Mark and I haven’t been on the same page in a while. His Wednesday Minimalist columns just haven’t tickled my culinary curiosity. And it hurt.

But this week, I’m happy to report, we reconnected through recipe ESP. Last Sunday, I bought a bowl-full of October tomatoes, destined for a pot of pasta all’Amatriciana. And in yesterday’s Minimalist column, Mr. Bittman supplied his readers a simple pasta sauce recipe that makes the most of the season’s last tomatoes. In contrast to his back-to-basics recipe, I augmented my late-season tomato sauce with lots of bacon and onions, but our hearts were in the same place!

Traditionally, pasta all’Amatriciana is prepared with guanciale (an Italian bacon made from pig cheeks), onions, tomatoes, Pecorino Romano cheese, and bucatini (long, thin, tubular pasta). The dish originated in the tiny town of Amatrice outside of Rome. And the latter, larger city is where William and I first sampled the dish on a gut-busting evening at a casual hostaria. William has since requested the dish, but his cries for bacon, tomatoes and onion have been denied until now.

Although I can get guanciale in New York, I Americanized the dish and used thick-cut bacon. If I were making this for a dinner party, I would splurge and get the real thing. For a weeknight meal, I opted for what I had on hand. I also used fresh linguine instead of bucatini—similar shape, no tube. Lastly, recipes for pasta all’Amatriciana call for canned tomatoes (here’s one from Babbo and another from Food and Wine), but using fresh tomatoes lightens the dish and gives it a new sweetness. The tomato flavor is more subtle but it tastes like real tomato—the last gasp of summer that’s been smothered in bacon.

Pasta all’Amatriciana Americana
2 pounds tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup diced thick-cut bacon
1 onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound linguine
Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions
To prepare the tomatoes, bring a large pot of water to a low boil. Core tomatoes, and cut a shallow X into the bottom of the fruit. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds. Remove the tomatoes from the water with tongs or a slotted spoon, allow them to cool, and pull off the skin. (You can omit this step if you don’t have time, but you need hot water for pasta anyway. And you can get this step going while you cook the bacon and onion.) Reserve water for cooking the pasta. Roughly dice the tomatoes, and set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium in a large frying pan. Add diced bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in the pan (all of it, unless you’re counting calories). Add onion and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute more. Pour in tomatoes and their juices, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, until they break down and the sauce begins to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring the pot of water back to a boil. Salt the water, and cook pasta according to package instructions.

Drain the pasta, toss with sauce, and portion into bowls. Top the pasta with bacon and grated Pecorino Romano.

Serves 4 (main course) or 6 (first course)

Since we moved to Miami three years ago, jambalaya has become our little Mardis Gras dinner tradition. Easy and fast enough to prepare on a weeknight, you get a big pot of cajun flavor without having to fuss over a roux. This year I added bits of smokey tasso ham to my regular combination of venison sausage (thanks Dad!) and shrimp. Plus, a good portion of my veggies—celery, bell peppers, thyme, and scallions—hailed from our CSA box and the Coral Gables Farmers Market.

Although I had un petit meltdown because we ran out of long-grain white rice, the stubby arborio I used worked just fine. Next time, I’ll kick back another beer and choose not to worry.

On the side, I served silky savoy cabbage, braised with butter, onions and heavy cream. Even vegetables have a sinful side on Mardis Gras. But with full work days ahead of us, we lived vicariously through our naughty cabbage. Other than dinner, we were far from spirited. Lights out at 11. Sober. And on to Ash Wednesday.

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or bacon grease!)
3/4 pound smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 medium onions, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 fat stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup diced tasso ham
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/3 cups long-grain white rice
14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Black pepper
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add smoked sausage, and brown for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon. Add onions, peppers, and celery to the pot, and cook until soft—about 8 minutes.  Add tasso ham, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in rice, and toast for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, cayenne, salt, pepper to taste, and smoked sausage. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Cover the pot, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in shrimp and scallions, cover, and allow the rice to rest and shrimp to gently cook for 5 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6

It’s hard to screw up a fritatta. I suppose you could overcook or under-season one, but they lovingly take on all sorts of vegetables and dairy products. This week I assembled a frittata of potatoes, spinach, cheddar cheese and buttermilk—we ran out of regular milk, but its sour cousin was a successful substitute. 

Don’t take my word for it, though. Crack open eggs, empty your fridge of veggies and cheese and prepare to enjoy. 

Potato and Spinach Fritatta with Cheddar
9 ounces fresh baby spinach, stems removed
1 tablespoons dry white wine or sherry
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds 
1 tablespoon butter
8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk or buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
White pepper
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to a 500° broil.

Warm up an 8-inch non-stick frying pan, on medium high heat. Add spinach and wine, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove spinach from pan, and continue to drain, if necessary.

Return the pan to the stove, and heat olive oil over medium high. Add onions, and sweat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add potatoes, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until they begin to soften.  

Meanwhile, beat eggs, milk, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and white pepper. 

