Recipes

Jambalaya, New Orleans Style

Jambalaya, New Orleans Style

This is the perfect Pink Palace dish: it’s not fancy or extravagant, it’s not trying to impress anyone, it’s just really, really good. But what I love even more about jambalaya is that there’s no such thing as making it for two people. Gather your friends (and their friends), ask them to bring beer, and eat it at your table together, or while you’re all standing around your kitchen, or sitting out on the porch: there’s really no wrong way to share a jambalaya.
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Ingredients

Serves 8

  • ¼ cup sunflower oil
  • 3 cups diced white onions about 2 large onions
  • 1 cup diced celery about 2 ribs
  • 2 cups diced green bell peppers about 2 large peppers
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder optional
  • Salt
  • 1 cup trimmed and thinly sliced green onions white and tender green parts only
  • 2 cups about 1 pound sliced andouille sausage (½-inch rounds)
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 2½ cups Chicken Stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 pound extra jumbo 16/20 shrimp in shells, rinsed well with cold water
  • 24 shucked oysters in their water

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F.
  • In a large oven-safe pot on high heat, heat the sunflower oil until it’s just starting to smoke.
  • Add the white onions, celery, and bell peppers (“the holy trinity”) and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the bay leaf, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a healthy pinch of salt and continue to cook until the vegetables caramelize and turn brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
  • You’ll see brown bits start to stick to the bottom of your pot—this is the fond (see this page), in other words, the best part.
  • Add the green onions and continue to stir until they wilt, about 1 minute.
  • Add the sausage and continue to cook until the fat renders and the sausage gets crispy, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the rice and a generous pinch of salt.
  • Add the chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce and scrape up the brown bits that have formed.
  • Turn down the heat to low.
  • Stir in the cayenne and wait as the pot comes to a simmer.
  • Add a pinch of salt, taste, and add more, if necessary.
  • Turn up the heat to high, and when boiling, add the shrimp and the oysters and their water.
  • The shellfish will be slightly overcooked, but it adds tremendous amounts of flavor to the rice—a compromise I can live with.
  • Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to your oven for 14 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from your oven and resist the temptation to peek.
  • Let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
  • Serve immediately or store in your refrigerator, covered, for up to 12 hours.
  • Simply let it come to room temperature before serving.
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Course; Fish / Main Course
Cuisine; American

Rice Cremoso with Clams

Rice Cremoso with Clams

Clams and sausage infuse rice with tons of assertive flavor in this super Spanish-style rice dish, but what I adore even more than the resulting explosive taste is the unique texture. Somewhere between a porridge and a risotto and a soup, this cremoso (Spanish for “creamy”) is warm and homey and comforting. It’s lucky this dish is so easy to make, as you’ll find yourself craving it on a regular basis, especially on cold winter nights.
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Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

Instructions

  • Rinse the clams thoroughly in cold water, then soak them in cold water for 30 minutes.
  • Rinse thoroughly once more to remove any remaining sand, then drain and set aside, discarding any clams that have opened.
  • In a medium pot on high heat, bring ½ cup of the stock to a boil.
  • Once boiling, add the clams and cover the pot.
  • Steam the clams, shaking the pot vigorously every 30 seconds with the lid on, until the clams have opened, about 2½ minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and set aside, uncovered.
  • In a large pot on medium heat, bring the remaining 3½ cups stock to a simmer.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pan on low heat, stir together the onion, garlic, and olive oil.
  • Add a pinch of salt and cook until the onion is soft but has no color, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the sausage and cook to medium rare, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the rice and turn the heat to medium.
  • When the rice starts to sizzle, add the wine and stir to combine.
  • Simmer until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
  • Ladle 1 cup of the simmering fish stock into the rice mixture.
  • Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add a pinch of salt and another cup of fish stock.
  • Continue adding the stock, 1 cup at a time, every 2 minutes until you’ve added all of the simmering stock.
  • The final result will yield cooked rice with a soupy consistency.
  • Stir in the cooked clams, lemon juice to taste, and the parsley.
  • Serve.
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Course; Fish / Rice

