Shrimp Scampi Risotto

Enjoying a good risotto usually means standing over the stove stirring rice for the classic 18 minutes. Not so with this scrumptious shrimp and rice dish. Be sure to use the best shrimp you can find, and don’t skimp on the cheese either. You won’t be sorry!

SHRIMP SCAMPI RISOTTO

¼ cup olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
4 cups chicken broth, simmering
1 tsp. dry oregano
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 lb. medium raw shrimp, thawed if frozen, shelled and deveined
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

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1. Heat oil and garlic in saucepan. Add rice and sauté a few minutes. Pour in wine and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until absorbed.

2. Add hot chicken broth, oregano, and salt. Simmer, covered, for 18 minutes.

3. Stir in butter and shrimp and simmer, covered, another 8 minutes.

4. Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley until cheese melts. Serve risotto with additional cheese, a green salad and/or steamed broccoli, crusty Italian bread, and white wine, if desired. Serves four.

Adriatic Shrimp Brochettes

I’ve been making easy and delicious shrimp for years and have experimented a lot with the original recipe, which I found in the late Marcella Hazan’s Classic Italian Cookbook. As with most of the recipes on Kitchen Excursions, the ingredient amounts are an approximate guideline. As Marcella says, “An essential ingredient is your good judgment.”

Whether you use fresh or frozen shrimp, be sure to buy the best you can find. I’ve tried several kinds of breadcrumbs, both store bought and homemade, and have found that for this recipe, the good old Progresso dry Italian breadcrumbs work best.

Buon appetito!

ADRIATIC SHRIMP BROCHETTES
1 - 1½ lbs. medium to large shrimp
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tb. light extra virgin olive oil
Several minced garlic cloves, to taste
1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley
½ tsp. salt (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)

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1. When ready, set the top rack in the oven close to the broiler. Preheat the broiler at least 10 minutes before cooking the shrimp.

2. Shell, devein, and wash the shrimp. Dry and place in a mixing bowl. Add enough of the oils to coat the shrimp. Fold in the minced garlic.

3. Stir in the breadcrumbs a little at a time, until the shrimp is lightly coated. Don’t worry if the breadcrumbs don’t completely stick to the shrimp.

4. Add parsley. Season with salt, if desired. Let the shrimp marinate at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or several hours in the refrigerator.

5. Thread shrimp on flat skewers, threading each shrimp in two places to keep it from spinning on the skewer. Leave a little space between each shrimp so they all brown evenly.

6. When the broiler is ready, Set the skewers on a tray or cookie sheet (lined with aluminum foil, if desired). Cook the shrimp on one side until a crisp, golden crust forms, about 3 minutes. Turn shrimp and cook another 2 minutes or so.

7. Serve hot with lemon wedges and side dishes of your choice. A good dry wine, such as Pinot Grigio, will complement the shrimp well.

Savoy Cabbage Soup with Sausage and Arborio Rice

Cabbage. I never liked the horrid stuff my mother plunked into the corned beef pot. She used common cabbage, but there are dozens of cabbages suited to different purposes. Cabbage is good for you, and as we all know, that doesn't mean it has to taste (or smell) bad.

My mother-in-law whipped up delicious cabbage rolls, one of many Syrian dishes made by stuffing various vegetables with ground lamb, rice, and Middle Eastern spices. A while ago, Dawn shared a wonderful stuffed cabbage recipe here on Kitchen Excursions (Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage -Töltött Káposzta).

I first tried Savoy cabbage in Ireland. Shredded and cooked in cream and Irish bacon, it served as a bed for a roasted meat I can't recall, the cabbage was so good. Savoy cabbage is milder than common cabbage. Prettier too, with its curly leaves.

I've made this Savoy Cabbage Soup, my version of a classic Italian dish, several times. It's a perfect autumn/winter dish. Delizioso!

SAVOY CABBAGE SOUP WITH SAUSAGE AND ARBORIO RICE

32 oz. fat free beef broth
32 oz. fat free chicken broth
3 Tbs. butter
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage (4-5 sausages), casings removed
6 cups (about 1¼ lbs.) shredded Savoy cabbage
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 large bay leaf
½ cup arborio rice
Fresh chopped parsley

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1. Combine broths and bring to a simmer.

