People always ask me if I cook at home, since I’m cooking everyday at The Curious Kitchen. My answer is “yes” – because dishes like this one come together in 20 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, I prepare the sauce. A quick tasty side salad of Arugula, Tomato, Shredded Mozzarella with Vinegar & Oil… and dinner is served!

INGREDIENTS
1 lb dry Spaghetti
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 ounces Pancetta, cubed
4 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 large Eggs
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
1 handful Parsley, chopped (save some for garnish)
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper

METHOD
Prepare the pasta according to the package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.

In a heavy saucepan add the olive oil and pancetta.
Sauté for about 3 minutes, until the pancetta is crisp.
Add the garlic into the pan and sauté for less than 1 minute to soften.
In a separate bowl mix the eggs with the Parmesan Cheese, stirring to remove any lumps.
As soon as the pasta is ready, remove it from the hot water using a pasta spoon and add it into the pancetta saucepan (do not throw out the pasta water!).
It is very important that the pasta is really hot; because the heat of the pasta will cook the raw eggs, so stir in the egg mixture in quickly.
Add a little, about ¼ cup, of the reserved hot pasta water to thin out the sauce.
Season pasta with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and a pinch or two of crushed red pepper.
Taste and season with salt, if needed
Mound the Carbonara into warm serving bowls.
Garnish with parsley and serve with additional Parmesan Cheese, if desired.
Enjoy!

Ok, let’s take a really healthy salad and cover it in a not so healthy salad dressing. Truthfully, I don’t make this salad often but every time I do I just love it. I don’t even feel guilty when I eat it because it’s so delicious! Sweet and tart, with the flavor of bacon. I mean, I’m buying the healthy bacon ~ no nitrates. That surely must count for something. Also, I didn’t add this into the recipe but I really like to put a dollop of chunky blue cheese dressing (homemade of course) right in the middle. Yep, I’m bad, but there’s something about the creamy cold blue cheese dressing and the hot bacon dressing. Ok, now I may be feeling a little guilty… nothing that an hour walk can’t cure!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
For Hot Bacon Dressing:
1 lb. Raw Bacon, diced
2 Onions, diced small
2 1/2 cups Cold Water
3/4 cup of Sugar
3 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 tsp Pepper
3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
4 Tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 tsp Salt

For Salad:
1 lb. of Baby Spinach, washed and patted dry
8 large Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
4 Eggs, hardboiled, shelled and sliced
4 thin slices of Red onion
20 Cherry Tomatoes

METHOD
For Hot Bacon Dressing:
Brown the bacon until well done; add onions.
Saute until the onions are translucent.
Incorporate the cornstarch into the sugar (you are doing this so the cornstarch doesn’t get lumpy when added to the pan).
Add all the remaining ingredients into the bacon and onions, bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium low and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until somewhat thick.
Makes about 4 cups of dressing.
Be sure to refrigerate the leftover dressing and warm before using again.

For Salad:
Divide the spinach equally onto 4 plates.
Top each salad with 2 sliced mushrooms, 1 hard boiled egg, sliced, one slice of red onion, separated into rings, and 5 tomatoes.
Drizzle with the hot bacon dressing, to taste, and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

The town we live in now does have a few good Mexican/Spanish restaurants, but none have Paella on the menu. So, when I started craving the Paella that I used to enjoy at Casa Escobar, I decided to make my own. Here’s my rendition. I added pork, chicken, shrimp, mussels and lobster to my Paella. You can use the base I have here and add whatever seafood or protein you’d like. Just want shrimp? Add just shrimp! Make it to your own tastes.

I have to admit, it was not as good as the Paella made at Casa Escobar. However, it totally satisfied my craving!

INGREDIENTS
3 to 5 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 lb. piece of Pork (shoulder or loin)
1 lb. Chicken thighs (skinless boneless)
1 Onion, diced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
5 cloves of Garlic, diced
2 cups Rice (short grain – Bomba rice is best)
5 large pinches of Saffron
3 Tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
1 – 16 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes, with juice
3 cups Chicken Broth
8 oz. Clam Juice
1 Tbsp Tabasco
1 cup Peas (frozen)
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper
2 Lobster Tails, split
10 Shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave tail on)
10 Mussels, cleaned

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saucepan (I used my Wok), add about 3 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat.
When pan is hot, cook the pork on all sides, until well-browned.
Place pork in the oven to continue cooking for another 20 minutes.
Next, cook the chicken completely.
Remove from pan and set aside.
Add more olive oil to pan.
Add in the onion and peppers.
Saute for about 5 minutes.
Add in the garlic.
Saute for another minute or so.
Add the rice and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice gets golden in color.
Add the saffron and parsley, being sure to break up the saffron with your fingers.
Saute for about 5 minutes to release the oils of the saffron.
Add in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), chicken broth, clam juice, Tabasco, peas, salt and pepper.
Cut the chicken and pork into large chunks and add it to the pot.
Stir together, cover and allow to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes (without stirring).
Next place your lobster tails, shrimp and mussels on top, pressing them down into the rice a little.
Cover and continue to cook for another 12 minutes (without stirring), until the mussels have opened and the shrimp is pink (halfway through turn the shrimp over).
Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for about 10 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.
Enjoy!

