Yearly Archives: 2010
Ropa Vieja with Olives and Capers
| December 6, 2010 | Filled under Indulge, Mexican and Southwestern, Sandwiches, Shawn's Favorites, Soups and Stews, Weekend Meals, Winter |
Ropa Veija is a traditional Cuban dish featuring beef that is slowly stewed in a sauce of tomatoes, garlic, and bell peppers until it falls apart into shreds. With the texture of pulled pork and the comforting flavor of pot-roast, Ropa Veija is a real crowd pleaser!
Although it does take a while to make (about 3-1/2 hours), the recipe couldn’t be simpler and it doesn’t require a lot of hands-on time. It’s also the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have had more time to meld. I like to make a big batch on a lazy Saturday afternoon, then make Ropa and Swiss Sandwiches – a dish I fell in love with at New World Bistro Bar – to eat while we watch football (go Bills!) on Sunday.
Tortelloni Fagioli with Fire Roasted Tomatoes
| November 23, 2010 | Filled under Italian, One Pan, Quick Weeknight Meals, Soups and Stews |
This spin on classic pasta fagioli was nothing more than an excuse eat tortellini.
Seriously. I’ve been craving it ever since I made Tortelloni Di Ricotta Di Noci Tostate but, since I find tortellini so easy to overeat, I try not to make it too often. Then I had a brilliant idea: stretch out a serving of tortellini by adding it to a soup full of nutritious ingredients. As it turns out, the soup that I created ended up being crave worthy in its own right — and is so much healthier than just eating a giant bowl of carbs and cheese for dinner (which is what I would have done otherwise).
I always say that I like to make soup because it’s so simple, and this is one of the easiest yet — other than chopping an onion, all you have to do is open jars and dump them in your pot. Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe and I wanted to be sure that the final dish was full of flavor, I turned to my old favorite: fire roasted tomatoes. I really love the slightly smokey, charred flavor of these tomatoes and they really added a nice dimension to the soup.
Instead of regular cheese tortellini, I grabbed a package of chicken and proscuitto tortelloni from Buitoni. I LOVED the way these tasted in the soup! They were very delicate but they added a ton of flavor (they reminded me a little bit of wontons). I definitely recommend using them, but if you can’t find them — or if you’re a vegetarian — you can easily substitute regular cheese tortellini.
Tortelloni Fagioli with Fire Roasted Tomatoes
Serves 6
Approx. 400 calories, 9 grams fat, 12 grams fiber, 22 grams protein
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 Tbs dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 can (14 ounces) fire roasted tomatoes
- 6 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 package (9 ounces) Buitoni Chicken and Proscuitto Tortelloni (or filled pasta of your choice)
- 1 can (14 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 ounces baby spinach
1. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat (I used a 5.5 quart dutch oven). Add the olive oil and heat through. Add the onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown. Stir in the oregano and marjoram and cook and additional 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the tortelloni and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the cannellini beans and spinach. Cook 2-4 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the beans are heated through.
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