Quick Roasted Tomato Sauce

When life, or your brother, hands you a bushel of tomatoes: make tomato sauce ... from scratch!

While slow-roasted is all the rage, sometimes there's no time for slow. Sometimes you need quick. I often need quick. Such was the case on Saturday night. Having returned from a long day at BlogHer, I was tired, I was hungry, and there were several, large, needing-to-be-used tomatoes on my kitchen counter - courtesy of my bro's magnificent garden.

I washed them, cored them, cut them in half, and popped them in the oven. The rest is history ... or, at least, the substance of today's post.

Quick Roasted Tomato Sauce:

• 5 large tomatoes, washed, cored and halved
• drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
• 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, or to taste
• 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, or to taste

1. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, on a large, walled baking sheet and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle on a bit of Kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper and roast in the middle of a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Or until softened slightly and just beginning to color. Remove from oven and allow tomatoes to cool for 10 minutes.

3. Using a food mill set over a large bowl, puree the tomatoes two halves at a time, until all tomatoes have been pureed. Discard the seeds and skin, reserve the pureed tomatoes. Add any tomato juice from roasting pan to the puree. Reserve.

4. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed, non-reactive sauce pan over medium high heat and to it add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced garlic, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, pinch of Kosher salt and a bit of freshly ground black pepper. Stir and saute for one minute, do not allow the garlic to color. Add the pureed tomatoes and the tomato paste and stir well to incorporate.

5. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, the basil, and the parsley, lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer, uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Sauce will thicken a bit as it simmers, stir once in a while to prevent sticking. Prior to serving, taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more of anything you like.

6. Serve over cooked pasta with a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some additional chopped basil and parsley for garnish. Enjoy!

Notes: The tomatoes used for this sauce were "Hungarian Hearts" ... they were enormous! Even larger than those pictured above. If your tomatoes are of lesser stature, use more. Ditto for my bro's garlic: its huge. We happen enjoy a garlic-y sauce, chez Diva, but your milage may vary, of course. Use as much or as little as you like.

The tomato paste is added to give the sauce more body. Fresh tomato sauce can be on the thin side. I find a bit of paste serves to improve the texture. The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will be - use your judgement. Its not rocket science.

Lastly, the more flavorful your tomatoes, the more flavorful your sauce will be. We loved the Hungarian Hearts, but if you can't find those, choose your favorite variety. Use the freshest and most delicious tomatoes you can find, their essential tomatoey-ness will only improve with time spent in a hot oven.

Bon appetite!

Chicken Meatballs with Ariosto Seasoning

Its no secret that we're in the midst of an extraordinarily hot summer. Record highs have been set all over the country and here in the city, we've been living in a blast furnace; each day more hot and humid than the next. I'd say that its typical for July, except that we're on pace to have the hottest July on record. Ole.

My birthday fell smack in the middle of this unusually hot month and when dinner time rolled around, I wanted what I always want for my birthday meal ... despite the heat. I wanted meatballs.

Its long been a joke in my family that my birthday tends to be the hottest day of the year. It wasn't this year, but it was close. Regardless of the heat, I bowed to tradition; only this year, I lightened things up a bit. I chose to make chicken meatballs and I had a little help in seasoning them too.

Recently, the good folks at Ariosto seasonings reached out to me and offered me some samples of their seasoning blends. I happily accepted. Made in Milan, Italy, with Sicilian sea salt, Ariosto seasonings are one of Italy's top selling brands. They feature a delightful blend of herbs and sea salt, with no additives, MSG, or artificial ingredients. Ariosto sent me a wonderful assortment of their blends, and in this recipe I've used their: Insaporitore per Carni (seasoning for meat and chicken), Aglio e Peperoncino (a spicy blend featuring garlic and crushed red pepper flakes), and Insaporitore per Sughi al Pomodoro (seasoning for tomato sauce).

The results? Magnificent! Or, should I say, magnifico?! The sauce had a wonderfully spicy kick, due to the crushed red pepper flakes, and the meatballs were tender and perfectly seasoned. Mille grazie per tutti, Ariosto!

