Food

Breakfast Of Champions # 36 – Naanwich

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A great way to start a relaxing saturday at home with a couple of good movies, some good reading and lots of great food is to have a hearty breakfast of bubbly and a wonderful sandwich.
Here is what I fancied for a late breakfast by the lake this morning (besides a glass of veuve–clicquot):

Naan with eggs, spicy chorizo, shrimp, chilies and arugula. Life is Good !

Bon Appetit & Cheers ! Have A Great Weekend !

Naanwich

cook until eggs have set to the texture of your liking

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Preparation :
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bake naan until golden, brush with butter and sprinkle with sea salt

saute diced chorizo in plenty of butter

whisk whole eggs with chili sauce, sea salt and garlic paste

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add to chorizo, add finely sliced chilies and butterflied cooked shrimp

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cook until eggs have set to the texture of your liking

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Naan

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top naan with eggs, top eggs with arugula in lime vinaigrette

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Naanwich

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Naanwich

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Pork Blade Steak

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If you are on a budget but still like to have more than a tiny steak for dinner, you might want to try this cut. While not overly popular, probably because folks don’ know how to prepare it, it is a great piece of meat, tender, juicy and very economic (meaning bloody cheap 🙂 ) The three steaks in the picture were just $ 4.20, so the whole meal was under six buck’s. Even if you are not on a budget, these steaks make for a great, tasty meal. I guess that most people would have had enough with just one steak (which would then be about $ 2.50 per portion, including the salad), but since I did not prepare any starch, the three of them with a small salad were just the right sized portion for me. And of course, Bella had a few bites too.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Pork Blade Steak & Arugula In White Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Pork Blade Steak

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arugula with radish and onions in balsamic vinaigrette

arugula with radish and onions in white balsamic vinaigrette

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Preparation :
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season sliced onions and sliced radishes with kosher salt, set aside

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season blade steaks with kosher salt, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper, dredge in flour, saute in peanut oil

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first one done, two to go…..

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two done, last one on the way

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saute grape tomatoes in garlic/olive oil, season with salt and pepper, just before serving add fresh chives

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meanwhile, squeeze and discard excess juice from radish and onions, add arugula, white balsamic vinegar, freshly ground white pepper, garlic/olive oil and a splash of maggi seasoning

arrange steaks on serving platter, top with sauteed tomatoes and chives

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Pork Blade Steak & Arugula

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Pork Blade Steak

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Pork Blade Steak

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arugula with radish and onions in balsamic vinaigrette

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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Tonight’s hot dog took a long, imaginary jouney from being a simple German veal bratwurst (kalbsbratwurst) to “The Well Travelled Hot Dog”.
Born in Germany, it went to France where it was joined by garlic aioli. On to Mexico for some ensalada de repollo con chipotle and from there to India to pick up freshly baked naan. From there to it’s final stop in the USA, where it became “The Well Travelled Hot Dog” 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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For Garlic Aioli recipe click here
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For Chipotle Coleslaw recipe click here
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For Naan recipe click here
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For more about German Bratwurst click here
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The Well Travelled Hot Dog & Chipotle Cole Slaw

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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PREPARATION :
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saute bratwurst

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prepare chipotle cole slaw

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chipotle cole slaw

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top naan with bratwurst

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add cole slaw, sprinkle with pickled jalapenos, drizzle with garlic aioli

add cole slaw, drizzle with garlic aioli, sprinkle with pickled jalapenos

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog & Chipotle Cole Slaw

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Living in Florida does not necessarily lend itself to be inspired to cooking with mushrooms, but thankfully the markets around here carry small offerings of fresh mushrooms which I like to enrich by adding some good quality dried mushrooms. Today I got some fresh baby bellas, oyster mushrooms and botton mushrooms, to which I added dry shiitakes and porcini’s. To intensify the mushroom flavor even more, I added some porcini powder to the sauce as well.
And voilà – Mushrooms Galore 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Preparation :
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boil fusilli al buco until al dente, strain, reserve some of the cooking liquid

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saute diced onions and fresh mushrooms in butteruntil onions are opaque

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add garlic paste and re-hydrated mushrooms, saute until dry

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almost….

