Pasta with brussel sprouts and prosciutto

Look! Another recipe from The Intern and Kate! 

The Intern and I adapted this recipe from thekitchn.com based on what we had in the fridge and pantry. If you are a stickler for the original rules of the recipe, check it out here, and ignore everything I am about to write.

This is a really simple pasta that is quick, and calls for lots of brussel sprouts, which happen to be delicious, and in season right now. The ratios of vegetable to pasta is a little uneven, with more green than pasta. Don't fight it, just try it. The trick is to do everything quickly, and not let the brussel sprouts overcook, or you are going to get that stinky cabbage-y smell, and the brussel sprouts will be limp and not so good.

Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Prosciutto

Ingredients:

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
Several slices of good prosciutto, chopped into thin strips
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 pound spaghetti or capellini pasta (we used trader joes lemon pepper pappardelle)
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (we were out of pine nuts, but they really would have been delicious in this dish)
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar
pecorino romano cheese

Directions: 
 
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season generously with salt.

Trim the ends off of the brussels sprouts and remove the toughest outer leaves. Shred them in a food processor, using the slicing attachment (not the normal chopping blade), or slice them carefully on a mandoline. You can also slice them as thin as possible with a knife. (This may seem like a lot of brussel sprouts, and it is, but trust us, its good)

Heat a large skillet (14-inch if you have one) over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the prosciutto and cook until fairly crispy. Remove from heat, and set aside in another bowl to use at the end.

In the same pan and add the shallots and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallots are soft.
While the shallots are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

Add the brussels sprouts and the chicken broth to the large skillet, season with salt and pepper, and toss all of the ingredients together. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the brussels sprouts are tender but not too soft, about 5 minutes. (REALLY! Don't overdo it!)

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and add it to the skillet. You can add a splash of the pasta water (or more broth) if the mixture seems dry. Add the pine nuts, toss everything together with a little balsamic drizzled over the top, and serve with Pecorino Romano.

Fig Season

This is what figs look like!


Kate here, reporting from the wilds of SF. The intern and I have be consuming a large amount of figs for the past month or more, mostly because they are in season, and they are the most delicious and versatile fruit ever. ever. If you have Fig Newton taste in your mouth right now, just dump it, because figs are good out of bar form, and really can't be compared to the chewy bar-y newton thing you're familiar with.

Our recipe is one that we've developed after some serious taste-testing and rigorous interneting, just to come up with the most delicious roasted fig recipe.

We don't have a simpler name for these figs, but here is what we call them.
Roasted figs wrapped in prosciutto, stuffed with goat cheese with a balsamic reduction.
The name practically says it all.

The Recipe

Start with a good bowl of figs, slightly soft to the touch, but not mushy. We always eat more than we think we will, so prepare at least 2-3 per person if you are serving them as an appetizer or side dish. Figs are in season RIGHT NOW, you can't wait til your birthday to make these.

Ingredients:
Figs
Goat cheese (or you can use blue cheese, but this makes them pretty intense)
Prosciutto
balsamic vinegar for reduction

Step by Step Directions:

Make a small incision in each fig, halfway into the center without cutting all the way through the fig, and stuff the fig with a spoonful of goat cheese.

Slice prosciutto into thin strips, to be wrapped around the figs.

Wrap each fig in a strip of prosciutto. If the figs are ripe and slightly wet from washing, the prosciutto will stick well to the outsides without needing a toothpick to hold everything in place. The prosciutto should stay in place throughout cooking, but if you are struggling, just pierce with a toothpick to keep in place.

once all the figs are wrapped, place them together in a baking dish, and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Watch the figs as they bake- you want them to be slightly golden and crispy, but you don't want the goat cheese to melt too much, and pour out of the figs.

While the figs are baking, prepare the balsamic reduction in a small pan. Ask the intern if you don't know how to make this reduction. He is very good at it.

Once the figs are ready, we put them on a bed of arugula, then drizzle the reduction over the top and serve. I promise, these might change your life.