Issa Cooks: Sauteed Brussel Sprout Orzo

Following my pasta + veggie + protein format, I combined a few of my favorite ingredients to make a new dish that's quickly become one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

6oz Orzo
1 lb Brussel Sprouts
1/2 C Marcona Almonds or Pine Nuts
4 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tbs Butter
1 tsp Vegetable Bouillon (optional)
Salt & Pepper
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan.  Heat and add in orzo.  Stir constantly for 2 minutes, or until the orzo has turned golden, and reserve the pasta in a bowl.

Julienne the brussel sprouts.  I find it easiest to cut them in half, put the flat side down and then slice vertically.

Chop the almonds. If you don't want to use a knife, pulse them in a food processor for a few seconds until the pieces are similar size to the orzo. Add nuts to sliced brussel sprouts.

When the water boils, add the vegetable bouillon and the pasta.  Cook according to directions on package.

Heat remaining 3 tbs of olive oil in the frying pan and add the brussel sprout mixture.  Keep stove on high and stir about 7 minutes until the vegetables have turned a dark shade of green.  Do not overcook or the veggies will be soggy and not crispy!  Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the orzo and reserve the pasta water.  Stir the butter into the orzo until melted.

Add the orzo slowly to the brussel sprouts and mix throughly.  Add olive oil and remaining pasta liquid to achieve a saucier consistency.  

Sprinkle with parmesan (if desired) and enjoy!

Issa Cooks: Pasta with Kale and Roasted Tomatoes

Quick, healthy, cheap, and delicious, you simply can't ask for more out of a dish!  (Excuse the iPhone photos- this meal was so quick to make I didn't have time to grab my camera...)

Ingredients:

1lb of Pasta (I used Multigrain Fusilli)
2 large tomatoes
1 Bunch of Kale
1 Can Cannelloni Beans
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic (pre-chopped is perfect)
Red Chili Flakes
Salt
Black Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt for flavor.

Slice the tomatoes in thin rounds.  Put a thin layer of olive oil on the baking sheet and lay tomatoes flat on top.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on top to taste. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic on top. Sprinkle olive oil on top and put the tray in the oven for 30 minutes.

When the water is boiling, add pasta and cook al dente from the directions on the package.

Rinse the kale and trim off the stems.  Chop the leaves into one inch segments.  Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan.  Add the kale and stir until all the leaves are covered in olive oil, add more EVOO if necessary.  Sprinkle with a tablespoon of salt.

Drain and rinse the Cannelloni beans and add them to the kale once it has turned a deep green color. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the beans and add a sprinkle of chili flakes, (more than a tablespoon will make the dish noticeably spicy).  Cook for three more minutes and then remove from heat before kale can get soggy.

Drain the pasta.  Add to kale and bean mixture.  Add olive oil to taste.

Remove tomatoes from oven.  Plate a single serving of pasta, layer a roasted tomato or two on top, and sprinkle with parmesan!

And that's it!  My friends were impressed, I spent under $10 on groceries, and I was full and satisfied for the rest of the night.

Issa Cooks: Stuffed Shells!

As much as I love cooking, during the school year, it's often hard to find the time to make something new and delicious every night. Hence, Kraft Mac and Cheese becomes my nightly staple.  As much as I love the psychedelic pseudo-cheese covered noodles, I found another recipe that takes slightly longer to make, but also has protein, veggies, and almost tastes better left over! 

Stuffed Shells Ingredients:

1 Box Jumbo Shells (16oz)

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Chopped Garlic

1 Can of (Organic) Whole Peeled Tomatoes

12oz Ricotta Cheese

1 Package Frozen Spinach

1 Package Baby Bella Mushrooms

Italian Seasonings

Salt & Pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Heat six quarts of water to a boil in a large pasta pot. Add salt to taste.  

To make sauce:

Heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium flame and add a few teaspoons of garlic (to taste).  Stir until garlic is golden brown. Lower the flame and add in the entire can of tomatoes- beware of splattering! Stir until garlic has mixed in with tomatoes and add Italian Seasonings to taste.  Feel free to throw in fresh basil, if available.  Simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.   

Once the tomato mixture has come to a slow boil, transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor, or a blender, which works equally as well.  Pulse on high until the sauce is completely smooth. 

Transfer the sauce back to the pan and simmer on low heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Add jumbo shells to the boiling water.  Add a few shakes of salt to bring out the flavor of the pasta. Cook according to the al dente directions on the box.  The noodles need to be firm! 

Defrost the spinach in the microwave.  Chop the mushrooms to desired size.  Mix vegetables with ricotta cheese in a large bowl and add a few shakes of italian seasoning for flavor.  

Drain and rinse the noodles in cold water until they're cool enough to touch.  Return to the pot.  Pour the pan of sauce into the bottom of a large glass baking pan.  You're ready to stuff! (Which is not an activity conducive to taking pictures or texting...)  Layer two noodles together and stuff with a heaping teaspoon of cheese mixture.  Set into the baking pan.  Fill baking pan with rows of noodles.  