2. Melt butter in 6-8 quart pot. Add onion and sauté until soft and golden.

3. Add sausage, breaking up with wooden spoon. Cook until well browned.

4. Prepare cabbage. Remove and discard outer leaves and core, removing thick "ribs" from the larger leaves as you work. Thinly slice cabbage (I use my food processor with thickest slicing blade), add to sausage, and cook until wilted.

5. Add broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

6. Add rice. Cover and simmer 20 more minutes. Remove bay leaf. Add parsley and serve with crusty bread. Serves 6-8.

Risotto with Sausage and Spinach

With the prep work done and the fixings assembled, risotto is fun to cook. Risotti make wonderful first courses or elegant one-dish meals. They can include meat, seafood, and/or vegetables. Ingredients are limited only by the cook's imagination. We are fortunate to have an Italian grocer here in New Hampshire who handmakes delicious Italian sausage, and I have added several risotto recipes to my repertoire to showcase it. This is one of my favorites.

RISOTTO with SAUSAGE and SPINACH

6 cups of chicken broth
10 oz. fresh spinach, stemmed, washed, and roughly chopped
¾ lb. mild Italian sausage (3-4), skins removed, roughly chopped
1 small onion or large shallot, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
5 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Simmering Risotto

1. Heat broth and keep simmering.

2. Melt 4 Tbs. of the butter in a deep, non-stick frying pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, until onion softens and starts to color. Stir in garlic and cook another minute. Add sausage, breaking into chunks and cooking until raw color is gone and meat is browned.

3. Add rice. Stir 1-2 minutes until coated well with butter and heated. Increase heat to medium-high. Add wine (set a timer to 18 minutes at this point) and stir casually until rice absorbs wine.

4. Add a generous ladle of broth, stirring occasionally until absorbed. Continue adding broth about a cup at a time, allowing liquid to be absorbed before adding more.

5. After about 10 minutes, stir in spinach. It will cook down quickly. After 18 minutes, taste rice for doneness. It should be al dente.

6. Remove pan from heat. Stir in remaining Tbs. of butter and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread and salad, if desired. 4-6 generous servings.

Herbed Rice Ring

Warm weather is great for making rice rings, since many, like this Italian-inspired gem, do well served cold, and they’re a dramatic treat to present. I often dust off my metal rice mold, a ten-inch, 5½- cup treasure, to prepare this delicious and easy treat, usually as a side dish. It also makes a wonderful vegetarian main course by serving it with a spinach salad, crusty French bread, and grilled vegetables such as zucchini and/or eggplant. Either way, try topping off the meal with a French rosé.

This recipe would complement any number of barbecued meats or seafood. Turn it out on a bed of lettuce if you like, and fill the center with olives, fresh peas, edible flowers, whatever you prefer. I used fresh parsley and tiny tomatoes this time.

HERBED RICE RING

1 cup carnaroli or other arborio type rice
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tsps. dried mint
1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 15-oz. can pink beans, rinsed well and drained

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1. Bring broth to a boil. Add salt and rice. Simmer, covered, for 18 minutes. Transfer rice to strainer and rinse with cold water to cool. Drain well.

2. Blend next seven ingredients. Gently fold in beans, then rice.

3. Press mixture into rice mold. Turn onto serving plate and garnish as desired.

Balsamic Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary

An evening of thunderstorms had us roasting chicken indoors, and this Italian-inspired recipe hit the spot. As much as I love bacon, I seldom eat it. When I do, it’s the delicious, natural, uncured, nitrate free kind my mother and grandmother cooked. And as my mother and grandmother did, I strain and save the bacon fat so I can make delicious meals like this one. This chicken can be served warm or at room temperature, and it’s a wonderful main dish for summer salads and side dishes.

