September 28: Mushroom Saute on Charred Polenta and Seared Spicy Ham

1 24-ounce tube of prepared polenta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the polenta and ham
12 slices deli-sliced capocolla, cut as thick as a slice of bacon
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, portobello, shiitake, or fresh porcini, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef stock or broth
1 15-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, such as Muir Glen brand
1 10-ounce sack of Italian cheese blend or shredded Provolone
   Green salad

Preheat a grill pan or large nonstick skillet to high. Cut the polenta into 12 disks. Pour the EVOO into a small dish. Using a pastry or grill brush, paint the polenta with EVOO and char the disks on each side, 5 or 6 minutes total.

Remove the polenta and cover with foil to keep warm. Brush the capocolla ham with EVOO and sear on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes total.

Preheat the broiler to high.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of the EVOO and butter. When the butter melts, add the garlic and shallots and swish around for 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms and combine.

Sprinkle the chopped thyme over the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms, stirring frequently, until they brown. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring to evenly distribute. Whisk the red wine into the pan first and cook it off for a minute, then whisk in the stock.

Thicken the stock for a minute, then add the tomatoes and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

In a shallow casserole, layer the polenta with ham.

Top with the mushroom-tomato sauce and cover with the cheese. Place under the hot broiler 6 inches from the heat to melt and brown the cheese.

Serve with a green salad.

4 SERVINGS

This is the first variation on the Mushroom Saute meal. It doesn't feel like the same meal at all, so I guess it accomplished it's goal. I like this meal, although when I commented to my husband that there was too much cheese (I used a 12 ounce package), he said that's like saying there's too much oxygen in the air. :) I used a little less oil for brushing and 1 tbsp less butter for this meal to try to cut back on the fat. I also added the salad to the ingredient list.

September 27: Big Beef Balls with Bucatini

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
1 small to medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
6 garlic cloves, 3 cloves minced, 3 cloves chopped
1 egg
1/2 to 2/3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus some to pass at the table
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
   Coarse salt
   Coarse black pepper
1 pound bucatini
1/4 pound pancetta, chopped
12 cremini mushroom caps, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup beef stock or broth
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large pot of water to a boil.

Heat a deep skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions in 1 tablespoon of the EVOO for 5 minutes. Remove the onions and set them aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix the meat with half the onions, the minced garlic, the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, allspice, capers, sage, a handful of the chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a healthy drizzle of EVOO.

Score the meat into 4 sections and make 3 very large balls from each section. Arrange the 12 balls on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast for 15 minutes until firm but not hard.

Salt the boiling water and drop the bucatini into it. Cook until al dente. Drain the pasta.

While the pasta and meatballs are cooking, heat another tablespoon of EVOO in the skillet in which the onions were cooked. Add the pancetta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the remaining garlic and the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add the remaining onions back and deglaze the pan with the red wine, cook for 1 minute, add the beef stock, and whisk up any brown bits. Stir in the tomatoes and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Toss the pasta with half the sauce.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and add to the remaining sauce, turning to coat.

Serve 3 meatballs per person alongside the pasta. Spoon any remaining sauce over the pasta. Pass extra cheese at the table. Serve with a green salad.

4 SERVINGS

This is a better version of spaghetti and meatballs; better than the master recipe, Veal Polpette. It is very similar to a traditional version. I used perciatelli because I couldn't find any bucatini. It is still hollow spaghetti. I liked it a lot. The meatballs were pretty good. They fell apart easily, but that's probably my fault. I ran out of eggs, so I used some mayonnaise instead (I thought, "mayonnaise has eggs in it, that should work." So that's probably why they didn't stick together like they should have. Anyway. I changed the garlic from being 2 cloves minced and 4 chopped to 3 minced and 3 chopped. I don't really know the difference, but I think mincing is finer than chopping. I'm pretty sure you were supposed to put the minced garlic in the meatballs.

