Vishesh's Polenta with Mushrooms in Butter Soy Sauce

Sure, I only had regular white mushrooms without any fine porcini, and the baked polenta wasn't exactly the luscious cloud shown in the original NYT recipe. But soy sauce and butter was such a mysterious and tempting combination of east and west that I could not resist trying, and the duo compensated for the other ingredients with salty, umami goodness.

Polenta with Mushrooms in Butter Soy Sauce 
1/3 cup polenta
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 pats of butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove roasted garlic
parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Mince and crush the garlic as finely as possible, and then add to a bowl along with the butter. Microwave for 20 seconds, and then add the mushrooms, soy sauce, and olive oil. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and microwave for another 60 seconds to reduce the sauce. Add salt to taste, and then pour the mushrooms over the polenta while hot, distributing the sauce evenly around. Top with parmesan cheese and pepper, and enjoy!

Vishesh's Bread Stuffing 'Meatballs' on Pink Vodka Penne Pasta, with Portobello and Parmesan

The Ratty is famous for a number of finely crafted, salivation-inducing entrees: Cajun Chicken Pasta, Castle Hill Inn Pork Spare Ribs, Polynesian Chicken Wings, Spicy Herb Baked Chicken, and Salmon with Minted Pea Puree, to name a few.

Vegetarian entrees, however, often don't get their share in the limelight. Cue the boundless creativity of our fellow vegetarian Ratty-going Brunonians!

A big thanks to Vishesh Jain, chef and mastermind of the following recipe featuring "meatballs" with pink vodka penne pasta. Utilizing hearty bread stuffing in the shape of meatballs and topped with savory mushrooms and Parmesan cheese, it is sure to satisfy even the stubbornest of meaty cravings.

In the chef's words: "First, I did not plan the alliteration--it just happened. Yesterday they had meatballs in the Ratty, and I was craving some warm, condensed deliciousness. I'm vegetarian though, so I decided to make my own with bread stuffing, plus some portobello for marinated meatiness."

Vishesh's Bread Stuffing 'Meatballs' on Pink Vodka Penne Pasta, with Portobello and Parmesan
1 cup cooked penne pasta
2 tsp Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pink vodka sauce
6-8 slices of portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup of bread stuffing
Oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to taste

Mix 1 tsp Parmesan cheese and the bread stuffing well, and mold into balls by hand or with a spoon. On a plate, microwave for 50s, flipping them over and compressing them at 25s. Microwave the portobello lined on the side of a bowl for 30s, and press them to drain the excess liquid.

Add the sauce and stir in the seasonings to taste, and microwave for 30s more, or until the sauce has reduced to desired consistency. (The Ratty's pink vodka sauce is often a little thin and watery for my taste; if you like it that way, use less sauce and reduce it less.)

On a plate, add in order the penne, meatballs, portobello, excess sauce, and Parmesan. Microwave for 30s, and enjoy it hot!

Yanqiang's Spinach Bolognese Rice

We are strong believers in the idea that presentation can make or break your eating experience. Some restaurants serve below-Ratty-quality food, in both nutritional value and taste, and trick you into eating it because they precariously balance the over-salted saw-dust-esque chicken breast on greasy tasteless grits and oil-laden potatoes and garnish it with a prim sprig of parsley - meanwhile robbing your wallet of 30 precious Washingtons.

This delicious dish created by Yanqiang Tan balances the rich savory flavors of bolognese with delicately cooked fresh spinach and fragrant jasmine rice. All it costs is the swipe of an ID. (...well, sorta) Bon appetit!

Yanqiang's Spinach Bolognese Rice

1 large plate of raw baby spinach

1 pinch salt

1 dash pepper

1 drizzle olive oil

1 cup jasmine rice
1/2 cup bolognese sauce
1 sprinkle fresh chives

Make the spinach: Place spinach on a plate, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and cover with another plate. Microwave 1 minute or until just cooked through. Drizzle with olive oil. 

Put it all together: Neatly plate the rice, spinach, and bolognese sauce on a clean plate. Garnish bolognese sauce with fresh chopped chives. To enjoy, mix everything together. 

Roast Beef with Corn Bread

The recreated plate from our very own le réfectoire de sharpe, inspired by...


...a fine bistro in downtown Providence.

To be fair, the original featured a lovely blueberry compote instead of grape jelly; it wasn't actually roast beef it was foie; and the "cornbread" was actually a buttery toasted brioche.

