Eggplant & Tomato pasta
April 16, 2026
Alison Roman 2025
Italian Sausages served on the side.
INGREDIENTS
2 TBs Olive oil +
1 lb Italian sausage
1 lb eggplant, fennel or zucchini chopped
1 red or yellow onion SLICED (but not too thin)
Kosher salt & pepper
1 24oz jar tomato sauce, pureee or can crushed tomatoes
fresh or dried oregano
crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic crushed or finely chopped
1 pound dried pasta casarece or rigatoni
Basil Pecorino or Parmesan for grating.
DIRECTIONS
Cook sausages (grill, roast …)
- Sauté onion and eggplant , season with S&P 10-15 minutes until eggplant browned and onions start to fry at the edges.
- Add tomato, add 2 Cups water!, oregano, pepper flakes. Simmer, crushing eggplant occasionally with wooden spoon. Add raw garlic. Continue to cook until sauce thickened 10-12 minutes
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. using slotted spoon remove pasta and transfer to pot with sauce and continue to cook until pasta totally cooked (another few minutes).
- Serve pasta in bowls finish with torn basil & grated cheese.
- serve with sausages and green salad.
Braised cabbage leeks & caraway seeds
March 5, 2026
Juli Oct 2025
Sauté cabbage, leeks & caraway seeds. Bacon/pancetta.
Brothy Chickpeas
December 15, 2025
Alison Roman 2024 svs 6-10 275° 10-12 hours! keeps 5 days ahead refrigerated, just reheat. Cook and serve with 12 hour oven roasted lamb.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb dry chickpeas
2 large shallots sliced 1/4″ (or large onion)
1 garlic head/entire bulb, sliced in half crosswise -horizontally.
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves (OR sprigs of rosemary &thyme or oregano)
1 1/2 TB Kosher Salt & pepper
1/4 C olive oil
for serving: Calabrian chili paste, oil etc, halved lemon to juice over.
DIRECTIONS
- In large oven safe pot with lid: chickpeas, shallots, bay leaves and pepper flakes, add S & P, pour 1/4 C oil over top. Fill with water covering peas with 2 ” water (~10 C or more). Cover and cook inwoven 10-12 hours!
- Serve chickpeas with some broth and, if wanted, more Calabrian chilis, pepper flakes & squeeze of lemon.
Easter slow cooked lamb
December 15, 2025
Alison Roman 2024 Easter. 6-10 svs. 275° no fan, boneless 8-10 hrs, bone-in 10-12.
INGREDIENTS
4-5 lb bone-in or 3-4 boneless, shoulder or leg untied.
salt & pepper
750 ml dry white wine.
2 lbs waxy potatoes (Yukon gold or fingerlings. skin on. half or quarter depending on size.
2 HEADS garlic unpeeled, halved crosswise (horizontally)
2 lemons, one halved crosswise, save another for serving.
1 bunch: oregano,marjoram or thyme, plus more for serving.
olive oil to drizzle.
1-2 Cups herbs: parsley, dill, mint, chives for serving (chopped)
Greek yogurt or Labne.
DIRECTIONS
- season lamb s&p 12-24 hours before, leave in fridge.
- preheat to 275°, no fan.
- scatter potatoes, cut garlic, lemon & oregano around lamb. Cover with bottle of white wine (white vermouth or pinot Grigio). top with good glue of olive oil,, nice thick layer floating on top.
- cover and put in oven 10-12 hours. do not look/peak!
- remove from oven, let cool. serve on platter with potatoes and juices, top with herbs and more oil. serve with labne and brothy chickpeas (10-12 hours in same oven as lamb)
Chicken au Poivre
September 21, 2025
NY Times 2025 QED 4 svgs
INGREDIENTS
1 TB crushed peppercorns
2 TB unsalted butter
2 TB olive oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs ~ 2lbs , seasoned with salt
2 TB minced shallots
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C heavy cream
3 thyme sprigs
1 TB cognac (or lemon juice)
1 TB finely chopped parsley
crusty bread or egg noodles
COOKING
12 inch cast iron skillet – med heat, heat oil. in 2 batches sear until golden all over ~ 5 min per batch. Remove from pan, discard oil.
ADD butter and shallots, 1 min, ADD broth, cream, thyme & crushed peppercorns. Wire whisk stir to mix browned bottom bits into sauce.
ADD chicken back in , simmer, basting until 165 degrees ~ 6 min.
Remove thyme, discard. Remove chicken to side plate.
ADD cognac (or lemon juice), stir 2 min to thicken sauce on med-hi heat.
ADD chicken back to pan, sprinkle with parsley (or plate chicken onto plates, pour sauce over chicken)
Nori (seaweed) Salad
February 16, 2025
Mary Berry 2025
1 celery shredded
1 red pepper – sliced thin
2 green onions cut thin diagonally
1 medium daikon – shredded/coarsley grated
1 carrot coarsely grated
2 sheets nori rolled & thinly sliced (save some to top salad)
Cook soba noodles, toss with vegetables, add dressing
sprinkle black and white sesame seeds on top of salad
DRESSING
2 T grated ginger (2 ” piece)
2 T Olive oil
2 T soy sauce
4 T rice wine vinegar
Poached Salmon
December 4, 2024
5 min poach time. Use Stainless steel pan with lid.
Being to a boil over medium heat:
Juice 1 lemon and cut into slices
1/2 C white wine
1 thin sliced shallot
2 minced garlic cloves
2 sprig parsley
(can add thin sliced fennel)
Slice a 1 to 1.5 lb piece salmon into 2-3 pcs. Place salmon into liquid in pan, lower heat to simmer. Cover. cook 5 minutes (or more until flakes with fork) plate pieces, drizzle with olive oil (optional)
Olsson Recipes 