Add butter to the frying pan, and stir until melted. Stir in spinach and season the vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon (or more) kosher salt. Pour egg mixture into the pan, turn down heat to medium-low, and cook gently. As the eggs cook, lift a small side of the frittata with a rubber spatula and let uncooked egg run to the bottom of the pan—repeat 5 to 8 times. 

When the eggs are still runny on top but set on the bottom, top with cheese, and put the pan under the broiler for 5 minutes, until the frittata is completely set and puffy. 

Serves 4

I purchased two large bunches of local callaloo (a West Indian green, also known as amaranth) last week to make the green’s namesake soup.

Most traditional callaloo recipes call for greens, okra, salt pork and crab meat. Some include beef, chicken, pumpkin or coconut. Whatever the ingredient list, the contents of callaloo are probably best when mysterious and hazy. The soup wasn’t designed to be made with a to-the-letter recipe.

That said, the recipe that follows is a delicious Anglo interpretation of callaloo, adapted from this recipe from Food & Wine.

Callaloo
3 cups cubed calabaza or other winter squash
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped chives or scallions
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 slices bacon
3/4 pound callaloo or spinach, stemmed and chopped
1/3 cup basil, sliced
2 tablespoons celery leaves
5 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. Toss calabaza with 1 tablespoon canola oil, salt, and pepper. Spread calabaza onto a baking sheet, and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Remove calabaza from oven and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat remaining canola oil and butter in a medium pot. Add onion, chives, and garlic, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion softens. Add strips of bacon, and render fat, cooking 5 to 8 minutes more (bacon will not be crisp).

Add greens, basil, and celery leaves to the pot, and cook until callaloo is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer soup for 10 minutes.

Remove bacon strips, and discard (they have given their flavor to the soup and taste a whole lot like nothing). Puree soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add cream, and bring back to a low simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide soup into four bowls, and deposit 1/4 of the calabaza into the center of each bowl.

Serves 4

I began making this roasted eggplant spread for William when we first started dating. It’s simple, satisfying—just as good atop a slab of bread (as it’s used here) as it is a side dish or salad. 

I made this a day in advance for the ultimate weeknight supper in minutes. Here it’s topped with a good sprinkle of Parmesan, but I’d also enjoy it with a melted piece of provolone or mozzarella.  

Simple Roasted Eggplant Spread 
2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, left unpeeled
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained finely chopped
2 tablespoons sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano 
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large bowl, toss eggplants, bell pepper, onion, and garlic with olive oil and salt and pepper (you can add more after it cooks). Spread eggplant mixture onto a large baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until eggplant is tender. 

Spoon eggplant mixture back into bowl, and squeeze garlic cloves from their skins. Lightly mash the vegetables. You want the mixture the be spreadable, but retain some sense of chunk.  

Stir in vinegar, capers, basil, oregano, and additional salt and pepper, if needed. 

Use the spread for sandwiches or as a dip, side or salad. 

Serves 6 as a sandwich filling

This recipe was born out of William’s love of pies and a link of smoked sausage in our freezer. Why not combine the flavors of Cajun country into a gooey casserole and top them with a buttery pie crust? My sentiments, exactly. 

The recipe relies on sausage, the trinity (onion, peppers, and celery) and a dash of Tobasco to anchor its Louisiana flavors. Shrimp stock provides a subtle seafood background, and whole shrimp (which I feared would overcook but didn’t) brought in a solid reminder of the Gulf. Just because I felt like being excessive, I used heavy cream. This is not a recipe for the  cholesterol-fearing dieter. 

But if you’re looking for a lively but comforting dinner to enjoy as a family or with guests, dig right in.

Cajun Pot Pie
1 recipe pastry dough (I used this galette dough)

Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup diced smoked sausage
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 small carrots, chopped
2 small to medium Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1/3 pound medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined, reserving shells for shrimp stock

Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup concentrated shrimp or seafood stock (recipe follows)
3/4 cup heavy cream (or half and half, if you must) 
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash of Tobasco

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°.

For filling: Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add sausage and render some of its fat, cooking 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes more. Toss in potatoes, and cook until they barely begin to soften, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. 

For sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir roux constantly so it doesn’t burn. Pour in shrimp stock, whisking and breaking up any clumps of flour. As soon as the mixture thickens, pour in cream, and add tomato paste. Continuing to stir, bring mixture to a boil, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in cayenne, Tobasco, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Remove the sauce from the stove, and combine with pot pie filling. Pour mixture into a deep, 9-inch pie pan. Allow this mixture to cool as much as possible. Stir in shrimp.

Roll out pastry dough into a 10-inch circle. Cover pie dish with pastry. Crimp the edges, and cut slits in the top of the pie. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until crust is golden. 

Remove from oven, and allow the pie to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 

Serves 4

The simple pleasure of making something beautiful from waste—that’s the essence of shrimp stock!

