PASTA, RICE, BEANS, AND GRAINS

PASTA, RICE, BEANS, AND GRAINS

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 stalks celery, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 medium red onions, sliced
8 ounces tasso, salt pork, or bacon, diced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
8 ounces portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 cup red wine
4 cups beef broth

Directions:
2 11⁄-pound cooked lobsters
4
1⁄ cup fresh basil, chopped
4
1. In a Dutch oven or deep pot, cook the pasta in boiling water according to the
package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander, set aside, and keep warm.
2. Wipe out the Dutch oven; add the oil and bring to temperature over medium heat.
Add the celery and carrots; sauté for 3–5 minutes, or until soft. Add the onion and
sauté until transparent. If using tasso, sauté for 1 minute; if using salt pork or
bacon, sauté for 3 minutes, or until it renders some of its fat. Add all the
mushrooms; stirring frequently, cook until all of the mushroom liquid is rendered
out. Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan; add the tomato paste and sauté
for 2 minutes, then stir it into the mushrooms along with the oregano, thyme,
parsley, wine, and broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned
bits as you stir. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Toss the drained
pasta into the reduced ragu sauce.
3. Remove the meat from the lobster shells; chop into large pieces. Gently stir the
lobster meat into the pasta and ragu sauce. Garnish with the chopped basil.
Lobster Shell Uses
Freeze the lobster shells and use them later to make a broth to add to your
favorite seafood stew or soup. Lobster broth is delicious, and it’s easy to
make—just simmer the shells with a roughly chopped onion, a few bay
leaves, and enough water to cover everything for about 45 minutes.
LAMB AND PASTA SALAD
Tomatoes are essential for this Greek-inspired salad. If you don’t have fresh ones
on hand, you can use 1 cup of drained canned diced tomatoes or use cherry
tomatoes cut in half.
Yields 8–10 servings