Text 23313, 144 rader
Skriven 2007-11-24 07:26:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av HAP NEWSOM
Ärende: DULLES THOUGHT 453
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 -> The southern USA is more likely to be overrun by something like
 -> a Japanese starch crop.
 HN> Attack of the Killer Kudzu Kritters!

Kudzu is in fact a killer. Here in Enzedd there's a vine that
does something similar: it has teeny windborne seeds that lodge
in the crotches of a tree, take root in the moss and debris
that collect there, and then grow around the tree, gradually
choking it to death and getting still more nourishment from
the host as it rots away. We stepped inside such a hollowed-out
tree (from within the comfortable and safe confines of the
national museum Te Papa). Made one muse on the cruelty that is
inherent in this life.

Speaking of cruel:

 -> Truth, but it's not generally a city I connect in!
 HN> Hmm I thought you flew in and out of there often. 

I've O'd or D'd (O&D means origin and destination) at Dulles
over a dozen times this year but have connected only once.
It's not a nice place. Even with the almost guaranteed weather
delays in Chicago, I'd choose ORD over IAD to connect in.

Penne Pugliese
cat: pasta, main
servings: 6

h - Chickpea mixture
15 oz cn chickpeas
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 ts dried peperoncino (hot red pepper flakes)
Herb sachet (1 sprig thyme, 1 sprig rosemary,
- 1 bay leaf, tied with kitchen string or
- cheesecloth)
Salt
Fresh coarse-ground pepper
h - Broccoli Rabe
2 bn broccoli rabe, tough ends trimmed
- and coarse leaves removed
h - Fennel sausage sauce
2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil
4 sweet Italian fennel sausage links
- (about 1 lb total), casings removed
2 c tomato sauce
h - Pasta and Assembly of the Dish
1 lb package penne pasta
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 Tb unsalted butter
1/2 c freshly grated pecorino cheese
1 ts dried peperoncino
2 Tb EVOO
1 Tb EVOO for finishing
Salt
Fresh coarse-ground pepper

The chickpea puree creates a creamy texture and a full-bodied,
earthy flavor without a lot of fat. The combination of legumes
and pasta may seem unusual, but in Publia, ceci (chickpeas)
reign supreme. I prepare the sausage-tomato sauce, blanch the
broccoli rabe and then saute it in olive oil and garlic, to
which I add the chickpeas and puree. Everything comes together
with the al dente pasta.

For the chickpea mixture
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add
the garlic, celery, onion, and carrot, and cook for about three
minutes (don't let the vegetables brown).

Add the peperoncino, herb sachet, chickpeas, and enough water
to cover the chickpeas plus one inch. Bring the liquid to a
simmer and cook until the chickpeas are tender (about 3 hours).
As the mixture reduces, add more water as needed to keep the
chickpeas covered.

Take the pan off the heat and remove the herb sachet. While the
mixture is still hot, transfer half to a blender and whisk
until smooth. (If the blades don't move easily through the
mixture, add hot water to thin it.) Taste the puree, and season
with salt and pepper.

Strain the remaining mixture so that the whole chickpeas
remain, saving 1 c of the cooking liquid.

Set aside the chickpea puree, whole chickpeas, and cooking
liquid, in separate containers, at room temperature. (The
chickpea puree and whole chickpeas can be kept covered in the
refrigerator for up to four days.)

For the Broccoli Rabe
Fill a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and water. Bring a
large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe to
the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. (Be very careful not
to overcook it: there's nothing worse than overcooked broccoli
rabe.) Using tongs, pull the greens out of the pot and put them
straight into the ice-water bath, so that the cooking process
stops completely. When the broccoli rabe is cool, drain the
bowl and cut each stalk into 3 pieces.

For the Fennel Sausage Sauce
Warm the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add
the sausage meat to the pan and cook until it turns
golden-brown. Stir in the tomato sauce, and cook the mixture
for about 5 minutes to meld the flavors. Stir in the chickpea
purée and season with salt and pepper, then take the pan off
the heat until the pasta is ready.

For the Pasta
At the same time that you begin preparing the sauce, bring a
large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook,
uncovered, until it is almost al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes,
depending on the heat of your stove. Drain the pasta in a large
colander, saving 1 c of the pasta water.

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a small saute pan. Add
the garlic and peperoncino and stir for 1 minute, being careful
to avoid burning the garlic. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for
1 minute; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the whole
cooked chickpeas and enough of the chickpea cooking liquid to
steam the mixture and stop the garlic from burning (this may
only be 3 Tb or so). Stir or toss to combine and cook
for 1 more minute; then take the pan off the flame.

Put the pan with the fennel sausage sauce back on the stove top
over medium heat. Add the pasta and the pasta water to the pan,
toss together, and cook for 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and "mantecare": make the mixture
creamy, by adding the butter, the pecorino, and the remaining
tablespoon of olive oil. Taste the pasta, and add salt and
pepper as it is needed.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving platter and top with the
broccoli rabe and chickpea mixture.

Andrew Carmelline, A Voce, New York City

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