High Flavor, Low Labor_ Reinventing Weeknight Cooking - J. M. Hirsch [44]
Add the squash and rosemary, then sauté for another 4 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the cover and simmer for another minute, or until the squash is tender and the broth is mostly evaporated.
In a small glass, mix together the cornstarch and water, then add it to the squash and sausage mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to combine.
HOW LONG? 20 MINUTES
HOW MUCH? 4 SERVINGS
Gnocchi with Cider Butter Sauce
While any pasta would work in this recipe, the high starch content of gnocchi lends body to the sauce. If you use another variety of pasta, don’t rinse it after draining (which washes away the starch). In fact, never rinse any pasta at all.
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup apple cider (or apple juice plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
10 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced, divided
16 ounces gnocchi
¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the cider, salt, pepper, and half of the sage, then bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half, about 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions (usually just until they float). Drain and transfer the gnocchi to a large serving bowl.
Pour the butter-cider sauce through a mesh strainer and discard the sage. Pour the butter reduction over the gnocchi and toss lightly.
Top the gnocchi with pine nuts, Parmesan, and the remaining sage.
HOW LONG? 20 MINUTES
HOW MUCH? 4 SERVINGS
Truffle Oil and Parmesan Penne
My office is a minefield of publicist debris. Cookbooks, cookware, food, wine. Most of it gets donated to charity. Which doesn’t stop my son from playing with it first.
“What is that?” I asked one day when I found him smearing something across his lips.
“Nothing,” he said, his lips dripping.
“What did you just put on your mouth?”
Hesitation. “Oil.”
Truffle oil. My son, then 4, had found a bottle of truffle oil, liked the smell, and started smearing it around his mouth. The kid is odd.
This dish sounds extravagant, but the price won’t bust your budget. While real truffle oil (the sort my son used as lip gloss) is pricey, truffle-flavored olive oil isn’t. Look for it alongside other olive oils.
12 ounces penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-pound bunch asparagus, bottoms trimmed, each spear cut in half
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Truffle-flavored olive oil, to taste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, then drain.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine the olive oil, asparagus, and mushrooms. Sauté until the asparagus is barely tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the pasta to the skillet and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat, then drizzle the pasta with truffle-flavored olive oil. Toss, add the cheese, then toss again.
HOW LONG? 20 MINUTES
HOW MUCH? 4 SERVINGS
Shortcut Carbonara
My son is a fiend for carbonara. But true carbonara can be a fussy dish. Which means I never make traditional versions.
This recipe not only eliminates the fuss, it’s totally forgiving. Use whatever deli meats and hard cheeses you have; it’s a great way to finish up those bits and pieces in your refrigerator.
You can use the more traditional bacon, but it will take longer to cook. I prefer a combination of ham, prosciutto, and turkey breast paired with a blend of Parmesan and pecorino.
Whatever you use, you can’t mess this one up.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound deli meats (a blend of ham, prosciutto,