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add heavy cream, demi glace, merlot, sliced chives, porcini powder, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

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simmer until nape texture is reached, check / ajust seasoning

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add pasta and a small amount of fresh grated asiago cheese, blend well, if too thick, add a bit of the reserved cooking liquid

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Steak Tartar

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Ok, folk’s, before you send me tons of anger and disapproval, I admit that this is not your typical, modern Steak Tartar. However, Larousse Gastronomique describes steak tartare as ground beef mixed with raw egg yolk. Wanna argue with Larousse?
Here now is my traditional version of this classic. I can assure you that both texture and taste are exceptional. Why screw with a classic , just to be “modern and innovative”, especially if it obviously does not appeal to most people who actually grew up eating this dish often? I, for example 🙂
If you are lucky enough to have a good butcher in your neighborhood who you can trust with the quality of the meat and the cleanliness and food safety of his shop environment, do as I do: Order a pound of freshly ground, most fat and all sinew’s removed striploin (in front of your eyes if possible, it will make you feel safer). Then proceed within the hour in your kitchen as follows.
In a ice cold bowl, mix the following items, fresh out of the fridge:
Chopped capers, finely diced onions, finely sliced scallions, chopped anchovies, chopped jalapeno, good quality mustard, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, hot sauce of your choice, raw egg yolk, garlic paste, a few drops of good quality oil of your choice. Mix everything well. Remove ground meat from fridge and lightly fold with the seasoning. Serve with bread of your choice and a couple of brewskies (Negra Modelo fits best for me).
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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mise en place

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seasoning

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Steak Tartar & Sour Dough Bread

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Steak Tartar

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Soy, Ginger & Garlic Glazed Chicken

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Friday afternoon, crappy week, don’t feel like doing anything after work, just hanging on the sofa with a drink, flipping through the channels but still want to eat good ?
How about just throwing a bird in the oven and waiting for its georgeous beauty to emerge 90 minutes later?
Actual prep time: Three minutes. Cooking time: About one and a half hour, depending on the size of the chicken. Effort : Zero. Satisfaction: Great.
Voilà, there you have it 🙂

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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Blend sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, garlic paste and kosher salt. Season chicken with this blend inside and out. Roast on a rack at 420 degrees for 15 minutes, turn down heat to 380 F and cook until chicken has reached 161 F at its thickest part. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting it or tearing it apart. The carry over heat will take the meat to a safe 165 F without drying it out. Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping and lime to drizzle.
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Soy, Ginger & Garlic Glazed Chicken

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Soy, Ginger & Garlic Glazed Chicken

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Soy, Ginger & Garlic Glazed Chicken

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Easy Does It # 13 – Asian Style Pickled Cucumber Ribbons

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This is one of the most ingenious, simple, delicious, economical and pretty dishes out there.
Serve it as side dish, part of a fancy or simple salad, or as a snack.
Season it mild, medium or fiery hot.
Either way, I am sure you will love it and it may even become one of your go-to standby’s. 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Asian Style Pickled Cucumbers

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Preparation:
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wash cucumbers, pat dry

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cut cucumbers into fine ribbons with a sharp peeler, discard seed-parts. Seaso with plenty of kosher salt, let rest for 20 minutes

cut cucumbers into fine ribbons with a sharp peeler, discard seed-parts. Season with plenty of kosher salt, let rest for 30 minutes

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squeeze cucumbers, discard juice

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add finely sliced chilies, rice vinegar, garlic paste, sesame oil and a dash of sugar, mix well

add finely sliced chilies, sriracha, rice vinegar, garlic paste, sesame oil and a dash of sugar, mix well

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Usually, I have congee for breakfast, but today I just wanted a big bowl of this culinary marvel for lunch.
It is one of the most satisfying dishes out there, as long as it is properly seasoned and has the ingredients you long for at the moment. As far as congee goes – anything goes 🙂
Even the texture has no right or wrong. As long as you like it – that’s the right texture. I like mine fairly thick, tasty, spicy and with lot’s of “stuff” in it. I happened to have fresh chicken livers today, but you can use any protein you like, shrimps, scallops, chicken or whatever is handy. Maybe just vegetables? With egg or without? Many condiments or none?

