From the category archives:

food

Twelve Commandments For Serious Eaters

by Todd Albertson on January 5, 2008

cheeseburgerI just finished an enjoyable book from author and journalist Michael Pollan. It is called IN DEFENSE OF FOOD: AN EATER’S MANIFESTO. I don’t agree with a number of assertions in the book, but I believe it is worth repeating Pollan’s Twelve Commandments for Serious Eaters.

  1. Don’t eat anything [somebody’s] grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.
  2. Avoid foods containing ingredients you can’t pronounce.
  3. Don’t eat anything that won’t eventually rot.
  4. Avoid food products that carry health claims.
  5. Shop the peripheries of the supermarket; stay out of the middle.
  6. Better yet, buy food somewhere else: the farmers’ market or CSA.
  7. Pay more, eat less.
  8. Eat a wide variety of species.
  9. Eat food from animals that eat grass.
  10. Cook, and if you can, grow some of your own food.
  11. Eat meals and eat them only at tables.
  12. Eat deliberately, with other people whenever possible, and always with pleasure.

Obviously it wouldn’t be wise to become a slave to these Twelve Commandments, but is a good reminder of how I want to be eating in 2008!

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Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli

by Todd Albertson on November 4, 2007

Roasted Butternut Squash RavioliWith Autumn here, I made one of my favorite comfort foods today - Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli. It was marvelous and well received by all who partook in eating it. As requested by several of you, here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 large Butternut Squash
1 large Yam
1 Nutmeg, to taste
1 Salt & pepper, to taste
9 Tbs. Butter
2 Tbs. Shallots, Minced
4 Tbs. Cream
3 Tbs. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 Pasta dough, Rolled out into wide ribbons, about 1/4-inch thick

Method:
1. Cut 1 large Butternut squash in half, brush cut side down with olive oil. Place cut side down on baking sheet. Slice one yam in half and place on same baking sheet. Bake at 400 º F. for 40 minutes or until Squash is tender. Let stand and cool.

2. Remove meat from squash and yam. In a food processor, purée squash and yam.

3. Add in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, melted 1 tablespoon of the butter, cream, salt & pepper and nutmeg to taste, mixing well.

4. Either make or buy pasta dough (I used whole wheat dough). Rolled out pasta into wide ribbons, about 1/4-inch thick

5. Cut the pasta ribbons into 3-inch squares. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each pasta square. Bring 1 corner of the square to the other, forming a triangle and seal the pasta completely.

6. Boil the water and gently drop in ravioli to cook. When ravioli float to the surface, fish them out with a strainer and drain well.

7. In a large sauté pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown. Remove from the heat.

8. Place some of the pasta in the center of each serving plate. Spoon the butter sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle the 2 ounces of cheese over each plate and garnish.

Notes:
Recipe inspired by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.
Servings: 6

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