Tag: pancetta

How to Make a Roulade (part 2)

11 September 2025

Earlier we wrote about ‘butterflying’ meat, a technique that allows you to turn a bigger piece of meat into a roulade. Ideal for pork loin or turkey. But what to do when you have smaller pieces of meat and butterflying is not possible? Then it’s a matter of flattening the meat, for instance with a hammer. Better to ask your butcher to do it for you with the head (blade) of a butcher’s axe: easy, quick and a much better result. Thin is better!
Once you have flattened pieces of meat it’s a bit of a puzzle to create the roulade. Just give it a try and see what works best. When you think you have the right combination, make sure the kitchen twine is in place and the filling ready.
Obviously, you want to match the filling with the side dishes. We served the roulade with caponata and decided to make a filling with sage and thyme.

Wine Pairing
homemade roulade: chicken thighs, sage and pancetta. Served with caponata

We enjouyed a non-oaked Nero d’Avola from Sicily. The ruby red coloured wine has aromas of cherries and plum. The taste is fruity and long with subtle tannins. Great combination with the Mediterranean flavours in both the roulade and the caponata.

What You Need
  • 4 Boneless Chicken Thighs
  • 1 small Shallot
  • 1 clove of Garlic
  • 10 leaves of Sage
  • Thyme
  • Butter
  • Pancetta
  • Olive Oil
  • Lemon
  • Black Pepper
What You Do
  1. Ask your butcher to flatten the chicken thighs
  2. Chop the shallot and the garlic
  3. De-vein the sage
  4. Remove the thyme leaves from the stalk
  5. Grate the butter
  6. Add olive oil to a heavy iron skillet and gently fry the shallot
  7. After a few minutes reduce the heat
  8. Add garlic and thyme. Stir
  9. Add some lemon juice
  10. Allow the filling to cool
  11. Put strings of kitchen twine on your work top
  12. Decide on the pattern for the meat and put it on top of the kitchen twine. This way you can easily roll up the meat and tie the twine
  13. Cover the meat with sage
  14. Spread the mixture over the sage. Keep the edges free
  15. Add grated butter
  16. Cover with slices of pancetta
  17. Roll up the meat
  18. Tie with kitchen twine
  19. Tightly wrap in plastic foil and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours
  20. Remove the roulade from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes
  21. Preheat your oven to 180 °C or 350 °F
  22. Remove the foil
  23. Put the roulade on a rack (this way it will brown evenly)
  24. Add water to the pan
  25. Fry in the oven until the internal temperature is between 70 °C and 75 °C, or 160 °F and 165 °F
  26. Transfer to your worktop, wrap in aluminium foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes
  27. Serve with caponata
Homemade roulade: flattened chicken thighs, sage, pancetta, thyme, butter, shallot and garlic. The roulade is prepared in the oven on a rack. after 10 minutes resting it is served with caponata

Chicken with Fennel and Sage

18 January 2024

We start 2024 with a series of simple and tasty recipes. It’s such fun to prepare delicious food with only a handful of ingredients. James Tanner is author of Takes 5: Delicious Dishes Using Just 5 Ingredients with over 90 recipes, ranging from Roasted Red Bell Peppers with Anchovies to Scones. Short shopping lists, easy recipes and tasty results: what more can you ask for!

This dish combines fennel with chicken, pancetta and sage. The mild anise flavour of the fennel works very well with the pancetta. The aromatic, slightly bitter flavour of sage is great with the chicken. And believe it or not, after having simmered in butter for some 15 minutes the dish comes together. Rich, fresh and uplifting.

Wine Pairing

A light to medium bodied red wine will be great with the dish. Unoaked, fruity, not too complex: a wine made with Pinot Noir, Tempranillo or perhaps a red wine from the Beaujolais.

What You Need
  • Organic Chicken Thighs (boneless)
  • Small Fennel
  • 6 Leaves of Sage
  • Pancetta
  • Butter
  • Black Pepper
What You Do
  1. Halve the thighs and fry in butter
  2. In the meantime dice the fennel
  3. When the chicken is nicely coloured, add the fennel
  4. Combine, wait for a few minutes
  5. Dice the pancetta
  6. Devein and chop the sage
  7. Add pancetta and sage to the pan and allow to simmer on low heat for some 15 minutes
  8. Add black pepper just before serving
  9. You could decorate with some fennel leaves.

PS

Takes 5: Delicious Dishes Using Just 5 Ingredients was published in 2010 and is available (probably second hand) via the well-known channels for something like 20 US dollar or Euro.

