Ravioli Lasagna, its what's new at the Brainy Gourmet...

 

What's new... what's an old favorite in a new way is the better question?

Ravioli lasagna ... 

You probably have seen at your deli or cold meat, cheese and veggie counter... prepackaged ravioli. If you shop wisely, you already know that Aldi has such ravioli stuffed with ricotta and ricotta and spinach. Whichever ravioli filling you prefer, you can make a delish lasagna from them. 

Buy at least four packages of ravioli. Again, these are pre-made/prepackaged pasta stuffed pockets. Take a glass baking dish and drizzle olive oil over the bottom. Put a layer of ravioli pastas on the bottom, then cover with your favorite tomato sauce, then shredded mozzarella cheese, then ravioli again, sauce and cheese and sauce again... sprinkle with Parmesan and bake in the oven on 350 until bubbly. 

Ah, so so good... 

 

~Tutti a Tavola!

A Quick Brainy Carbonara...

 

As most commonly purported, this dish is of a Roman heritage... meaning originating from Rome, Italy. Its easy, delicious and filling for even the most robust appetite. What is carbonara? Its a pasta dish with pork, cheese and egg.

Traditionally, the pork (chopped bacon/ham) is cooked in its own fat with onion and garlic. After the pork is gently cooked, it is drained and set aside. Then, hot (boiled to al dente) pasta is combined with a mixture of raw eggs, cheese, and a combination of fat butter, olive oil, and or cream ... adding and mixing in the chopped cooked pork. 

To begin, start the water (a dash of salt added) for boiling the pasta. Then on med. heat in a large covered skillet, saute in 3 tbs of olive oil one whole large onion, one clove of garlic along with 1 cup of diced smoked pork (bacon and ham) . I like to add fresh dried herbs at this point: rosemary, mint and oregano.
 

Remember that once the water begins its rolling boil ...its time to add the fettuccine (or whatever pasta you prefer). Boil til al dente.

Back to the bacon and ham... when the pork and onion/garlic are lightly browned, drain that fat and add a dollop of butter, drizzle of olive oil and 1 cup of heavy cream. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the pasta is firm yet tender.

Drain the pasta and ladle onto a low lipped serving dish and top with the Carbonara sauce. Garnish and Serve!

And, the cheese... as much as you like!

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Be Brainy... Bourbon Street Spicy Pork!

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years, the Brainy Gourmet has demonstrated on a number of cooking occasions how to use left over meat juices/gravies; i.e. flavoring rice, pasta, meatloaf, etc.  Today, I just so happen to have left over Swiss Steak gravy to make a delicious spicy pork loin in 'bourbon gravy'.

The braininess is that there was no recipe used, no extra ingredients. What was used? Only what was on hand and or what was left over and in the pantry.

To begin, you need to thaw or use a fresh cut 1 lb pork loin to be marinated in sea salt/olive oil/balsamic vinegar/soy sauce and garlic powder and dried herbs. After 15 min. the pork loin should seared uncovered in the oven on about 400f (using convection) for about 6-7 minutes or on the stove in a hot iron skillet.

Next, remove the loin from the oven and top it off using any left over beef or pork gravy. Then, pop back in the oven for ten min. or more (depending on your heat source: electric/gas/LP) and reduce the heat to 375/350f, cover with foil and if using a skillet cover with a lid.

As for the bourbon taste, that is really easy. Just use a 'bourbon' flavored barbecue sauce or any barbecue sauce you happen... even drizzling some over the top before serving for a final finish.

Prepare a side of baked potato and green beans...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March Madness Road Trip... Louisiana Spare Ribs

 

 

Louisiana road trip...

Before you get started, what is the difference between spare ribs and short ribs? Spare ribs are pork and short ribs are beef. So, for this dish, you will need to buy a package of boneless pork spare ribs, 1-1/2 inch thick. A package of cherry tomatoes, and some bourbon or not... you can of course make this dish without it. 

Marinate the pork for at least one hour in a shallow dish covered with 1/4 cup of bourbon along with sea salt, garlic powder and black pepper as well as dried herb seasonings: mint, rosemary and oregano or basil.