BALSAMIC CHICKEN with GARLIC and ROSEMARY

1 3½ - 5lb. whole chicken, halved, backbone removed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, rosemary or unflavored
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup good quality balsamic vinegar
Lots of peeled whole garlic cloves (halve if very large)
Fresh rosemary sprigs
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
4 slices of pancetta, or 4 Tbs. bacon fat

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1. Preheat oven to 375 . Drizzle roasting pan with olive oil, then stir in balsamic vinegar and wine.

2. Stir garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs into mixture.

3. Wash chicken well. Discard giblets (or save for another use). If you use them, insert pop-up timers into chicken breasts. Place chicken halves skin side up in roasting pan to coat bottom with mixture, the turn skin side down. Distribute garlic and rosemary evenly around chicken.

4. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up. Baste with pan juices and sprinkle with lemon juice. Lay pancetta, if using, over chicken, or dot chicken with bacon fat. Cook another hour or so, basting once or twice, until chicken is well browned and timers pop up.

5. Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary, Greek Bean Salad, and Steamed Broccoli

Chicken Marsala with Eggplant

This chicken has a few steps to it, but the delicious results are well worth the effort. Recipe doubles or triples easily, perfect for a dinner party, which is how we enjoyed it last night with salad and saffron risotto. Buon appetito!

CHICKEN MARSALA with EGGPLANT

1-2 baby eggplants (1-2 lbs.) skin on
2 medium plum tomatoes
3 lbs. chicken parts
½ lb. lean bacon
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup Marsala wine

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1. Cut eggplant into quarters, then into thick chunks. Sprinkle well with salt and let drain in colander for about an hour. Rinse and dry well with paper towels.

2. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Core tomatoes. Slice small crosses into each end. Dip in boiling water until skin begins to loosen, about 20 seconds. Remove from pan and peel. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze seeds out. Chop tomatoes and reserve.

3. Fry bacon in deep frying pan until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon and reserve.

4. Remove all but 1 Tbs. bacon fat from pan. Add butter to bacon fat in pan. Brown chicken on all sides, in batches, if necessary, about 12 minutes. Remove chicken to baking pan (lined with foil, if desired.)

5. Add eggplant and celery to frying pan. Sauté about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, bacon, thyme, salt and pepper. Add Marsala and heat through.

6. Pour eggplant mixture over chicken. Cover baking pan with foil and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Remove foil and brown chicken under broiler. Suggest serving with saffron risotto or baby roasted potatoes. Serves 4.

White Bean and Tuna Salad

This quick and easy salad, a warm weather favorite at my house, is perfect for either lunch or supper on a busy spring day. It whips up fast and is guilt-free and nutritious, as well as delicious. What more could a good cook want?

Some crusty bread and a glass of crisp white wine, perhaps, and maybe a small plate of salad greens. The accompaniments are entirely up to you. Enjoy!

WHITE BEAN and TUNA SALAD

6 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. good quality balsamic vinegar
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch scallions, white parts chopped, green stems sliced
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 6-oz. cans solid white tuna packed in water, drained and flaked

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Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, chopped scallions, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in tuna and beans. Refrigerate for an hour or so to chill. Garnish with sliced scallion stems. Serve over lettuce, if desired, or serve a small green salad and crusty Italian bread on the side. 4 servings.

Savoy Cabbage Soup with Sausage and Arborio Rice

Cabbage. I never liked the horrid stuff my mother plunked into the corned beef pot. She used common cabbage, but there are dozens of cabbages suited to different purposes. Cabbage is good for you, and as we all know, that doesn't mean it has to taste (or smell) bad.

My mother-in-law whipped up delicious cabbage rolls, one of many Syrian dishes made by stuffing various vegetables with ground lamb, rice, and Middle Eastern spices. Last year, Dawn shared a wonderful stuffed cabbage recipe (Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage -Töltött Káposzta).

I first tried Savoy cabbage in Ireland. Shredded and cooked in cream and Irish bacon, it served as a bed for a roasted meat I can't recall, the cabbage was so good. Savoy cabbage is milder than common cabbage. Prettier too, with its curly leaves.

I've made this Savoy Cabbage Soup, my version of a classic Italian dish, several times. It's a perfect autumn/winter dish. Delizioso!