Spicy Tomato Sauce:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon Ariosto Aglio e Peperoncino seasoning
• one 7g packet of Ariosto Sughi al Pomodoro seasoning
• one 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• one 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup good quality red wine
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the oil in a large, non-reactive, sauce pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the minced garlic and 1 tsp. of Ariosto Aglio e Peperoncino seasoning and saute, stirring, for one minute.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, stir well to combine, and allow the mixture to just come to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, while you make the meatballs. Stir once in a while, for good measure.

Chicken Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon Ariosto Insaporitore per Carni seasoning
• 2 teaspoons salt-free grilling blend (I use Mrs. Dash Steak blend)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• some freshly ground black pepper
• dash of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs

Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees F.

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well - with clean hands, or a fork - to blend. Mix until fully incorporated. Mixture will be slightly sticky. Form the mixture into 12 even, round, meatballs and place on a large baking sheet when formed.

2. Bake meatballs in the middle of a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and transfer the meatballs to the sauce, stirring to coat. Cover the pot and allow the meatballs to simmer gently in the sauce - on very low heat - for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour, so the flavors will meld. Stir once in a while to ensure they don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Serve over cooked pasta and garnish with some chopped fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

As written, this recipe will serve 6.

Careful readers will note the lack of salt in both the meatballs and the sauce. Since the seasoning blends feature sea salt, I found it unnecessary to use additional salt. Do as you see fit.

Ariosto seasonings are available online and in some specialty markets across the country. I look forward to trying their potato and fish blends, as well as future experimentation with the seasoning for meat. I really enjoyed the flavor of the sauce seasoning, and found the ease of use to be a real time saver - no need to measure or dust off a long list of herbs and spices ... its all right there in that happy little packet.

A brief word of caution regarding the Aglio e Peperoncino blend ... its spicy! Personally, I like it that way, but go easy if you're heat averse.

Lastly, if you're unable to find Ariosto seasonings in your neck of the words, feel free to reach out to the charming and delightful Mr. Saverio Lo Presti - you may contact him via email: slopresti@ariosto.it - and he will respond immediately.

Buon appetito!

A Big Bowl of Sin

Tom Jones stood me up last night. Well, me and 2,828 other middle aged women who were supposed to see him in concert at the Beacon Theatre. I'll be honest, seeing Tom Jones wasn't exactly on my bucket list. Hell, it wasn't even on my radar screen. But last week, my dear friend M., asked me to join her for the show and I happily agreed. I'll see almost anyone in concert and seeing TJ live is on M.'s bucket list, so why not? At a minimum, I was certain it would make for a fun, campy post for today.

Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. M. and I met for a yummy dinner at Gus & Gabriel, then walked down to the Beacon only to find a throng of bitterly disappointed women and the word "Postponed" flashing on the marquis. Seems that Mr. Jones has fallen victim to that age old menace - "vocal chord strain" - after a bout of bronchitis. I wish him a speedy recovery!

The concert will be rescheduled, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, that leaves me rather post-less for the day. Post-less unless I decide to fess up to that big bowl of sin pictured above. Yes, its Fettuccine Alfredo; and, yes, that pasta is white. The horror, the horror! Its also incredibly delicious and not nearly as bad as it seems.

Here in Divaland, we call this dish Fake Fettuccine and its a once-in-a-while treat. What with the South Beaching and all, I haven't made this dish in over a year. Oh how I've missed it! Now, before you call in the fat police, lets get a few things straight. This is a slimmed down, lower fat, lower cholesterol version and its as delicious as can be. I don't actually have a recipe and I don't measure anything ... I'll do my best to offer amounts here, but mainly we're talking about a make-as-you-go kind of dish.

