Monday, September 5, 2011

my brother can cook!

It has been forever since I've posted on something that I've cooked. It hasn't been happening so often lately. So while this doesn't count as evidence that I'm back in the kitchen, it does at least get me as close as the dining room... Progress.

I arrived home last week (after a productive day helping my friend Jill prepare her classroom for the onslaught of high schoolers that will fill it later this week) to find my brother and his friend Sarah making dinner. As a result of his recent semester studying in Bologna, my brother is obsessed with Italian food - particularly pasta - and he's been playing with making sauces from scratch.

Up until now, I had only experienced Mickey's red sauces (herb-filled and tasty...usually with sausage). The white sauce he served with angel hair pasta topped with chicken parm was delicious. After hearing the ingredients, it was clear why: my brother has a heavy hand with butter. I'm not complaining. We enjoyed the pasta and chicken parm along with garlic bread (lots more butter) and a green salad.

So for now, at least someone is using the kitchen, even if it isn't me. But it's definitely in my future. The farmers' market here is in full swing. And I have visions of homemade cheese and pasta that need to become a reality. Stay tuned. In the meantime, here's a rough recipe for my brother's sauce:

Mickey's Alfredo
Covers enough pasta for 4

1/3 c. butter
1/2 sweet red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
nearly a pint of heavy whipping cream
dash of milk
lots of grated parmesan
thyme, basil, oregano, black pepper

Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and let cook until nearly caramelized. Add garlic and allow to brown. Add whipping cream, milk, and parmesan cheese. Season with herbs. Let it cook just below a simmer, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency is reached and the flavors have had an opportunity to coalesce. Serve over pasta.


One year ago: peanut butter granola bars
Two years ago: fried green tomatoes

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