Cajun Carbonara

Contrary to popular opinion, real carbonara doesn’t involve cream, milk, or flour. The silky sauce is created by slowly heating eggs so that they thicken without scrambling. The result is a relatively rich dish with a unique texture that remains nonetheless quite healthy.

So how can you make it better? Infuse it with Cajun flavor!

The onions and peppers add sweetness and crunch, while the lineup of Cajun spices add heat, zest and a depth of flavor to the sauce. The intermittent hints of parsley break up the richness and spice with cool, refreshing notes. Add that to the chicken, pasta and carbonara base and you have a filling, vibrant dish.

This recipe tastes great, but to be honest one of my favorite things about it isthe color. The red, yellow and green of the peppers and parsley pop against the pasta to make a bright, vivid plate. A great meal for your eyes as well as your stomach!

Cajun Carbonara

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 chicken breast, diced
• 2 bell peppers, julienned (I recommend one red, one yellow)
• 1 small red onion, halved and cut into ribbons
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 3 tablespoons pepper
• 3 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 2 tomatoes, cut into eighths
• 1/3 cup wine
• 3 ounces pasta
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

 

1. In a large skillet, heat the butter to high. Season the chicken breast, bell pepper and red onion with the spices. In a large pot, begin boiling water to cook the pasta.
2. Add the chicken breast to the skill and saute until crispy and blacked, approximately 6-8 minutes. Set the chicken aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the bell pepper and red onion and saute until both begin to get tender, approximately 6-8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and saute for another three minutes. Set the vegetables aside with the chicken.
4. Cook the pasta according to instructions. Reduce the heat of the skillet to medium-low. Use the wine to deglaze the pan, being sure to loosen any stuck on spices, chicken, or veggie bits.
5. Add the eggs and Parmesan cheese to the deglazing liquid and whisk until combined. Add the cooked pasta and toss vigorously. The egg mixture should thicken, but not scramble.
6. Toss the pasta with the chicken and vegetables. To serve, sprinkle with a little extra Parmesan cheese and top with parsley.

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Viticulture and Verbiage: Tisdale Cabernet Savignon

We have decided that beer is simply too plebeian for the gourmet cuisine of this online food zine. With no further ado, we will be transitioning from brewery reviews to wine and winery reviews in our new segment, Viticulture and Verbiage. From the heart of California, our inaugural review is…

Tisdale Cabernet Savignon

After decanting the wine for several hours over stimulating conversation on the economics of Franco-Prussian relations, we mentally prepared our palettes for the transcension to a higher class of imbibery.

The Tisdale Cabernet Savignon poured a deep burgandy color, typical of the style. We did note a particularly opacity in the appearance, however, along with no legs to speak of. The bouquet – that’s the aroma, for the bourgeoisie – was very fruity, belying the dominant flavor of the wine itself.

Outside of the strong fruitiness, the flavor of the Tisdale was really rather mundane. It was a fleshy wine, lacking a strong backbone. The tannins, while present, were not particularly aggressive and left quite a bit to be desired. Although it does seem to gain some sense of balance as drinking goes on, we are quite frankly unsure whether that is a trait of the wine or simply a structural trait inherent to the process of imbibing.

Overall this wine had a very vinous, pedestrian and overly fruity flavor, unfit for anyone other than the most plebeian of individuals.

The Verdict:

“I am full of regret” – Eric Peters

“I made a mistake, Beer. Please come back.” – Quinn Majeski