Kalette – Kale Sprouts

14 December 2023

Saturday morning, when chatting to our greengrocer, we noticed purple, small vegetables. Some looked like mini Brussels Sprouts, others more like mini Kale. Let’s give it a try, so we bought 150 grams of Kale Sprouts, also known as Kalettes, Lollipops or Flower Sprouts.
When eaten raw they taste like Brussels Sprouts and we could imagine using the smaller ones in a salad. Many recipes suggest cooking the Kale Sprouts but why would you? They are very small so stir frying them is a much better option because then you’ll have all the flavours. When fried their taste is very similar to the taste of kale or in general cabbage. We could imagine using them in Cabbage Stew. We decided to be a bit more adventurous and combine the Kale Sprouts with Gurnard.

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our Kale Sprouts with a glass of Austrian Grüner Veltiner, produced by Markowitsch. It’s a full bodied, elegant white wine with aromas of apples and a touch of spiciness. One that was great with the more intense flavours of the Kale Sprouts and the gurnard.

What You Need

  • 150 grams of Kale Sprouts
  • 25 grams of Pancetta
  • Olive Oil
  • Black Pepper

What You Do

Wash the sprouts carefully. Dry. Trim the ends, if necessary. Halve the ones that look like mini kale. Heat a pan (a wok will be great), add olive oil, add the diced pancetta, leave for one minute and then add the sprouts. Fry for 5 minutes, taste and decide to serve or fry a bit longer. Add some fresh black pepper.

Kalette - Kale Sprouts fried ©cadwu
Kalette - Kale Sprouts raw ©cadwu
Grüner Veltliner

Farfalle with Fennel and Zucchini

9 November 2023

It was our last evening in Paris and we wondered what to do? Book a table at a nice local restaurant? Or enjoy drinks and dinner in our lovely apartment? Obviously, we decided to stay in. We looked in our refrigerator, did some shopping and sat down with a nice glass of Pinot Blanc and some shrimps. The plan was to make a rich, creamy pasta dish with fennel, zucchini and pancetta.
Thanks to the mild aniseed flavour of the fennel, the dish has a surprisingly uplifting taste. The (peeled) zucchini also benefits from the aniseed flavour and remains tasty and present.

Wine Pairing

Being in France we opened a bottle of Côtes du Rhône produced by Maison M. Chapoutier. This is a red wine made with Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah grapes. The wine has some fruit, a touch of pepper and mild tannins. A traditional French red wine.

If you prefer an Italian wine with the pasta, then we would suggest a glass of Bardolino, for instance the one produced by Monte del Frà. The wine has a beautiful deep red colour, and the aromas made us think of red fruit and perhaps pepper. The wine is medium bodied with some acidity. It will combine very well with both the lightness in the dish and the creaminess.
In general, you’re looking for a fruity red wine with a touch of acidity, for example Chianti Classico, Montepulciano or Barbera.

What You Need

  • 1 small Fennel
  • 1 small Zucchini (Courgette)
  • 1 Shallot
  • 80 grams of organic Pancetta
  • 1 Garlic Clove
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • Piment Doux
  • Cream
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Black Pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • Farfalle

What You Do

Finely chop the shallot and the fennel. Add olive oil to a warm skillet and gently fry the shallot and the fennel. Peel the zucchini, slice and quarter. Dice the pancetta. Chop the garlic. Now add the zucchini and the pancetta to the pan. Increase the heat and fry for one or two minutes, just to add colour. Reduce the heat, add the garlic, the bay leaf and the piment doux. Add the farfalle to the boiling water and cook according to the instruction on the package. Leave the pan on low heat for a few minutes. Now add the cream and the Parmesan cheese. Stir and taste. When the farfalle is ready, add it to the pan. Combine and add some cooking liquid to the sauce if needed. Remove the bay leaf, add some fresh black pepper and serve. We decorated the dish with a slice of grilled pancetta.

Farfalle with Fennel and Zucchini ©cadwu
Farfalle with Fennel and Zucchini ©cadwu

Farfalle with Saint George’s Mushroom, Oregano and Pancetta

5 June 2023

Nearly the end of the season for the Saint George’s Mushroom (at least, where we live). So far it’s been a great year for this mushroom and the Fairy Ring Mushroom. Unfortunately, it’s been a poor year for another of our spring favourites: the morel.

