Category: Entree

No. 576Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Spicy food is a culinary tradition in hot, arid countries and LA has been no stranger to the heat. What to do about dinner always remains an ongoing question. Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives, just as the name suggests, is a very strong pasta-just in time.

FOODS OF TUSCANY

There are some very special ingredients at play this version of the recipe. Simple yes, but with very intense flavors that begin with Ligurian Olives from the hills of the Italian Riviera. Both black and green olives are packed in brine along with pure mineral salt. The olives create a rich black color for the sauce, with a taste almost akin to salty caviar.

 

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels

The Taggiasca Ligurian olives (to be exact), are mixed with capers, garlic and anchovy to coat strands of another special Tuscan local ingredient addition, Ancient Tuscan Grain Spaghettoni.

ANCIENT TUSCAN GRAINS

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels

These Tuscan Ancient Organic grains are farmed, milled and bronzed but all within 4 miles, keeping this a very local and closed loop product. I discovered these grains online and it is a more ‘toothsome” pasta, similiar to our whole wheat. A special Bronze Extrusion process is used that gives the pasta a rougher surface texture. This allows the sauce to really attach to the pasta, making every bite a flavorful experience. This pasta stands up to the assertive flavors of olives, garlic and capers of the sauce.
Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels
Just add little jewels of red pepper flakes – a plate of intense flavor to counter that spicy craving.
Stay Strong!

 

No. 572Recipe Card Posted on by — 1 Comment

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Capers, Dill and Lemon

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Capers, Dill and Lemon | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Capers, Dill and Lemon is a beautiful, simple weeknight dinner. Recipe No. 572 from the Membership Collection.

SIMPLE SALMON

Slow roasting is a simple method to produce a tender salmon you will repeat often. Simplicity is one of the watch words here in the Bijouxs Kitchen. I know life can be extremely busy, so many things pulling your attention. This salmon is a no-stress cook, giving you time for a glass of wine and check the mail.

SLOW ROASTING

If you have not slow roasted any fish, this method is great for keeping the salmon tender without drying it out, which many times happens when you roast salmon. This method came to my attention when taking a cooking class eons ago taught by Chef Paula Wolfort. Her books are classic, I enjoy her Slow Mediterranean Kitchen cookbook. Full of Little Jewels.
I also have a Slow Roasted Salmon with Salsa Verde recipe on my website.

BEAUTIFULLY SIMPLE FOOD

Your Collection Membership gives you full access to all 572 Recipes. A perfectly portable cookbook, no lugging a big book around, all the recipes are easily accessible via your phone. Handy when picking up ingredients at the market. Enjoy this Collection, created for the home cook in mind.

 

No. 564Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

Cooking the seasons at Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen with Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort. Tis’ pear season, enjoy with this not-to-miss salad with a little twist on the pears.

PEAR SEASON

Yes, pear season is here and there are a bounty of choices. For this salad I chose Bosc pears, identifiable with the a warm cinnamon brown skin with russeting over the surface of the skin, beautiful. The pears are firm, great for baking, as in this case roasting the pears before adding to the salad.

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort | Bijouxs Little Jewels

ROASTED PEARS

Roasting the pears for the salad creates a more complex flavor for the salad. Usually they are added raw but here they are roasted, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, creating a complex flavor for the salad. They roast quickly in about 15 minutes and are ready for the salad. Adding them while still warm creates a salad that is both cool & warm.

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort | Bijouxs Little Jewels

ROASTED PEAR SALAD

The other salad ingredients are basic: arugula, walnuts and best of all crumbled Roquefort cheese. For the cheese select real Roquefort from France, check the label. It is a bit more pricey but the flavor is beyond compare.

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SORGHUM

The salad’s grain if often a wheat product, but I used Sorghum. It may not be familiar to you, but this grain-free wonder is a stand in for wheat and grain products. You prepare it like many other grains, the easiest way is to use the Instant Pot. You can use cooked sorghum as a stand in for quinoa, rice, or even oats for breakfast. I have used it in this kale salad, it really stands up to the other ingredients.

Enjoy this Fall salad, another Little Jewel from the Recipe Collection Membership. Join to receive access to all 564 recipes in the collection.

