Parmesan Bread Pudding with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta

Happy Easter, fans and visitors of N.T.! Instead of traditional spring holiday meals, featuring a baked ham or leg of lamb, I kept it a bit lighter this year. This bread pudding features cubes of country bread, tossed with garlicky sauteed broccoli rabe and a Parmesan-flavored custard. And just so we didn’t leave the Easter ham out altogether, the whole thing is topped with a few paper-thin slices of pancetta, Italy’s version of bacon. The bread cubes were soft and chewy and moist on the inside, and crusty and brown on the outside, and the whole thing was salty, cheesy and just slightly porky. To go with, I steamed some asparagus, a classic spring vegetable with a grassy green flavor, and drizzled some shallot vinaigrette on top.

Parmesan Bread Pudding with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 medium bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 pound country-style white bread, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• 6 thin slices pancetta (Italian bacon)

The assembled pudding, before going into the oven

Method

• Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir until garlic is softened, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe; sea-son with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until wilted, about 2 minutes; let cool slightly
• Meanwhile, whisk eggs, milk, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl to blend. Add broccoli rabe mixture, bread, and 1/2 cup Parmesan; toss to combine. Transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Top with pancetta and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan
• Bake pudding until puffed, browned in spots, and set in the center, 45-55 minutes

Tuscan White Bean Stew

Creamy, soft white beans in a savory, peppery broth with braised kale and mirepoix. I used pancetta, for some added salty, umami flavor, but for a vegetarian version, you can just leave it out…

Tuscan White Bean Stew

Total Time: Yield: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4″ strips
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium ribs celery, chopped into 1/4″ pieces
• 2 medium carrots, chopped into 1/4″ pieces
• 7-8 medium cloves garlic, minced (3 tablespoons)
• 4  cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 lb. dried cannellini beans, soaked for 12 hours, or 4 cans, rinsed and drained
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, or 1 pound frozen plum tomatoes
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• country bread (day-old ok) and extra clove garlic, for serving

Method

• In a large dutch oven, brown the bacon until crisp and fat is rendered 4-6 minutes; with a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a plate and reserve. Pour off all but about 2 Tbsp fat from the pan
• 
• Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the pan, and cook over medium heat until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add bacon back to pan and stir to combine with vegetables. Add the chicken broth, water, beans, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the rosemary sprig and continue to simmer another 15 minutes. Remove rosemary and bay leaf, and add salt and pepper to taste

• To serve, toast a thick slice of bread and rub with a clove of garlic cut in half. Put bread in the bottom of a soup bowl, then sprinkle baby spinach leaves on top. Ladle soup over spinach and bread. Top with a healthy drizzle of olive oil, and serve

Shrimp and Grits

I’ve been playing around the past couple months with what the idea of “comfort food” really means, stretching the definition of the phrase a bit (partly due to the lighter, more summery foods I’ve been making), but tonight, we’re getting back to basics. And that means shrimp and grits, a classic Southern American dish of creamy yellow corn grits topped with plump, juicy shrimp sauteed in sausage drippings, then simmered in a sauce loaded with pancetta, spices, wine and tomato, and topped with crispy nuggets of Andouille sausage and green onions. Porky, spicy, creamy and definitely comforting.

Shrimp and Grits

Adapted from a recipe by Maxie’s Supper Club

Time: 45 minutes (30 minutes active)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 ounces pancetta, small dice
• 1/4 medium red onion, small dice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine
• 3/4 cup clam juice
• 1/2 seasoning packet from a chicken flavored ramen noodle pack
• 1/2 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

For the grits:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus more as needed
• 3/4 cup yellow grits (not instant)

To finish:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (3-ounce) andouille sausage, medium dice
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon scallions, dark green parts only, thinly sliced

Method

For the sauce:

• Place the vegetable oil and ham or pancetta in a medium frying pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes

• Add the tomato paste, garlic, curry, cumin, cayenne, and paprika and stir until evenly incorporated. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture darkens and a coating forms on the bottom of the pan, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add the clam juice, bouillon cube, and chipotle and whisk, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, whisk to combine, and cook until simmering, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside

For the grits:

• Combine the water, measured milk, cream, butter, and measured salt and white pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer
• Stir in the grits and bring to a simmer again. Cook, without stirring, until the grits float to the surface, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cover with a tightfitting lid, remove from heat, and let sit until all of the moisture has been absorbed, at least 10 minutes. Whisk until smooth, taste, and add more salt and white pepper as needed. Whisk in additional milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Set aside

To finish:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a small bowl; set aside
• Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until just pink on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes (the shrimp will not be fully cooked). Add the reserved tasso sauce, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is bubbling and the shrimp are fully cooked, about 1 to 2 minutes. (If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little water until it reaches the desired consistency.)

• To serve, divide the reserved grits among 4 bowls, top with the shrimp and sauce, and garnish with the reserved sausage and chives