Date-Night Risotto with Crab

Date-Night Risotto with Crab

Nothing says date night like a risotto, and I reserve this one in particular for my favorite guest at the Pink Palace. Why is this my date-night dish, you ask? Because of its rich, creamy texture and it uses only two pots. It requires stirring frequently, but you can also have a glass of wine and engage in charming conversation while you look your best standing by the stove. I especially love this dish in the summertime with blanched fava beans or asparagus. Stir them in just before serving to make this risotto extra special. Before I leave you to it—the mistake everyone makes with risotto, even in restaurant kitchens, is that they overcook the rice. In fact, I would rather eat an undercooked risotto than a bowl of mush. Don’t overcook it and be sure to eat it right away.
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Ingredients

  • Serves 2 to 4
  • 3½ cups Chickpea Stock Chicken Stock or store-bought low-sodium vegetable stock
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion finely chopped
  • 1¾ cups Arborio or Carnaroli short-grain rice I use Carnaroli
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • Salt
  • 8 ounces lump crabmeat
  • 1 heaping tablespoon mascarpone cheese

Instructions

  • In a small pot on low heat, bring the stock to a simmer.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pot on medium-low heat, stir together the butter and olive oil.
  • When the butter has melted and combined with the oil, add the onion and continue stirring until the onion is soft but hasn’t taken on any color, about 7 minutes.
  • Add the rice and turn the heat to medium.
  • Continue stirring to coat the rice in the oil and lightly toast the grains until they begin to crackle but don’t take on any color, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the white wine and continue stirring until the wine has evaporated and the rice begins to crackle again.
  • Add enough of the simmering stock to cover the rice, about ½ cup.
  • Add a healthy pinch of salt and gently stir frequently until the stock has evaporated.
  • Continue adding the stock in ½-cup increments along with a pinch of salt.
  • Gently stir as you add the stock, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid, until you’ve added all the stock and the rice is wet and creamy, 20 to 22 minutes total.
  • Taste the rice and add more salt, if necessary.
  • The final result should be toothsome but not raw and have the texture of a porridge.
  • Stir in the crab and mascarpone and serve immediately.
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Course; Fish / Rice

Ricotta Gnocchi with a Simple Tomato Sauce

Ricotta Gnocchi with a Simple Tomato Sauce

I was helping a friend open his restaurant when he made this tomato sauce for his staff dinner. I loved how fresh it tasted, but more than that, I was impressed by how quickly it came together. While gnocchi may seem time-consuming or laborious, this version, which is made by simply rolling ricotta in flour, is as simple as the sauce. Together, they make an extravagant-feeling meal that gives the illusion of time and effort while secretly being quick and easy to make.
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Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze their seeds over the sink to discard.
  • Put the remaining flesh into your blender, and blend on low speed until a smooth puree forms.
  • In a large pot on low heat, stir together the olive oil and shallots until the shallots have softened without browning, about 4 minutes.
  • Shallots burn easily—be sure to keep the heat low and stir frequently.
  • Add the tomato puree, the bay leaf, and a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper.
  • Turn the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a simmer.
  • Add a small pinch of sugar and stir to combine.
  • Once the sauce begins to simmer, turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the basil, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Once cool, remove the basil and discard.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the gnocchi.
  • On a large cutting board, pile the flour next to the ricotta.
  • Top the ricotta with 1 teaspoon black pepper and gently roll it into the flour, pushing the ricotta forward and flipping it until the ricotta and flour combine to form a consistency similar to wet dough.
  • The amount of flour you use will depend on your ricotta, but it should be around 1 cup.
  • Sprinkle a handful of flour across a clean cutting board to prevent the cheese from sticking.
  • With plenty of flour on your hands, form the dough into a ball and use your palm to flatten out the top so the dough is about 1 inch thick.
  • Cut the flattened dough into 1-inch-wide slices that resemble breadsticks.
  • Roll out each slice into a log about ¾ inch in diameter, then cut each log into a ¾-inch “pillow.
  • ”
  • Dip the prongs of a fork into the flour and then onto the top of each gnocchi pillow.
  • Applying gentle pressure, pull the fork toward you until the ball spirals to resemble a seashell, about one half-full turn.
  • Do this one at a time, setting aside the finished gnocchi on a paper towel, spaced without touching to prevent them from sticking to each other.
  • Just before serving, bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat.
  • Once boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Reheat the tomato sauce over low heat.
  • Taste and adjust the salt level to your liking.
  • Cook the gnocchi for 1 minute in the boiling water.
  • Remove carefully using a slotted spoon and place on your serving dish.
  • Top with the tomato sauce and Pecorino Romano and serve immediately.
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Course; Cheese / Pasta

