Mushroom Artichoke Sauce with Sage →

Tender ravioli, earthy wild mushrooms, artichokes, and sage...what’s not to like? Autumn in New England is a time when wild mushrooms are blooming in backyards and knowledgeable mushroom foragers and mycologists prowl the forests harvesting the various earthy, tender fungi that abound. If you aren’t trained to harvest wild mushrooms, the safest way to enjoy them is to buy from your local farmers market or food co-op. This vegetarian recipe is based on a creamy savory sauce made of meaty wild mushrooms, tangy marinated artichokes, and one of my favorite fresh herbs, slightly peppery and bitter late-season sage. The original recipe from the foodblog #eatingcleanforlife calls for tossing the sauce with pasta and uses a combination of Cremini, Shiitake, and or Portobello mushrooms. I found Maitake (Hen of the Woods) and Oyster mushrooms on sale at my local food co-op, so I decided to splurge on this delicious sauce, but any combination of wild mushrooms works. Frozen or fresh ravioli make this recipe a quick and easy meatless main course, or a small plate starter for a larger meal. Buon appetito!

Ravioli with Wild Mushroom, Artichoke, and Sage Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• About 12-16 ravioli of your choice. (fresh or frozen spinach or cheese ravioli work well)

• 8 ounces sliced wild mushrooms- any combination of Cremini, Shiitake, Portobellos, Maitake, or Oyster mushrooms

• a splash of vermouth or white wine

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• 2 teaspoons each of chopped fresh sage and fresh thyme (¼ teaspoon each of dried herbs)

• salt & pepper to taste

• red pepper flakes

• Artichoke Sauce

• marinated Peppadew peppers for garnish (optional.

Artichoke Sauce:

1. 1 jar of marinated artichoke hearts (10-12 ounces-about 1 ½ cups)

2. ¾ cup water (to keep it vegetarian) or chicken broth (I use chicken broth.)

3. ¼ cup olive oil

4. 12 fresh sage leaves + more for garnish

5. 3 garlic cloves minced

6. ½ teaspoon salt

7. ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper

Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

1. In a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms, fresh sage, and thyme over medium heat in a little olive oil until they give off their water and just begin to brown; finish with a splash of vermouth or white wine and stir until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Drain the artichoke hearts & place them in a blender (a food processor will not get this sauce creamy enough). Add the water/chicken broth, olive oil, sage, garlic, salt & pepper. Blend until creamy & very smooth. If the sauce seems “stringy” from the artichokes, you need to keep blending at high speed.

3. Toss the mushrooms with the artichoke sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes and heat up slowly, stirring gently. Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

4. While the mushroom-artichoke sauce is heating, cook the ravioli according to directions on the package. Once cooked, remove the ravioli from the water with a slotted spoon and immediately spoon the sauce over.

5. For garnish, a drizzle of fruity olive oil, or truffle oil, and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan and some chopped tangy red Peppadew pepper adds extra flavor and color to your presentation.

Wine pairing: this recipe pairs well with a crisp white wine that can stand up to the creamy richness of the sauce. A dry Riesling, Viognier, or white wine from the Rhone Valley would work well.

Adapted from: #eatingcleanforlife

Quick and Easy Pizza Sauce →

There is a debate in the pizza-world on the topic of uncooked vs. cooked pizza sauce. I grew up with fresh uncooked sauce, so that is my preference, but it ultimately comes down to your own individual taste. Uncooked sauce will be a bit brighter and more tangy and have more “fresh tomato taste”. Cooked sauce will have a bit more depth. Either way, the oven will cook the sauce. Experiment and decide which is your personal preference. This is the flavorful sauce I use on my Roman Style Pizza. Roasting or micro-waving the garlic is optional, but buttery, roasted or micro-waved garlic adds a wonderful taste to the sauce. If you don’t want to bother roasting the garlic, minced fresh garlic works just fine, but don’t let it scorch or burn or it will be bitter. Adding anchovy paste or a couple of anchovy fillets adds a nice flavor note to the sauce but is optional. If you use anchovy, reduce or omit the salt in the recipe. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the pizza and add your toppings. Cooked sauce, or fresh sauce…? You decide. Mangia e buon appetito!

Easy Pizza Sauce
Enough sauce for several pizzas

Ingredients:

• 1-28 ounce can of peeled San Marzano tomatoes crushed

• ½ head of garlic roasted (or 3-4 cloves finely minced and sautéed)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1-2 tablespoons of fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dry basil

• 2 teaspoons oregano

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional; if you use, omit the salt)

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

For uncooked sauce:
If you prefer the tanginess of fresh uncooked pizza sauce, mix the ingredients in a food processor without cooking and omit the anchovies if you don’t like anchovies. You can add additional spices to taste when you assemble the pizza prior to baking. Process to your desired consistency (smooth or chunky); adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

Preparation for cooked sauce:

1. If you roast your garlic, remove the extra papery skin; drizzle a little olive oil over the cut faces of garlic; wrap in a foil pouch, and roast in a preheated oven at 375 for about 25 minutes. Alternatively, you can wrap the garlic in a paper towel and microwave it for about a minute until soft.

