Recipe » The Saucy Coq

WILD MUSHROOM PASTA with QUAIL EGG

We’re lucky enough to live across from a Whole Foods Market. Before you anti-establishment cooks ream me out for not shopping at a reeeeal market, I’ll tell you that I love buying the fresh, aromatic ingredients that any local purveyor has to sell me. Our weekends usually involve at least one trip to some destination food market; and NYC has no shortage of them. Any time we do end up at a food market, I tend to buy way too much of some obscure ingredient because it’s fresh, and then have to come up with something to do with it when I get home, and alas, I (often) manage. It’s one part of cooking that I love.

But, having a 62,000 ft² grocery store complete with its own artisanal cheese shop, craft beer store and culinary education kitchen across the street makes for an easy decision. The selection of choice, locally grown organic ingredients is unbeatable. Actually, any time I’m in there it reminds me of Seinfeld’s bit about supermarkets. Funny stuff.

So, I thought I’d buy a pile of mushrooms and make wild mushroom pasta. If you can’t find some of the varieties I’ve listed below, don’t sweat it; just try and get a nice selection of fresh mushrooms. Try to avoid button mushrooms if you can…they don’t offer much flavor here.

Wild Mushroom Pasta:

½ lb whole wheat spaghetti
3 tbsp unsalted butter
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ lb cremini mushrooms, brushed and quartered
½ lb mixed fresh mushrooms like chanterelles, bluefoot & royal trumpet, trimmed and sliced lengthwise
½ cup dry white wine
Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper
Small bunch chopped fresh thyme
Handful chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Zest and juice of a lemon
Handful each of fresh pecorino and parmesan cheese
2 Quail eggs

Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté fresh mushrooms with garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 5 minutes. Ladle out and reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta in a colander, then add it to mushrooms in skillet. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook over moderately high heat, tossing and adding some pasta-cooking liquid if necessary to lightly coat, 1 minute. Add chives, parsley, lemon zest and juice, then toss well.

While the pasta rests for a moment, heat a small frying pan to medium and add a splash of oil. When it’s hot, fry the quail eggs until the whites are cooked, but the yolk is still runny. Quail eggs are small, so this only takes about a minute.

Serve pasta with cheese, fresh parsley, pepper and top with quail eggs.

Bon apetit!

FOR A GOOD TIME CALL APPLE POMEGRANATE SALAD

This salad of pomegranate seeds, crisp apple, roasted hazelnuts and peppery watercress is a very refreshing, light and flavor-packed dish. Goes great with any protein and tastes even better the next day.

My girlfriend and I were in London a couple of weeks ago and, as per usual, hunting for good food was a big part of the bill. We were very successful. And by successful, I mean that no vegetables were consumed. If I recall, there may have been some baby spinach in some ravioli I had and maybe some plantain with my roast suckling pig, but that’s it.

In typical post-vacation-depression style, we made an attempt to replenish our supply of essential vitamins and minerals. I set out for fresh, healthy, low fat, high nutrient foods. I’ve made this salad a few times and it seems to fit any season. Light and refreshing enough for the summer and hearty enough for the winter.

Pomegranate’s are in season (in the Northern hemisphere) from September to February. They really are a fascinating fruit. Historical and religious significance; sweet and tart at the same time; and may be helpful in reducing heart disease factors, systolic blood pressure and viral infections. Oh, they also fight dental plaque and are very high in fiber. Take that other fruit.

Apple Pomegranate Salad

2/3 cup hazelnuts, blanched*
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hazelnut oil (I used peanut this time and it still tasted great)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons fresh pomegranate juice, plus seeds from one pomegranate
1 tablespoon sherry (or sherry vinegar)
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium apple, diced
1/2 lemon, for juicing
1 bunch watercress

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet; toast, stirring once, until fragrant and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop nuts, and toss with 1 teaspoon hazelnut oil and salt. *If you don’t have blanched hazelnuts, you can put them in boiling water for two minutes, plunge them in ice water, then pinch the skins off. In other words, buy blanched hazelnuts.

In a small bowl, combine, pomegranate juice, sherry, rice vinegar, and salt. If you have them on hand, it would be very sophisticated and wise of you to add in some diced shallots here and let sit for a few minutes; about one shallot would do. Since I have no class and had no shallots I didn’t use any. Whisk in olive oil and remaining 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil.

In a large bowl, toss apple and pomegranate seeds with dressing; season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Gently toss with watercress. Arrange salad on a serving platter, and garnish with hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

I served this over some nice pieces of seared white fish and browned brussels sprouts. Give it a try with some red meat and let me know how it works out.

Enjoy!