Rantin' & Ravin'

I've worked in the restaurant biz for a really long time and have met so many awesome people, but have also met a good number of douchebags. No names will be mentioned, but one of the biggest douchers came in the form of a chef several years ago. This guy was a nightmare and I'm really rooting for his new restaurant to FAIL! I only realized about two months ago just how much of a tool he was/is.

While we were still in Italy, I was sitting there, eating Nutella by the spoonful. I was deep in thought when my mind went back to this chef explaining one of his desserts. He had spent several years in a certain European country and began to tell us of a "snack" mothers and grandmothers served the children when they got home from school. Based on this snack, he came up with some magical chocolate creation that was served with some crisp type things and sprinkled with sea salt.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT NUTELLA! WHAT A LOSER!

Europeans eat Nutella on bread all the time. Unbelievable and not exactly creative dude!

Onto........
A different chef! I have no clue who this guy is, but he created a delicious recipe that use to be on the menu at Maggiano's. I don't eat here often because I live in Chicago and there are a million restaurants to choose from. However, they use to serve a dish, 'Shells with Roasted Vegetables,' that I loved. I did a little google search and voila, I found the recipe! It looks hard, but it's super easy. It just has several different steps. The recipe should be followed exactly or it won't taste the same, trust me! Hope you like it!

Maggiano's Shells with Roasted Vegetables

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients for roasted vegetables

• 2 ½ oz olive oil
• 3 Tbsp basil pesto
• 20 oz mix of zucchini and yellow squash
• 12 oz peeled carrots
• 1 lb button mushrooms, washed and dried
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine pesto and oil together and reserve. Cut the squash and carrots into ¾ inch dice and toss with 2 oz of pesto/oil. Toss the mushrooms with remaining pesto oil. Place vegetables—don't crowd--on a sheet tray and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 500 degrees until nicely browned and cooked through. Reserve.

Ingredients for parmesan broth

• 1 qt chicken broth
• 4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano rinds

Instructions

1. Combine broth with cheese rinds. Simmer slowly to infuse broth---about one hour. Be careful to stir rinds so they don’t stick and burn on bottom of pot. After one hour, puree rinds and broth. Strain through a fine strainer. Reserve.

Ingredients for pasta

• 1 lb shell pasta
• 1 oz olive oil

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water for approx 6 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta (DO NOT RINSE.) Toss with olive oil and reserve.

Ingredients for sauce

• 1 Tbsp finely-minced garlic
• 2 oz butter
• Reserved parmesan broth
• Simple tomato sauce, ½ cup
• 2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
• Reserved roasted vegetables
• 2 Tbsp basil pesto
• Reserved pasta
• Freshly ground pepper and salt
• grated Parmigiano reggiano

Instructions

1. In saute pan, sweat garlic with 1 Tbsp butter without browning. Add reserved parmesan broth, tomato sauce, dried tomatoes, and roasted vegetables. Heat to bubbling. Add pesto and remaining 1 oz. of butter. Bring back to a simmer. Add reserved pasta and cook together to blend all flavors. Taste and adjust seasonings by adding salt and pepper. Serve with grated cheese on top.