It occurs to me that some recipe ingredients are simply not replaceable. Oh sure, shallots might be substituted with some white onion and a sliver of fresh garlic, or a splash of ketchup might suffice in a pinch, instead of a dollop of tomato paste, but some food items are so unique that I just can’t make an exception. Cilantro is one of those, and habanero chile is another. Their flavors are so unmistakable that their omission, or substitution is noticeable. I’m adding another item to the list: Thai basil.
If I had to describe Thai basil, I would say that it is a bit like a combination of regular basil and mint, but that falls short of the full range of flavor. There is also a hint of anise, and the leaves and stems are bigger and sturdier than regular mint.
Food memories are some of my most indelible memories and I can easily recall the first time I had Thai basil. It was 1987, in Dallas, Texas, at a neat little restaurant called Thai Soon. The owner, “Soon,” ran the restaurant on trendy Lower Greenville Avenue. (Last time I checked, she’s still in the restaurant business, but has moved to nearby Richardson, Texas.)
I experienced a few “firsts” at Thai Soon. First time to have Thai chilis, first time to walk into a restaurant kitchen, uninvited, just so I could salute the chefs. But my favorite first was my introduction to Thai basil.
Thai Basil played a reoccurring role in many of Soon’s recipes. Pungent and pervasive, and often playing second fiddle to delicious soups and spicy chilis, Thai basil was subtly woven into many delicious recipes, like threads of wool, woven into a comfortable, warm sweater.
Fresh Thai basil can be found in many international markets. Use the leaves to liven up a soup or salad, or add them to a stir-fry dish, or add them to a pita wrap, burrito, or a spring roll rice paper wrap.
After spending most of the day in the kitchen, cutting
vegetables and cooking sauces, the last thing I wanted to do was make an
elaborate dinner. But, I wanted a
meaningful and heartfelt meal to end the day.
Since I still had fresh tomatoes and basil on the kitchen counter, I
decided to make something Italian-ish.
Most of the time, when dinner time rolls around, I don’t
have anything planned, and this was no exception. So I did what I normally would do. I stared at the contents of my refrigerator
and started grabbing things that would go well together. Some ground beef, some cheese and oh, the
little tub of ricotta that I kept overlooking.
I considered making spaghetti but I thought it might be a little boring
so, I opted for a the partial bag of wide egg noodles in my pantry that looked
particularly lonely.
I had just finished cleaning a bunch of dishes, bowls and
pots and pans and I didn’t want to do a lot of clean-up after dinner so I made
the entire dish with one large ovenproof skillet and two bowls.
Ingredients:
If preparing homemade marina: 2 cups cut, fresh tomatoes, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp dried rosemary, pinch of red chili flake, pinch of salt
2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
8 oz egg noodles
1 Tbs olive oil
¼ cup diced onion
1 lb ground beef
3 oz mozzarella
3 oz parmesan cheese
15 oz ricotta cheese (almost forgot, even though it was the
reason I made this)
Directions for the
marinara sauce:
Core and remove the seeds from 5 or 6 medium sized
tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes into 1”
pieces. Cook tomatoes in a skillet over
medium heat. Add garlic powder, oregano,
rosemary, chili flake and salt. Mash the
tomatoes every so often and reduce to about half, or until the tomatoes are completely
softened and the sauce has thickened.
“Reduce the sauce and add spices to make the marinara”
While the sauce reduces, cut the mozzarella into bite-sized
chunks and shave the parmesan. Cut the
basil in thin strips (chiffonade). Set
aside.
Pour the finished sauce into a bowl and set aside.
Directions for preparing
the Italian Something:
Fill a skillet with water, about half way. Bring the water to a boil and add the
noodles. They will cook quickly…maybe 8
to 10 minutes. Strain the cooked noodles
and put them in a bowl and set the bowl aside.
Heat the oven to 350°.
Return the skillet to the stove and add heat the olive
oil. Add the onions and soften the
onions for a few minutes. Add the ground
beef and sauté until the meat has browned.
Add the marinara and noodles to the beef, in the skillet and
mix. Top with mozzarella and
parmesan. Bake in the oven at 350° for
about 15 minutes, until mozzarella has melted.
Now here’s the
interesting, and somewhat embarrassing part.
One of the main reasons I made this dish was to get rid of the ricotta
cheese that had just recently passed its “Best if Used By” date. I couldn’t stand for that so, I pulled the
skillet from the oven and plopped the ricotta cheese on top and gently swirled
it with a spatula.
In case anyone might
be concerned, such as the people who ate this dish, the “Best if Used By” date
is not the same as an “Expiration” date.
“Best if Used By” means that the food might have lost some of its
freshness, aroma or taste. If it has
passed its expiration date, don’t
use it.
Either way, I unsealed
the ricotta and, after checking the aroma, I deemed it worthy!
Return the skillet to the oven for another 5 or 10 minutes. Remove , top with basil and serve in the skillet.
Serve with a glass of nice red wine. You deserve it!
If I make this again, I will probably introduce the ricotta during the last few minutes again because it allowed the ricotta to stay slightly firm, instead of dissolving into the sauce.
Toothpick Tales 