Mac and Cheese Lorraine

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Salt
1 pound gemelli pasta or other short cut pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
2 onions, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded Gruyere
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Heat water for pasta, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to boil, heat extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn
of the pan, in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot,
add bacon and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and
drain on paper towels. Add onions and cook 10 minutes until soft and
beginning to caramelize. Add wine and cook out, 1 minute.

While onions cook, heat a sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter, melt
and whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk and
bring to a bubble. Thicken a few minutes then season with salt and
pepper. Melt in cheese stirring it in a figure-8 motion with a wooden
spoon. Add nutmeg and mustard and adjust salt and pepper.

Drain pasta, toss with onions and stir in cheese sauce to coat. Top
with crispy bacon and serve.

Renaissance of Tuna Casserole

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Salt
1 pound fettuccine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 (6-ounce) cans Italian tuna in water or oil, drained
1/2 cup tender sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced, available in small
pouches in produce department
1/2 cup dry white wine, a couple of turns of the pan
1/2 cup heavy cream, a couple of turns of the pan
Black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
Couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup fresh basil, about 20 leaves, shredded

Place pasta water on to boil. Salt water then add pasta and cook to al dente.

While pasta cooks, heat a deep skillet over medium heat with
extra-virgin olive oil. Saute garlic and onions until tender, 4 to 5
minutes. Add tuna and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to heat through,
another 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine and cook it down a minute then add
cream and season sauce with salt and pepper. Toss hot pasta and peas
with sauce and cheese. Serve on dinner plates and top with shredded
basil.

Tuna Puttanesca

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Salt
1 pound penne pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cans (about 5.5 to 6 ounces each) Italian tuna in oil or water, drained well
6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
A generous handful black olives (Gaeta, kalamata or oil-cured), pitted
and chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/3 cup white vermouth or 1/2 cup dry white wine - eyeball it
1 (28-ounce) can whole or diced tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
A generous handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Fresh ground black pepper
Crusty bread

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring up to a boil. Salt
the water and cook penne to al dente.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet with 3 turns of the pan extra-virgin
olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook
a minute or 2, then add tuna and break it up with your spoon. Add
olives and capers, cook a minute or 2 more, then add vermouth or white
wine; stir and cook down a minute. If using whole tomatoes, place a
colander over a bowl, crush up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, then add
tomatoes and their juice to pan. Otherwise, stir in diced tomatoes and
juice. Add parsley, zest and black pepper, then simmer the sauce a
couple of minutes more.

Add a couple of ladles of starchy pasta-cooking water to the sauce.
Drain pasta, add to the skillet and toss to coat. Serve with some nice
crusty bread.

Cioppino: A Fine Kettle of Fish

1/4 cup (3 turns around the pan in a slow stream) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 to 3 flat fillets of anchovies, drained
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup good quality dry white wine
1 (14-ounce) container chicken stock
1 (32-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed (about 1 tablespoon)
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 pounds cod, cut into 2-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
8 large shrimp, ask for deveined easy-peel or peel and devein
8 sea scallops
16 to 20 raw mussels, scrubbed
A loaf of fresh, crusty bread, for mopping

In a large pot over moderate heat combine oil, crushed pepper,
anchovies, garlic, and bay. Let anchovies melt into oil. The anchovies
act as a natural salt, the pepper flakes will infuse the oil,
providing heat.

Chop celery and onion near stove and add to the pot as you work. Saute
vegetables for a few minutes to begin to soften and add wine to the
pot. Reduce wine a minute, then add chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme,
and parsley. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to medium low.

Season fish chunks with salt and pepper. Add fish and simmer 5
minutes, giving the pot a shake now and then. Do not stir your soup
with a spoon after the addition of fish or you will break it up. Add
shrimp, scallops, and mussels and cover pot. Cook 10 minutes, giving
the pot a good shake now and again.

Remove the lid and discard any mussels that do not open. Carefully
ladle stew into shallow bowls and pass bread at the table.