NOTE: Paella should have a nice toasted bottom, called Socarrat… which is why you shouldn’t stir the Paella in the last 20 minutes of cooking.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Bacon drippings
2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
1 to 1 1/2 cup Milk
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
Pinch of Salt
Sprinkle of Parsley

METHOD
Using the pan that you cook your bacon in, heat up the bacon drippings on low.
To that whisk in the flour, being sure to get rid of any lumps.
Slowly pour in the milk, whisking the entire time.
Once thickened, remove from heat.
Season with pepper, salt and parsley.
Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
Enjoy!

Yes, Transylvania is the land of the vampires. I’ve always been fascinated at the notion of vampires. I’m not alone in this as evidenced by the popularity of vampire shows today. Actually, the first book that I ever read myself was Dracula by Bram Stoker (and that is a big book!). I was about 10 years old and I would lay in bed with the covers up over my head, flashlight on, and read into the wee hours – way after “bedtime”. However, that has nothing really to do with this Transylvanian Goulash…

To me this is one of the ultimate comfort foods. I always serve it over creamy mashed potatoes (pictured above with Yukon Gold potatoes). It’s also great served over buttered egg noodles. The flavor of the sauerkraut mellows in the cooking process, but it also tenderizes the meat as it all simmers together.

My recipe is simple. It’s actually a recipe that I learned in my 20s when I was dating a Hungarian (he had just come to the U.S. from Hungary). Although I’ve seen many recipes that add cream, tomatoes, potatoes, etc… to me this is true Transylvanian Goulash. Besides, I love it!!

I add a dollop of Yogurt on top, which is not only tasty, but also is great as a stomach soother to counteract the acidity of the sauerkraut.

If you’ve never had Transylvanian Goulash, I hope you’ll give my recipe a try!

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
1 large Onion, diced
4 to 6 Tbsp Hungarian Paprika
1 lb lean Pork, cut into small bite-size pieces
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 lbs. Sauerkraut (about 4 cups), drained but don’t rinse
2 cups Water
Yogurt or Sour Cream, as garnish (if desired)

METHOD
In a large heavy saucepan add your olive oil and butter, turn heat on medium.
Add the onions.
Saute for a few minutes.
Add in the paprika and pork.
Saute until the pork is cooked, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
Stir in the sauerkraut (be sure to drain the juice off).
Add in 2 cups of water.
Combine and turn heat to low.
Simmer for about 2 hours, or until the pork is very tender.
Add more water, as necessary, while simmering.
Enjoy over mashed potatoes or noodles with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream on top.

We’re having our stuffed pork chops with steamed carrots (a little butter & salt) and applesauce. There’s something about pork chops that always makes me want to have them with applesauce. Go figure? We usually have pork chops with mac n’cheese and applesauce. But no mac n’cheese tonight because of the stuffing. It’s a good trade.

Stuffed Pork Chops
Serves 2

Stuffed Pork Chops ready for the oven!

INGREDIENTS
2 thick pork chops, bone-in
2 Tablespoons butter
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1/4 red onion, finely diced
4 slices wheat bread, cubed
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
salt and ground black pepper
dash of white truffle oil (this is optional but so yummy!!)
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (for top of chops before cooking)

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a baking dish with vegetable oil.  Set aside.

Add the butter to a saute pan and saute the celery and onion until soft. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl add the cubed bread, egg, milk, and seasonings. Mix and allow the liquid to absorb. Add in the celery and onion and combine, but don’t combine too much, you don’t want to end up with mush.

Cut a slit into the pork chop, to the bone. Insert the stuffing into each pork chop, dividing it evenly. This should be the perfect amount for 2 good size chops.

Rub pork chop top with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh chopped rosemary.

Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cooks Note: You could add mushrooms to the stuffing. I probably would have if I’d had some on hand!

I love potstickers!  They’re easy and fun to make at home.  You can make these using ground ground chicken or pork instead of the shrimp.  If so, you can skip using the food processor and instead mix the ingredients in a medium bowl.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 egg
1 teaspoon chili oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 large carrot, peeled and grated fine
1 cup cabbage, chopped fine
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 shallot, minced
1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped
black pepper, to taste
1 package of round wonton wrappers
vegetable oil

For Sauce:
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 scallions, sliced thin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

METHOD
For Sauce:
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

For Potstickers:
In a food processor, add the shrimp, egg, chili oil, sesame oil and soy sauce. Process into a paste. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the carrot, cabbage, ginger, shallot, cilantro and black pepper. Combine well.

Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges with a little bit of water. Seal, making sure the dumplings stand up. Place on a tray with waxed paper and continue filling all the wonton wrappers.

Heat a large skillet coated evenly with vegetable oil. Place the potstickers in the skillet standing and brown the bottoms for about 2 minutes. Add a cup of hot water and continue to cook for about 5 to 7 minutes with the skillet partially covered. Uncover and continue to cook until all the water is evaporated.

Serve with the dipping sauce on the side.