Divalicious Fake Fettuccine:

• 1 large shallot, peeled and minced
• 2 tbsp. butter
• a small carton of fat-free Half and Half
• 5 oz. Dannon All Natural Fat-Free Plain Yogurt
• 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or more to taste
• pinch of salt
• gererous grind of fresh black pepper
• some freshly grated nutmeg
  
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh chives
• 1/2 pound of cooked fettuccine pasta
• 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water
  
• additional grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Cook the fettuccine in a large pot according to package directions. You want the pasta to be al dente, so don't over cook it. Drain the pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. While the pasta is draining, melt the butter over medium-high heat in the same pot in which you've cooked the pasta. Add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes. Add about 2/3 of a cup of fat-free Half and Half to the pot and raise the heat to high. Allow the mixture to come to the boil and reduce for 1 to 2 minutes. Return the cooked pasta to the pot and add @ 5 oz. of fat-free plain yogurt, stirring well to combine. Add 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, some fresly ground black pepper and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg, stirring well to combine. Add the fresh chives and continue stirring until the cheese has melted and the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding more Half and Half, Parmesan, a/o salt and pepper as desired.

Serve immediately, garnished with some additional Parmesan, grated nutmeg and chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!

As written, this recipe will serve 2 to 3 depending on portion size. (In our house it serves 3, but appetites do vary!) Obviously you can increase the quantities as necessary to serve more. The reserved cooking liquid can be used to thin the sauce, as needed, particularly for second helpings.

This is a fast, fresh and altogether delicious dish and its completely worth the sin. Feel free to play around with any of the amounts listed - as I said, its a make-as-you-go kind of deal. If you're not a Diva on a Diet, by all means feel free to use some light cream in place of the Half and Half ... your secret will be safe with me.

I invented my Fake Fettuccine more than 10 years ago, in an effort to satisfy my Alfredo loving husband *and* my inner fat cop ... both of whom are well-pleased with the results.

Bon appetite!

Dinner in a Flash: Perfect Pasta Edition

This is an old recipe. I stole it from Sara Moulton years ago, when she was the host of Cooking Live. Its so easy I never even wrote it down ... and you won't need to either.

Bro's garden is beginning to bear fruit - or, rather, vegetables - and I am more than happy to pilfer my share. This weekend's haul included some of his glorious broccoli. Tender, sweet and freshly picked, its the highlight of this quick and easy meal.

Written amounts are flexible here, as we're mainly talking about a technique more than a recipe. The veggies are variable too. I've made this recipe dozens of times in dozens of ways. You can use almost any veg you like: cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus and carrots work well; and any combination of the above would be outstanding. If you've got some left over chicken, chickpeas, or some cooked white beans, feel free to throw them in at the end as well. Its all good and its all delicious, I promise.

Linguine with Caramelized Broccoli:

• some extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large head of broccoli, stems removed, florets trimmed into small pieces
• 2 or 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced (or more to taste)
• some Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• some crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 to 3 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth*
• grating of fresh nutmeg
  
• 1/2 pound of hot, cooked, whole wheat linguine
  
• some freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• some chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Cook the past according to package directions - while the water is coming to the boil, you can throw together this lovely sauce.

Heat some olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet, enough to coat the bottom, over high heat until it shimmers. Add the broccoli and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and allow the broccoli to cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until crisp, well-browned and caramelized. Remove the cover, stir, reduce heat to medium high and add a bit of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste. Continue cooking for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, stirring as needed, until the broccoli is just tender. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken or vegetable stock, stirring well to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Grate in some fresh nutmeg and allow the sauce to simmer over low heat for 1 minute.

Meanwhile, drain the cooked pasta, then add it to the skillet, along with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese, and toss to coat. Serve at once with additional Parmesan cheese and a bit of chopped parsley for garnish. Enjoy!

As written, this recipe will serve 3 or 4 depending on portion size.

*The amount of broth used is really up to you. This is a very thin sauce as it is and I like to serve it in a large bowl with both a fork and a soup spoon. I never measure the broth, I just keep adding it until it looks good. 2 to 3 cups for 1/2 pound of pasta should do it. Use your judgment and all will be well.

And let's have a word about that high heat crisping, shall we? Fear not and forge ahead, dear readers. With the heat that high and the oil sizzling, you're going to worry that you're burning the hell out of your veggies ... and ... you are! You must! Its all part of the plan. Take a look above and you'll see the kind of dark, very very dark, char that is our aim. You'll have to trust me on this, or, more specifically, trust Sara Moulton. The broccoli will not taste burnt, nor will the finished sauce. Caramelizing the tender green florets brings out a wonderful, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the hint of garlic and whisper of cheese. In a word, its spectacular!