SAVOY CABBAGE SOUP WITH SAUSAGE AND ARBORIO RICE

32 oz. fat free beef broth
32 oz. fat free chicken broth
3 Tbs. butter
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage (4-5 sausages), casings removed
6 cups (about 1¼ lbs.) shredded Savoy cabbage
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 large bay leaf
½ cup arborio rice
Fresh chopped parsley

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1. Combine broths and bring to a simmer.

2. Melt butter in 6-8 quart pot. Add onion and sauté until soft and golden.

3. Add sausage, breaking up with wooden spoon. Cook until well browned.

4. Prepare cabbage. Remove and discard outer leaves and core, removing thick "ribs" from the larger leaves as you work. Thinly slice cabbage (I use my food processor with thickest slicing blade), add to sausage, and cook until wilted.

5. Add broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

6. Add rice. Cover and simmer 20 more minutes. Remove bay leaf. Add parsley and serve with crusty bread. Serves 6-8.

Cannellini Herb Dip

Dairy-free this Italian-inspired dip might be, but it’s delicious, great with the usual crudités and crackers, and it makes a great spread for sandwiches. Do use fresh herbs, and by all means, tweak the flavors to your own taste.

CANNELLINI HERB DIP

2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups cooked)
¾ cup olive oil (substitute a little rosemary olive oil if you can find it)
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced/put through a press
1-2 tsps. fresh thyme, chopped (½ tsp. dried)
1-2 tsps. fresh rosemary, chopped (½ tsp. dried)
½ tsp. sea salt
A few good grindings of white pepper
Fresh parsley and/or toasted pine nuts for garnish

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Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor (add a little water if mixture is too thick). Transfer to serving dish and garnish as desired.

Shrimp with Pancetta and Cannellini Beans

The discovery that my local supermarket now carries pancetta already diced up sent me scouring my cooking files for recipes made with this tasty Italian bacon. Serve this one with plenty of crusty bread to sop up every bit of the delicious sauce.

SHRIMP with PANCETTA and CANNELLINI BEANS

4-5 Tbs. olive oil                                         6-8 fresh sage leaves, chopped
4 oz. chopped pancetta                              4-5 large garlic cloves, sliced
1-2 fat shallots, minced                              ½ cup dry white wine
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined       2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans,                     Fresh ground pepper
     rinsed well and drained

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1. Heat 2 Tbs. of oil in a large skillet over low heat. Sauté pancetta slowly until fat is rendered and meat starts to brown. Raise heat to medium, add shallots, and sauté until golden, about five minutes. Fold sage and beans into bacon mixture and set aside until ready to serve.

2. Reheat beans over low heat. Heat garlic in remaining oil in large skillet over medium heat until garlic colors. Remove garlic and discard. Add shrimp to oil and sauté for 1 minute. Add wine, parsley, and a grind or two of pepper (salt if desired, keeping in mind that pancetta is fairly salty). Cook until shrimp are done, another 2-3 minutes.

3. Toss hot beans and shrimp together. Add more liquid if necessary. Serve at once with crusty bread and a salad, if desired. Serves 2-4 depending on side dishes. Don't be looking for leftovers!

Spaghetti with Meatballs and Sausages

This Italian classic, great any time of the year, made a wonderful holiday dinner for good friends this past weekend. The sauce tastes even better the second day, so it's a perfect do-ahead dish.

Buon appetito!

SPAGHETTI with MEATBALLS and SAUSAGES

For the Sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork (or a combination of veal and pork)
1 12-oz. can tomato paste
2 medium carrots
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
1 celery stalk
1 medium onion
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 28-oz. can tomato puree
1 28-oz. can tomato sauce
1 28-oz. can ground tomatoes, seed strained
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. marjoram
3-4 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup dry red wine
10-15 Italian sausages

For the Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork (or a combination of veal and pork)
1 cup dry Italian style breadcrumbs
1 egg
5 oz. tomato sauce (from a 15-oz. can - add remaining sauce to pot)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
¼ tsp. marjoram
½ tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

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1. To make sauce, heat olive oil in large kettle and add meats, stirring until browned. Add tomato paste and fry several minutes, stirring often.

