pasta.

For example, I use linguine instead of spaghetti.

I realize that’s not that big of a stretch, but I use some other unconventional ingredients, too: half-and-half and smoked salmon.

My carbonara is smoky, smoky — first hit of smoke: applewood smoked bacon; second punch: hardwood smoked salmon. (I told you this isn’t conventional.)

Authentic Roman carbonara calls for pancetta (unsmoked bacon). It also calls for egg yolks, but I use whole eggs instead.

This next part isn’t traditional either. Part of it is — whisking the eggs with the cheese — but whisking in half-and-half instead of pasta water is a guilty deviation.

Some people would balk at adding cream or half-and-half to carbonara. I’m not one of those people.

I don’t throw all caution to the wind — I do heavily salt the pasta water.

It’s important to salt the water (after it comes to a boil) to “season” the pasta. It’s also important to stir the pasta as soon as it’s added to the boiling water to submerge it and keep it from settling to the bottom into a gloppy mess.

I reduce the heat, too. No need to boil it to death, but you do want a good simmer.

After the pasta is gently boiling, start the bacon in a cold skillet over medium heat (I don’t mean chill the skillet first, I mean don’t turn the heat on until the bacon is in the pan). This helps render out as much fat as it’s going to give.

When the bacon is showing signs of crisping, but still hanging on to the last vestals of fat, stir in the garlic. Stir the garlic in too soon, and it will crisp up like the bacon, maybe even burn.

Smoked salmon is the least traditional ingredient in my recipe, but it sure makes a good, smoky carbonara.

This Red King chinook salmon is not cheap ($8 for a 6.5 oz. can). I buy it at a local farmers’ market from Roger Kamb, a jolly fisherman who splits his time between Seattle and Scottsdale. His business is Especial Tuna, and I’d point you to his website, but it doesn’t seem to be working.

Too bad, because this is some great stuff — nothing like the commercial brands found at most supermarkets. You can certainly use one of those brands (my mother made salmon patties with Honey Boy Red (not pink) salmon, but you have to clean it up a bit, removing the skin here and there, and Honey Boy isn’t smoked).

Once the pasta is al dente, drain it (reserve a half a cup or so of the pasta water) and put the pasta in the skillet with the bacon and garlic.

WAIT! Before you do that, I have a confession: I deglaze the pan with rosé first — definitely not traditional.

But it is delicious. You can skip this step if you want.

Once the hot pasta is in the pan with the deglazed bacon and garlic, turn the heat off.

Stir in the egg/cheese/half-and-half mixture. If you leave the heat on, the eggs will scramble (it’s not the end of the world if you get a little scramble, it’s just not traditional, and you know what a stickler for tradition I am).

Toss in the can of smoked salmon and keep tossing. If the sauce seems too thick (and it likely will), pour in some reserved hot pasta water, just enough to make the sauce look creamy.

Season with a good dose of freshly ground black pepper. Top with more grated Parmesan. (And no, the basil leaf isn’t traditional either.)

Pour a glass of rosé if you haven’t already, and dig in quickly, before it cools off.

Smoked Salmon Carbonara

[printable recipe]

This rich, comforting,  if unconventional, carbonara comes together quickly — less than 30 minutes. You can do the prep while you’re waiting for the pasta water to boil. It’s a good idea to warm your pasta bowls, too, as this dish gets cold quick once it’s done. It makes three hearty servings, but you can stretch it to four reasonable size portions, especially if you serve a side salad and crusty bread. Wine pairing: I drink a dry rosé (not surprising if you know me) but an unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay pairs well, too.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1/2 pound linguine
2 to 3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 strips of bacon, sliced into 1/4-inch strips crosswise
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry rosé or dry white wine

2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing
1/4 cup half-and-half
Generous pinch fresh grated nutmeg

