Fregola With Corn Food

FREGOLA WITH CORN

Steps:

• In a medium pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add fregola and cook until tender yet springy and chewy, 12 to 14 minutes. Drain, rinse under cool water, and drain again.
• Place a sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add butter, corn or peas, scallions, and vegetable stock. Cook at a lively simmer, stirring occasionally, until the corn or peas are cooked and the broth is reduced by about half, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and add fregola and Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano. The mixture should be gooey like macaroni and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, serve with a green salad.

FREGOLA SALAD WITH FRESH CITRUS AND RED ONION

Steps:

• For the orange oil:
• Combine the olive oil and the orange zest in a small bowl and set aside.
• For the salad:
• Bring the large saucepan of chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add the fregola pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain pasta onto a large baking sheet. Spread to a single layer and let cool for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using a small knife cut the skin off the orange and grapefruit. Over a large bowl, cut out the segments of the citrus flesh and catch the juices. Add the onion, mint, basil, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and cooled fregola pasta.
• Add the reserved orange oil to the pasta. Toss all the ingredients together and serve.

HERBED FREGOLA

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add 1 1/4 cups fregola and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl; add 2 tablespoons butter and the zest of 1/2 lemon and toss. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped dill and 2 tablespoons chopped chives; season with salt and pepper.

CORN AND FREGOLA WITH GRILLED HALLOUMI CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Cook fregola in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain (do not rinse) and spread out on a baking sheet to let cool.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Rub corn with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let cool.
• Meanwhile, brush cheese with 1 tablespoon oil and grill, turning once, until lightly charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to platter with corn; let cool.
• Cut kernels from cobs and place in a large bowl. Add scallions, parsley, basil, mint, walnuts, and fregola. Using your hands, tear Halloumi into bite-size pieces; add to bowl and toss to combine. Add lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 cup oil. Toss to coat; season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.

FREGOLA WITH ASPARAGUS, TOMATOES AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil and once it is hot add the chopped onion.
• Cook the onion until it is translucent and then add the fregola.
• Stir to coat in the oil mixture and then add the chopped tomatoes.
• Cook a minute or two until the tomatoes begin to break down.
• Slowly begin to add a cup of hot broth and stir.
• Keeping the heat at a simmer, keep adding the broth slowly one cup at a time until each cup is almost absorbed.
• For Vegetarian use the vegetable broth and not the chicken broth.

TOASTED PASTA "FREGOLA" WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Drop the pasta slowly in to the boiling broth/water, mix and cook for 6-8 minutes. At the same time, in another saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the garlic. Cook just till slightly softened, add the chili flakes, then add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Cook clams in another pan with a drop of oil until they open and add them to the tomato sauce. Add the clams and fregola to the tomato sauce. Add the parsley and salt to taste. Serve hot.

FREGOLA RISOTTO WITH SHRIMP, ROASTED CORN, AND MELTED LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Put the corn in a small baking dish and add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, about 2 cups. Th e moist heat cooks the corn perfectly. Bake the corn, turning the ears with tongs halfway through cooking, until the husks are brown and the corn feels tender when you press it, 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel off the husks and remove the corn silks. Cut the kernels off the cob; you should have about 1 1/2 cups.
• Meanwhile, heat the stock until it simmers. Keep warm over low heat.
• Cut off the dark green tops of the leeks and discard. Cut the leeks crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds. Put them in a large bowl of water. Swish the water around and separate the leek pieces, checking for dirt between the layers. The sand will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Lift the leeks out with your hands and put them on a kitchen towel to dry; you should have about 6 cups.
• Put a large skillet over low heat and add 4 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the leeks and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender but not brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs. Pour in the cream and stir to incorporate. Cover and keep warm over very low heat.
• Put a large, deep skillet over medium heat and drizzle with the oil, then add 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the shallot is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the fregola and stir for a minute or two until the pasta is well coated; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the wine and simmer for 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol.
• Pour in 1 cup of the warm stock. Stir with a wooden spoon until the pasta has absorbed all of the liquid. Keep stirring while adding the stock little by little, allowing the pasta to drink it in before you add more. This whole process should take about 20 minutes. You may not need all of the stock. Taste the risotto: it should be slightly firm but creamy. Add the corn, shrimp, parsley, and tarragon. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter to make it rich.
• To serve, divide the risotto among 4 shallow bowls, top with the leeks, and garnish with a shower of parsley.