2. If you’re using fresh minced garlic, preheat a saucepan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil; wait 30 seconds, and add the minced garlic, stirring constantly until it just begins to brown. (don’t let it burn!)

3. If using roasted garlic: squeeze the cloves out of their skins into the hot olive oil and mash with a fork.

4. If using anchovy, add the fillets or paste and stir for a few seconds.

5. Immediately add the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients. Stir and simmer for 15 minutes and remove from the heat.

6. Allow the sauce to cool a bit and add to a food processor and process on low until medium smooth. (Note: if you like your sauce more chunky, process less; if you want your sauce very smooth, process longer until you reach the consistency you like.)

7. Leftover sauce will keep in the fridge for about a week in a glass container with a tight top.

Bourbon-Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce →

This is my favorite barbecue sauce bar none! It is great on grilled pork, beef, or chicken. You can adjust the heat to your taste by increasing the cayenne 1/8 teaspoon at a time and or the smokiness by adding a ¼ teaspoon at a time of the Chipotle or Ancho chili powder. Experiment and make it your own!

Bourbon-Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce
(Copy and paste to print the recipe.)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup ketchup

• ¼ cup Bourbon

• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• ½ cup molasses

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon yellow or brown mustard

• ½ shallot or ½ tablespoon onion powder

• 2 cloves of garlic grated or finely minced (or 1 teaspoon granulated garlic)

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

• ¼ teaspoon Chipotle (or Ancho) chili powder (½ tsp. for spicier)

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire

• 1 Bay Leaf

Preparation:

1. Saute the shallot and garlic.

2. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat; simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. The sauce should be thin, but not watery. Allow to cool and remove the Bay Leaf.

3. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. The sauce is better if allowed to sit for a day.

4. Keep refrigerated for up to 10 days.

Adapted from: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bourbon-and-Brown-Sugar-Barbecue-Sauce-359849?p

Avocado Pickles →

Who doesn’t love the delicious, creamy, umami-goodness of avocado? In addition to being wonderful and satisfying to eat, avocados are also a nutritious source of vitamins and healthy fats for your diet. More than a distinctive flavor, it is the creaminess of avocados and how they complement many other more flavorful foods that makes them so appealing, so when I saw this recipe for Avocado Pickles on the Delish.com website, I knew I had to try it. The brilliance of the recipe is while maintaining the creamy avocado texture, the pickling process also maintains the pretty pale avocado green color, and brings all 5 Tastes flavor to the fruit slices making them delicious additions to salads and creamy-tangy garnishes for many appetizers. If you’re an avocado aficionado like me, you should give Avocado Pickles a try.

AVOCADO PICKLES
Ingredients:
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 5 sprigs of cilantro
• 1-2 under-ripe avocados, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. When the sugar and salt have dissolved, set aside to cool.

2. In a mason jar or other glass jar with a tight-fitting top, place red pepper flakes, garlic, cilantro, and avocado slices. Pour the cooled pickling mixture into the jar and seal tightly with a lid.

3. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021
Copy and paste to print the recipe.

AVOCADO PICKLES
Ingredients:
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 5 sprigs of cilantro
• 1-2 under-ripe avocados, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. When the sugar and salt have dissolved, set aside to cool.

2. In a mason jar or other glass jar with a tight-fitting top, place red pepper flakes, garlic, cilantro, and avocado slices. Pour the cooled pickling mixture into the jar and seal tightly with a lid.

3. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a54123/avocado-pickles-recipe/

Porchetta Spice Dry Rub →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020
Copy and past to print the recipe.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons crushed fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to crush the fennel seeds, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Mix all the ingredients well. Rub on meat and hour or more before cooking.

Excellent on beef, pork, or lamb.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons crushed fennel seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 2 teaspoons dried sage

• 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to crush the fennel seeds, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Mix all the ingredients well. Rub on meat and hour or more before cooking.

Cajun Spice Mix →

This spice mixture can be used in any recipe that calls for “Creole” or “Cajun” spice. It can also be used as a rub for pork or chicken.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on your taste; I use 1/4-1/2 teaspoon for a mildly hot mix)

• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme

• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried basil

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Stir together salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, basil, and red pepper flakes until evenly blended, or mix in a spice grinder. Store in an airtight container.

Adapted from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/149221/cajun-spice-mix/