Pasta with Kale and Caramelized Onions in Blue Cheese Sauce

I was wandering around my local grocery store today, just wasting time. I was only there to get a couple items, but it’s impossible for me to not peruse if I have a little extra time. Definitely could not leave without checking out the cold deli counter. If you didn’t know, I’ve got a deli obsession. Ultra-thin prosciutto and coppa, peppered salami, pastrami, honey ham, liverwurst...I love love love them all! Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned the cheese! Lordy, do I get excited when I see a cold case full of cheese.

As I was waiting for the deli guy to slice my coppa, I notice they were offering a Gorgonzola, walnut and grape pasta salad. I’m not really a fan of cold pasta and I’m wary of buying the stuff at the deli. In my experience deli salads rarely taste as good as they look. A light bulb did go off in my head, however, and I knew what I’d be making for dinner.

This pasta is easy and creamy (which I didn't do a good job of capturing). If you're worried about the cheese being too strong, no need. It mellows out when it's cooked. With that said, the quality of the blue cheese is important here, since the whole dish is based on the sauce. I do not recommend those pre-crumbled blue (or feta) cheeses available in most supermarkets because I think they taste terrible. My favorite blues come from Rogue Creamery, an Oregon cheese producer that makes fantastic (and award winning) blue and cheddar cheese. For this pasta I used their Smokey Blue, which had a nice distinct taste, although I wouldn't have guessed it was smoked.

Pasta with caramelized onions and kale in blue cheese sauce
Serves 3

• 1 cup pecans , toasted on a pan or under a broiler for about 5 minutes and lightly crushed (optional, but highly recommended)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
• 2/3 cup cream
• 4 oz of your favorite blue cheese, plus some for crumbling on top (I don’t recommend one that is too soft)
• a little milk, if necessary
• ½ lbs pasta like spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start by caramelizing the onions in a large pan with a little olive oil. When they are just about done (about 20 minutes or so), add the kale and sauté until wilted. Remove to a bowl and keep warm.

Once your onions are going, put on your pasta water. You’ll want to cook the pasta at least 2 to 3 minutes less than the package directions, since they will get additional time in the sauce.

In the same pan you used for the onions, add the cream and cheese. Once the cheese is melted, add the onions and kale back in and mix well. Turn off the heat until the pasta is ready. Don’t worry if the sauce seems thin. It thickens up nicely once you turn the pasta in it.

Once you are ready to dump the drained pasta in, put the pan back on the heat and mix everything together. The pasta will finish cooking and absorb some of the liquid and at the same time, the sauce will thicken. If it gets too thick or dry, add a little milk to loosen it. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, topping each serving with some of the crushed pecans and crumbled blue cheese.

Enough with the Holiday Food Already!

I finally used the last of the Christmas ham. And let me just say if I have to eat one more bite of turkey or ham before November 2008, I'm going to barf. I'm even tired of prime rib (can it be true??)!

Anyways, I made pasta with caramelized onions in a Gorgonzola sauce and threw in the ham. You could just as well add leftover roasted chicken or pork tenderloin. If you prefer vegetables, peas, cooked or roughly chopped fresh spinach, broccoli or sautéed mushrooms work well. Served with a nice salad, it made a very filling and delicious meal.

This pasta needs no embellishing, but I added some diced honey ham. The sweetness of the ham and caramelized onions complements the saltiness of the Gorgonzola.

Rigatoni with Caramelized Onions in Gorgonzola Sauce
Serves 3 to 4 (recipe can be doubled)

• 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 4 oz hard Gorgonzola, crumbled
  
• 2 large onions, sliced
• optional embellishments: diced honey ham, cooked chicken or pork tenderloin, peas, broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, cooked (drained) spinach
  
• 1/2 pound rigatoni (or other pasta of your choice)
  
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Put a pot of water on for the pasta. Cook the pasta for about 2-3 minutes less than indicated on the package instructions. You want the pasta undercooked because you’ll finish cooking it in the sauce.

In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add some oil and sautee the onions until they caramelize. This could take 20 minutes or more. Adjust the heat if necessary to keep the onions from burning.

In a saucepan, heat the cream over medium-low heat. Add the cheese and stir to melt. If the sauce is simmering too vigorously, turn down the heat. You want to slowly melt the cheese. Don’t worry if the sauce is not thick. It will thicken when you cook it with the pasta. Keep over low heat until the pasta and onions are ready.

Once the pasta is done, drain it (don’t rinse it) and return it to the pot. Put the pot over medium-low heat. Add the sauce (and optional embellishments, if using) and stir gently but thoroughly to mix. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, or until until the pasta is done to your liking. By then, the sauce should have thickened up from the starch in the pasta. Add the caramelized onions and mix well. Serve immediately.



And lastly...if you're looking for a sweet fix, I want to point you to Sugar High Friday to check out the round-up. It's all about pudding and all the entries look so yummy!

Clean-Out-the-Freezer-Challenge Day 4

This is going to be a short and simple post, just like our dinner.

Today’s freezer item was stewed tomatoes. Every year, I grow all kinds of tomatoes. This summer we had sungolds, early girls, roma and couple of heirloom varieties. By the end of the summer all the plants were producing so many tomatoes we couldn’t keep up with eating them or giving them away. Rather than let them spoil, I’d stew a batch every 3 or 4 days and freeze them for later use…like tonight.

For dinner I made a basic pasta sauce with anchovies, garlic, and thyme leaves. Tossed with spaghetti and accompanied by a salad, it made for a simple yet satisfying meal.