Carbonara

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipe/17961_carbonara/index.html

Carbonara

INGREDIENTS

• About 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1/3 pound pancetta or guanciale, small dice 
• 5 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 1/2 cup dry white wine 
• 3 large egg yolks
• Salt and pepper 
• 1 pound pasta such as linguine, spaghetti or egg tagliatelle
• Grated Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano  
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 

PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to boil for pasta.

Heat olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta or guanciale, brown 3-4 minutes, then add garlic and some black pepper, and stir 2 minutes more. Add wine and reduce heat to low. Whisk up egg yolks and season with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to salted boiling water and cook to al dente.  

Add 1 full cup of starchy cooking water to egg yolks in a slow stream to temper them.  Reserve an extra half-cup starchy water in case the pasta gets too tight when you toss it.  Drain pasta and add to pancetta and garlic, remove from heat and toss with egg yolks and handfuls of grated cheeses, parsley, adjust salt and pepper to taste.

RR~BBQ Bourbon Orange Chicken Skillet With Cornbread Topper

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 to 4 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Juice of 2 large oranges and 1 tablespoon zest, divided
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs, cut into large chunks
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• 2 box cornbread mix, such as Jiffy
• 2/3 cup milk (per cornbread package directions)
• 2 eggs (per cornbread package directions)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

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Yields: 4 servings

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Preparation

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Place a medium-size sauce pot over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add the garlic and onion to the pan, and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes.

Season the veggies with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and add the tomato paste and smoked paprika to the pot. Cook the tomato paste until caramelized and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, brown sugar, orange juice and chicken stock to the pan. Bring everything up to a bubble then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, place a large, cast iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until golden brown on all sides, 5-6 minutes.

When the chicken is golden brown, pour the thickened barbecue sauce into the skillet. Add the orange zest and the bourbon, but don't stir it in. Remove the pan from the heat and, very carefully, flame the alcohol using a match or barbecue lighter. Return the pan to the heat and allow the alcohol to cook out of the bourbon – it's ready when the flames die away. Remove the skillet from the heat and reserve on a heat-safe surface while you prepare the cornbread.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, prepare the cornbread mix with the amount of milk and eggs the package directions call for. Fold in the scallions and 1/2 cup cheese into the cornbread batter and spoon it evenly over the top of the barbecue chicken. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese over the cornbread and transfer the skillet to the oven.

Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and baked through, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

RR~Spaghetti and Meatballs

1 pound spaghetti
Salt, for pasta water

Meatballs:
1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper

Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup beef stock, available on soup aisle in market in small paper boxes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
10 leaves fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
Grated cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, for passing at table
Crusty bread or garlic bread, for passing at the table

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place a large pot of water on to boil for spaghetti. When it boils, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente.

Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.

Heat a deep skillet or medium pot over moderate heat. Add oil, crushed pepper, garlic and finely chopped onion. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, until onion bits are soft. Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

Toss hot, drained pasta with a few ladles of the sauce and grated cheese. Turn meatballs in remaining sauce. Place pasta on dinner plates and top with meatballs and sauce and extra grated cheese. Serve with bread or garlic bread (and some good chianti!)