Penne Porcini

My wonderful sister-in-law, Norma, recently called me to find out where to buy porcini mushrooms around here . . . . "Kath, you know the Penne Porcini at Cafe Borgia? . . . The recipe is on their website . . . http://www.cafeborgia.com/ and . . . it's really simple!" For any of you Chicago south suburbanites that have enjoyed the amazing Roman style fare at Cafe Borgia, formerly on Torrence Avenue in Lansing and now located in Munster, Indiana . . . you may have tried their luscious and creamy Penne Porcini. It's simply perfect. An intensely mushroomy, creamy, decadent sauce perfectly coats firm penne pasta in this mouth-watering, memorable dish.

The recipe on their site (shown below) calls for 8 ounces of porcini mushrooms (soaked in water). I would recommend using 2 to 3 ounces of dried porcini mushrooms. Toss them into a bowl and cover with boiling water or super hot tap water. Let them come to life while you're preparing for the rest of your meal, I'd say about 20 minutes or so. The reconstituted "shrooms" will probably weigh around 8 ounces.

Here's the recipe exactly as it appears on their website . . . I've added some pictures to guide you through the steps. It's unbelievably easy and your friends will be so impressed. I believe that fat = easy. Don't you? Fattening recipes are always easier. LOL. Buon Appetito!

Cafe Borgia's Penne Porcini

1 lb. penne pasta

8 oz. porcini mushrooms (soaked in water)

4 tbsp. butter
16 oz. heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

1. Boil pasta in saltwater until al dente.

2. Combine cream, butter and porcini. Simmer.

3. Add pasta to the sauce.

4. Add parmesan cheese to thicken the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Let me know when you try this recipe. It will not disappoint! You can buy dried porcinis at Trader Joe's, Rubino Imports and other specialty food shops. They usually come in small cellophane bags. Some good grocery stores stock them. If your store doesn't carry them, ask them to order some for you!

Travel Note: A few years back, Mark & I had

extreme pleasure of enjoying a rustic Italian dinner, featuring fresh porcinis in a lovely little spot along northern Italy's Ligurian coast. We were greeted by a young girl who was proudly displaying a big basket filled with amazing fresh porcinis. We were given the opportunity to individually select the mushrooms which they would prepare for our dinner. What an incredible experience! That was the same night we were introduced to Brunello D'Montalcino. A truly wonderful memory.

Shroom Link:An online source with a gazillion mushroom options for fungi-lovers, check out http://www.oregonmushrooms.com/ . I'm "this close" to ordering some fresh, USA porcinis. They grow wild in Oregon and California, however, they are not the same as their European cousins which have a meatier, darker and more robust mushroom flavor. They're prettier though.

Katie's Helpful Shroom Notes: Porcinis do not have any pyschedelic properties. Sorry. By the way, doesn't Penne Porcini sound prettier than Quill Cep? I'd say so. K ~ Everyone ~ Fungi Time!

Love, Katie

Beet Street

You know how I feel about colorful food, right? I found some California grown, orange, organic beets at Meier's the other day with their healthy and beautiful greens attached. I, of course, felt like I had hit the jackpot. I purchased the small, firm beauties along with some red beets and I was so pleased just knowing that I planned to roast them and showcase them in a beautiful and healthy salad. If you've never roasted beets, here's a great method you will appreciate so that you can eat healthy and delicious fresh beets without making a mess! They're wonderful with absolutely no adornment, really!


Simply trim the greens from the beets, trim off the root end (the little tail), scrub them well with a brush and individually wrap them in foil. Line a sheet pan with foil. Place all of your foiled beets on the pan (remember...easy cleanup). Pop them into a pre-heated oven. I heated the oven to 375 degrees. Roast for about an hour. These guys were small. If your beets are really large and firm, you will probably need at least an hour and a half or so. Remove from the oven. Feel one and press it to see if it's done. They will still feel firm .... you might want to unwrap one and slice it to check for doneness. Let them cool down. Unwrap, one at a time and remove the skin. Eat one or two. You won't be able to resist. Slice them and admire the concentric rings. Kind of like a slice of a tree trunk. Natural beauty. AND... a bounty of nutrition. Lots of potassium and fiber plus low in calories. Yippee!!! I used them in this salad right away, but you can chill them in the fridge at this point or, marinate them in a little oil and vinegar with some onion. Sky's the limit. Go ahead and experiment. Live dangerously.




Let's talk about the beet greens for a moment, shall we? I carefully cleaned the beet greens, while warming a little olive oil, a small clove of smashed garlic and some red pepper flakes in a medium pot. I added the beet greens to the pot (it will crackle and splatter like crazy because of the water clinging to the leaves) and quickly placed the lid on top. I added a sprinkle of kosher salt. Actually, beet greens are kind of naturally salty when you taste them raw, so you don't need to add very much salt. The greens were done in a matter of just a minute or two. Healthy, delicious and loaded with a plethera of vitamins and nutrients, we didn't take the time to snap a photo. Sorry. LOL. Dark and lovely greens with just the essence of garlic hit the spot on a thick slice of buttered Marconi bread.



Back to the roasted beets & the salad:
These roasted beets were served on a bright combination of mache, frisee, radicchio and baby spinach, along with some thin wisps of sweet onion. A homemade creamy feta and fresh herb dressing topped the salad with some freshly cracked black pepper. The dressing was not healthy. Oops. Ying~Yang. Mayonnaise, sour cream, dijon mustard, freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh flat leaf parsley, feta cheese, s & p. Life's good. Eat beets.



Almost forgot to tell you about these glazed radishes. Don't knock 'em til you try 'em. OMG. Kind of sweet, kind of not. Think cabbage, potato, parsnip and carrot all combined into a little pink powerball of flavor. Unusual and delicious side dish. Throw cleaned whole radishes into a pot or saute pan with a little butter, sugar, drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Simmer and cook uncovered or partially covered until cooked and the liquid turns into a glaze. If you have too much evaporation, simply add a little water and keep simmering until these puppies are tender. Really delicious!

Here's Katie's Passion Kitchen Motto for the New Year:

WINE

AND

DINE

IN

NINE

Love, Katie