Giada's Brown Butter Sauce with Mushroom Ravioli--Making it Simple!

Crazy, busy times, like the holiday season call for easy dishes that can be on the table quickly and taste delicious. This week our I Heart Cooking Clubs theme is "Make It Simple--The Holiday Madness is Upon Us!" A container of mushroom ravioli from the cold case with Giada's Brown Butter Sauce makes a delicious dinner that you can have on the table in about 10 minutes. Brown butter and crispy sage, what's not to like?

Giada says, "The sage leaves are more traditional in this sauce, but I love the basil also. If neither of these herbs works for you, feel free to substitute your favorite herb."

Brown Butter Sauce

"Everyday Italian" by Giada De Laurentiis

(Makes 1/2 Cup, Serves 4 With a Pound of Pasta as a First Course)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

6 fresh sage leaves (torn into pieces) or 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large, heavy frying pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Add the sage or basil leaves and cook until crisp., about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and the nutmeg. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve.


Notes/Results: Brown butter sauce with sage is a favorite of mine, and Giada's recipe is pretty standard, except for the pinch of nutmeg. I didn't notice a big chance in flavor from the nutmeg, but really enjoyed the sauce. I used a fresh porcini mushroom ravioli with the sauce, and the nutty brown butter and herby sage worked well with the earthy mushrooms, and the Parmesan rounds it all out. Sure, it is a little indulgent, but well worth it, making a satisfying meat-free meal that I will make again.

You can see what Make it Simple dishes the other IHCC participants chose this week by going to the site here and clicking on the links.

I am also sending this easy dish to Ruth's Presto Pasta Nights being hosted this week by my friend and Cook The Books co-host Rachel, The Crispy Cook. Rachel will be rounding up many fabulous pasta dishes on her blog this Friday--stop by and check it out.

***** Iron Foodie 2010 Challenge Update--I Could Really Use Some Votes Please! ;-) *****

Did you get a chance to check out my Iron Foodie Challenge entry last week? I had to use at least 3 out of 8 mystery ingredients and my Two Pepper Seared Ahi with Avocado-Dulse Yogurt Sauce, Porcini-Dulse Brown Rice & Smoky Lotus Chips used 5 out of the 8 ingredients, and some ingredients were also used in more than one of the four components of the dish. It was a fun dish to make and tasted great.

The voting poll is now open and I could really use some votes. If you liked the dish or even if you are scared of seared fish but you just like me, ;-) I would really appreciate it if you could go here to the voting poll at Marx Foods and cast your vote for Kahakai Kitchen. The poll is open until Wednesday, Dec. 15th. Mahalo (that's thank you!) for your vote.

*****Don't Forget My Tate's Bake Shop Giveaway!*****

Tate's Bake Shop is providing one very lucky *U.S. reader of my blog with their own copy of the "Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook" and three kinds of their crispy, yummy cookies--Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin & White Chocolate Macadamia Nut.

You can read my review of the cookbook and get the details on how to enter right here. You have until this Sunday to enter. Great book, delicious cookies! *If you aren't in the U.S., but have a friend or relative who lives here, enter anyway and we will have it shipped to them as a fun holiday treat.

Hope your week is going well, holiday madness and all! ;-)