Queso Fundido

Coming from Texas, I love this type of appetizer.  Use chips or slather onto a warm flour tortilla...yum. 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 serrano chile, seeded, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• Kosher salt
• 8 ounces coarsely grated mild yellow cheddar
• 8 ounces coarsely grated Monterey Jack
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 4-ounce link fresh chorizo or hot Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup lager
• Tortilla chips

• Mix tomato, chile, and oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt; let salsa stand for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss both cheeses with flour in a medium bowl. Cook chorizo in a medium saucepan over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until it begins to render, about 1 minute. Add onion and continue cooking until chorizo is cooked and onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer chorizo mixture to a small bowl; return saucepan to heat. Add beer; simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits. Whisking constantly, add cheese mixture a 1/4-cupful at a time, allowing it to become blended and smooth between additions. Stir in chorizo mixture. DO AHEAD Queso can be made 30 minutes ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• To reheat, warm skillet with queso fundido over medium heat; stir until melted and bubbly.
• Using a slotted spoon, spoon salsa over queso. Serve in skillet with a basket of tortilla chips on the side.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

1 serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 280
• Fat (g) 18
• Saturated Fat (g) 9
• Cholesterol (mg) 55
• Carbohydrates (g) 5
• Dietary Fiber (g) 2
• Total Sugars (g) 1
• Protein (g) 22
• Sodium (mg) 680

Portuguese Baked Eggs

What a great brunch dish or, if you add a leafy green salad, a hearty dinner.  Youse got youse spice, youse creaminess of the ricotta, and youse herbal-ness of the, well, herbs.  Serves 6

Photo by Matt Duckor

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 bell peppers, any color, thinly sliced
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño, with seeds, halved lengthwise
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
• 1½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup ricotta
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar (about 4 oz.)
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan (about 1 oz.)
• Toasted country-style bread (for serving)

• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 10–12 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, garlic, jalapeño, basil, oregano, chili powder, and paprika to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft and liquid is thickened, 20–30 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Discard jalapeño.
• Preheat oven to 400°. Transfer bell pepper mixture to a 13x9” baking dish. Using the back of a spoon, make 6 evenly spaced divots in mixture. Spoon a dollop of ricotta into each divot, then crack 1 egg into each. Top with cheddar and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Bake, rotating dish halfway through, until Parmesan is melted and egg whites are almost set but yolks are still runny, 15–18 minutes.
• Serve baked eggs with toast. (Yolks will continue to cook as dish sits, so serve right away if you prefer your eggs soft.)
• DO AHEAD: Bell pepper mixture can be cooked 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
  
  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

• Calories (kcal) 300
• Fat (g) 27
• Saturated Fat (g) 11
• Cholesterol (mg) 260
• Carbohydrates (g) 14
• Dietary Fiber (g) 3
• Total Sugars (g) 6
• Protein (g) 19
• Sodium (mg) 410

Pasta al Pomodoro

Once you've learned how to make a perfect pasta sauce, your life ambitions have been met.  Seriously, once you learn how to make this sauce, your cooking days are made easier.  You can put this sauce on anything.  The key to making this pasta dish perfect though is the pasta water and the butter.  Don't skip either step.  You'll ruin the dish.

Photo by Romulo Yanes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28 oz. can peeled tomatoes, puréed in a food processor
• Kosher salt
• 3 large fresh basil sprigs
• 12 oz. bucatini or spaghetti
• 2 Tbsp. cubed unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino

• Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute more. Increase heat to medium, add puréed tomatoes and season lightly with kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in basil sprigs, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add spaghetti or bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• Discard basil and heat skillet over high heat. Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce; bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts. Transfer to warm bowls; serve with more cheese, if desired.
  
  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

One serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 560.4
• %Calories from Fat 34.5
• Fat (g) 21.5
• Saturated Fat (g) 5.8
• Cholesterol (mg) 15.0
• Carbohydrates (g) 76.2
• Dietary Fiber (g) 6.2
• Total Sugars (g) 8.3
• Net Carbs (g) 70.0
• Protein (g) 14.1
• Sodium (mg) 426.8

Bucatini All' Amatriciana

I love the Italian pasta bucatini.  It is thicker than a spaghetti or angel hair and adds additional "bite" to the dish.  That is IF you cook it al dente. Don't make it limp. This is a very simple dish.  Simply add a great salad, your favorite bread and, of course, your favorite red wine.  Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 oz. thinly sliced guanciale, pancetta, or chopped unsmoked bacon
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28-oz. can peeled tomatoes with juices, crushed by hand t
• Kosher salt
• 12 oz. dried bucatini or spaghetti
• 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino (about 1 oz.)

• Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale and sauté until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes. Add pepper flakes and black pepper; stir for 10 seconds. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt; add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 2 minutes before al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
• Add drained pasta to sauce in skillet and toss vigorously with tongs to coat. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. (Add a little pasta water if sauce is too dry.) Stir in cheese and transfer pasta to warmed bowls.
  
  
  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

One serving contains:

• Calories (Kcal) 524.6
• %Calories From Fat 25.2
• Fat (G) 14.7
• Saturated Fat (G) 4.0
• Cholesterol (Mg) 14.7
• Carbohydrates (G) 75.9
• Dietary Fiber (G) 6.0
• Total Sugars (G) 7.4
• Net Carbs (G) 69.9
• Protein (G) 19.4
• Sodium (Mg) 757.8