But all that aside, this humble re-make didn't end up tasting all that bad. With a little creativity and a lot of free time we hope you'll find that playing with food can be fun, and might occasionally yield edible results.

Roast Beef with Corn Bread

2 packets of grape jelly
1 slice of roast beef
1 slice of cornbread
1 peach
1 pat of butter
1 tablespoon of honey
salad greens, for garnish

Mix the grape jelly up in a small bowl. Using a fork and/or your fingers, make a smear of grape jelly on a plate. Arrange the roast beef on top. Cut the cornbread into a circular disk using an empty cup and place next to the roast beef. Crumble the rest of the cornbread and sprinkle crumbs on the plate.

To make the peaches, slice a peach into a small bowl. Add butter and honey, and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until peaches are soft and butter and sugar has dissolved. Arrange peach slices on top of cornbread.

Garnish with small salad greens.

Brant's Ziti with Bacon and Peas

We received this fantastic recipe from Brant Hoffman, who put it together using V-dub ingredients!

Looking for some home-style, hearty, pseudo-Italian food? Look no further than the the savory flavors of this delectable, colorful creation...

Brant's Ziti with Bacon and Peas
1 bowl full of Ziti
1/2 ladle of Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup of cooked peas
2 teaspoons bacon bits
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
Pepper

Put the ziti (or any pasta of your choice really) in a bowl. Add the Alfredo sauce, peas, and bacon bits. Mix until toppings are evenly distributed. Transfer to a plate, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and add pepper to taste.

Cheesy Pasta "Bake" with Mushrooms

Despite not having been able to brown the cheese in an oven, we were able to achieve cheesy goodness with a 2 minute spin in the microwave by the V-dub's waffle station. Yes, finals are over and for those of us who've gone home for the summer, the microwave method is not strictly necessary but can still work wonders when you are in a hurry (or just overcome with that sweeping epidemic of summertime laziness).

Cheesy Pasta "Bake" with Mushrooms

pasta (fusilli is our favorite but penne is awesome too)

meatless sauce

shredded cheese blend

parmesan cheese

mushrooms

stewed tomatoes (optional but a plus if they are being served!)

1. Get pasta and sauce in a bowl.

2. Put mushrooms and stewed tomatoes on top of pasta.

3. Sprinkle shredded cheese, then parmesan, over the top of everything and microwave for 2 minutes or until cheese is hot and melted and blended with sauce.

4. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper, if desired, and enjoy!

Josh's Cheesy Fries with Sausage

A shout out to our friend Josh for providing the genius behind this finger-lickin' savory dish. Somewhat reminiscent of the Canadian favorite they call poutine, Josh's creation hits the spot with its comforting combination of protein, potatoes, and gooey melted cheese.

Josh's Cheesy Fries with Sausage

thick-cut fries

1 sausage, or hot dog, sliced

1 slice provolone cheese

Place sausage and fries in a bowl and top with provolone cheese. Nuke in the microwave for about 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with pepper, if desired, and enjoy.

Broccoli Rabe with Three Pastas

If you can't make it to Federal Hill because of that paper that needs to get done by tonight, have no fear. Transform the Ratty into your favorite Italian restaurant with a trio of pastas and some garlicky broccoli rabe. Buon Appetito!

Broccoli Rabe with Three Pastas

broccoli rabe

conchiglie with pesto

whole wheat penne with meatless tomato sauce

gnocchi with melted cheese and basil

Arrange on a plate and savor each bite.

Purple Green and Orange Pork Spareribs

Thanks to daylight savings, the Ratty was flooded with sunlight at dinnertime last Sunday and I couldn't resist pulling out my camera. In honor of the colorful-eating theme of National Nutrition Month, this "recipe" is really not a recipe at all but a modest tribute to the beautiful colors that veggies can add to one's plate.

Purple Green and Orange Pork Spareribs

Arrange steamed peas and mushrooms, cucumber, braised purple cabbage, baked sweet potatoes, and tangy pork spareribs on a plate and enjoy.

Honey Glazed Pork with Scallion Mashed Potatoes and Sesame Green Beans

An "Asian" twist on roast pork and potatoes, using sesame, scallions, and honey as flavor accents.