This is a quick, versatile, inexpensive and healthy meatless meal that comes together in about 10 minutes flat.

So, what are you waiting for? ... Get cookin'!

The Industrious Diva ...

Roll up your sleeves, take a deep breath and get some water boiling on the stove - we're making noodles today! I promise it will be easy and, frankly, its great fun. The Hungarian Cookbook describes csipetke (pronounced chi-pet-ke) as "the missing link between the noodle and the dumpling, a bit of each but not quite either." I'd say that's exactly right.

I've altered the recipe by substituting whole wheat pastry flour for the traditional all-purpose white flour. That's a personal choice and you should feel free to use either. Even with the whole wheat, the resulting dumplings are remarkably light and tender. While csipetke are traditionally used as an accompaniment for goulash, they'd make a welcome addition to any soup ... and, frankly, they're pretty darn good all on their own.

Csipetke (pinched noodles):

• 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 1 egg
• a few drops of water

• 1 tsp. olive oil - for coating the cooked noodles
  

In a large bowl, mix the flour and the salt together to combine. Add the egg and stir to form a stiff dough, adding a few drops of cold water as needed to form a ball. (I needed about a scant tablespoon or so.) Press the mixture together with your hands to form a ball of dough and knead the dough on a smooth, hard surface until smooth. (Kneading roughly 10 - 12 times.) Cover with a clean tea towel and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil and add a pinch of salt. Remove the dough from the towel and cut it into quarters.

Working with one quarter at a time, use the heel of your hand and press the dough flat, flip over and press again, continue pressing and flipping until the dough is roughly 1/4 inch thick, but no need to measure or be precise.

Using your thumb and index finger, pinch off dime-sized pieces of the dough, and press them between your fingers. Continue pinching off pieces of the dough until you have completed one quarter of the dough. Again, no need to be precise - we're making peasant food here, not precious food!

Gently drop them into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes at a rolling boil. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked noodles to strainer, drain completely and place into a bowl. Toss with 1 tsp. of olive oil to coat.

Continue in the same fashion with the rest of the dough, cooking one batch at a time until all of the csipetke have been cooked. Be sure to toss each additional batch with the first so that all of the dumplings will be coated with oil, adding a drizzle more if necessary. Cover and reserve until ready to serve the soup.

When ready to serve, place some csipetke in the bottom of a soup bowl and ladle the finished soup over the dumplings. Serve and enjoy!

The finished csipetke are visible in the top photo, on the left side of the bowl. In a word, these noodle-dumplings are outstanding! I can't imagine eating the goulash soup without them and the whole process took far less time to complete that it did for me to write this. Making your own noodles is a satisfying endeavor and nowhere near as challenging as it sounds. If I can do it, so can you. Really.

Bon appetit!

The Mother of Invention

Dead tired and slightly crisp - read hungover - I dragged myself out to shop late yesterday afternoon. Knowing I could not be trusted to navigate the perils of Fairway without a list in such condition, I made one. Carefully. Here's the thing about lists though - you have to actually read them. And perhaps its best to *not* write key items way up in the right hand corner where your tired eyes will fail to look ... lest you forget a critical ingredient for your much desired sauce ... like red wine for instance. Oops!

Only after I'd minced and chopped and begun to saute did I realize that I had no red wine for the sauce. Or at least none that I could rationalize opening for a simple 1/2 cup. Fortunately, I remembered the open bottle of white burgundy in the fridge and further remembered a Bolognese recipe I ran across on Dana McCauley's blog a few months ago in which she used white wine rather than red. Sweet! The sauce and I were back in business and my craving would be satisfied!

The results? Delicious! While I still prefer the use of red wine, the white gave the sauce a somewhat lighter flavor that was not unwelcome. I will post the recipe in its original form, and add that you should feel free to use whatever wine you like - so long as its of good quality.

