Crema di Funghi (Mushroom Cream Sauce) via Arthur Schwartz, "Naples at Table"

My son and I had a terrific meal at Naples 45 in New York City this past Monday.

I had a wonderful wild mushroom sauce with pasta.

Inspired, I decided to make one myself. It was delicious!

Schwartz writes:

"I first encountered this rich and silken sauce at Cumpa Cosimo, Netta Bottone's restaurant in Ravello, but a puree of mushrooms like this has become fashionable in the region. Netta calls her sauce a "cream" sauce even though it has no dairy products, but I've eaten other versions that are, indeed, enriched with a little cream. In either case, it is elegantly smooth and appropriate for a fancy dinner party---or just when you want to pamper yourself with something smooth and lush.......Ditali is a good shape for this sauce......farfalle and gemelli....thin spaghetti would not be out of line, either.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ectra-virgin olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, lightly smashed
1 1/2 pounds white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced (I used Baby Bella)
3/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: 2 tablespoons Marsala (I used it)
3/4 cup hot pasta cooking water
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Optional: 2--3 tablespoons heavy cream (I used it)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 heaping tablespoon finely cut parsley (I used a wee bit more)
1 pound pasta (I used fettuccine)

Directions:

1. In a 10-inch skillet, combine the olive oil ad garlic over medium-low heat and, pressing the garlic into the oil a couple of time to release it flavor, cook until the garlic is soft and lightly golden on both sides. Remove and discard the garlic.

2. Increase the heat to medium and add the mushrooms. Cook, tossing almost constantly, until they give off their liquid. Add the salt and Marsala. Raise the heat to high and continue cooking, still mixing almost constantly, until all the liquid has evaporated. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mushrooms and set aside.

3. Place the remaining mushrooms in the jar of a blender. Have the grated cheese, the cream, the pepper, and the parsley ready at hand to finish the sauce.

4. Cook the pasta until al dente in plenty of salted water, and just before draining it, scoop out a cup of the pasta boiling water. Drain the pasta.

5. Pour 3/4 cup of the pasta water in the jar of the blender with the mushrooms and process the mushrooms into a smooth cream. Add the grated cheese. Process another couple of seconds to blend. If the sauce is too think, add a little more pasta cooking water. Finally, whirl in the cream and black pepper. Taste for salt.

6. Toss the pasta with the mushroom cream sauce and the parsley. Garnish each serving with the reserved sliced mushrooms.

7. Serve immediately in heated bowls with extra grated cheese.

Arthur Schwartz

Fuyu Persimmon Salad

We have had this every night for the past four of five nights:

Last night as a side with salmon:

The night before with ravioli:

Ingredients

• 1 shallot, finely diced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 Fuyu persimmons
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced tender celery stalks and leaves
• 1 head radicchio, leaves torn into 2-inch wide ribbons
• Chunk of Parmesan, for shaving

Preparation

1.

Make the vinaigrette: put diced shallot in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Add lemon juice and sherry vinegar and leave to macerate for about 5 minutes. Stir in olive oil. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

2.

With a sharp paring knife, remove and discard the leafy calyx at the top of each persimmon. Peel persimmons and cut in half vertically. Lay persimmons flat side down and cut into 1/2-inch wedges.

3.

Put persimmon wedges and celery slices in a low, wide salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk vinaigrette, then pour over persimmon and celery and toss to coat well. Add radicchio and toss lightly.

4.

With a vegetable peeler, shave about 1 ounce of Parmesan in thin strips over salad.

YIELD

4 to 6 servings 

 

~from The New York Times

Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir Fry

This is an adaption of a recipe from by Jamie Oliver. Serves 2.
This easy and fast shrimp snow pea recipe is very versatile. I served it over Pedon (Italian Five Grains--bought at Costco).

Ingredients:

• 1 T fresh Ginger, finely diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely diced
• 1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced
• Peanut Oil
• 3/4 lb. Lrg Shrimp, shelled & deveined (lightly salted with Sea Salt)
• Large handful Snow Peas ( rinsed in water, cut tip of each and pull out the tough string that runs along its side, and cut each snow pea into 1-2 inch pieces)
• 2 T Soy Sauce
• juice 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 t Honey
• 1 t Sesame Oil
• Fresh Cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat a pan or wok over high heat. Swirl in some peanut oil and add garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Saute for a minute or so, then add shrimp and cook for another couple minutes or until shrimp is almost cooked through.
2. Add sugar snaps, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, and sesame oil.  Saute for a bit until everything is hot--a few minutes at most. Serve over Rice or Pedon. Garnish with chopped Cilantro.