Don't forget that this Thursday is the AAHM Ratty Dinner special! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=158222947546179&index=1

Check out the AAHM Food Fact of the Day on your left as you enter the Ratty! http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Food_Services/

Honey Glazed Pork with Scallion Mashed Potatoes and Sesame Green Beans

sesame green beans

1 baked potato

2 Tbsp scallions

2 Tbsp sour cream

1 tsp sesame oil

1 slice of roast pork

drizzle of honey

1. Prepare the mashed potatoes: Cut a baked potato in half and scoop out the insides into a bowl. Use a fork to mash potatoes with scallions, sour cream, and sesame oil.

2. Arrange green beans on plate. Press the mashed potatoes into a small cup, and invert onto beans. Place sliced roast pork on top of mashed potatoes and drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

Tortellini Soup with Cheese Crisp and Greens

When something is good, there no need to fuss around with it too much. Tortellini soup is an excellent example. The cheese crisp was invented on accident when we noticed that shredded cheese melted in the microwave tends to dry out and form a thin crispy cracker that sticks to the side of the bowl. The key is to use a very tiny amount of cheese and melt it in a clean bowl, and monitor it in the microwave so it doesn't burn. You want it just golden around the edges and still creamy white in the center! Cheese crisps make great garnishes for soups and salads.

Tortellini Soup with Cheese Crisp and Greens

1 bowl of Ratty tortellini soup

7 shreds of shredded cheese

mixed greens

1. Sprinkle the cheese in a soup bowl. Microwave until the cheese is browned on the edges.

2. Remove from the microwave, wait 1 minute, and peel off the cheese crisp.

3. Garnish the bowl of soup with greens and cheese crisp.

Creamy Edamame Pasta Salad

You know how you sometimes get into a habit of doing things the same way every day? I always get into "breakfast habits" -- soymilk-cereal-fruit, soymilk-cereal-fruit, soymilk-cereal...

Or "lunch habits" -- sandwich, sandwich, sandwich...

Or "dinner habits" -- pasta and marinara, pasta and marinara, pasta and... cream of asparagus soup? Add in some edamame for protein and veggies for vitamins.

Creamy Edamame Pasta Salad

whole wheat penne

spoonful of edamame (green soybeans)

spoonful of diced tomatoes (burrito bar)

spoonful of scallions

small spoonful of raisins

spoonful of sliced zucchini (salad bar)

1 ladle of Cream of Asparagus soup

salt & pepper

1. Gather pasta and veggies on a plate.

2. Spoon soup on top.

3. Mix with a fork and add salt/pepper to taste.

Harvest Veggie Pasta

So many pasta dishes you see at restaurants these days are 1% veggies and 99% starch. I'm not sure what the optimal ratio is, but I do like to see more color on my plate once in a while.

This one is 80% veggies, 20% pasta, and 100% delicious.

(...am I starting to sound like Sandra Lee?)

Harvest Veggie Pasta

1 spoonful whole wheat penne (1/2 cup cooked)

4-6 spoonfuls of meatless pasta sauce

2 Tbsp green peas

4-5 broccoli pieces (break up the big pieces)

2 Tbsp kidney beans

1/2 cup savory spinach

4-5 tomato wedges

2-3 pieces sliced roasted red peppers

2-3 mozzarella balls

1. Gather veggies, pasta, and cheese on a plate. Spoon sauce on top, and mix gently together.

2. Put a plate upside down on top and microwave for 2 minutes. Take it out carefully (use napkins if it is hot) and enjoy.

Vegan-ify!

To make vegan, leave out the cheese.

Salmon with Potatoes

Salmon with Potatoes

1 piece of salmon with minted pea puree

1 baked potato

1 Tbsp sour cream

1/4 cup clear broth

1 Tbsp scallions

mixed greens and carrots for garnish

1. Mash the potato (without the skin) with sour cream, broth, and scallions.

2. Put a mound of potato mash on the plate.

3. Arrange salmon on top.

4. Garnish with leaves and dot the plate with minted pea puree.

Salmon and Sundried Tomato Salad

Gotta love the V-dub and their salmon stir fry! This salad looks like something from Andreas, but it's really embarrassingly easy.

Salmon and Sundried Tomato Salad

1 serving stir-fried salmon with sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, capers, and onions

romaine lettuce leaves

feta cheese

red onions

extra virgin olive oil

1. Top a bed of greens with salmon, cheese, red onions, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.