1 (6.5 oz.) can high quality smoked salmon, drained

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Bring 5-1/2 to 6 quarts of cold water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in salt when water comes to a full boil.
2. Stir in pasta, constantly stirring until pasta is submerged and soft. Reduce heat to medium-high (just enough to get a gentle but active boil).
3. Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until almost crisp, about four to five minutes, then stir in garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about a minute, and then deglaze pan with 1/4 cup wine, scraping up the browned bacon bits. Cook until the wine is reduced to 2 tablespoons.
4. Whisk the eggs, Parmesan, half-and-half, and nutmeg together in a bowl or measuring cup while the bacon is cooking and set aside.
5. Drain pasta when it is al dente (about 7 to 8 minutes total cooking time). Reserve about a half a cup of the pasta cooking water.
6. Place the hot pasta into the deglazed skillet with the bacon and garlic. Turn off the heat.
7. Pour the egg mixture into the hot pasta, tossing quickly as you pour. Stir in the drained can of salmon, breaking up the big lumps.
8. Stir in reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Sometimes I need 1/4 cup, other times I use 1/2 cup. The sauce should look creamy.
9. Stir in the black pepper. Toss well to distribute the pepper. Taste and if desired, season with more pepper and/or kosher salt.
10. Divide among warmed pasta bowls and garnish with more Parmesan. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Recipe halves easily, but if you want to double, only double the amount of pasta, and 1.5 times the remaining ingredients.

Tags: Especial Tuna, linguine, Linguine Carbonara, pasta, recipe, Scottsdale farmers' market, smoked salmon, smoked salmon carbonara
Posted in Fish & Seafood, Pasta, Recipes | 13 Comments »

Editor’s note: Linda Avery waxes on Jonathan Waxman’s new Italian, My Way cookbook, and includes his purist version of the classic Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Read on to see what she thought of the book.

Italian, My Way
by Jonathan Waxman
photos by Christopher Hirsheimer

Facts: Simon & Schuster, 304 pages, $32.00 (or Amazon at $18.84)
Photos: 37 black and white; some finished dishes but mostly ingredient photos
Recipes: Over 150
Give to: Italian food lovers

Not long ago, when reviewing David Tanis’ book Heart of the Artichoke, I mentioned Chez Panisse and now, following the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon concept, here is another successful chef who worked in Alice Waters’ kitchen, Jonathan Waxman, with a book I could cook from every day,  Italian, My Way.

His “keep it simple” philosophy dovetails perfectly with my everyday kitchen. Most of his recipes fit on one page – and double spaced at that! How many can create relatively short recipes with satisfying flavor?

Waxman is an interesting (Renaissance?) man who evolved from a professional trombonist to a Top Chef master (forgive me, but as a nod to his successes I just thought I’d mention how well he must be able to toot his own horn).

And, he has wide appeal. I mean I’ve come to expect chefs to endorse other chef’s books, but when I saw a quote from Charlie Rose – whoa – I had to investigate. Evidently Rose is a fan.  On April 15^th Charlie had Waxman on his show (see video) with Gabrielle Hamilton (Blood, Bones & Butter) and world renown icon Ferran Adria (El Bulli).

Back to the guts of the book: I liked this book at first blush. When I saw numerous references to Giuliano Bugialli, whose Tuscan cooking school I attended,  it all came together: the simplicity of the recipes, using a mezzaluna, Waxman’s technique in making pasta… If he isn’t friends with Bugialli or hasn’t cooked with him on occasion, I’ll eat my bucatini.

His recipes are followed by a kitchen tools section where he tells all: his likes and dislikes, what’s silly, how he uses what he likes, etc. He speaks to everything from the aforementioned mezzalune to pepper mills, knives, stoves and welders’ gloves  (to prevent burns when baking and grilling).

What’s better than learning about tools? Shopping! There are 10 pages listing sources. Most, of course, are located in New York, but each has a website to peruse.

My only disappointment after seeing a lovely image of grissini (thank you Christopher Hirsheimer) — there was no recipe. But that’s okay, I’ll continue to use Bugialli’s. By the way, Hirsheimer did a fabulous job with black and white photography.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

I have made this classic dish the same way for years: with olive oil, guanciale (cured jowl of pork), egg yolks and Parmesan. The tried and true is perfection, please believe me. I had cooks add garlic and onions, peas and mushrooms. Blasphemy!