2. Process/chop carrots, celery, onion, peppers, and garlic in food processor. Add to meat and brown well.

3. Add tomato puree, sauce, and ground tomatoes. Add seasonings. Simmer sauce over low heat for 7 to 8 hours, the longer the better.

4. After about 4 hours, stir in grated Parmesan cheese and 1 cup red wine. Prick sausages with a fork and add to sauce. Wait about 30 minutes, then gently add raw meatballs.

5. To Make Meatballs: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with hands, adding more tomato sauce to moisten if needed. Shape mixture into meatballs. Makes about 24.

6. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally (and carefully to keep from breaking meatballs) to keep sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Serve with pasta, salad, crusty bread, etc. Serves a small army, and leftovers freeze well.

Trofie with Spinach, Garlic, and Shrimp

Trofie

Our writers' group revisited an old favorite tonight, a wonderful Italian casserole dish for seafood and pasta lovers. Vegetarians can omit the shrimp. Vegans can omit both shrimp and cheese, or serve Veggie cheese on the side. All variations are scrumptious.

Trofie, a thin, squiggly Ligurian pasta with tapered ends, is traditionally served with pesto sauce. It's perfect in this dish, as the spinach would become entangled in longer pastas like linguine. Don't let all the steps discourage you. This one is delicious!

TROFIE WITH SPINACH, GARLIC, and SHRIMP

Bread Crumb Topping
8 Tbs. fresh bread crumbs                     3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
3-4 garlic cloves                                      2 tsps. olive oil
3 tsps. grated Parmesan Reggiano        Salt and pepper

Pasta
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil                 ¾ lb. trofie or other small pasta
6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced           1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
A pinch of dried red pepper flakes        ¼ cup grated Parmesan Reggiano
10 oz. fresh spinach,                               1 lb. raw jumbo shrimp
        stemmed and chopped *                2-3 Tbs. dry white wine

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1. Make fresh breadcrumbs by dropping fresh or day old bread in the food processor with garlic cloves. Combine topping ingredients in small bowl and reserve.

2. In a large pasta pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add salt. Preheat the broiler.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic over a low flame. Slowly cook the garlic slivers until they turn a light golden brown. Remove garlic slivers with a slotted spoon and discard.

4. Add red pepper flakes to the oil. Cook 30 seconds. Toss spinach in the oil. Add wine and cook until limp, turning often with tongs or a kitchen fork. Remove pan from  heat and reserve until pasta is done.

5. Plunge the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Just before draining the pasta, ladle 1 cup of cooking water into the spinach and oil and place the pan over moderate heat. Drain pasta and add to the pan with the spinach and oil. Sprinkle the cheese directly onto the pasta and toss well. Transfer pasta to an ovenproof serving platter and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mix. Broil until the crumbs are golden brown and serve immediately.
 
* Frozen chopped spinach, thawed before adding, works well. Decrease cooking time.
 
** To add shrimp, shell, clean, and sauté it with the spinach, but not too long, as it will continue to cook when the pasta is added, and again in the broiler.

Serve with crusty bread, salad, and white wine. Serves 4-6.

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Lamb Pot Roast with Juniper Berries

Inspired by an Italian recipe, this is one of the best lamb dishes I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Try it some afternoon when you know you'll be staying home. You have to allow at least 3½ hours of cooking time, but once you have the meat simmering, there's very little left to do but turn it over once in a while. Well worth the time, I promise!

LAMB POT ROAST with JUNIPER BERRIES

2½-3lbs. half-leg of lamb, bone-in
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1-2 bay leaves
3-4 stalks fresh rosemary
2 Tbs. juniper berries
1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
2 Tbs. soy sauce
Freshly ground pepper
1 14-oz. can beef fat-free broth

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1. Trim fat from the outside of the meat. Place in casserole with all remaining ingredients except beef broth. Cover and cook over low heat for 2 hours, turning meat every 30 minutes.

2. Increase heat to medium. Continue cooking, leaving cover askew, for another 1½ hours, turning meat once. Very little liquid should remain, and the meat should be a rich brown color.

