Spaghetti Collins

I try a lot of recipes. Of those that I try, from a wide variety of sources, about 70% of them make it into the blog. The other 30% ends up in the trash. Rapidly. As a general rule, the recipes that I find in newspapers tend to represent my biggest failures, not the local recipes as much as those published via the Associated Press. I am still reeling from a recipe they published over the holidays promising to be a clone of the 100 Grand Bar. Wretched is the best way that I can describe this most miserable of all my failures.

Because of this history, I tend to be leery when I spot something that appears to be interesting in the newspaper. The headline proclaiming that this recipe could be on the table in 35 minutes is what totally sucked me in.  Published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch via the Washington Post via Saveur Magazine, from a recipe that originated at Pascal's Manale in New Orleans (are you still with me?), this quick and easy, light, simple, subtle pasta dish is a winner. I used linguini and served it as a meatless main dish alongside a mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette  and chunks of crusty asiago cheese bread slathered with butter. It would work equally well divided into smaller portions and served as an appetizer course. I cannot wait for my home grown spring scallions to be harvested so that I can make this dish again, and as far as I am concerned, the more scallions the better.

Spaghetti Collins

(or Linguini Collins, in my case)

Kosher salt

1 pound dried spaghetti

2 cloves garlic

6 bunches scallions

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ cup no-salt-added chicken broth or beef broth

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt, then the pasta. Cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, mince the garlic and trim off the scallions’ root ends and slippery outside layers, then coarsely chop the white and green parts.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the garlic, scallions and white wine; cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until just softened.

Cut the butter into 1-tablespoon pieces; stir them and the broth into the pot to form a creamy sauce. Add the cooked spaghetti and toss to coat. Divide among individual wide, shallow bowls. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano over each portion. Serve immediately.

This post is linked to:

Wow Us Wednesday
Work It Wednesday

What’s It Wednesday

What We Accomplished Wednesday

Peppermint Patties

I was intrigued by this recipe from the moment I laid eyes on it while mindlessly flipping through an issue of Saveur Magazine. I like York Peppermint Patties (Boy, do I!), but had no real clue as to how they were made, so in order to discover this I had to try making them myself. In addition to being a bit challenged in the candy-making area, I have no fondant making experience, so didn't quite know what to expect when I started.

I waited until the house was empty before beginning (as I tend to do when experimenting) in order to avoid the rather amused and pithy remarks that often come from the mouth of Mr. O-P when he sees a genius at work. As I'd allowed an entire evening to make these I was quite surprised that it took relatively little time. I followed the directions to the letter and poured the hot mixture onto the marble slabs. What a pile of glop! Good tasting, minty-fresh glop, but glop nonetheless. How on earth, I asked myself (Yes, I often talk to myself while cooking.), could this turn into anything other than goo (one step up from glop)? But I continued on, sliding it back and forth on the slabs with the only two heat-proof spatulas I had in the house -- pancake turners.

Absolutely NOTHING changed for quite some time, all the while I was thinking of various methods of disposal that would neither point a finger at me nor what I'd been doing. The peppermint aroma was delightful, but strong, and a clever nose could sniff out my failure if it ended up in someplace as obvious as the kitchen garbage. But then, a miracle occurred, dough was forming! Excitedly I continued by gathering the mixture into a ball and kneading it. It was very oily from the butter and I thought, once again, that I'd failed, but then all of a sudden I was there. Fondant! It was like magic! One minute I had goo, the next minute fondant, and such a firm fondant that I had to quickly reach for the spray bottle to keep it moist.

It was fascinating to see what I'd perceived as a failed mess turn into peppermint patties. In fact, once this process began I really needed help because it was drying out faster than I could shape it into patties (be advised). It was supposed to make 36, but I ended up with 20 rather large ones, partially due to the speed at which the fondant was hardening and my enormous zeal to get them formed and shaped before the mixture dried beyond use.

Once the patties were formed, melting the chocolate and dipping them was a breeze. The fondant is sweet, rich, and peppermint-y, so certainly you wouldn't want to indulge in more than one, but they are very good, and your family and friends will be dazzled by your skills. I put one atop a small doily at each place setting for a holiday dinner party one evening and they were quite the topic of conversation. Can you say, “Proud?”

If you're the intrepid (and by this I mean foolish) cook that I am, here's the recipe. Give it a try and report back. I'd love to know your experience.

Peppermint Patties

The recipe for this fondant-centered candy is based on one in The Candy Cookbook by Mildred Brand (Ideals, 1979).

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. peppermint oil
6 drops green food coloring
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted in a bowl

1. Stir together sugar, cream, milk, butter, and cream of tartar in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, without stirring; reduce heat to medium. Attach a candy thermometer to inside edge of pot; cook, without stirring, until it registers 236°F (soft-ball stage), 12-14 minutes.

2. Pour sugar mixture onto a marble slab. Using 2 heatproof spatulas, scrape mixture back and forth to make a fondant, moving it across the marble quickly until it becomes thick and just cool enough to touch, 3-4 minutes. Toward the end, completely work in the oil and coloring.

3. Gather fondant into a ball; knead until it resembles smooth dough, 3-4 minutes. (If it becomes powdery, work in a few drops of water.) Shape fondant into thirty-six 1 1/2"-wide disks, each about 1/3" thick. (Keep unshaped fondant covered while you work.)

4. Working with one fondant disk at a time, dip them into chocolate using a fork; let excess drip off. Transfer to a wax paper-lined sheet pan. Let set in a cool spot. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in a cool spot for up to a week.

Makes 3 dozen.

This post is linked to:

Amaze Me Monday

Teach Me Tuesday

Inspire Me Tuesday

The Scoop

Wow Us Wednesday
Work It Wednesday

What’s It Wednesday

Create It Thursday

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Show and Tell Friday 

Friday Unfolded

Flaunt It Friday

Simple and Sweet Fridays

What To Do Weekend 
The Weekend re-Treat