Susie Riggies Food

RIGGIES WITH ROASTED VEGETABLE AND RICOTTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut off the end of the bulb of garlic, exposing all of the cloves, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the bulb in foil to form a pouch, and roast until soft and sweet, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the EVOO on a nonstick baking sheet. Halve the eggplant and score with sharp paring knife to crosshatch the flesh. Season with salt and pepper and set into the oil, with the skin-side up. Roast until tender, 30 minutes, and then cool to handle.
• Char the red pepper over open flame on the stovetop or under the broiler. Cool in a covered bowl to handle, then peel and seed.
• Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, in small Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onions and some salt and pepper and cook, partially covered, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the basil. Break up the tomatoes and simmer 25 to 30 minutes over low heat.
• Heat a pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta until a little shy of al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
• Scrape the eggplant away from skin into the food processor. Squish the garlic away from the skins and add to processor along with tomatoes and onions, ricotta and roasted peppers. Puree the sauce until smooth and creamy.
• Drain the pasta and pour back into the hot pot. Add the sauce and the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and adjust the seasoning. Pour into a casserole dish, top with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal.
• To serve, bring the casserole to room temp and bake at 375 degrees F until brown and bubbly.

WICKED CHICKEN RIGGIES

Steps:

• For the hot sauce: In a blender, carefully blenderize the chipotle peppers, serrano chiles and pepper oil. This stuff is hot! Be careful with splatter! Reserve.
• For the chicken: In a large braiser or saucepot, warm 3/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne and red pepper flakes. Stir well and cook until the onions are translucent.
• Stir the fresh chopped bell peppers into the onion mixture. Stir to coat. Add the reserved hot sauce. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato sauce, heavy cream, Romano and sugar. Whisk well!
• Lower the heat until the sauce slightly bubbles, and stir well. Turn the heat to low or off while sauteing the chicken strips and cooking the rigatoni noodles.
• When the sauce is nearing doneness, cook the rigatoni noodles according to package directions. I like to pre-cook my pasta for sauteed pasta dishes such as this. Pre-cooking rigatoni to near doneness, straining and holding at room temperature, or completely chilling down if holding for several hours or more and then dunking in hot, boiling water prior to sauteing works well.
• For the chicken saute, heat a large saute pan with the remaining olive oil. First, sprinkle the chicken strips with 1 teaspoon salt (more or less), and add to the hot olive oil, one layer at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if necessary. Add a dash of black pepper if desired. Flip and shake the chicken pieces around in the hot pan to sear all sides. Cook until opaque and lightly brown, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
• Toss the tomato sauce and chicken in a large bowl in half-batches, or altogether. Pour onto a serving platter or individual pasta bowls. Garnish with locatelli cheese and reserved fresh scallions.

CHEF JOHN'S CHICKEN RIGGIES

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir sausage, mushrooms, onions, salt, and black pepper in hot oil until vegetables are softened and sausage is browned, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Stir chopped chicken to sausage mixture; cook and stir over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Pour in wine and cook, stirring to remove any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, until most of the wine is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and cream; simmer for 30 minutes. If needed, add water to create a thick sauce.
• Stir peppers, olives, and garlic into sauce. Continue to simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in parsley.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until nearly cooked, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Combine sauce and cooked pasta, stir in cheese, cover and set aside until pasta has absorbed the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

CHICKEN RIGGIES AND 'SCAROLE WITH SOUL

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil for "riggies". Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: you will need to reserve cup of cooking water just before you drain the pasta.
• Trim up the thighs and chop all the chicken into bite size pieces. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large high sided skillet over medium-high to high heat.
• Add chicken to hot pan and brown all over, 7 to 8 minutes then remove. Add onions, 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, cubanelle peppers then season with salt and pepper and cook 6 to 7 minutes to soften then add roasted red peppers. Cut tops off the hot peppers and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon then chop the hot peppers and add them to the skillet. Stir in tomatoes and add chicken back to the sauce. Bring sauce to a bubble then stir in some starchy cooking water from the pasta - about a cup, then add the cream, twice around the pan, about 1/3 to 1/2 cup. Reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer a couple of minutes. Add pasta and 1/2 cup cheese and toss to combine.
• While the chicken and peppers are cooking, heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped ham and cook 2 minutes, add reserved pasta water and garlic and reduce heat a bit. Add greens and wilt down, 2 minutes. Season the greens with salt and pepper, add stock. Simmer greens 5 to 6 minutes and serve.
• Top the pasta with shredded basil. Pass cheese to top both pasta and greens and serve with crusty bread.

SAUSAGE AND BUTTERNUT RIGGIES

Steps:

• Defrost the squash puree in a microwave and place in a strainer to drain.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to al dente, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage to the skillet, crumble and brown. Add the garlic, onions and thyme and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
• Preheat the broiler with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
• Melt the butter in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken to coat a spoon. Stir in the butternut squash and bring the sauce back to a bubble and melt in the Cheddar.
• Toss the pasta, sauce and sausage to combine. Top with the Pecorino Romano and parsley and broil to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with the Fennel and Celery Slaw.
• Combine the honey, vinegar and shallot with the lemon juice and whisk in the EVOO. Add the parsley, celery and fennel and toss to coat and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a platter and top with the toasted nuts.

UTICA CHICKEN RIGGIES

Steps:

• In a large pot melt butter and then add chicken.
• Cook chicken over medium heat just until they begin to turn white.
• Add mushrooms to chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add peppers and onions cook 5-7 minutes (I usually season the veggies and chicken with salt and pepper at this point).
• Add water, bullion, tomato sauce, heavy cream, and spices.
• Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 min, stirring occasionally.
• Add olives and simmer for 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl mix corn starch with 2-3 tbsp cold water until dissolved.
• Add corn starch to sauce, stirring continuously until it thickens.
• If it is very runny just let stand to thicken.
• Stir in cooked pasta and serve immediately, sprinkling each serving with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese.

SUSIE RIGGIES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil and melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and saute until soft, then add chicken, season with salt and pepper to taste and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, or until halfway cooked.
• Add peppers and stir in tomato sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes. Add sherry and simmer for another 10 minutes, then stir in cream and simmer for 10 minutes more.
• Toss all with hot cooked pasta and serve.