September 26: Mixed Wild Mushroom Saute on Toast Points with Gruyere

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, portobello, shiitake, or fresh porcini, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme plus a few sprigs for garnish
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
1 cup beef stock or broth
1/2 cup cream or half-and-half
8 slices wheat, whole-grain, or white sliced bread, toasted
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (1/2 pound brick)
   Tossed salad

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and butter. When the butter melts, add the garlic and shallots and swish around for 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms and combine. Sprinkle the chopped thyme over the mushrooms.

Cook the mushrooms, stirring frequently, until they brown. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Do not season mushrooms before they brown. Salt draws out liquid and will make the mushrooms wet and as a result, they will actually take longer to brown.) Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring to evenly distribute. Whisk the sherry into the pan first and cook it off for a minute, then whisk in the stock.

Thicken the stock for a minute, then add the cream and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

Cut the toasted bread from corner to corner. Arrange 4 triangles of toast on each dinner plate.

Pour one quarter of the mushrooms across each portion and top with lots of Gruyere and with thyme sprigs. Serve with a tossed green salad or baby spinach salad.

4 SERVINGS

This is an interesting meal. It's not all that substantial because it doesn't have any meat to it, but it sure tastes good. I missed the part about the salad until just now. I added it to the ingredient list, because she only mentions it at the end of the recipe. I used Swiss cheese instead of Gruyere and I only used 1 tablespoon of butter. Rachael Ray's tidbit is: "You can make this dish (and variations, #273 or #274) vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for the stock."

September 25: Veal Polpette with Thin Spaghetti and Light Tomato and Basil Sauce

   Coarse salt
3/4 pound thin spaghetti
1 pound ground veal
4 garlic cloves, 2 cloves minced, 2 cloves chopped
1 egg
1/2 to 2/3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus some to pass at the table
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
   Coarse black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup small raisins or currants
1 small to medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, San Marzano variety if available
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
20 fresh basil leaves, torn

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large pot of water to a boil. When it boils, salt it and add the pasta.

While the water boils, in a large bowl, mix the meat with the minced garlic, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and a generous drizzle of EVOO.

Roll small meatballs with a pine nut and raisin in the center of each, and arrange them on a rimmed nonstick cookie sheet. Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes or until cooked through.

Heat a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the 3 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the chopped garlic and the onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft and sweet.

Add the wine, reduce for a minute, then stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Fold in the basil to wilt it.

Cook the pasta al dente, drain, and toss with half of the sauce.

Take the meatballs from the oven and carefully loosen them from the cookie sheet with a thin spatula, then add them to the remaining sauce to coat.

Top the pasta with the polpette and serve with extra grated cheese to pass at the table and a green salad.

4 SERVINGS

This is an interesting version of spaghetti and meatballs, but not one that I would make again. I used pork instead of veal for the meatballs. They were very bready and the raisin and pine nut seemed out of place. Also, it took a long time to roll and stuff them all. Just not worth the hassle. The sauce was good, but a little too chunky for my family. Maybe the beef variation will be better. We'll see. I didn't add the salad, because it's not mentioned until the end of the recipe. Here is what RR says: "Polpette are baby meatballs and these are stuffed with a pine nut (buttery slightly crunchy surprise) and a currant or raisin (to keep the meat moist)." She also says, "Spaghetti and meatballs: Sure it's a classic, but don't get stuck in a rut; here I give 3 ways to make the meatballs, 3 ways to serve them."

September 24: Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Breasts with a Cheddar-Mustard Sauce

4 medium (quart-size) plastic food storage bags
4 small whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 5-ounce bag of salted pretzels, any shape
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
   Freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
   Vegetable oil, for frying
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup grated sharp yellow Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese
1 heaping tablespoon spicy brown mustard, such as Gulden's
   Coarse salt
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large sour dill pickle, finely chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Sprinkle a little water into the food storage baggies. Place 1 chicken breast in each bag and seal it up, pushing out excess air. Use a mallet or the bottom of a heavy pot or pan and pound each breast until flat, just shy of busting out of the bag. Repeat with the other 3 chicken breasts.