Saint George’s Mushroom have a strong, not very pleasant aroma (it disappears when you heat the mushrooms) and a long lasting, earthy taste. Famous chef, author and mushroom expert Jane Grigson wasn’t a fan. In her classic book The Mushroom Feast she wrote “I have omitted one or two which our mushroom books follow each other in praising too highly. One of these is the Saint George’s Mushroom.” Obviously, we humbly disagree with her. It’s a bit of a puzzle to find the right combination of ingredients when one is the Saint George’s Mushroom but isn’t that part of the fun?
Earlier we wrote about an omelette with Saint George’s Mushroom and a starter with udon. This recipe is a combination of fat, moist, slightly sweet pancetta and earthy mushrooms, with the egg sauce and the oregano making it into a delicious dish.

Wine Pairing

We matched the rather intense flavours with a Pinot Noir, made by La Cour Des Dames. In general you’re looking for a red, medium bodied wine with aromas of berries, floral notes and delicate wood. The tannins should be soft or well-integrated. 

What You Need

  • 100 grams of Saint George’s Mushroom
  • 100 gram of Pancetta (slab preferred)
  • Fresh Oregano
  • Two eggs
  • Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Black Pepper
  • Farfalle

What You Do

  1. Start by cleaning the mushrooms with kitchen paper. Slice.
  2. Dice the pancetta. We used pancetta produced by Fumagalli. Sustainable, organic, ecological etcetera.
  3. Use a heavy iron skillet and fry the pancetta on medium/high heat. No need to add olive oil.
  4. When nicely coloured transfer the pancetta to a plate, remove most of the fat and gently fry the mushrooms.
  5. After a few minutes transfer the pancetta back to the pan.
  6. Add fresh oregano leaves, bigger ones shredded.
  7. Add the farfalle to a pan of boiling water and cook until al dente.
  8. In the meantime, beat two eggs and add some parmesan cheese.
  9. When the farfalle is ready, taste the mixture in the pan, perhaps add some extra oregano and transfer the farfalle to the pan.
  10. Wait for a minute or so until the excess water has evaporated.
  11. Move the pan away from the heat, add the egg mixture and combine (like you would do with Spaghetti Carbonara).
  12. Add black pepper and some extra Parmesan cheese before serving.
Farfalle with Saint George’s Mushroom, Oregano and Pancetta ©cadwu
Farfalle with Saint George’s Mushroom, Oregano and Pancetta ©cadwu

Pasta with Mushrooms and Bell Pepper

8 April 2022

Udon is such a wonderful noodle. What better comfort food than a warm soup made with dashi, vegetables, tofu, udon and thinly sliced spring onions? Perhaps some tempura on top of the soup? Or would you prefer a very simple dish, called Mori Udon? The cold udon is served with a sauce of mirin, dashi and soy sauce on the side.
Udon is also a great alternative to Italian pasta, for instance with Caesar’s Mushrooms.

In this recipe we combine udon with roasted bell pepper and Trompettes de la Mort. We’re not sure why, but this combination works really well. Is it because of the smokey aroma of the roasted bell pepper mixed with the aromas of the mushroom? The crispy pancetta in combination with the soft textures of the other ingredients, including the udon? The overall richness and umami thanks to the Trompettes de la Mort?

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our pasta with a glass of Bianco di Custoza, made by Monte del Frà from Italy. It is a well-balanced, dry white wine, with a fruity nose. Its colour is straw yellow, with pale green highlights. A glass of Soave, made from the Garganega grape, will also be an excellent choice. In general you’re looking for a fresh, aromatic dry white wine. 

What You Need

  • 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Bunch of Udon
  • 100 grams of Trompettes de la Mort
  • 1 Glove of cooked Garlic
  • 4 slices of Pancetta
  • Black pepper
  • Olive Oil

What You Do

Clean the bell pepper and cut in 4. Transfer to the oven and grill or roast for 10 minutes or until well charred. When still hot, put the bell pepper in a plastic container and close it. After one hour it’s easy to remove the skin of the bell pepper. Slice lengthwise to make nice strips. Set aside.
Slice the mushrooms in two and clean them with a soft brush. Check carefully for grit and other things you don’t like to eat.
Fill a large pan with water (no salt!) and bring to a boil. Add the udon and cook it according to the instruction. When nearly done, add some cooking liquid to a cup and set aside. Drain the udon.
In parallel heat a large heavy iron skillet, add olive oil and fry the mushrooms. Once they become a bit dryer, add the sliced bell pepper. Add the cooked garlic, crush it with a fork and mix. Now add the udon and continue mixing. Add cooking liquid until the pasta is sufficiently moist.
Also in parallel: grill the strips of pancetta (perhaps 5 minutes).
Add some black pepper to the pasta and serve with the grilled pancetta.