Bolognese Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 lb. of extra lean ground beef
• 1/3 lb. of ground pork
• 1/3 lb. of ground veal
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
• 1 large rib of celery cut into small dice
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• dash of crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 1/2 cup of good quality red wine
• one 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes (I use San Marzano)
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 - 3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• generous grating of fresh nutmeg
  
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 - 3 tbsp. fat-free half and half

Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat and add the meats, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes. Saute, stirring often to break up the meat, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the meat begins to brown. Drain the excess fat from the pan then return the mixture to the stove and add the wine. Continue to cook over medium high heat until most of the wine has evaporated, stirring often, about 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, dried basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Allow the mixture to come to a full simmer, then reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer on low for 20 to 25 minutes or until it has thickened slightly.

Add in the half and half, stirring well to combine, and season to taste adding some salt and pepper if desired. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes while you cook your pasta. Serve over the pasta of your choice - whole wheat please, if you're on the Beach - with some additional Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for garnishing. This recipe will serve 6. Enjoy!

~~~~~~

Traditional Bolognese recipes generally call for real cream in some form. In fact, the version I used to make back in the 80s called for the meat to be simmered in cream prior to adding the tomatoes. Luscious to be sure, but I'm far too fat-phobic for that now, hence the half and half.

This is a quick and easy recipe for my all time favorite sauce. While the red wine does yield a heartier result, you can't go wrong either way. Necessity really is the mother of invention and this sauce was just what I needed to cure my aching head. Bon appetite!

While we're on the subject of mothers, I might add that today is Mama Diva's birthday. This recipe is dedicated to you, Mama Diva, the greatest mom a girl could have! If I'm funny, its because you gave me your joyful spirit; if I'm witty, its because you gave me my smarts; and, if I'm a Diva, its because you made sure I knew the sun rose and set upon me - like it should any child. Happy birthday, Mom - I love you THIS much!

And Now ... A Word About Our Sponsor:

Before we get to the recipe of the day, I must admit that I agonized a bit over what to post today. I try to keep things light here at Beach Eats - that's just how I roll. But there's no ignoring the fact that today is a difficult day. Its difficult for all of us. I want to acknowledge that and offer my public prayer for peace in our world and for peace in the hearts of those personally affected by the events of September 11, 2001.

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I do a fair bit of kidding about the husband - what with the meat and the cooking duties and all - but I should also say a few words in his defense. Its not like he's never cooked a meal. He's been the chef plenty of times. He roasts a mean chicken and is solely responsible for any steak cooked chez Diva. Breakfast is his domain as well. I'm capable of much culinary greatness but my scrambled eggs are plateful of woe. Really. The husband is the egg man. Period.

He has a far more adventurous palate than I ever will - and, as long as it doesn't contain peas, he's happy to eat almost anything I put in front of him. He's been nothing short of 100% supportive of all my dietary whims ... and there have been many, and is always game for trying a new dish. I literally could not do this without him. Not the blogging, not the SB dieting. He is the sponsor to which I refer.

Despite his flexibility, I kinda, sorta figured I could slip the whole wheat orzo by him the other night. Its not that he's against WW pasta per se, but it wouldn't be his first choice. I assumed that all the flavors going on in the dish would hide the fact that it wasn't regular pasta. Nothing doing. After heaping much praise upon both the chicken and the orzo, the husband said: "what kind of orzo is this?" Uh oh. I had a brief moment of contemplation before admitting the truth ... then breathed a sigh of relief when he pronounced: "its really good!" I'm not sure I can convert him entirely, but its a start.

This orzo is my take on a Giada De Laurentiis recipe. I've tweaked it to make it South Beach friendly ... and left out the peas to make it husband friendly. I'm well pleased with my version. Its creamy, satisfying and very flavorful. I hope you'll try it!

Whole Wheat Orzo in Tomato, Basil, Parmesan Cream:

• 1 cup of whole wheat orzo
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes, optional
  
• 2 ripe, red plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped*
• 1 1/4 cup of fat-free Half and Half
• 1/2 tsp. good quality dried basil*
• grating of fresh nutmeg
• generous grinding of fresh black pepper
• 1/2 (or more to taste) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• pinch of Kosher salt