Place the pretzels in a food processor or blender and grind until fine. Transfer the ground pretzels to a shallow dish and add the thyme and some pepper. Crack and beat 2 eggs in a second shallow dish with a splash of water.

Working with 1 pounded chicken breast at a time, coat the breast in the ground pretzels, then in the eggs, then in the pretzels again. Preheat a large skillet with 1/4 inch of vegetable oil; add the pretzel-coated chicken breasts to the hot oil. Cook in a single layer, in 2 batches if necessary, about 3 or 4 minutes on each side, until the cutlets' juices run clear and the breading is evenly browned.

While the chicken is frying, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour to it. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk. When the milk comes to a bubble, stir in the cheeses and mustard with a wooden spoon. Season with a little salt and pepper and remove the cheese sauce from the heat.

Transfer the fried pretzel-crusted chicken breasts to serving plates, drizzle with the cheddar-mustard sauce, and then sprinkle with a little parsley, finely chopped onions, and finely chopped pickles. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges alongside.

4 SERVINGS

These chicken breasts are delicious, albeit very fatty. I love the pretzel coating, and the cheese sauce is delicious when it's hot. It's not that great once it cools down though. The pickles, onions, and lemon were necessary to balance out the fattiness of it. I did make 1 change to the recipe: I halved all the ingredients of the sauce, because it just makes way too much, especially when the recipe calls for you to "drizzle" the sauce on (not drench it in sauce). RR says: "Yup, this was a really good idea. Serve with oil-and-vinegar dressed slaw salad."

September 23: Grilled Halibut with Fennel, Orange, Red Onions, and Oregano

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
4 6-ounce halibut fillets
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
   Crusty bread, cut into thick slices
1 orange
1 fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
   A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Drizzle EVOO over the fish and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 4 minutes on each side, or until the fish is firm and cooked through but not tough. Grill the bread alongside or char under a broiler, then dress with EVOO, salt, and pepper as well.

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat.

While the fish cooks, grate the zest of the orange and reserve. Peel the orange as you would a melon: cut off the ends, stand it upright, and cut off the skin and pith in thin strips from top to bottom. Cut the orange into thin slices across.

To the preheat skillet, add the 2 tablespoons of EVOO, the fennel, and onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until seared and beginning to soften.

Add the vinegar to the pan and give it a shake. Remove from the heat and toss in the oranges and zest, the parsley, and oregano.

Adjust the seasoning and serve the salad on dinner plates topped with the fish. Serve the seasoned bread alongside.

4 SERVINGS

"This dish is fast and healthy and incorporates a favorite Sicilian combo: oranges, red onions, and oregano," says Rachael Ray. I could not find halibut in the store, so I bought salmon that was on sale. The fish and the bread were very good (the bread was sourdough), and the veggies were pretty good. It was a little on the oniony side and could have done with another orange, but it was still tasty. The only thing I changed was to change the fresh oregano to dried.

September 22: Columbus's Pork Chops

4 1 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 cup basil leaves, shredded or torn
1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Season the chops with salt and pepper and let them come to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the basil and vinegar and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO to the skillet and sear and caramelize the meat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until the juices run clear and the meat is firm but not hard. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes.

Mound the macerated berries on top of the chops and serve.

4 SERVINGS

RR says before the recipe: "When I worked at Macy's Marketplace in New York City years ago, we had a huge Italian import sale in honor of Columbus Day weekend. As part of the promotion, we handed out cookbooks entitled Columbus's Menu, given to us by the Italian Trade Commission. The book listed adaptations of recipes as old as Columbus sailing the ocean blue. One of my favorites was a roast pork loin with balsamic- and basil-macerated strawberries. Here's how you can make it in less than 30. Serve with salad and crusty bread."

