The Deliciousness of Skillet Pasta

Some foods just have a higher deliciousness factor, a certain je ne sais quoi. It is an intensely savory taste that is not sweet, salty, sour or bitter. It is the fifth taste that Japanese Dr. Kikunae Ikeda termed, umami. This sensation he discovered in 1908 literally means, deliciousness or yummy. It explains the mysterious allure of dashi stock. It is the flavor of the those tasty bits stuck at the bottom of a chicken roasting pan or the Parmesan cheese melting into the tomato and pancetta on a pizza. The Umami Information Center (yes, there is one!) describes it as:

"Taking its name from Japanese, umami is a pleasant savoury taste imparted by glutamate, a type of amino acid, and ribonucleotides, including inosinate and guanylate, which occur naturally in many foods including meat, fish, vegetables and dairy products. As the taste of umami itself is subtle and blends well with other tastes to expand and round out flavors, most people don’t recognize umami when they encounter it, but it plays an important role making food taste delicious."

When you combine several umami-rich foods, the flavor doesn't just add together, but multiplies significantly. It explains why certain foods topped with cheese are enigmatically elevated in flavor. Thank goodness my habit is now justified by science! Jonah Lehrer, science writer at NPR, describes the sensation as similar to a low resonant chord played on a cello, and it was French chef, Escoffier's secret. His long and slow cooked umami-rich veal stock wowed the French culinary world, and changed the way sauces were made.

I recently had lunch with 2 of my sisters and several friends. I ordered Salmon on a Plank served with Roasted Vegetables in a Balsamic Glaze. Our conversation started shifting to the background as I focused on the deliciousness on my meal. Eureka....Umami! My sister Sandy, and I had both ordered the same thing and sat there looking at each other saying, "Mmmm, this is good!!" It was like a party on the tongue. A few days later, as I sat looking out at yet another winter snowstorm, I decided to re-create that party and make a variation of my lunch using pasta. I had a bag of Italian taconelli pasta, penne and an abundance of umami-rich foods in the larder. I fired up my cast iron skillet and started concocting. The finished dish was definitely delicious, and I think as I took my last bite I may have muttered something like, "Yum-ami!" And it was.

Yum-ami Skillet Pasta

6 ounces dry pasta, cooked al dente
4 tablespoons, or more, extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, sliced and quartered
4 asparagus, sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
8 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons pine nuts
12 dried and reconstituted chanterelle mushrooms, or fresh and sliced mushrooms
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 handfuls fresh arugula, rinsed
2 very thin slices proscuitto, sauteed briefly until crispy
1-2 ounces fresh goat cheese

In a heavy or cast iron skillet over medium low heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat. Add the onion, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts. If using fresh mushrooms, also add those now. Stir while sautéing, until the onions are cooked and start to caramelize. Add garlic and if using dried mushrooms, add those now. Stir until the garlic becomes soft, being careful it doesn't burn. Add the balsamic vinegar and anchovy paste, stirring until the balsamic vinegar reduces slightly to form a glaze. Add hot cooked pasta, toss in the arugula and stir until the arugula is slightly wilted. Add more olive oil, if needed, to evenly coat the pasta.Transfer to a serving platter or individual pasta bowls. Top with dots of fresh goat cheese and crumble the proscuitto over the pasta before serving.Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side dish.
Read and listen to NPR's article, "Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter...and Umami" here.
"Proust was a Neuroscientist", by Jonah Lehrer

Millefeuille d'Aubergines And Chèvre Frais

Maybe it was the glass of wine, the candlelit restaurant, jet lag, or Mercury retrograde. Perhaps the sun was in my eyes....or maybe it was just the camera that allowed me to delete all of my pics without asking me a second time if I really wanted to get rid of photos from a fabulous day with friends. C'est la vie! So I don't have a photo of my sumptuously layered fresh goat cheese and eggplant starter, from Ambassade d'Auvergne, in Paris. I did come home and create my version to enjoy as I remembered it in my mind and with my taste buds, if not from my photographs. Just as savory!

My friend and fellow "stew", Lisa Magnuson of the Providence Wine Examiner, recommended some wine selections to go along with this starter. Her top choices are, Spanish Cava (sparkling), Tavel Rosé, Alsatian Riesling (which is dry) or a White Bordeaux. Today I served a chilled Rosé from Provence that I had gotten previously in Paris, and it was perfect.

So pour a glass of wine, enjoy this with friends...and watch for tricky fingers on the camera buttons!!

Millefeuille d'Aubergines And Chèvre Frais

1/2 pound baby or small Italian eggplant

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (thyme, basil, oregano) or 1/2 teaspoon dried herb de Provence

1 clove minced garlic

sea salt and pepper to taste

1-2 teaspoons honey

4 ounces fresh goat cheese*

*If you can't find fresh goat cheese, whisk a small amount of milk or cream with the cheese to loosen it slightly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice unpeeled eggplant 1/8 inch thick. Using a mandolin makes it easier and more uniform.

Place on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, herbs, garlic and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spread the eggplant out in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake about 10-15 minutes.

You want the eggplant to be cooked but not too brown. Since the slices are very thin, they will cook quickly, so keep a close eye on them. Once they are done, let cool.