When the pan is full, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of shells and bake for 15 minutes.  Broil for 5 more minutes for a crispy topping, and dinner/lunch for the next week is ready! 

Issa Cooks: Issa Spaghetti

Farfalle a la Issa!

My love for pasta goes completely unmatched.  And while I love any and every type of pasta, nothing beats a warm bowl of Issa Spaghetti on a crisp autumn day. The recipe is based off of a cooking class I took with Art Smith years ago, but I have yet to use measuring equipment and professional culinary proportions... It's quick, easy, and overwhelmingly delicious.  Don't expect accurate proportions, it's more of a touchy-feely- taste-as-you-go recipe:

Ingredients:

Spaghetti (but any pasta shape works)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Can Crushed Tomatoes

Garlic (fresh or pre-chopped)

Olives (Black or Kalamata)

Capers

Red Pepper Flakes

Basil

Salt and Pepper

Italian Seasoning

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.  Add a few pinches of salt to the water to bring out the flavor of the pasta. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet.  When you can feel the heat with your hands a few inches above the pan, add garlic (to taste).  Once the garlic turns a golden brown, pour the entire can of crushed tomatoes in and stir.  Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and seasonings.  If using fresh basil, tear it in rather than cut it, to prevent the oxidation of the leaves and keep them tasting fresh!  I sadly killed my basil plant, so dried basil was the next best choice.  Reduce heat to low in order to avoid splattering.

Drain and rinse the olives.  I prefer chopping them to spread the flavor out in the sauce. Also, to prevent me from eating the entire can before cooking...  Add olives and a few spoonfuls of capers.  Stir all ingredients together. (Now's a great time to sample a spoonful of sauce and decide if you want to add more red pepper or garlic-- the longer it cooks with the seasonings, the better it tastes!

When the water is rapidly boiling, add your pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the pasta for the time alloted on the box.  Make sure to follow the "al dente" instructions- it's better that way! When you can bite into the pasta, yet still feel a slight crisp to the center, your pasta is perfectly al dente!  Drain and rinse. Return pasta to the pot and drizzle with olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other; stir and cover until the sauce is ready...

Your sauce is ready!  At this point, the tomatoes should have absorbed the flavors of the spices and the sauce will have a slight spiciness to it!

Serve pasta with sauce on top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

That's it- cheap, quick, and delicious!

Bon Apetito!

Issa Cooks: Fried Rice

I may live with a chef, but that certainly doesn't make me one.  I'm not a bad cook, per se, in fact, I'm actually really good at everything, as you must already know.  When it comes to cooking, I find myself impatient- why waste time standing in the kitchen when I can have delicious food delivered directly to my door any hour of the day? I prefer to be out and about at fabulous events like dessert tastings and movie premieres and gallery openings and avoid all the messiness of making my own meals.  I'm highly guilty of burning a grilled cheese left on the skillet while I apply mascara in my bedroom, boiling macaroni to a mush while I straighten and style my hair, charring popcorn in the microwave as I quickly read through the newest New Yorker on the couch.

This being said, I've also made delicious foods that would make Padma Lakshimi's mouth water, but I've learned that the most important ingredient in a recipe is patience.  And somehow, last night, I was feeling inspired to hang up mid-phone-call to Panda Restaurant and attempt to make my very own fried rice.  Some people may see cooking as a science, but I see it as more of an art, below is my very non-specific, do what you like if it makes you happy recipe.

Tip: Don't drop your iPhone in the frying pan.  It may be made in China, but it certainly doesn't belong in Chinese food...

Ingredients:

Rice (I didn't measure, but maybe 2 cups)
1 Jalapeño Pepper

1 Can of Baby Corn

Handful of Edamame (no shells)

Broccoli 

Mushrooms (I used baby bellas)

Green Beans

3 Eggs

Salt & Pepper

Soy Sauce

Sesame Oil

Vegetable Oil

Chop any vegetables that aren't already chopped.  I may have cheated on this one and just laid them out on a cutting board for a pretty picture... 

Start off by cooking the rice. 

Crack the eggs in a bowl, sprinkle salt and pepper on top, and scramble them.

Heat sesame oil in a large frying pan.

When the oil is hot, sauté your vegetables. Once they're just about cooked, sprinkle with soy sauce, remove from pan and put in a bowl.  

When the rice is done cooking, fluff it with a fork so that it doesn't clump together.  You'll thank me later.  

After cooking all of your vegetables, scramble the egg over low heat.  Make sure to do this last to it soaks up all the yummy leftover vegetable juices!

Break the cooked egg into pieces and add it to the vegetables in the bowl.  Heat more oil in the pan and cover it with a thin layer of rice.  Wait until it sizzles and then stir.

Add soy sauce to rice and remove from pan once it's fried to your preference...

Mix veggie and egg combo with the rice and fry it all together.  Delicious!

Voila! Fried rice!