3. Remove lamb to cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm. Add beef broth to pan and increase heat to high, stirring to loosen any vegetables stuck to pan. Boil for 5-10 minutes, then strain into sauce pan. Let sauce sit for a few minutes, skim fat from the top, and serve with sliced meat. Side dish suggestions: Saffron risotto or mashed potatoes, a vegetable and/or salad. Generously serves 2-3.

Risotto with Italian Sausage and Wild Mushrooms

When the mood for something special strikes, there's nothing like risotto. Madeira wine makes this one special. Elegant enough for company, down home and delicious enough for family, it's fun to make and a joy to serve. The evenings are growing cooler, so why not grab a bottle of Madeira and a package or three of those pre-sliced wild mushrooms the stores carry now and create this delicious dish?

RISOTTO with ITALIAN SAUSAGE and WILD MUSHROOMS

For the Sausage and Mushrooms:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1½ lbs. sweet Italian sausage (5-6 sausages)
8 oz. sliced Baby Bella or Crimini mushrooms
10 oz. sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ cup Madeira wine

For the Rice:
6-7 cups chicken broth
1 stick (½ cup) butter
1 large vidalia onion, chopped
4-5 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cups carnaroli or other arborio-type rice
1 cup Madeira wine
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

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1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove sausages from casings and sauté in oil, breaking into bite-sized chunks. When sausage is nearly browned, fold in mushrooms with thyme and oregano. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Add ½ cup Madeira wine and stir another minute. Remove skillet from heat and set aside. Reheat on low when ready to cook rice.

2. Simmer chicken broth in a 3-qt. saucepan. Melt butter in non-stick skillet and add onion. Sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic. Add rice and stir to coat grains with butter mixture, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup Madeira wine and simmer, stirring, until nearly absorbed. Add a ladleful of hot chicken broth to wine and stir until nearly absorbed. Continue ladling broth into rice, stirring frequently, for 18 minutes. Rice should be firm but not crunchy and have a creamy consistency. Cook more if desired, but don’t over cook.

3. Stir sausage and mushroom mixture into rice. Season with salt and pepper. Add parsley and serve, passing cheese at the table. Serve with salad and crunchy bread. 6 generous servings.

Spaghetti Carbonara

This classic northern Italian dish is traditionally made with that wonderful Italian bacon called pancetta. In this quick-to-whip-up version, American bacon substitutes with flying colors. Don't be put off by the cream and butter. You deserve it once in a while. Steam some broccoli, pour a white wine, and dinner is served!

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

½ lb. lean bacon
½ cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
A generous grinding of nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ lb. thin spaghetti or linguine
2 Tbs. butter

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1. Fry bacon, break into pieces, and set aside. Transfer 2 Tbs. bacon fat to small sauté pan. Add cream and heat over low heat. Keep warm.

2. Beat eggs in a small bowl. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cheese.

3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Rinse and drain pasta. Return pot to stove and melt butter. Add pasta to butter and stir to coat. Add egg mixture and stir to blend until eggs are thoroughly heated. Stir in cream mixture and bacon. Add more cream if needed. Serve at once, passing extra grated cheese at the table. Serves 2-4.

Orecchiette with Tuna, Peas, Cannellini Beans, and Mushrooms

Orecchiette, which means "little ears" in Italian, is a wonderful pasta for trapping tiny, tasty morsels. In this dish, those morsels include tuna, peas, mushrooms, and cannellini beans simmered in a white wine sauce. We gobbled up this dish at our last writers’ meeting, and everyone had seconds. (We served a veggie cheese along with the Parmesan for our veggie friends.) A Five Star Yum!

ORECCHIETTE with TUNA, PEAS, CANNELLINI BEANS, and MUSHROOMS

8 oz. sliced white mushrooms             1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed
6 Tbs. olive oil                                                   and drained
1-2 large shallots, chopped                   A splash of lemon juice
6-8 cloves garlic, minced                      ½ lb. orecchiette
4 cans solid white tuna in water          Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth       Fresh chopped parsley
½ cup dry white wine                            Freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano
1 tsp. dry oregano                                                  cheese
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen peas                                    

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1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tsp. salt.

