carbon era

the much famed Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, an Italian staple, is filled with delicious ingredients that can be found within most cupboards and fridges year round. often referred to as "coal miner's spaghetti", it is said to have been created by charcoal workers looking for a sturdy meal after a long day of physical exertion, otherwise known as a meal that sticks to the ribs. it's also thought that Italians began making this dish in WWII when there was an influx of eggs and bacon supplied by U.S. troops, and that soldiers brought the recipe back to their homes when they returned from war. whatever the origin, it's full of flavor and has a certain nostalgic appeal, perfect for a night spent watching many an episode of Mad Men and admiring Donald Draper in the company of good friends.


I made other versions of this a few times before posting it, and found it to be slightly bland. Trial and error led me to the addition of garlic, and higher-quality bacon cooked more crisply. Also, salt and pepper are key because this is truly a minimalist dish.

bacon, onions and garlic cooking.

Cheese and egg mixture.

the finished product.  bacon was a little on the dark side, hence the browner color.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

• 5 oz bacon or pancetta
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano blend, finely grated 
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut bacon or pancetta into 1/3-inch dice, then cook in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fat begins to render, 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 10 minutes. Add wine and boil until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes.

Cook spaghetti in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, cheese, 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Drain spaghetti in a colander and add to onion mixture, then toss with tongs over moderate heat until coated. Remove from heat and add egg mixture, tossing to combine. Serve immediately.

Sunday SUNCHOKE Soup

As the story goes, I was doing a little Sunday shopping with Kelly at the Ballard market a year or so ago and came across a vendor selling some spindly little roots called Jerusalem artichokes.  I asked the farmer why they had this name, he explained that their flavor was exactly that of an artichoke heart and if I'd never tried one before I was surely missing out.  During this conversation with the farmer, a stranger appeared and proceeded to explain how these little roots would blow my [expletive] mind.  Strangers feeling the need to express how something will "blow your mind" can either be an indicator of sheer crazy or an indicator of how spectacular something is.  I chose to believe that, although both factors were likely at play, this was mostly an expression of the latter, and bought a few pounds to roast for dinner that night.  Much credit to the stranger, as they really did blow my mind.  They were simple to prepare and tasted exactly like artichoke hearts only bigger and meatier, all I did was roast them in olive oil with a little sea salt and and served them with lemon butter.

All that to say, when I came upon this recipe for Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Bacon, I began preparing to have my mind blown yet again.  I made it last Sunday and served it alongside sautéed orange chard with garlic that Allison made (recipe for the Orange Chard to follow). 

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP WITH BACON

2 1/2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes
3 1/2 ounces bacon, diced or cut into matchsticks
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
4 cups chicken stock
freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
1/2 tsp. rosemary, fresh or dried
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
sour cream for serving


Serves 4 to 6.
Peel the Jerusalem artichokes with a vegetable peeler, to the best of your abilities. I wasn't able to peel mine, so I boiled with peels still on and it worked fine.

Rinse the Jerusalem artichokes in one or two changes of water, cut them into 1 inch chunks and place them in a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water, add salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until vegetables are soft, but not falling apart. 

In a separate soup pot add the bacon and cook until browned. A minute before the bacon is entirely browned, add the garlic and cook for a minute until softened, stirring frequently to avoid coloring.

Drain the vegetables and place in a bowl, blending with either an immersion blender or hand mixer. Add blended vegetable to the soup pot with hot stock and bacon, stir, and bring to a simmer on medium heat.

If soup still has large chunks, blend again.  Strain through a large-holed strainer and place drained soup liquid back into soup pot, bring to a boil again. Divide among soup bowls, top with a dallop of sour cream and serve.