Cold-Weather Cooking: Farfalle with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Roasted Red Peppers

When temperatures drop down to single digits, it’s only natural to be inclined to cook hearty dishes with rich, buttery sauces! This recipe, which uses dark meat chicken, roasted red peppers, meaty Portobello mushrooms, and fiber-packed chickpeas, is simple to prepare and immensely satisfying. Bundle up, head to the market and pick up these easy-to-find ingredients, and once you've thawed out, put this on the stove. Serve with lots of Chardonnay!


Farfalle with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Roasted Red Peppers

16 oz. / 455 g. dry farfalle
Splash olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1-2 large shallots, sliced
1 head garlic, roasted*
4-5 large Portobello mushrooms, diced
2-3 large red peppers, roasted and minced*
1 15-oz.can chickpeas (do not drain)
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
Pinch dried rosemary
½ c. Chardonnay
½ c. light cream
Pat butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)


Cook the pasta in heavily salted water. In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the chicken and brown for a few minutes, then add the shallot and garlic and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Next, add the mushrooms, red peppers, chickpeas, bay leaves, cloves, rosemary, and wine. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the chicken is fully cooked, add the cream, butter, salt and pepper, and cayenne (if using). Blend well, then add the cooked pasta. Mix well, and serve piping hot.

*Note: For instructions on roasting garlic and peppers, click here. When selecting peppers for roasting, choose peppers that are long rather than round and boxy. I don’t know why, but they seem to yield a more flavorful roasted pepper!

* Nutritional info: serves six. 624 calories, 16 g fat, 75 g carbohydrates, 47 g protein.

 

The Food P0rn Cop-Out Post...

Ladies and gentlemen, it's been a busy week. I visited my mom in NH for the weekend and successfully evaded the hordes of tourists in town for the Boston Marathon, and work has been insane due to last-minute planning and prep for the firm's annual partner meeting. In other words, I haven't done much cooking lately. But, I do have a wicked easy recipe to share, along with massive megabytes of food p0rn finally freed from the confines of my cameraphone. Enjoy!
　

Portobellos cooking.

Balsamic-Braised Portobellos with Shallots
splash olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 lb. portobello mushrooms, sliced 1/2 thick
generous splash balsamic vinegar

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot, cook for about a minute, then add the mushrooms. Cook for another minute or so, stirring occasionally. Now, add the balsamic vinegar. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are completely coated. Lower heat, cover the frying pan with a lid, and cook for about 5 more minutes, or until the mushrooms have released their liquid and shrunk considerably. Serve as an accompaniment to steak. These also work great in panini with provolone cheese, prosciutto and roasted red peppers.




Pepper-crusted filet with garlic butter, Balsamic braised portobellos

Best served with a 12-year single malt.



You know you want me.



Ohhh yeahhh...

More perfect filet mignon...

Gorgeous broccolini.



Filet and steamed broccolini alongside risotto with bacon and leeks, accompanied by a glass of Trebbiano.  I feel sorry for people who don't have Italian moms.

Disturbingly large carrots at the market.

From Restaurant Week Spring 2011 - Da Vinci's Arancini.

More RW - Da Vinci's Short Rib Tortelloni.



Da Vinci's Rice Pudding.  Although the sugar threads reminded me of asbestos, this dessert really was amazing.