kitchen discoveries

I decided that the next couple of recipes on my blog would be from my newest cookbook, Laura Vitale's Laura in the Kitchen.  To buy the cookbook, click here or visit your nearest bookstore to see if they have it in stock! My Barnes and Noble had it, and I was happy to see it featured!  I am loving the recipes so far; I really really recommend getting this cookbook, especially if you are looking for one that has simple Italian recipes.

This particular recipe is an incredibly simple one, perfect for another weeknight sort of meal.  The beans are a great substitute for a starchy side dish, such as rice or pasta.  I did modify this dish, so if you want to see the original recipe, you definitely should check her cookbook out.  Anyway, without further adieu, I give you Cannellini Beans with Bacon and Greens (recipe adapted from Laura Vitale's Cannellini Beans with Pancetta and Spinach).

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

4 oz bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 (15-oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

6 cups mixed spring greens, including spinach

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

First, I heated up the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once the the oil was heated through, I added the bacon.  The original recipe called for either bacon or pancetta, but I was on a budget this week and decided to use bacon, the cheaper alternative.  

Once the bacon got crispy, which took about 5 minutes, I added in the garlic.  I cooked the garlic for about one minute; be careful not to burn your garlic!  

Once the garlic is lightly browned, I added in all of the beans.  MAKE SURE TO DRAIN AND RINSE THEM.  I cooked them for a few minutes until they were heated through.


Once the beans were heated through, I added in the greens, salt, and black pepper.  I used a mixture of spinach and spring greens that I found at my supermarket.  Use whatever fresh greens you like!  I think the mixture of greens went really well with the saltiness of the bacon.


Once the greens are wilted, your dish is done!


This recipe was so surprisingly flavorful and was a great side dish to my pan-fried swai (a type of mild white fish)! The light fish paired really well with the tasty beans and the crunch of the bacon.  I also loved the freshness of the wilted greens; when making this dish, I think I'll continue to use the mixture of greens rather than just all spinach.  This dish really goes with anything, from beef to seafood.  I totally recommend trying this out! If you love garlic and bacon, these beans will hit the spot!

Stay tuned for my next kitchen discovery:  SALMON WITH BACON SAUTE!

I have decided to make my first recipe/food blog post about this simple, delicious dish! The original recipe/instructions are by the wonderful Laura Vitale, the chef of the Cooking Channel's Simply Laura and the creator of the YouTube Channel, Laura in the Kitchen. I came across this wonderful video recipe on her YouTube Channel, which I will link at the end of this post. This video was so heartwarming too, since she was at home in Italy, cooking with her Grandmother. I don't know about you, but cooking with family is something that just makes my heart whole. 

Here are the ingredients she used:

INGREDIENT LIST

eggplants

salt

pepper

olive oil

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (get the good quality kind!)

Then, I heated up some olive oil in a saucepan (with high sides) on medium-high.  Once the oil was heated up, I dropped in the eggplant and cooked them for about 6 minutes, flipping them over and stirring them in the oil occasionally.  Since I had a lot of eggplant, I did the frying in two batches to avoid boiling them and to get them nice & crispy. I also adjusted the heat as I went on so as not to burn the oil and the eggplant too quickly; I wanted a nice, even fry! 

While they were frying, I got my freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano ready to sprinkle over the eggplant.  I keep a block of good-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano in the fridge, ready for any amazing pasta dish! This time, I had a bunch of grated cheese already left over from another recipe I made earlier on in the week. I vow to never use the cheese from the can-aisle; fresh, good-quality cheese makes ALL the difference.

After scooping the eggplant out with my handy dandy spider (my name for this contraption), I laid them out on a paper-towel lined plate to drain the excess oil.  While they were nice and hot on the plate, I hit the eggplant slices with the salt and pepper.




Once cooled for a couple minutes, I placed the eggplant on my serving platter and topped the slices with about 2 tablespoons of my grated Parmigiano-Reggiano! The eggplant was crunchy on the outside, and soft & sweet on the inside! The cheese gave a special salty and flavorful bite to the vegetable.  I loved this dish, and I will definitely make it again!