In a heavy black iron skillet, sear your marinated pork in 4 tbs of olive oil and coconut oil. Then add some organic honey and fresh grated ginger along with a generous squeeze of lime. Cook on high for 3 min and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 6-8 min, depending on thickness of pork. Remove from heat and move the pork aside or to a serving plate and cover to retain heat. In that same black iron skillet sauté onion and cherry tomatoes in a buttery olive oil combination letting them sizzle together with an extra dash of bourbon. As they near caramelizing, prepare another side... potatoes or couscous.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

A Brainy Alfredo with Tagliatelle Pasta...

 

 

 Fettuccine Alfredo with tuna ... Roman style ???

 

You will need two cans of tuna in oil (if you prefer, use fresh tuna steaks, broken apart). One onion, heavy cream, sour cream, fettuccine pasta, and Parmesan cheese. Begin by sauteing one whole chopped onion in olive oil on med. heat until you see brown edges. To that add the two cans of tuna, un-drained. Stir while it bubbles along.

In the meantime, prepare a stock pot of salted water to boil the pasta. Returning to the tuna Alfredo sauce, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream and the same of sour cream. Stir until well blended. Finally, add dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano. Let the sauce simmer covered on low heat until the pasta is ready to serve.

When the pasta is tender, drain, rinse and pour onto serving platter. Ladle the sauce over the top, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Spicy Asian Noodle Bowl with Pork...

 

This is a 'noodle bowl/pot' dish. In case you didn't know, the concept of the ramen 'noodle bowl/pot' dish with marinated meat, stock/broth, some fresh veggies and a hard boiled egg was actually imported from China to Japan.

Today, this noodle dish is recognized as a Japanese 'delish' experience that consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat or (occasionally) fish-based stock/broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso.

Of course, being brainy, I used angel hair pasta broken in half rather than ramen noodles... why not, pasta was originally from China anyway. Of course, you can use traditional ramen noodles.

To begin, you will need: pork loin, angel hair pasta, fresh green beans (optional), onion, orange bell pepper (optional), and spinach blended with arugula. 

Most ramen bowls have bright colors: green, orange and yellow colors (boiled egg)... but you can be brainy and improvise/substitute ...which means use ingredients you/everyone in your house likes. 

Start by marinating a pound more or less of boneless pork loin (depending on number of guests) in whatever your favorite 'spicy' seasonings happen to be. For this version, 'fig' infused balsamic vinegar was used along with garlic powder or paste, cayenne pepper flakes and or cayenne paste, sea salt and minced ginger.

In the meantime, start your 'soup'. Get a full quart of beef stock, 4 tbs of soy sauce, 1 tbs of garlic paste, and 1 tbs of ginger paste or more if you like,.. set to boil. As for the cayenne paste, use at your own discretion in the soup; however, if used in the marinate, then omit from soup. 

Next, add half an onion and orange bell pepper julienne cut to the rolling boil of soup stock. Lastly, add one cup of julienne cut young green beans and then some shredded spinach leaves. 

When the meat marination time is up, either broil the pork loin in the oven or cook on the stove in a skillet. Check the pork and add necessary beef stock to keep the meat moist and juicy. Once, it is pink on the inside (use knife checking the densest portion) a little searing seals in the flavors. 

Back to your spicy ramen soup... add four handfuls of angel hair pasta broken in half directly to the boiling soup stock with all its added spicy flavors.

Take out a deep serving dish and ladle in the pasta with julienne veggies topping with the seared pork loin. Pour out the spicy soup stock over the top and also any tasty drippings from the meat. Top with fresh chopped arugula and serve. 

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Simple ~ lean meat and potatoes...

 

Meat and potatoes... just good food for a sit down candlelight dinner at home.

You will need: one pork or beef tenderloin. The loin is the best cut and the best loin is lean and boneless with just a little fat on one side. Chose side dishes that you and your family will enjoy... potatoes i.e.

To begin, heat the oven to 375 (to be reduced later on to 350). Take the loin and poke holes all around. Shake sea salt on all sides and lay it down into a glass dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, top with generously with dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano.

Let it rest like that for about 15 min., while the oven heats up. Cover the loin with foil and pop in the oven at 375 for about 15-18 min. After that time, pour in 3/4 cup of beef stock, and 1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce. 

Add to that, a few handfuls of dried plums and sun dried tomatoes (from the jar is ok). Remove the foil cover and return to the oven at 350 until the meat thermometer tells you its down, just slightly pink inside, mostly white meat.

Serve with potatoes, green beans and or a salad. 

 

~ Tutti a Tavola!