Barley Beef (or Mushroom) Stew

If you're a vegetarian (or if you just love mushrooms) substitute 12oz shitake or crimini mushrooms for the beef and exchange vegetable broth for the chicken broth. See below for equally awesome alternative version with sausage, leeks, and kale!

Barley Beef Stew
Time: 30-40 minutes
Servings: 6

12-16oz lean stew beef (cubes)
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1-2 tablespoons of oil
1 teaspoon rosemary
14oz diced tomatoes in juice
15-19oz cannelini (white kidney) beans
1 and 1/4 cup pearl barley (approximate)
6 cups of chicken broth
5-9oz of spinach
salt (depending on how much you like it)
pepper
cornstarch

Toss beef in cornstarch with a few shakes of salt and pepper (optional). Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in large pot (4-5 quarts; non-stick optional, but less messy). Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add second tablespoon of oil and beef. Brown beef on all sides. Add rosemary, stir 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, 4 cups broth, and barley. Bring to boil, then set to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, until barely is just tender. Add two more cups of broth. Add beans and stir. Add spinach a bunch at a time and stir into stew before adding the next bunch. The stew will look pretty full, but as the spinach wilts there will be room for more. Cook for another 5 minutes to meld flavors. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!




Exciting alternate version with leeks, italian sausage, and kale (no beans). Saute the leeks with the garlic and make sure the leeks are tender before adding the sausage. Kale will take longer than spinach to cook all the way through.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

Broccoli Rabe is a wonderful veggie that doesn't get enough attention. It can be a little hard to find (i.e., try central market) and sometimes goes by the name "Rapini" (NOT Broccolini, which is sweet). It's a green, similar to mustard greens and collared greens and can be a little bitter, especially if underdone. It has no resemblance to broccoli, except for the little florets, and doesn't taste anything like it. However, I think it has an overall sophisticated flavor that pairs very nicely with other foods that have a heavy presence. Simple sauteed Broccoli Rabe is a classic Italian side dish that's starting to catch on over here (if you saute, make sure to cook until very tender, otherwise it will be bitter! It helps to slit the bottom of thick stems, too). In this quick and easy recipe, the flavor of the sauteed veggie is combined with pasta and Italian sausage.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
Servings: about 4 large
Time: 20-30 minutes

- 8oz (half standard box) of linguine or other medium-thick spaghetti
- 4-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- dash of crushed red pepper (optional)
- olive oil
- 1 large bunch of Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)
- 3 links of mild Italian sausage
- parmesan cheese

Fully cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat (if you want to minimize time, do this when you start the water and use a separate skillet for the garlic/oil; if you want less dishes, cook the sausage before starting the water and use the same pan later). Bring about 3-4 quarts of water to boil (about three quarters of a large 4-5 quart pot). While waiting, chop the garlic and wash the broccoli rabe. When the water boils, turn the heat down to medium and add the pasta, stirring for the first minute or two to prevent sticking. The pasta will take about 10-12 minutes to become tender, but firm. During the final three minutes of cooking, add all of the broccoli rabe to the pasta and stir. In a skillet or frying pan heat the oil over medium and then saute the garlic and crushed red pepper for a few minutes. If you started the oil and garlic immediately after adding the broccoli rabe to the pasta, let the spices keep going while you drain the pasta/veggie. The garlic can get golden and crisp, but don't let it turn brown. Make sure you use a large colander to drain the pasta and broccoli rabe because it takes up a large volume and is pretty heavy. Return the pasta and veggies to the large pot, pour over the garlic and oil, and stir. Cut the sausage lengthwise and then cut into small slices. Mix the sausage into the pasta and broccoli rabe. Sprinkle with a little parmesan and enjoy!


If you're fortunate to have yummy exotic sausage flavors at hand, try a chicken variety. Central Market makes an excellent Chicken-Spinach-Feta (in photo) and a tasty Chicken-Garlic, both of which pair nicely with the Broccoli Rabe.

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

Last saturday Rob and I finally made it to the Austin Farmer's Market downtown. I hadn't really thought about dinner for the week, but then I came across these extra wide, striped zucchini. Just next door, another farmer had delicious looking grape tomatoes. Suddenly I remembered a dish my mom used to make, although I don't think she ever used the little tomatoes, just sausage and garlic. This recipe can also be made with regular zucchini or even the cute little round ones (What? You didn't know that there were so many kinds of zucchini?!), but remember to make less filling. Also, it can be a bit frustrating to try and stuff the smaller zucchini. Oh, and I should warn you that I sort of just tried things as I went, so the recipe is only approximate...use your judgement, you really can't go wrong.

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini
time: 40 minutes (20 prep)
servings: 2 dinners, 4 appetizers or sides

2 large, wide zucchini (the striped ones) or 4 regular, narrow
1/2 pound of Italian sausage (use bulk or release meat from casings)
1 cup of grape or pear tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
olive oil
salt

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a grapefruit spoon or a lot of effort, remove the seedy, soft middle of the zucchini. Save about half of the insides for the filling. Brush your little boats with some olive oil (oiled paper towel works if you don't have a brush) and put them in the oven on 350 for about 20 minutes (less for the narrow type of zucchini). I'm really not sure of the exact time and it will vary by zucchini anyway. Check after about ten minutes. You want the vegetable to become tender, but not to dry out or burn. While the zucchini are roasting, lightly mash the reserved zucchini insides, cook the sausage in a skillet, and cut all of the tomatoes in half. Combine these in a bowl and mix well. Dice the garlic as small as possible. If you like the flavor of raw garlic mix it directly into the bowl of other ingredients. If you like a milder flavor, first cook the garlic in the pan used for the sausage (mmm, drippings!), but not more than a minute. Salt the mixture to taste (I don't recommend more than 1/2 teaspoon, but it's to your taste). Add about half a tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. When the boats are tender, take them out of the oven and very carefully (ie, without burning yourself), fill each with a few spoon fulls of the mixture. Stuff them as much or as little as you'd like. If you end up with leftover filling just eat it. Sausage is always delicious! Return the boats to the oven and cook for about another 15 minutes. The tomatoes should start to look juicy and wilty.


If you want to add something special, sprinkle a little parmesan on top before serving.