Cook the orzo according to package directions, making sure to leave it al dente as it will continue to cook in the sauce. Drain and reserve.

In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes and saute, stirring constantly for one minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes or until the tomatoes just begin to soften. Add the fat-free half and half and stir to combine. Rub the dried basil between the palms of your hands to crumble it and add to the cream sauce along with the nutmeg and black pepper. Raise the heat and bring the sauce to the boil. Return the orzo to the pan, stir well to combine and lower the heat. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to blend. Allow the pasta and sauce to simmer gently, stirring often, until some of the cream has been absorbed and the sauce is off a desirable consistency ... approximately 5 minutes or so. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more of anything you wish and a pinch of salt if necessary. Serve and enjoy!

*As written this dish will serve @ 4 people as a side dish. Amounts are flexible so feel free to experiment! As for the tomatoes - the original recipe calls for canned, diced tomatoes and those would certainly work. At this time of year, though, it would be a shame not to use fresh. I chose to use dried basil because it was simmered in the sauce, if you prefer fresh I would wait and add it at the end, just before serving. Bon appetit!

An Abundance of Chard ...

If there's a more photogenic vegetable in the garden than Swiss Chard, I'm not sure what it is. True, the tomatoes might give chard a run for its money, but you just can't beat the gorgeous ruby stems of this beauty. I snapped the pick for posterity because this lovely bunch came back to New York City with me on Monday.

I've been meaning to make something different with the chard this time and had a white bean soup in mind. The weather is not cooperating with my plan. Its 400 degrees here again. Distinctly un-soupy weather, save for the humidity. But, I want to make soup, dammit! I'm going to make soup and we're going to eat it too, even if it means cranking the a/c up as high as it will go.

Before we get to the recipe of the day, I will - at last - share my news. You may have noticed the little "Featured Publisher" badge on the top right side of the blog. It will link you to Foodbuzz.com, which is the foodie version of a social networking site. Its an awesome resource for all kinds of food related fun - full of great blogs, recipes, photos, restaurant reviews and more. About a month ago I submitted Beach Eats for inclusion in their Featured Publisher Program and I've been accepted! I'm thrilled to be associated with such a cool new site and I look forward to the possibilities for Beach Eats. I've already met some wonderful blog friends through Foodbuzz and I'm excited about the potential for gaining increased readership. Whether or not that will actually happen remains to be seen - but, at a minimum, it means that someone has read my content and found it acceptable. Color me as bright and happy as this chard!

And now, let's get cooking. I didn't really have a specific recipe in mind when I made this soup last night - just got a bunch of ingredients together and let the soup develop as I went along. Its all pretty standard really and the amounts listed are entirely flexible. I used some whole wheat orzo in the soup, but you could certainly substitute any variety of small pasta - or even leave it out. I also used some turkey bacon and I'd like to talk about that for a minute. If you choose to use turkey rather than real bacon, be sure to buy a brand that is as chemical-free as possible. I've had good results with Applegate Farms nitrate-free turkey bacon. Its lean and has a nice, unprocessed, smoky flavor. I once made the mistake of buying Jennie-O turkey bacon and it was awful. Tasted like a mouth full of chemicals. Horrid! I ended up throwing it out. So, please don't use that brand in this soup.

Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup:

• one large bunch of Swiss Chard
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tbsp. minced onion
• 1 rib of celery, leaves included if possible
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 pieces of turkey bacon
• 2 -3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. of fresh rosemary, chopped
• 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp. of good quality curry powder*
• 2 inch piece of Parmesan cheese rind
• one can of cannellini beans
• one can of small white beans (I used Goya low-sodium brand)
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• some cooked whole wheat orzo or other small pasta
  

Garnishes:

• chopped fresh parsley
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• some smoked salt
  
• wedge of lemon to be sprinkled over the soup at table

Remove any large, tough stems from the chard and wash it well. Drain and chop into bite sized pieces. Reserve.

Heat a large, heavy bottomed, stock pot over medium high heat, add the turkey bacon and saute until well browned. Remove and reserve for later. Add the olive oil, shallots, onion, garlic and celery to the pot and saute, stirring often to pick up the browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pan. Continue sauteing for @ 3 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.

Begin adding the chard, in bunches, to the pan and saute, stirring constantly until wilted. Once the greens have cooked down, add in another handful of the chard and repeat the process until all of it has wilted. This process will take some time, be patient.

