Tag Archives: bacon

Pasta

Romanesco Cauliflower & Bacon Reginette

The first time I saw Romanesco cauliflower, I was not in Rome. I was at a farmer’s market in New York City, and the subtle green vegetable made me stop in my tracks: it looked like an alien from a science fiction film, or something out of an Arcimboldo painting. It had a striking shape, with conical florets spiraling towards a pointed top.

When I asked the vendor about it, she said it was Roman broccoli (another name for it).  Needless to say, that day I bought and cooked my first Romanesco cauliflower;  and every time I have spotted any at the farmers’ markets, I never passed up a chance to pick one up. The flavor of Romanesco is a bit nuttier, sweeter, and more subtle than that of regular cauliflower, so I tend to like it best in simple preparations that don’t mask its nuanced flavor or its unusual shape.

The recipe below can certainly be made with regular cauliflower if Romanesco is not available.

romanesco-raw

romaenesco-steamed

Serves 2 as a main course, 3 to 4 as an appetizer depending on what else you are serving following the pasta

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 sage leaves, thinly sliced
  • 2 thick slices bacon, fat removed, minced
  • 1/2 pound Romanesco cauliflower florets, trimmed and cut as needed (they should be about 2 inches long at most)
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • water as needed
  • 1/2 pound reginette or other long, fresh pasta
  • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Make the sauce: Place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the shallot, garlic, sage, and bacon  in a skillet large enough to accommodate the pasta later. Set the skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, or until the shallots are fragrant and the bacon has lost its raw smell.

Add the cauliflower florets, season with 1/2 teaspoon of  the salt, and cook, stirring often, until the cauliflower is limp and lightly browned in spots, about 10 minutes, adding a bit of water by the 1/4 cup as needed to prevent the cauliflower from burning or drying out.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. When the sauce is ready, add the pasta and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, about 1 minute. Drain, reserving 1 and 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Transfer the pasta to the skillet and saute over high heat to combine the flavors.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water,  the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the Parmigiano, and the pepper. Adjust the salt if necessary, and add a little more of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve hot.

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Soup

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with White Truffle Oil & Crispy Bacon

This amazing soup takes little active work, is very low in fat and calories, but delivers incredible depth of flavor. The trick: sweating the vegetables in a covered pot slowly, then adding just a bit of flour to thicken up the base for a velvety mouth-feel. While an immersion blender may be easier to use than a blender, I prefer the latter to obtain a rich, creamy texture.

Feel free to omit the bacon for a completely vegetarian dish;  garnish with a few roasted cauliflower florets instead in this case, to provide visual contrast.

Serves 4

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 1 celery stalk, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 4 cups (1 medium head) cauliflower florets, tough stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to serve
  • 3 cups 2% or whole milk
  • 1 cup water, plus extra as needed
  • 2 slices bacon, cut into tiny dice
  • 2 tablespoons white truffle oil

Place the olive oil, onion, celery, garlic, and thyme in a 3-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and set over medium-low heat. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while as needed to prevent scorching.

Uncover, add the cauliflower, stir well, and cover again. Cook until the cauliflower softens, about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while and adding water if needed to prevent scorching.

Uncover, stir in the flour, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often; the flour should lose its raw smell and the cauliflower and vegetables should become coated with the flour. It is fine if the cauliflower and vegetables take on a little color; this will only deepen the flavor of the soup.

Season with the salt and pepper. Pour in the milk, stirring to avoid lumps forming. Add the water and cover. Bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very soft (it should fall apart when poked with a spoon) and the flavors have melded. Be sure not to cook the soup over too high a flame, as the milk may curdle (even if it does, the soup will be blended later, so it is fine).

Transfer to a blender, being careful as the soup is quite hot. Cover the blender lid with a towel to prevent splashing and puree the soup  until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. If the soup is too thick for your taste, add as much water as needed to dilute to a consistency you like; the soup should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Return to the pot and keep warm. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

When you are ready to serve, place the diced bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Serve the soup hot, drizzled with the truffle oil, garnished with the crispy bacon, and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.