Pasta with Mushrooms and Bell Pepper ©cadwu
Pasta with Mushrooms and Bell Pepper ©cadwu

Mushroom Soup with Pancetta and Thyme

29 December 2021

This morning when we looked outside, we saw a grey, foggy city. Knowing it would take hours for the fog to clear, we started thinking about something warm for lunch. Perhaps some soup with crusty bread? We opened our refrigerator. Various mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, cream, a carrot, some left over stock. Yes! We knew what we wanted to cook for lunch: Mushroom Soup with Pancetta. A hearty, rich soup, ideal for a cold, grey day. The combination of mushrooms, pancetta and cream works very well; the celery and leek add complexity and the thyme brings character.

Wine Pairing

It was much later that afternoon before the fog left the city, but since we also had some left over Chardonnay in the fridge, which we enjoyed with our soup, we didn’t mind that much.

What You Need

  • Pancetta
  • Shallot
  • Mushrooms (Best is a Mix of Champignons, Shiitake etcetera)
  • Celery
  • Leek
  • Carrot
  • Garlic
  • Stock (Chicken or Vegetable)
  • Bouquet Garni (Thyme, Rosemary and Bay Leaf)
  • Black pepper
  • Cream
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Olive Oil

What You Do

Keep two strips of pancetta apart (to be grilled just before serving). You probably need 4-6 strips in total. Slice the remaining pancetta and fry in olive oil on medium heat. Remove the pancetta from the pan, chop the shallot and glaze it in the fat and perhaps some extra olive oil. Clean and slice the mushrooms, slice half a stalk of celery, half a leek, a small carrot, chop two gloves of garlic and add this to the shallot. Gently fry for a few minutes. Add the pancetta, the stock and the bouquet garni. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni. Blender the soup, pass through a sieve and leave on low heat for 10 minutes. The mushrooms will emulgate the soup, so no need to add a roux. Now it’s time to taste the soup and perhaps add some black pepper. Add cream and fresh thyme and leave for another 5-10 minutes. In the meantime grill the two strips of pancetta until brown and crispy. Cut the stripes in five pieces depending on the size. Serve the soup in a warm bowl with the pancetta on top of it.

Mushroom Soup with Pancetta and Thyme ©cadwu
Mushroom Soup with Pancetta and Thyme ©cadwu
Mushroom Soup Ready to Cook ©cadwu
Mushroom Soup Ready to Cook ©cadwu

Chicken with Fresh Oregano

21 April 2021

Thyme, Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage: all powerful Mediterranean herbs. Oregano, or Wild Marjoram, is an interesting one. Probably best known as the herbal ingredient of pizza. A dried herb, one to store in a jar, forget about and then use beyond its ‘use-by date’ and be disappointed.
Such a pity because fresh oregano is aromatic, slightly bitter, pungent and perhaps chemical, depending on the variety, of course. Great to combine with lamb, a tomato salad, grilled fish and of course chicken. It’s also great to flavour olive oil with oregano. So ask your supermarket or local greengrocer for fresh oregano!

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our chicken and oregano with a glass of Rioja Paternina Reserva 2015 produced by Marques de la Concordia. Reserva means that the wine ages for a minimum of 3 years, with at least 1 year in oak barrels. The grapes are tempranillo, mazuelo and garnacha; very typical for Rioja. It’s a powerful, full-bodied red wine with aromas of black cherries and touch of vanilla and various spices. The wine goes very well with the velvety chicken and the very present flavours of the oregano.

What You Need

  • Chicken Thighs
  • Olive Oil
  • Black Pepper
  • Chicken Stock
  • Lots of Fresh Oregano

What You Do

Halve the thighs, heat a heavy iron skillet, add olive oil and quickly fry the meat on all sides. Reduce the heat and add two third of the chopped oregano. Keep on low to medium heat for 10 minutes or so. Add some chicken stock, just to deglaze the pan. You will notice that the juices becomes green thanks to the oregano, so please coat the meat with the cooking liquid. Just before serving add the remaining oregano, some freshly ground black pepper and mix.
Serve with green beans, cooked in water with fresh garlic, wrapped in pancetta (after having grated some nutmeg over the beans) and then fried for 5 minutes in some olive oil.

