Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Pesto Pasta

Sunny Anderson, host of "Cooking for Real" on the Food Network, developed this fresh take on pesto and pasta. Read Nancy's profile of the TV star in The Miami Herald.

15 garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 head)
1 cup olive oil, plus extra for tomatoes
1 pound cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves
1 pound linguine
1¼ pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place garlic cloves in a single layer in a small baking dish. Add ½ cup olive oil to cover cloves, cover with foil and bake 45 minutes, until golden brown and fork-tender. Meanwhile, in another baking dish, toss tomatoes with enough oil to coat. Lightly season with salt and pepper and roast at same temperature until tomatoes blister, about 25 minutes.

Strain garlic cloves and set aside in a small bowl, reserving infused oil separately. In a blender, add the roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, Parmesan, and basil. Pulse until combined. While machine is running, drizzle in ½ cup olive oil until pesto comes together. Season with salt to taste. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and reserve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste and saute until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.

Put the linguine and some of the pesto in a large bowl. Toss to coat and top with the shrimp. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve.
Note: There will be leftover pesto.
Serves 4.

Source: Sunny Anderson, "Cooking for Real"

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Warm Spinach and McIntosh Apple Salad with Bacon

* 4 thick bacon slices
* 1 small red onion, sliced
* 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* Salt and pepper
* 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach, rinsed, patted dry and torn into bite-size pieces
* 1 McIntosh apple, cored and sliced thinly


In a skillet set over moderate heat cook the bacon until it is crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel and let it drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook it, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until it is wilted. Add the vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt and pepper, to taste and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring. In a serving bowl combine the spinach and apple. Add the hot dressing and toss to combine and serve.

Courtesy of Michele Urvater, foodnetwork.com

Cacio e Pepe Pasta Sauce (from "Eat, Pray, Love")

Kosher salt, to taste
1 pound pasta, preferably tonnarelli or spaghetti
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
3⁄4 cup finely grated Cacio de Roma

Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente, 8–10 minutes; reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add pepper; cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes.

Ladle 3⁄4 cup pasta water into skillet; bring to a boil. Using tongs, transfer pasta to skillet; spread it evenly.

Sprinkle 3⁄4 cup each Pecorino Romano and Cacio de Roma over pasta; toss vigorously to combine until sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta without clumping, about 2 minutes, adding some pasta water if necessary. Transfer to 4 plates and sprinkle with remaining Pecorino and more pepper.

From Saveur

Emeril's Favorite Pastrami Sandwich

Not sure this is as orgasmic as Sally's, but Emeril Lagasse swears by this one, so have what he's having.

6 ounces sliced pastrami
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
4 ounces beer
3 slices onion, rings intact
1 tablespoon oil
Salt and pepper
2 slices rye bread or thick crusty brown bread

Preheat a grill. Season onions with salt and pepper and brush with oil. In a small saucepan combine beer and mustard and bring to a boil. Add pastrami and simmer for 3 minutes. Grill onions on both sides and toast bread on a cooler part of the grill. When all ingredients are heated, prepare sandwich

Black Pepper-Honey Steak

The honey really develops the steak’s beefy taste. In addition, the marinade gives the meat a deep brown caramelized exterior.

3 tablespoons dry red wine
3 tablespoons honey
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more as needed
2 pounds steak (chuck, rib eye, porterhouse, T-bone, top loin, New York strip), about 1½ inches thick and trimmed of excess fat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

Combine the wine, honey, garlic and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the steak, turning to coat it with the mixture. Let it stand at room temperature while you fix the rest of the meal, about 30 minutes

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry, add to the pan and brown it quickly on both sides, sprinkling salt and grinding more black pepper over both sides as they cook. (A splatter screen will help here.)

Turn heat to medium-low and cook, turning the steak often, for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the doneness desired. Remove meat to a platter and let rest for 5-10 minutes for a juicier steak.

Serves 4

Source: How to Eat Supper, by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift, Clarkson Potter, $35

Kolbert's Fruit Torte

There's hardly a fruit that won't work in this simple -- and simply delicious -- dessert. Use sliced plums, pears, peaches, apples or mango or sprinkle a colorful mix of berries over the batter. It's really hard to go wrong here.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
4 plums, pears, peaches or apples, sliced into eighths (or 1-1/2 cup mixed berries
Sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and eggs. Beat well. Spoon batter into 8-, 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Place fruit slices in concentric circles on top of batter, or sprinkle berries evenly on top of batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove and cool.

Serves 6.