2. Rinse peas briefly and drain. Don’t worry if they aren’t completely thawed.

3. Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in deep frying pan. Over medium high heat, sauté mushrooms in oil until they give off their liquid and start to brown. Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside.

4. In same pan, heat remaining 5 Tbs. olive oil. Sauté shallots until they are soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute.

5. Stir in wine and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer about 13 minutes. Stir in beans, peas, and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let sit while pasta is cooking.

6. Cook pasta according to package directions, which should take about 11 minutes.

7. Drain pasta and add to bean mixture. Reheat briefly, add drained and chopped tuna, a splash of lemon juice, and parsley. Serve with crusty bread, salad, and your favorite white wine. Pass cheese separately. Generously serves 4-6.

Hot Italian Sausage Soup

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

I like soup at any time of year. This soup is hardy enough for a satisfying meal. If you don't like the heat, try sweet sausage instead.

Ingredients:

1 pound hot Italian sausage
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
48 ounces fat free, sodium reduced, chicken broth
1 can (14½ ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small zucchini, chopped (with skins on)
1½ teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups medium-size, dried shell pasta
6 ounces spinach leaves, chopped
Grated aged Asiago cheese

1. Slit sausage casings and remove. Place sausage into a 6-quart pan over high heat and stir often, breaking apart sausage with a spoon. (tool hint: I have a spoon with a straight lower edge that is perfect for this task.)

2. Add carrots and onions, stirring often until onion is limp. Add chicken broth, tomatoes (with juice), Cannellini beans, garlic, basil, and pepper. Bring to boil.

3. Add pasta and zucchini. Cover, lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender to the bite.

4. Stir in spinach and cook until just wilted.

Serve with grated Asiago cheese. When reheating, add a small amount of chicken broth to thin soup. Enjoy!

Risotto with Shrimp, Green Beans, and Pesto Sauce

I had a great vegetarian soup planned for our writers' group last Monday night, but icy weather nixed our meeting, and I didn't want to make a huge pot of soup just for my husband and me. What do to with fresh French green beans, a bunch of basil, and a gorgeous chunk of Parmesan Reggiano? Sounded like risotto to me. I put a few recipes together and came up with something new and delicious. For a vegetarian delight, omit the shrimp and use vegetable broth.

Risotto is one of my favorite dishes to make, and I've made dozens of scrumptious variations of this classic Italian dish. Don't be put off by all the stirring. It's really quite soothing, and there's something great about starting to stir and announcing that no one can bother you for the next twenty minutes or so. If you've never made risotto, give this one a try, and keep an eye on Kitchen Excursions for some great risotto recipes!

RISOTTO with SHRIMP, GREEN BEANS, and PESTO SAUCE

Make the pesto sauce:

2-3 garlic cloves                        1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cups of fresh basil                  Salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbs. pine nuts                         1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano

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Drop garlic into food processor and mince. Add basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and salt and pepper and process well, scraping down sides once or twice with a spatula. Add cheese and process into a creamy sauce. Empty into prep bowl and reserve.

For the Risotto:

½ lb. French green beans,          1¼ cups arborio rice                       

   trimmed and cut into thirds     ½ dry white wine

4½ cups chicken broth               1 lb. medium shrimp, cleaned

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil          Salt and pepper to taste 

1 large shallot, minced

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1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Blanch green beans for 5 minutes and drain. Place in a bath of cold water and drain again.

2. Bring broth to a simmer, preferably on the burner right behind the nonstick skillet in which you'll make the risotto.

3. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallot until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the rice, stirring until the grains are well coated with oil.

4. Increase heat to medium high. Add wine and stir until liquid is almost absorbed.  Using a ladle, add about 1 cup of broth to the skillet, stirring again until liquid is almost absorbed. Continue for 14 minutes, then add the shrimp. Continue stirring until shrimp is cooked and rice is al dente. Total cooking time 18-20 minutes.

5. Remove risotto from heat. Stir in green beans and pesto, adding enough of the remaining broth for a creamy consistency. Serve with crusty bread and extra cheese, if desired. Serves 4.