heavenly

PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

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“Cacio e Pepe” is undoubtedly the most minimalist among Roman pasta.
It´s secret lies in its wonderful creaminess, which is achieved by the perfect balance between its four main ingredients: pasta, water, Pecorino Romano and black pepper. (Because of the saltiness of the Pecorino, no additional salt is needed)
(A similarly simplistic, yet very different flavor and texture are present in “Spaghetti Aglio e Olio”, which, in its most basic form, contains only spaghetti, water, olive oil, garlic, and grated hard cheese. This is usually enriched with pepperoncini and/or arugula).
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When preparing Cacio e Peppe, there are a few RULES one MUST follow to achieve the creamy texture for which Cacio e Peppe is priced, otherwise there will be just “Pasta with Cheese and Pepper”, which is not too bad either, but comes in no way close to the magic of Cacio e Peppe.
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First, – grate the cheese as fine as possible.
Second, – take the pasta straight from the water to the pan with the cheese and pepper.
Third, – quickly and thoroughly lift the pasta with two forks or a tongue from the bottom of the plate to blend and achieve a creamy sauce when the moisture and starch of the pasta and the cheese combine to form a heavenly, creamy, delicious “sauce”.
Fourth, – use warm plates to mix and serve the pasta at once.
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And there you have it ! One of Rome’s and Italy´s most iconic, simple, delicious and wonderful dishes ! 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Recipe of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for more Pasta on ChefsOpinion
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PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

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Preparation:
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: Use the very best quality available to you 🙂

: Pecorino, black pepper

: microplaned …..(VERY finely grated)

: add freshly crashed/ground black pepper to taste to the cheese

: add freshly crashed/ground black pepper to taste to the boiling water

: cook pasta until al dente

: move the pasta from the pot directly to the cheese/pepper

: mix quickly, if needed, add a bit of pasta water to get a very CREAMY texture

: plate on warm plates, top with more cheese and pepper, serve at once (Pls only prep 2 portions at a time)

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

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Butter Lettuce & Marinated Octopus

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Butter lettuce has to be my all time favorite lettuce – perfect texture, a color that can only be described as translucent and pearly, and a delicate flavor that is heavenly. While I love all leaf salads, especially frisee and baby arugula, butter lettuce is always at the forefront of my mind when I lust for salad 🙂
I eat it as often as possible, but unfortunately, most of the time the quality available around here is very low, and in case there is good quality available (as when I found the one for this meal), the price is usually at least quadruple the price of iceberg, romaine or frisee. 😦
As with so many other foods, when I grew up, I could not stand butter lettuce, because it was the cheapest salad available and therefore it showed up during many meals, at least three or four times a week. My Mom used to dress it with a simple vinaigrette with onions, which made the whole affair even more disgusting for me. Since my Dad did not allow us to remove items from our plated food, my Mom used to give me (secretly from my Dad) 10 Pfennig, which was but a few cents in today’s money, to ease my pain eating the onions in my salad. 🙂 How times have changed…………..
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Salad on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for more Octopus on ChefsOpinion
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Butter Lettuce & Marinated Octopus

Butter Lettuce

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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: wash and drain lettuce, pat dry with papertowels, dress with a simple lemon vinaigrette

: make a dressing with lemon vinaigrette, green peas, chopped cilantro, red onions and chopped yellow bell peppers, add the cooked octopus, mix well

: plate the dressed lettuce, top with the marinated octopus

: Butter Lettuce & Marinated Octopus

: Butter Lettuce & Marinated Octopus

: Butter Lettuce & Marinated Octopus

: Butter Lettuce & Marinated Octopus

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
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Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE
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Snails And Gnocchi In White Wine, Pernod & Mustard Cream

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Snails and Gnocchi, what a wonderful combination.
Add Pernod Ricard, wine, and whole grain mustard, and you have a heavenly dish that is super easy to prepare, looks like a million and tastes like 2 million 🙂
I have created this dish decades ago, and have served it in many restaurants around the World since.
Good, simple food never get’s old 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Gnocchi Recipe:
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Ingredients:
1 lb Russet potatoes,   cooked, peeled, mashed
A/P flour,   sifted – as needed
2 Eggs,  whole, whisked
Kosher salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 0z Butter
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Method:
Add eggs, seasoning and flour to potatoes, mix lightly until smooth.
Shape into gnocchi.
Make light indentations with a fork.
Cook a sample in simmering salted water. If too soft, add flour. If too dense, add egg.
Cook gnocchi in simmering water until gnocchi float. Remove with slotted spoon into a strainer. Saute in melted butter.
Serves four.
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Click here for more Gnocchi on ChefsOpinion
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P.S.
If you are squirmish about snails, replace them with large scallops. This will give you a different, but equally wonderful dish 🙂
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Snails And Gnocchi In White Wine, Pernod & Mustard Cream

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: marinate overnight 4,5 oz drained and rinsed snails in 1/2 cup white wine ( I used Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse 2015), but of course you can use any white wine of your choice) If the snails are very large, cut in half

: saute 1/2 med size onion in 1 tsp olive oil until translucent

: add 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup Pouilly-Fuisse and the drained snails (discard the wine marinade), simmer until the cream has the texture “Nappé”

: add 1 jigger of Pernod, 1 heaping tblsp whole grain dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, 12 ea grape tomatoes. 1 tblsp chopped parsley and kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, stir