Simple Supper: Ravioli with Caramelized Fennel & Red Onion

Fennel grows wild on the hills near us. Walking around you smell clean ocean air, eucalyptus & a crisp note of anise; quite different from the heat, dust & occasional hint of oak or moss you grab back in central Texas. You can pick the wild fennel & nibble on it too. It tastes perfect, almost like licorice. Though I never was much of a licorice fan, somehow, despite that fact, it tastes right.

Ravioli with Caramelized Fennel & Red Onion, for 2 - 3
1 package prepared ravioli (cheese, spinach, or mushroom work well)
1 large red onion, sliced
2 bulbs fennel, whites only, sliced thinly (reserve a few fronds for garnishing)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 - 3 sliced prosciutto, sliced thinly (optional)

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Once warm, toss in the onions & fennel & salt them. Cook until the begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes, then toss in the garlic & cook 5 minutes more. Salt & pepper to taste.

While the onions & fennel caramelize, prepare the ravioli according to package directions (usually boil for 5 minutes or so). Top the raviolis with the onions, fennel, a few fennel fronds, & if you like, prosciutto.

Kitchen to table time: 25 - 30 minutes

One year ago: Sweet Pea, Spinach & Basil Bisque

Cioppino-Style Roasted Crab

Ouch. Typing kind of hurts. My left middle finger is all wrapped up & looks like a cocoon. Sadly, no butterfly type business going on under there, just 5 little stitches trying to hold my finger together. Let's just say in the battle between cheese knives & fingers, cheese knives come out unscathed. Every time.

What does my story of woe have to do with this yummy crab? Not much honestly. I just knew that I needed something special to heal my wounds, so to speak, & buttery, roasted crab seemed to be the right medicine.

Cioppino-Style Roasted Crab, for 4
adapted from bon appetite
1/4 c. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 c. dry white wine
2 c. bottled clam juice
1 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 c. water
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. dry oregano
pinch old bay seasoning
pinch white pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 c. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt to taste
2 2 lb. cooked Dungeness crabs or 2 lbs. Alaska king crab legs (I used the latter)

Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat the oil in a large, deep oven proof dutch oven. Add onion & garlic & cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Season the onions with the old bay, oregano, white pepper, red pepper flakes & smoked paprika. Add wine; increase the heat to high & boil for 2 minutes. Add clam juice, tomatoes & their juice, 1 c. water, bay leaves, & parsley. Bring to a boil then season to taste with salt.

Reduce heat & simmer for 15 minutes. Add crab pieces; nestle into sauce. Transfer dutch oven, covered, into the oven & roast until the crab is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, you can take out the crab legs/crab, crack the meat out, & return it to the tomato "soup" or simply severe it in the shell & crack as you eat. Serve the crab in bowls with crusty bread, rice or even pasta.

* A special note of thanks to my ever patient sous chef, Ray. With a heavily bandaged digit it's pretty tough to do things like crack crab legs or do the dishes!!

One year ago: Coq au Vin & Roasted Tomato Bisque