No. 563Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Spaghetti alla Vodka

Spaghetti alla Vodka | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Food & memories, memories & food. Years ago when the world was steady, I met a fantastic chef/fellow blogger. She shared her take on her Grandmother’s “all vodka” recipe. Spaghetti alla Vodka a memory Little Jewel.

ALLA VODKA

Vodka sauce is a pink sauce with a splash of booze that is somewhere between a tomato sauce and an Alfredo sauce. The sauce was surely created in Italy way before it became popular in America. Not to worry, the alcohol inherent in vodka is cooked out completely during the cooking process.

Spaghetti alla Vodka | Bijouxs Little Jewels

TOMATO INFUSED VODKA

Key to the recipe are the vodka soaked tomatoes. Do not skip these, they are easy to make. Just place ripe, large peeled garden tomatoes in a glass jar (with a lid) and cover them with vodka. Cover and put tomatoes away in the refrigerator for at least 5 days to do their magic. Make sure to fill the jar to cover the tomatoes with vodka, if they float up use a wooden skewer to anchor the tomatoes.

Spaghetti alla Vodka | Bijouxs Little Jewels

ITALIAN SPAGHETTI ALLA VODKA

This recipe originated from my friend’s Grandmother in Italy. I will vouch, this is a real Italian family. I enjoyed our days cooking with this fellow chef, always something to learn.

Prepare a large pot of boiling salted water, hold a low boil.

The sauce is so easy to prepare. Lightly sauté onions and garlic together in olive oil, just until translucent. Next add the pureed tomatoes and tomato vodka. Simmer about 10-15 minutes. Add the sliced basil*, red pepper flakes, and heavy cream, stir and allow sauce to heat through.

Add the spaghetti to boiling salted water and cook to package instructions. Reserve some of the pasta water to use if the sauce seems too thick.

Stir in the drained spaghetti to the sauce. Toss lightly to coat the spaghetti. Serve the spaghetti in a large shallow bowls with additional grated Parmesan, drizzle of olive oil and more red pepper flakes if you like spicy.

Spaghetti alla Vodka | Bijouxs Little Jewels

CHIFFONADE

This a French cooking term which is the culinary preparation of herbs or leafy vegetables sliced into long, thin ribbons. Simply tighly roll 2-3 basil leaves together then slice crosswise in thin strips.

PASTA BOWLS

A collection of plain white pasta bowls are a worthwhile kitchen investment. I have two types, the shallow bowls you see here and deeper large bowls for ragus and larger pastas.

Spaghetti alla Vodka | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Spaghetti alla Vodka | Bijouxs Little Jewels

No. 563 Spaghetti alla Vodka, a shared Little Jewel from the Kithen Recipe Collection.

 

No. 560Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Tomato & Bread Salad

Tomato & Bread Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Bread & Tomato salad is a great way to use all those random tomatoes at the end of the season. A salad of juicy tomatoes, olive oil & vinegar are aborbed by the rustic toasted bread. Bellisimo!

SUMMER’S END TOMATOES

One of greatest way to use all those random tomatoes at the end of the season. A salad of juicy tomatoes, olive oil & vinegar are aborbed by the rustic toasted bread. Bellisimo! SUMMER'S END TOMATOES BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD Bijouxs Little Jewels

All the odds and ends tomatoes are perfect candidates for Bread & Tomato Salad.

BREAD & TOMATO SALAD

This salad comes together in an instant with basic pantry ingredients along with day old rustic bread, torn and toasted lightly just perfect to soak up all the juices and dressing.  This salad is a light dinner or lunch to serve along with some fresh fruit and a glass of ice cold rose.

One of greatest way to use all those random tomatoes at the end of the season. A salad of juicy tomatoes, olive oil & vinegar are aborbed by the rustic toasted bread. Bellisimo! SUMMER'S END TOMATOES BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD | Bijouxs Little Jewels

One of greatest way to use all those random tomatoes at the end of the season. A salad of juicy tomatoes, olive oil & vinegar are aborbed by the rustic toasted bread. Bellisimo! SUMMER'S END TOMATOES BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD |Bijouxs Little Jewels

Savor the end of Summer season with Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

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