I bet her version of roast pork loins was better than this. I liked it because it was very easy to make (uncomplicated, unlike yesterday's recipe), but it was definitely lacking. The strawberries just tasted like they were covered in vinegar, and my husband rinsed them off because he wanted them to taste like strawberries. I thought if you ate the pork with the strawberries and vinegar all in one bite it tasted a little like sweet and sour pork, which I like. We ate salad leftover from yesterday and some crusty bread with this meal. Here is RR's tidbit: "Look for balsamic vinegar that has been aged for at least 6 years. You can really taste the difference." I have no idea how long mine has aged, but I know it's been in my cupboard for about 2 years. I used pork chops that were about 1/2-3/4 inch thick instead of 1 1/2 inches, so I didn't cook them quite as long.

September 21: Warm and Cold Bordeaux Salad, Lamb Loins with Red Wine, and Sweet Carrots and White Beans

1 1/2 to 2 pounds lamb loins
9 large garlic cloves, 8 left whole in their skins, 1 cracked away from its skin
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red Bordeaux wine, your pick
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
   Coarse sea salt and coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 carrots cut into small dice
1 shallot, chopped
1 can small white beans or cannellini, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
4 thick slices good-quality bacon from the butcher counter, chopped
12 small radishes, halved
2 heads of frisee lettuce, cored and coarsely chopped or torn
3 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
   Crusty bread, for mopping

Heat a heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Slather the lamb loins and the 8 whole garlic cloves in their skins with a couple of tablespoons of EVOO. Sear the loins in the screaming hot pan and caramelize all over, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the garlic to the pan and transfer to the oven. Roast for 12 minutes (the loins should be firm but not hard), then remove the loins, place them on a carving board, and let stand, covered loosely with foil, for 5 to 10 minutes for the juices to redistribute. Place the garlic cloves in a small bowl. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Add the red wine and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the brown bits in the pan. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter.

Slice the meat and season with lots of coarse sea salt and pepper and thyme.

Set equal portions of lamb on the dinner plates and drizzle with the red wine sauce.

While the lamb cooks, place a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, the carrots, and the shallots.

Cook gently for 10 minutes to soften, then add the beans and heat through. Season the vegetables and beans with salt and pepper, add the stock, and simmer for 5 minutes more for the beans to absorb the flavor.

While the beans cook, in a skillet, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and some salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain the florets, wipe the pan dry, and place the pan back on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, the chopped bacon, and the cracked clove of garlic.

Cook for 5 minutes to lightly brown, then drain away some of the fat. Add the cooked cauliflower and the radishes and stir to combine. Remove the garlic clove. [RR eats it.] Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Arrange the frisee on a platter and top with the vegetables and bacon. Return the pan to the stove and deglaze it with the vinegar, then immediately turn off the heat. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO and drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad.

Serve the loins with the roasted garlic, and with the beans and salad alongside plus plenty of crusty bread for mopping.

Vive la France!

4 SERVINGS

This was a rather complicated meal, and I didn't know if it would be worth it. I was afraid it would taste awful. I'm getting into the portion of the cookbook that has recipes I've never tried before, so I really don't even have an idea of how these will taste. RR says: "This simple feast brings together all my favorite flavors from a short, sweet stay in Bordeaux." I did not serve bread with this meal because the beans had enough starch. It actually was not bad. The meat tasted good, even though I had to buy a big hock and try to get the meat from the bones. I didn't do a very good job of it. The wine sauce was buttery and tasty. The salad was ok... I used green leaf lettuce instead of frisee (I can't get frisee here). It helped that there was bacon in it. The radishes were weird, but the cauliflower was really good. It was my favorite part. I did like the beans and carrots, but next time, I'd probably leave that part out... or the salad... or the meat. All together, it was just too much food. I had run out of olive oil, so I used canola oil. I used the red wine I had on hand, I didn't buy anything special for this. I used dried thyme instead of buying fresh, but I would recommend fresh in this recipe since it's not being cooked.