I have heard a couple different stories for the source of the name. Some people say it refers to miners (carbonari) because of the flecks of black pepper, but I like the story of Giuseppe Mazzini, the revolutionary from Genoa who was a member of a secret group called carbonari, who attempted for years to unify Italy. Regardless, this pasta dish is the world’s richest and most decadent. A wonderfully gifted actress frequents Barbuto and always orders a double carbonara; God bless her!

Serves 4

Ingredients
1/4 pound guanciale, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound spaghetti
1/4 cup Parmesan
4 egg yolks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Method
1. Cook the guanciale in the olive oil slowly for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Keep warm.

2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 8 minutes and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

3. Add the pasta and water to the guanciale pan and bring to a boil. Add the cheese, turn off the heat. Add the yolks all at once and beat furiously for 1 minute. The eggs should not scramble but turn into a smooth sauce. Season with sea salt and black pepper and serve immediately.

Tags: Christopher Hirsheimer, cookbook review, Italian My Way cookbook, Jonathan Waxman, Linda Avery, spaghetti alla carbonara
Posted in Book & Product Reviews, Pasta, Recipes | 3 Comments »

Editor’s note: Victoria Corrigan writes about classic cookbooks for Pen & Fork, books that as she says are “worth their salt” and deserve a fresh, new look. Today, Victoria takes another look at the award-winning Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison, perhaps the definitive cookbook on vegetarian cooking — and not just for vegetarians, but for, well, everyone.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

by Deborah Madison

photos by Laurie Smith / illustrations by Catherine Kirkwood

Facts: Broadway Books (1997); Clarkson Potter for 10th Anniversary Ed. 2007); 742 pages, hardcover $40 (or Amazon.com for $23.80)

Awards: 1998 IACP Cookbook of the Year; James Beard Award of Excellence

Recipes: 1,400 (yep … 1,400)

Suitable for: Anyone seeking vegetable inspiration (best-of-class information) on selection/storing/cooking with vegetables.

Here’s the thing: I’m a carnivore. I don’t eat a lot of meat, but I require a semi-annual rib-eye gilded with béarnaise sauce, and have found few aromas to rival roasting pork (or chicken, for that matter).

So, why don’t I review the critter-cuisine classic Cutting Up in the Kitchen by celeb-butcher Merle Ellis? Here’s the (other) thing: I really do like vegetables (and legumes and grains), and I’ve been trying to up my intake (good for me, good for the planet).

What I lacked was encouragement, which I found on every page of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

The 411 on Deborah Madison is this: Trail-blazing chef — respected teacher — award-winning author and columnist — passionate patron of farmers’ markets and community-based agriculture.

You won’t have to read far to find her essence. Madison’s writing rings with her devotion to the farmer, to the ingredients, and to both the cook and the diner.

Yes, the veggies are here — from acorn squash to zebra-striped tomatoes. So, why don’t we see the “vegetable” chapter until page 327?  Mystery solved:  This is not a veggiepedia.

It’s a whole cookbook, which opens with valuable insights on how food works, what it means to become a cook, and the critical role of seasonings. (An inspired start to a book seeking broad appeal.)

Next, Madison entices the veggie-wary with a suite of sauces and condiments, uniquely suited to vegetable dishes, all versatile and intriguing. Now the veggie-lore? Hold on, what’s the rush?

First, sample tasty appetizers (fried green olives), hearty sandwiches (grilled cheddar on rye), and fresh salads (carrot with parsley & mint), then try appetizing soups (sweet corn), comforting stews (cashew curry), quick stir-fries, and soul-satisfying gratins and casseroles (butternut squash) that deliciously bring veggies to the center of the plate.

Now that Madison has your attention, it’s on to the ABCs of asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower (and mushrooms, potatoes, and squash and…).

But she keeps the veggie-pointers to the point, moving on to pasta (see recipe below), noodles, and dumplings (both hot and cold), savory tarts and pies (tomato tart), grain cookery (barley risotto), dishes featuring eggs and cheese (goat cheese flan), and a chapter devoted to “The Soy Pantry.”

Madison finishes this marvelous book with breakfast foods (good from morning to night), handmade breads, and desserts to delight everyone (brown sugar tart, polenta pound cake).