Today I cooked my rice in a rich chicken stock, flavored with lots of grated ginger, garlic paste, kosher salt and ground chili pepper and a splash of fermented bean sauce. Once the porridge had the desired texture, I added medium-fried chicken livers, Chinese black mushrooms, cooked ham, corn, black beans, sesame oil, finely sliced chilies and scallions.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Congee recipes
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Chicken Liver Congee

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Preparation:
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season with granulated garlic, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, five spice powder, add cornstarch, mix well

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fry in peanut oil until medium, remove to absorbent paper

fry livers in peanut oil until medium, remove to absorbent paper

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almost ………

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to porridge add livers, beans, corn, mushroom, chilies, scallions and sesame seed oil, check/adjust seasoning

to the porridge add livers, beans, corn, mushroom, chilies, scallions and sesame seed oil, check/adjust seasoning

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple

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In the late sixties and early seventies, this presentation of salpicon was at the forefront of culinary extravagance in Europe. Not because of the use of the salpicon, but because of the pineapple.
At that time,while everybody (most everybody) in Europe was familiar with canned pineapples, few had eaten a fresh one, simply because it was prohibitively expensive to fly in fresh fruit from the tropics or anywhere else for that matter. I remember having my first California strawberry outside of Germany’s strawberry season when I was 15 years old. We had a lot of food imports at the time, but most was carried in by truck or boat from other European countries and therefore more affordable. Even today, you will still find this pineapple presentation in many countries that cater to the less wealthy tourist’s. Often the chicken is replaced with seafood for an even more “exotic” dish.
So, many of my readers will probably enjoy this presentation for two different reasons:
One, because it is so old-fashioned that you don’t see it anymore,
or two, because they will remember it from “the old times”.
Either way, enjoy !

P.S.
Even without the pineapple presentation, who does not enjoy a chicken, veal or seafood salpicon once in a while? 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Chicken Velouté recipe
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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Preparation:
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soak triple washed long grain rice in cold water for one hour, drain , cook in salted boiling water until almost cooked, about 3 minutes, drain

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cover airtight and let steam another five minutes, fluff with fork

cover airtight and let steam for another five minutes, fluff with fork

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meanwhile, season chicken with salt and cayenne pepper, saute in garlic butter until half-cooked, add chicken veloute, bring to a simmer, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

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fill hollowed half pineapple with salpicon

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sprinkle with panko bread crumbs and finely grated parmesan

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bake until golden

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple

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to serve rice, sprinkle with chili flakes and black sesame seeds

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Chicken Parmigiana

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This post is for David’s mom, who needs a fool proof recipe/instructions for chicken parmigiana.
David, make sure you send us pictures when your mom prepares it 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Tomato Sauce recipe
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Chicken Parmigiana

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season skinnles chicken breast with salt and pepper, bread with flour, egg and bread crumbs

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saute in butter until 3/4 cooked through, remove to baking rack

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sprinkle with grated parmesan, cover with tomato sauce

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covered in tomato sauce

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sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, sprinkle with oregano, bake until cheese has melted

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meanwhile, cook bucatini until al dente, strain, add finely sliced chilies, scallions, garlic paste, heavy cream, tomato sauce, red wine, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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meanwhile, cook bucatini until al dente, strain, add finely sliced chilies, scallions, garlic paste, heavy cream, tomato sauce, red wine, grated parmesan, some of the cooking water, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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sprinkle bucatini with fresh basil

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bucatini in creamy tomato sauce

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Chicken Parmigiana

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