Saturday, March 28, 2009

Dim Sum Sunday - Pasta

Java's Sunday Supper
Gnocchi di Patate with Chicken Livers and Mushrooms
The (nearly obscured, sorry) gnocchi in this dish is topped with a lovely caramelized "ragout" of livers, mushrooms, shallots, sage and thyme...
Shamu's Sunday Supper
This Sunday I went with old favorite recipe, Rigatoni with a Sauce of Lamb and Pine Nuts. Lisa Yockelson, a writer with many cookbooks under her belt, contributed this recipe to the Washington Post food section back in 1995. Ms. Yockelson is best known for her baking cookbooks but with this recipe she proved that she's not just a baker. I love this pasta recipe for it's bold flavors. The flavor of lamb is distinctive by itself but pairing it up with the feta and toasted pine nuts is not for the faint of tongue. The only change I've made is the choice of pasta, using the radiatori but frankly any pasta with ridges that can hold a chunky sauce will work. I find it to be a hearty and deeply satisfying dish.

Shamu's Bonus Dessert courtesy of the Java Junkie
After we had posted our dinner pictures, I asked Java this question - If she were making dessert for my Sunday pasta supper, what would it be? "Let me check my pantry" was her reply. A couple of hours later, this lovely coconut chocolate chip semifreddo arrived!

Next weeks theme: Tofu

11 comments:

Susan said...

OMG that looks SO good !!
I bet it was delicious n'est pas ??

Big Shamu said...

Very good plus the leftovers are just as good.

Susan said...

I bet the left overs are even tastier -
that second day thing.

And Hey ! Pop on over to Black Street for
Way More Veg Than Pasta - Pasta Primavera.

h said...

I've got pasta originals UP to celebrate the birthdays of two famous vegetarians.

Buzz Kill said...

Ladies

I like the dishes although I'm not crazy about the chicken livers. I'll try any dish once. The coconut chocolate chip semifreddo sounds great and looked spectacular. I wish I could plate like that.

I love lamb and that dish with the mint, pine nuts and feta sounds great. I think I could actually talk the Mrs. into that one.

My quick and humble offering is up at the Buzzkill. Happy Dim Sum Sunday.

The Java Junkie said...

Mr. Junkie feels very strongly about livers, Buzz - he wouldn't even try them.

The Java Junkie said...

Interesting looking pasta dishes, Troll. What's in them?

LaDivaCucina said...

MMMMMM....pasta AND lamb? YUM!

I loves me a lamb ragu sauce, this is inspiring me to make my own. Went to the land of lamb and got some food mags for the plane. They are so sophisticated with their palate in Australia, just so happens there are a number of semi-freddo recipes! yay!

Buzz Kill said...

Wait a minute, did you say TOFU? I don't think there's no way no how I can talk the Mrs. or the monsters into that. And I think we're going out for dinner next Sunday anyway, so I will have to bow out of this theme - thankfully.

Big Shamu said...

Here's the great thing Buzz, take them to Japanese restaurant and just get a side dish of tofu. Remember that Dim Sum Sunday is also about eating at restaurants and trying new things. Just take a picture of what you tried and whether it was a "no or a go" with the family unit. You never know if you have a budding food critic in your midst.

LaDivaCucina said...

Ladies, I won't be participating today, already promised the big fella a nice steak. However, this is what I had at the fantastic Malaya restaurant in Sydney recently:

Sayor Otak
Silken tofu topped with a blend of eggplant, mushroom, tomato, lemongrass and chilli paste, wrapped in a banana leaf and barbequed.

It was divine! I'm going to try to replicate it soon.....I can still taste it!

http://www.themalaya.com.au/