Concentrated Shrimp Stock
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 carrot, roughly chopped
1/2 small stalk celery, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped leeks or 1/2 onion, roughly chopped 
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
Shells from 2/3 to 1 pound shrimp (I store them in my freezer until I need them)
1/3 cup dry white wine

Instructions
Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Add vegetables and herbs, cooking just a few minutes, until fragrant. Stir in shrimp shells (or fish bones if you have them), and cook until they are slightly golden and fragrant.

Pour in wine, and cook until most of it has evaporated. Add two cups of water or just a bit more to cover shells and vegetables. Simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes.

Remove stock from heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse out sauce pan.

Return stock to sauce pan, and reduce liquid to 1 cup. 

In celebration of National Goat Cheese Month (who knew), I picked up fresh goat cheese from Bee Heaven Farm’s summer share this weekend and graced an onion galette with its subtle, salty presence.

I’m a huge fan of galettes, the free form cousin of the pie. I feel a lot less pressure when I know my pastry dough isn’t going to collapse, and I don’t have to crimp the edges with Martha Stewart-like precision (not that I can anyway). William appreciates that there’s one less dish to clean.

For those reasons and, of course, the potential mouthfuls of sweet, softened onions and leeks topped with cheese and wrapped in a buttery blanket of pastry you should give this galette a go. I chose to mix and match onions, scallions and leeks, because I had all three on hand,  but you could use any number of combinations—ramps, green garlic, chives, etc.

I served a simple raw zucchini salad on the side (thanks to inspiration from my coworker Marie) for a “light” summer dinner. While the portions on this supper are far from large, the caloric density of the galette makes up for it plenty. 

Onion-leek Galette with Fresh Goat Cheese
Pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium leeks, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions (5 to 8),  white and tender green parts, thinly sliced
2 sprigs thyme
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions
For pastry dough, pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and process until the mixture has a sandy consistency. Drizzle ice water into the processor, and pulse until a ball forms. Cover dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a disk, and refrigerate  at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375°.

On medium heat, melt butter in a wide sauce pan. Add onion, leeks, scallions, and thyme to pan. Cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Pour in wine, stir, and cover, cooking for 10 minutes more. Uncover the pan, and pour in cream. Cook until wine and cream are nearly evaporated. Remove thyme sprigs, season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.

Once onion mixture has cooled, stir in 3 tablespoons of beaten egg, reserving the final tablespoons for an egg wash.

On top of parchment paper, roll pastry into a 15-inch circle; it should be about 1/8 inch thick. Mound the onion mixture into the center of the pastry, leaving at least a 2-inch border. Top the onion mixture with goat cheese.

Fold the edges of the pastry over a few inches of the onion mixture, leaving the center exposed. Brush the pastry with egg. Transfer parchment and pastry to a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden.

Serves 4

Raw Zucchini Salad
Julienne 3 medium zucchinis and transfer them to a colander. Toss zucchinis with salt, and let them drain for 10 minutes, squeezing out excess moisture with a kitchen towel.

Meanwhile, make a vinaigrette with half a lemon, a few tablespoons olive oil, and one minced clove of garlic.

Toss the zucchini in the vinaigrette, adjusting salt as necessary. Top with Parmesan if desired.

Serves 4

Boiled eggs with their fatty yellow yolks are one of my top ten favorite foods (with fried and poached eggs somewhere on that list, as well). So when I discovered curried eggs at Raja’s, my Indian lunch spot downtown Miami, I knew I had to find a recipe to try at home. 

With good fortune, I discovered 660 Curries: The Gateway to Indian Cooking by Raghavan Iyer a few weeks ago through a Serious Eats Cook the Book post. Of his 660 curries, three are egg. And I had all of the ingredients on hand to make an amended version of his “Easter Eggs with Onion-Garlic Sauce.”  

In lieu of Iyer’s custom garam masala blend, I used an off-the-shelf version I picked up at Whole Foods. (It’s going to take major stocking up at Asia Grocery before I can seriously tackle this cookbook.) I also subbed yellow onion for purple and used one chile rather than two. These variants surely affected the flavor of the final product, but with one bite I ceased to worry. 

Gently reheating the eggs softened their yolks into a creamy golden mass that melted on my tongue. And the sauce was a perfect complement. It didn’t mask the yolk’s glory, but formed a fragrant pool to slurp and sop up with bread and maybe my fingers. I didn’t leave a drop in the pan.  

Curried Eggs with Onion-Garlic Sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 cup water
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro 
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 serrano chile, stems removed and split lengthwise
1 medium tomato, chopped
6 large eggs, hard boiled and cut in half lengthwise

Instructions
Heat oil over medium in a large frying pan. Add onion and garlic, and cook for 10 minutes, until golden. Stir in garam masala, and cook one minute more. Transfer onion mixture to a blender, add water, and puree until smoothe.

Pour liquid back into pan, adding cilantro, salt, chile, and tomato. Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Place eggs in pan, yolk side up. Spoon sauce over eggs as the sauce thickens, cooking for 8 minutes. 

Divide eggs into bowls, pouring the sauce over each portion.

Serves 3