Cacio e pepe with Favas and peas (video!)

[elleng]

http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/06/21/dining/100000002294379/cacio-e-pepe.html#100000002294379

[MiddleFingerMom]

1. This sounds delicious. There's been times in my life when I was so down-and-out...

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... that frozen peas, butter and black pepper were the only things I had to add to pasta (often
Parmesan).
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Coarser pepper, toasting the pepper in the butter, and making a "brown sauce" reduction would
have greatly improved and enhanced the taste of my "meager fare". This sounds TASTY and,
with me being so focused on a low-sodium diet, It's something I'll add to my repertoire again,
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Not sure I would bother with the fava beans, though.
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Thank you.
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[elleng]

2. You're welcome, MFM!

and hearing of your cooking 'adventure' is inspiring.

[MiddleFingerMom]

3. Thursday, Occupational Therapy had me cook something in their little kitchen...

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... as part of their checklist of "Is he ready to go home and take care of himself?"
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I asked for the simple ingredients of an omelet (without being more specific
than that).
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They sent up 3 eggs (I usually use 2), four fair-sized slices of tavern ham and
four slices of American cheese.. When I told the therapist that it was WAY too
much, she told me to "Go for it" as we couldn't return any of it.
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Butter, glorious butter and a relatively new, unscratched non-stick pan (Hallelujah!!!)
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I'm a pretty fair-dinkum cook, but that omelet surprised me... it came out perfectly
browned... flipped over perfectly... and was one OVER-STUFFED HAM-AND-CHEESE
FUCKING OMELET!!!
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Not for me on my low-sodium diet, but I offered it to the therapists -- and I think
they waited JUST long enough for me to round the corner before SWOOPING down
on it... growling and snarling to indicate THEIR fair share of the "booty".
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I had even impressed myself.
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[elleng]

4. HAHA! Sounds great!

My daughter is working as an occupational therapist, her first job after her degree, but I don't know that they do at her place what they do at yours. Sounds like those therapists got together and decided what they'd like for 'lunch,' and to let you, Chef MFM, do the work!!!

[MiddleFingerMom]

5. Before I left cardiac rehab, I made a huge platter of caprese salad and my therapist and I...

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... had an incredible lunch.
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I had made so much that I think my leftovers were responsible for a good portion
of the OT's smiles through the following day.
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So simple, yet it had a couple of them ask me if I had worked as a chef in the past.
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[elleng]

6. Love it!

Recipe???

[MiddleFingerMom]

7. VERY simple.

Fresh mozzarella (they have expensive li'l balls of it marinating in containers in the cheese island, but I get
.......mine in about a 9-oz brick in the deli meat & cheese aisle (hard to find -- I have to SEARCH every time).
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Tomatoes -- sliced lengthwise and in about 1/2-inch slices (unsliced cherry tomatoes work excellently)
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Fresh basil -- I have used dried and dehydrated (my favorite) and it's been sufficient
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Balsamic vinegar -- many recipes call for just olive oil, but I find that too bland
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1. Sprinkle the dried/dehydrated (or arrange the fresh) basil on the plate.
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2. Moisten the basil with a fair amount of balsamic vinegar (I often overdue it, but balsamic vinegar is so TASTY, I forgive myself.)
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3. Alternate the mozzarella and tomatoes on the platter (did I mention that it's PRETTY, too?)
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If you use fresh basil, the colors of the main ingredients are the colors of the Italian flag.
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Win-win-win-win-win.
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[elleng]

8. BEAUTIFUL!

Now just have to search for tomatoes that TASTE like tomatoes! Daughter growing basil; she remembers when we used fresh basil from neighbor's garden.