Clusters of gorgeous photos are included, and the text is enhanced by elegant line drawings of vegetables, kitchen equipment, and special ingredients. (I love the sweet pea tendrils.) Conversational sidebars provide tips, variations, and beverage pairings. (Wine with vegetables?  And how!)

Madison’s desire is to get us all into the kitchen, whether we are vegetarian, vegan, or (as she says) “you don’t attach a title to your eating style.” Truly a book for all cooks, this is your passport to a world of food worth visiting.

With asparagus bursting at the seams in the markets, we tested Madison’s linguine with asparagus, lemon and spring herbs. We did cut the cooking time for the asparagus from 3 to 4 minutes to 2 minutes, fearing we’d cut the asparagus thinner than she might have. Either way, the whole dish comes together in about 30 minutes and it’s full of flavor. We didn’t even miss the meat.

Linguine with Asparagus, Lemon, and Spring Herbs

[Deborah’s sidebar:  A minimal but true pasta primavera.  Should they come your way, stew a handful of peas or fava beans with the scallions as well.  This dish can be made with butter or olive oil or a mixture.]

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch scallions, including half of the greens, thinly sliced
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme, sage, or tarragon
Salt and freshly milled pepper
2 pounds asparagus, tough ends removed
1 pound linguine
4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted in a small skillet
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons snipped chives, plus blossoms if available
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Method
1. While water is heating for the pasta, heat half the oil and butter in a wide skillet over low heat.  Add the scallions, lemon zest, thyme, and a few pinches salt and cool slowly, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, slice 3-inch tips off the asparagus, then slice the remaining stalks diagonally or make a roll cut.

3. When the water boils, salt it, add the asparagus, and cook until partially tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Scoop it out, add it to the scallions, and continue cooking.

4. Cook the pasta, then add it to the pan with some of the water clinging to the strands. Raise the heat and stir in the remaining oil, the pine nuts, parsley, chives, pepper to taste, and a few tablespoons of cheese.

5. Divide among pasta plates, grate a little cheese over each portion, and garnish with the chive blossoms.

Tags: asparagus, Classic Cookbooks, cookbook review, Deborah Madison, linguine, pasta, recipe, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Victoria Corrigan
Posted in Book & Product Reviews, Pasta, Recipes | 4 Comments »

From Thirty Minute Pasta: 100 Quick and Easy Recipes by Giuliano Hazan

Fettuccine al Sugo di Vitello Saporito

Photo © by Joseph DiLeo

Veal is quite mild and goes very well with green olives, which give it a little kick. I usually cook veal with butter, but olive oil is better suited to olives, so I make this sauce with olive oil but add a little butter at the end when I toss it with the pasta. Half a bouillon cube adds depth of flavor.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1/2 medium yellow onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fresh tomatoes
3/4 pound ground veal
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 large beef bouillon cube
8 large Sicilian-style green olives
10 ounces dried egg fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter

Method
1. Fill a pot for the pasta with about 6 quarts of water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.

2. Peel the onion and finely chop it. Put the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet, add the chopped onion, and place it over medium heat. Sauté until the onion turns a rich golden color, about 5 minutes.

3. While the onion is sautéing, peel and coarsely chop the tomatoes.

4. When the onion is ready, add the ground veal, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the veal is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and let it bubble for about 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol. Add the tomatoes and bouillon cube, lower the heat to medium, and continue cooking until most of the liquid the tomatoes release has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes.

5. While the tomatoes are cooking, slice the flesh of the olives away from the pits and coarsely chop it.

6. When the tomatoes are ready, add about 2 tablespoons salt to the boiling pasta water, add the fettuccine, and stir until all the strands are submerged. Cook until al dente.

7. Add the olives to the sauce and continue cooking over medium heat until the pasta is ready. When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and the butter, and serve at once.

Recipe © Thirty Minute Pasta by Giuliano Hazan

Tags: fettuccine with meat sauce, Giuliano Hazan, pasta, recipe, Thirty Minute Pasta, veal
Posted in Pasta, Recipes | No Comments »

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