The Snowlady Chronicles

Italian Cooking No.2: Shrimp with Beans

Sunday March 31, 2013

Cold, Rainy Day

Tokyo, Japan

 

Happy Easter!  Well, I'm not making my target of one Italian dish a week so changing the title from Italian Cooking Wx to Italian Cooking No.x.  Anyhow, today's dish is an easy and a very healthy dish IF you can find the right ingredients.  Fortunately for me, EATALY, opened in Tokyo so I can find almost everything I need there for Italian cooking.  I made enough for 4-6 servings as the flavor gets better as the days go by, I made enough to bring to work as an obento.  I have to say, the one I made is much more delish than what you can get in restaurants.  Here's how to make it:

First, get the beans ready:

• Place 1/2 lb(200 grams or so) of washed and picked over dry cannelli beans in a large pot
• Add 1/2 onion, 1/2carrot, a few garlic cloves, bay leaf, salt
• Add about 6 cups of water, bring to boil and simmer for about 80 minutes (watch for the water level and add water if necessary
• Turn off heat, cover and let stand in cooking liquid for one hour or until beans get soft
• Drain and set aside

Now its time to get the shrimp ready

• place 1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp in bowl with 6T very high quality olive oil, 1/4tsp crushed red pepper and about 1tsp salt in a bowl and mix well
• Heat saute pan to very hot and dump the shrimp with the oil, etc in the saute pan.  Quickly spread to one layer, cook without stirring for about a min, then turn over shrimp with tongs and cook the other side for about 30min or until done.  place in bowl and set aside
• Let pan cool a bit, return pan to medium heat and add 4T very high quality olive oil, one finely diced bell pepper, one finally diced red onion and 2 crushed and minced garlic cloves in the pan.  Saute until onions are transulent and soft.
• Stir in beans mixture  and cook until heated through (3-5min)
• Add shrimp, followed by 2 cups or so coarsley packed chopped fresh arugula and stir until wilted.
• Remove pan from heat and sprinkle with lemon juice from one lemon
• Season with salt and pepper. 
• Serve with Italian bread. Can be eaten warm or cold!

Enjoy!

 Forget canned beans.  Make it from scratch!

The finished product.  Healthy, Delicious and gets better the longer you wait to serve as the flaors develop better

 

Italian Cooking W1: Bolognaise Sauce

Sunday March 17 2013

Tokyo, Japan

Beautiful Spring Day - Happy St. Patty's Day!

 

Lately, I've been obsessed with good Italian food.  So decided to challenge myself and make one Italian dish a week.  This week and the first challenge?  Bolognaise Sauce.  I love a good Bolognaise sauce.  And here is my easy but delicious recipe that I tried today.  The key though is to cook it slowly for 2-3 hours.  This sauce cannot be rushed!

Ingredients:

• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 minced onion
• 1/2 minced carrot
• 1 stalk minced celery
• 450 grams high quality ground beef
• 1 cup or so milk
• 1 cup or so white wine
•  900 grams or so high quality chopped tomato (I use Mariangela Prunotto)
• butter
• salt and pepper

How to make:

• Saute garlic, celery, onions and carrot in about 3 T butter at medium heat until softened (5 min or so)
• Add ground beef and continue to saute until beef starts turning color but not totally brown
• Add milk, bring to simmer, and simmer until milk is gone except the fat (15min or so)
• Add wine, bring to simmer, and simmer until wine is gone (15min or so)
• Add chpped tomatoes, bring to simmer and then on very very low heat, cook for 3 hours (heat should be so low that you get one or two bubbles.  Season with salt
• When ready to serve add about 2 T butter and serve on fettucine with ample parmigiano cheese