Orecchiette with rapini and sausage

Rapini, or broccoli rabe is quiet different from regular broccoli,  a little bitter and spicy. It's a cool weather vegetable, easy to grow in spring and fall. I grow it in a raised bed covered with plastic. I am harvesting it now. If you hate rapini (can happen), try this dish with the good old broccoli. If you are a vegetarian, forget about the sausage. This is a simple, hardy dish and easy to prepare. Try it, I assure you, you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch rapini (brocoli rabe) chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 5 Tbl olive oil
• 1 Italian sausage (hot or mild)
• 1 pound Orecchiette
• 5 Tbl grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove the sausage from its casing, break it up and place the pieces in a saute pan. Cook until the meat loses its raw color. Put aside.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add a little oil and abundant salt.  

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the garlic and cook for a very short time. Add the chopped rapini, a little salt to taste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring it often. You might add a little water or vegetable broth, and cover the pan. Cook over medium heat until rapini is tender but not soft. At that point  start to cook the orecchiette.  Add sausage to the rapini and continue to cook over medium heat. If needed add a little pasta water to the rapini. There should be enough liquid. Taste for salt and pepper. When the orecchiette are al dente, drain and add to the saute pan. Toss briefly to let the pasta absorb the sauce. Add 3 Tbl Pecorino and toss again.

Serve in bowls topped with the rest of the cheese.

This is the first rapini of the season in my garden

The ingredients you need for this dish

Chopped rapini

Pieces of italian sausage

Finito!

First Halibut of the Season

Yesterday's dinner was halibut with a green tartar sauce and a warm french lentil and fennel salad. I don't really have a recipe for this dish; I made it up on the spur of the moment with ingredients I had at hand.

The halibut is simple; bake it at 350F for 18-20 minutes. Before baking season the fish with sea salt, pepper and olive oil.

The way I make the tartar is easy and extremely tasty. You should have seen papito licking his plate! I made a mayonnaise from 1 egg. I dumped the mayo into a little food processor and added 2tsp lemon juice, 2tsp white vinegar, a handful of parsley leaves, a few basil leaves (only if you have some), 1tbl capers, salt and pepper to taste. Mix it well, add creme fraiche (or yoghurt or sour cream), ready to go.

My philosophy with cooking is not to be restricted by ingredients or recipes. Play with ingredients that you have, be bold. The tartar sauce is lovely with taragon, cilantro or whatever herbs are available.

French lentils are versatile in everyday cooking. Cook the lentils but not to the point of overdoing them. I prefer them al dente. Drain the lentils. Cut 1 fennel bulb in half and then in thin slices.  I had some tomatoes sitting around so I cut them up too. I sauteed the fennel in a little olive oil for 3-4 minutes, added the tomatoes and the lentils et voila!

Happy Spring (Farmer's Market in University District)

I had to have these. Grown and sold by Choice Bulb Farms.

A must-stop for  a delicious goat cheese is at the Port Madison Farm booth. I got a crottin.