Linguine with Clams & Shrimp

Linguine with Clams & Shrimp

This dish is a classic linguine with clams with one small upgrade: one of my favorite crustaceans. Serve it in the summer months, with a bowl in the middle of the table for the shells, and a glass of chilled white wine or rosé alongside each plate.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Rinse the clams thoroughly in cold water, then soak them in cold water for 30 minutes.
  • Rinse thoroughly once more to remove any remaining sand, then drain and set aside, discarding any clams that have opened.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat.
  • Once boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pot on medium heat, stir together the olive oil, onion, and a pinch of salt.
  • Cook until the onion has softened but hasn’t taken on any color, about 7 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and stir until it’s soft but hasn’t taken on any color, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the shrimp and stir to combine.
  • Turn the heat to high and add the clams and white wine.
  • Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam until the clams open and release their juices, about 2½ minutes.
  • Strain the pot over a bowl to reserve the juices.
  • Return the juices to the pot and reduce over high heat until the liquid foams and thickens, about 3 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, add the linguine to the pot of boiling water and cook to al dente according to the package instructions.
  • Drain the pasta through a colander and add it along with the shellfish, onions, garlic, and parsley to the reduced juices.
  • Stir until the pasta has absorbed some of the liquid and is nicely coated in the sauce.
  • Divide the pasta among four plates or bowls and serve immediately.
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Course; Fish / Pasta

Pasta with Pesto & Avocado

Pasta with Pesto & Avocado

In many ways, the Mediterranean coasts of France and Italy remind me of my home in California. As a result, I’ve given my California take on a Ligurian pasta a lot of thought. In Europe, in the small towns facing the sea, chefs add potatoes and green beans to stretch their pasta as a nod to their tradition of frugality. In California, I add avocado.
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Ingredients

  • Serves 4
  • Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Seven-Ingredient Pesto this page
  • 1 pound trofie bucatini, tagliatelle, or spaghetti
  • 1 ripe avocado peeled, seeded, and cubed to about ½ inch
  • Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving optional

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat.
  • Once the water is boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Scoop the pesto into a bowl large enough to hold the pasta.
  • Add the trofie to the pot and follow the instructions on the package to cook to al dente.
  • Just before it’s finished cooking, ladle ¼ cup of the pasta water into the pesto and stir to thin.
  • Don’t worry if the pesto looks too thin: the sauce will thicken from the starch of the pasta.
  • Reserve an additional 1 cup of pasta water.
  • Drain the pasta and stir it into the pesto, adding the reserved pasta water, if necessary.
  • When the pasta is coated, gently stir in the avocado.
  • Finish with a pinch of salt to taste.
  • Divide among four bowls or plates, top each with a sprinkle of cheese, and serve immediately.
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Course; Pasta

Penne with a Walnut Sauce

Penne with a Walnut Sauce

This white pesto is creamy and cheesy and nutty, and though inexpensive to make, it feels rather luxurious nonetheless. Be careful not to overprocess this; it should have some texture like a traditional pesto. This recipe makes more pesto than you’ll probably use for a box of pasta, but it keeps for up to 2 days, covered, in your refrigerator. And, like the other takes on pesto in this book ( this is delicious on toast, as a dip, or in any number of the dishes in which you’d use a traditional pesto.
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Equipment

  • Food processor

Ingredients

Serves 6

Instructions

  • In a food processor or blender, pulse together the walnuts, garlic, bread crumbs, ricotta, milk, and a pinch of marjoram.
  • On low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.
  • Gently pulse in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  • Once boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Add the penne and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
  • Set aside 1 cup of the pasta water.
  • Drain the penne and transfer it to a large bowl.
  • Slowly add the pesto and stir until the pasta is well coated, using pasta water to thin out the sauce as necessary.
  • You likely won’t use all of the pesto: a small amount goes a long way.
  • Divide among six bowls or plates, top with the marjoram leaves, and serve.
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Course; Nuts / Pasta / Sauce

Spaghetti Soffritto

Spaghetti Soffritto

Slowly cooked, caramelized onions with fresh summer tomatoes and a touch of smoked pimentón are the classic flavors of a Spanish-style sofrito. It was an easy next step to treat the combination as a red sauce for pasta, hence this Spaghetti “Soffritto.” Though this sauce is delicious on day one, it makes for even better leftovers. Consider doubling the recipe as it will keep in your refrigerator, covered in a layer of olive oil, for up to 2 weeks.
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Ingredients