In a 1 1/2 cup clear glass (so you can see the layers), drizzle a few drops of olive oil and place a layer of goat cheese first. You'll be making 4-5 layers, so you'll need about one ounce per layer. Drizzle a few drops of honey, then add a layer of the cooked eggplant, making sure they are laying flat. Add a light drizzle of olive oil over the eggplant. Press down to get rid of any empty spaces and to make a firm layer. Keep repeating, ending with the eggplant. Refrigerate until firm.

To unmold, set glass in a bowl of warm water for a minute, being careful not to get any water into the glass. Run a small metal spatula around the edges to loosen and invert onto serving plate. Drizzle some honey and olive oil over the top and garnish with fresh herbs.

Serve with crusty French bread.

Makes 1 cup.

Millefeuille d'Aubergines And Chèvre Frais recipe (pdf)

Jam Thyme

One of the fun parts about traveling is being able to shop in local grocery stores. It is a little like an archaeological dig in real time......a true window into other lives and cultures. A friend of mine once said "remember to not shop like you have the car parked in the lot." Anything that passes by the cash register must be hauled back home par avion with all of your other baggage. But....but....how could you possibly leave behind a treasure you dug from the the grocery shelf? Good thing the savory jams a friend pointed out to me came in small jars. Cherry jam with thyme, pear jam with cumin and fig jam with nuts were stacked on the shelf next to the cheese in the Monoprix, Paris' main grocery store. A new taste! Also, one that is simple to duplicate using good quality jam and adding your own spices. There is no need to start from scratch, since you will only use a small amount to accompany cheese. These jams really jazz up an otherwise simple cheese. Brie, goat cheese, or even sharp cheddar are enlivened by the surprise of the herbs or nuts mixed with the sweetness of the jam. Serve alongside roasted meat or ham to make them really special. Use your imagination and availability of ingredients to create your own unique combinations. Any ideas?

Morello Cherry Thyme Jam

2 ounces Morello cherry jam or other cherry jam
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed

In a small saucepan add the cherry jam and thyme leaves. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, then let cool to room temperature before using. Cover tightly and refrigerate to store.

Pear Jam With Cumin

2 ounces pear jam
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

In a small saucepan add the pear jam and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin. Cumin has a strong flavor, so just add according to your taste. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, then let cool to room temperature before using. Cover tightly and refrigerate to store.

Fig Jam With Nuts

2 ounces fig jam
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Stir fig jam and nuts together and serve. Cover tightly and refrigerate to store.

Raspberry and basil or apricot and rosemary are also flavorful combinations. Just experiment to create your own personal blend.

Written and photographed by Diane

All's Well That Ends Well

It was a day like we've all had. Murphy's Law was the rule of our day in Paris. I won't bore you with all of the details, but my friend, Michelle and I were having the same kind of luck on the same day.......so it was times two. Trying to turn it around we went for coffee on rue Dagurre to shake loose of the goblins. It was an exorcise we thought had worked as we paid for the coffee and went on our merry way to buy chocolate. Loaded down with beautifully wrapped bags of chocolate dressed in turquoise tissue paper, it started to drizzle.....but, of course!! Well, now we had to take the metro to the Marais, so down the stairs we went feeling lucky to escape the gray Paris rain. Wow, a train pulled right up, (maybe our luck was changing) and it was empty (never had that happen). Jumping in and sitting down I noticed my throat felt raw and my nose started to burn, and oh yeah, the eyes teared. We looked around and the other "lucky" people that got on had their faces covered and were coughing. Jumping off at the next stop, we learned from the gendarme that pepper spray had been sprayed on some mauvais garcons, the local bad boys. But, of course........again!

As the evening wore on, the curse wore off and we had the most delicious dinner with friends. For a starter I had a goat cheese and pistachio terrine, surrounded by a light walnut, raisin vinaigrette. It was topped by, you guessed it, ground hot pepper. Trust me, it is much better to eat it than to breathe it. Two other fulfilling courses followed. After dinner we all concluded, as we wiped the last crumbs from our mouths, all's well that ends well.

Here's my version of the terrine.

Goat Cheese Pistachio Terrine

12 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
4 ounces butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
pink peppercorns

Line a 4 cup mini loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang of about 2 inches all around. Put room temperature goat cheese, butter and cream cheese in food processor, fitted with steel blade. Process until smooth and creamy and then put into a medium
sized bowl. Fold in the shelled pistachios evenly and pour into the lined mini loaf pan. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap towards the center to fully cover the terrine. Chill for an hour or until firm. To take out of the mold, grab the overhanging plastic wrap and pull up. Put it on a serving dish and sprinkle with pink peppercorns. The terrine may also be served in slices with mesclun salad greens topped with a walnut cranberry vinaigrette and a crusty baguette as a starter or light lunch.

As an alternative, the recipe may be reduced and put into any size and shape mold. Serve with bread or crackers as an appetizer.

Walnut Cranberry Vinaigrette

1/3 cup walnut oil (not super refined, it should be a light amber)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried cranberries (may substitute with any dried fruit)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped walnuts

Whisk oil and vinegar in a small bowl and then add cranberries and nuts. Let sit for at least an hour before serving so the dried fruit becomes plump.
Serves 2

Written and photographed by Diane