  • Chicken with Fresh Oregano ©cadwu
    Chicken with Fresh Oregano ©cadwu
  • Federico Paternina Rioja Reserva 2015 ©cadwu
    Federico Paternina Rioja Reserva 2015 ©cadwu
  • Fresh Oregano ©cadwu
    Fresh Oregano ©cadwu



Scallops with Cauliflower Purée

2 December 2020

Three very different ingredients make for an excellent starter. The combination of seared scallops with soft, fluffy cauliflower purée and crispy grilled pancetta offers lots of flavours. For instance a touch of sweetness thanks to the caramelised scallops and the cauliflower plus lovely saltiness thanks to the scallops and the pancetta.

The combination of these three is not new and many recipes have been published. Various ingredients are added, for instance basil, lemon, capers, an infused oil (with for instance curcuma and fennel), a vinaigrette, apple beignets et cetera. But why would you add something if the combination is already close to perfection? And not difficult to make!

Wine Pairing

Best to combine with a wine with long, fruity aromas. Given the complexity of the combination the wine should be fresh and light. A Chardonnay with just a touch of oak could also be interesting because it will combine very well the grilled pancetta and seared scallop.
We enjoyed our scallops with a glass of Chateau Mourgues Du Gres Rosé. A wine with an intense pink colour, aromas that made us think of strawberries and lemon and with a fruity, long taste with a hint of pepper.

What You Need

  • For the Seared Scallops
    • 6 fresh Scallops (best if in their shell)
    • Olive Oil
    • White Pepper
  • For the Cauliflower Purée
    • One Cauliflower
    • Excellent Olive Oil
    • Crème Fraîche
    • White Pepper
  • For the Crispy Pancetta
    • 6 slices of Pancettta

What You Do

Clean and steam (or cook) the cauliflower until nearly done. Using a blender combine the cauliflower and some olive oil. When smooth pass through a sieve. Add some crème fraîche and fresh white pepper. If you’re happy with the purée, keep it warm and ready. You could prepare the purée a day in advance. Clean the scallops. In parallel set your oven to grill. Transfer the pancetta to the grill. 4 minutes? Heat a non stick pan and fry the scallops quickly. Add a last drop of excellent olive oil to the purée, mix with a spoon and plate up. Perhaps some white pepper on the scallops.

Fresh Scallops ©cadwu
Scallops with Cauliflower Puree ©cadwu

Tagliatelle with Artichokes, Pancetta and Parmesan Cheese

26 August 2020

The Joy of Artichokes

We’re true fans of artichokes. Although available throughout the year, we especially love them in Summer. They come with various structures and flavours, an interesting shape and a beautiful flower. Have you noticed that the heart and the leaves have a similar yet different taste?
Artichokes also come with a challenge: how to serve them in an elegant way? One way of serving the small ones is as a salad; another way is using them as an ingredient in a pasta dish.
Let’s talk briefly about Pancetta: this is cured and dried pork meat, so not smoked. You could replace it with traditional bacon, but be careful not to use something heavy oak smoked.

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our pasta with a glass of Italian Corvina from the Verona region. This is a fruity wine, think red fruit (strawberries, cherries), only a hint of acidity, not too much tannins. We bought a bottle from Torre del Falasco. Great buy!

What You Need

  • 4 Small Artichokes
  • 75 gram of Pancetta
  • 1 Garlic Glove
  • Thyme
  • 100 gram of Fresh Tagliatelle
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Black Pepper

What You Do

Steam or cook the small artichokes. Let them cool, peel them and cut of the upper half. Cut the remainder in 6 or 8 chunks. Cut the pancetta in slices. Take a large skillet and warm. Add some olive oil and glaze the pancetta. It’s not the idea to fry the meat, the fat should not melt, only glaze. Now add the thinly chopped garlic and warm until the garlic is slightly soft. This may take a few minutes so an occasional stir is required. Now add the artichokes and the thyme. Stir very gently because the idea is that the artichokes remain intact.
Cook the tagliatelle (probably 4 minutes) and drain but keep some of the cooking liquid. Sprinkle a bit of Parmesan cheese over the artichokes, stir, very gently, add one or two spoons of the cooking liquid, add more Parmesan cheese and more liquid. Now add some olive oil and the tagliattele. Check if this looks fine to you. If not add more liquid. Add a generous amount of black pepper. Serve on a warm plate with some extra Parmesan cheese.

Tagliatelle with Artichokes, Pancetta (or Speck) and Parmesan Cheese © cadwu
Ingredients of Tagliatelle with Artichokes, Pancetta (or Speck) and Parmesan Cheese © cadwu