Serves 4

Instructions

  • Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally.
  • Using the large side of a box grater, grate the cut side of each tomato into a large bowl, discarding the skins.
  • In a large pot on low heat, combine the olive oil, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, the bay leaf, and the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to lightly brown, about 40 minutes.
  • Add the smoked paprika and garlic and stir to combine.
  • Stir in the tomatoes and continue simmering until the sauce reduces and the oil separates, about 25 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat.
  • Once boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Add the spaghetti and follow the instructions on the package to cook to al dente, setting aside 1 cup of the pasta water.
  • Add the spaghetti to the sauce along with 2 tablespoons of the pasta water.
  • Stir to coat, adding more pasta water to thin out the sauce if necessary.
  • To serve, divide the pasta among four bowls or plates and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste.
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Course; Pasta

Lamb Bolognese with Tagliatelle

Lamb Bolognese with Tagliatelle

This Bolognese uses the fat of the pork to balance the leanness of the lamb while keeping the lamb’s distinct flavor. I love the sound of this sauce cooking: the light pop a single bubble of steam makes as it escapes every 15 seconds or so. It’s the sound of a low simmer; the sound of an incredibly delicious slow-cooked sauce sitting on the stove. Be sure to use a large pot, as this recipe makes more than you’ll likely need, but it freezes exceptionally well stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • It helps to know: Give yourself some extra time with this one.
  • It’s simple to make, but it sits on the stove (with minimal stirring involved) for 3 to 3½ hours.
  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the carrot, onion, celery, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and continue to cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes more.
  • Add the lamb and pork and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces.
  • Continue to stir and break up the meat until it no longer looks raw, about 15 minutes.
  • Add the milk to deglaze (see this page) and turn the heat to high.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk evaporates, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the white wine and pepper and continue stirring occasionally until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
  • Pour the cans of tomatoes into a large bowl.
  • Squeeze the tomato chunks with your hands to break them apart.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices to the pot and stir to combine.
  • Turn the heat to low and cover your pot with the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape.
  • Gently simmer until the sauce thickens considerably, 3 to 3½ hours, lifting the lid occasionally to stir.
  • Taste and adjust the salt and pepper levels to your liking.
  • Grate in the nutmeg using a spice grater or Microplane until you’ve used about one-quarter of the nutmeg.
  • Stir to combine.
  • I love this addition, but ground nutmeg (or sawdust, as I like to call it) is not an acceptable substitute.
  • If you don’t have a whole nutmeg to freshly grate, just leave it out.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat.
  • Once boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Add the tagliatelle and follow the instructions on the package to cook to al dente.
  • Divide the pasta among bowls or plates.
  • Top with the Bolognese and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
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Course; Lamb / Pasta

Orecchiette & Broccoli alla Romana

Orecchiette & Broccoli alla Romana

Typically the objective when cooking broccoli is to ensure that the florets remain intact and retain their vibrant green color. I love this recipe because it breaks those rules: both the broccoli head and stems are roughly chopped and slowly simmered until they turn an olive green. In many ways it reminds me of how green beans are often cooked in the Deep South: thrown in a pot with bacon and cooked until they’re nearly unrecognizable and super-delicious. This slow-cooked broccoli combined with red pepper flakes, garlic, and anchovies—three very strong flavors—make this vegetable shine.
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Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

Instructions

  • In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse the anchovies and capers with cold water, then soak them covered with cold water in a small bowl for 10 minutes to remove their salt.
  • Drain, coarsely chop, and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, to prepare the broccoli, cut off and peel the thick stems.
  • Coarsely chop both the heads and the stems.
  • In a large pot on medium heat, combine the broccoli, olive oil, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt.
  • Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
  • When the broccoli is completely soft, turn the heat to low and add ½ cup water, the anchovies, capers, and a healthy pinch each of salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pot.
  • Cook until the broccoli has broken down to a sauce and turned an olive green, about 20 minutes more.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat.
  • Once boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Add the pasta and follow the instructions on the package to cook until just before al dente, setting aside a cup of the pasta water before draining.
  • Ladle 2 tablespoons of the pasta water into the pot with the broccoli and stir, keeping the heat on medium.
  • Drain the pasta and stir it directly into the pot with the broccoli.
  • Add the reserved pasta water to thin out as necessary.
  • Top with the Pecorino Romano and serve immediately.
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Course; Pasta