Stir in the rosemary and saute for one minute. Add the chicken and vegetable broths to the pot, along with the curry powder and stir to combine. Add the piece of Parmesan cheese rind, bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer the soup for 15 minutes. Remove the Parmesan rind after simmering and discard. (Hint, it is used for flavor, but don't waste the lovely, melty bits of cheese that will develop while simmering. Scrape them off and eat them. Delish!)

While the soup is simmering, prepare the beans. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and reserve. Drain and rinse the small white beans and mash them to a paste, either using a fork or your food processor. Reserve. Once the soup has simmered for the recommended time, add in the mashed beans and stir vigorously to blend. Add in the reserved whole beans and stir to combine. Chop the reserved turkey bacon and add it to the pot. Let the soup simmer for @ 5 more minutes to heat through. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and a generous grinding of black pepper to taste.

Place some of the cooked pasta in the bottom of a bowl and ladle the chard and bean soup over it. Serve with any or all of the above listed garnishes and enjoy! I particularly recommend the smoked salt - it adds a wonderful flavor and is great with any egg or pasta dishes as well.

I should note for the record - the finished product is decidedly un-photogenic, hence no final pictures here. But, what it lacks in visuals is made up for in taste. This soup is a healthy, hearty, meal in a bowl. I hope you'll try it!

*One final note about the curry powder ... this soup will not taste like a curried soup. I always add a hint of good quality curry powder to any chicken broth based dish I make. When using a canned stock, it can often lack depth and I find the hint of curry really compliments the chicken flavor and adds to the overall richness of the soup. Give it a try next time you're making a chicken soup - you won't be disappointed!

Pain, Suffering and Marinara Sauce

So, this morning, my friend and I decided to attend a "Cardio Dance" class in lieu of our usual swim ... and, no, I wasn't dressed like an extra from the "Let's Get Physical" video. I left the leg warmers and headband back in the 80's where they belong. And, fortunately, no one else was dressed like that either - otherwise I'd have been laughing too hard to keep up. I could barely keep up as it was. It all looked so simple when we were watching a few minutes of the class last week - but doing it is another story. There was much pain and suffering, and that was just during the warm up! I hurt in places I didn't even know I had. It remains to be seen whether or not this was a good idea, given the state of my knees. If I don't end up crippled, we might try it again next week.

Suffering aside, I'm glad we went. Its just as easy to fall into an exercise rut as it is a dinner rut. I've been swimming for so long now, its not really much of a challenge. It seemed like a good idea to shake things up a bit and try something new. I'll swim normally for the rest of the week and if my knees can take it, I'll give the dance class another shot next Monday. If not, then hopefully I'll be no worse for trying. Stay tuned - and let's hope tomorrow won't find me surfing for a picture of some crutches to post on here!

The heat is still oppressive here and its likely that I'll be shopping my freezer for dinner options - and I don't mean TV dinners. I like to keep a well stocked freezer for nights such as this and I almost always have some version of a homemade pasta sauce on hand and ready to thaw.

Marinara Sauce:

• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 large stalk of celery, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• one 28 to 32 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
• one 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dry, red wine
  
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
• 6 to 8 leaves of fresh basil, chopped

• 1 pound of whole wheat linguini
• freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• chopped fresh parsley
  

Heat the olive oil in a large, non-reactive, pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sautée until the onions are just translucent and not browned, @ 5 minutes or so. Add the celery, carrots, salt and crushed red pepper flakes, stir to combine, and continue sautéeing until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and the red wine and stir to combine. Add the fresh oregano and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until it has thickened slightly. When the sauce is done, add the fresh basil, and taste to adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and some freshly ground black pepper if necessary.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, toss with the sauce to coat and serve topped with the fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

*Notes: This sauce will freeze beautifully, so if you like to batch-cook feel free to double it and freeze the extra. Since I'm cooking for two we always have plenty left-over. I've discovered a new, and really acceptable, whole wheat pasta: "Gia Russa 100% Whole Wheat Pasta" - its delicious and I do recommend it. You can certainly round out the meal with some chicken or turkey sausage if need to feed your inner carnivore - but typically I just serve the pasta Marinara with a big, healthy salad and call it a night. Enjoy!