If you zipped in the door of the Bluebird Tavern kitchen there is a good chance that you’d catch a glimpse of one of our cooks rolling out beautiful hand crafted pasta. It’s quite fun to watch the pasta dough transform into a variety of shapes and sizes. Most recently our sous chef Nate has been creating garganelli, a hand rolled pasta that is similar in shape to penne.

Nate starts the process by cutting very thin sheets of pasta dough into squares about 1″ wide.

Next he wraps the square around a pencil and dabs a bit of water around the edges to create a seal.

The pasta is then rolled on a ridged board to create a texture and allow the sauce to cling.

Now the completed garganelli is all set for a little sauce!

Because of it’s unique shape and texture our chef Aaron recommends pairing the garganelli with rich meat or mushroom sauces. Recently the kitchen has been offering the garganelli with a house made lamb sausage and mint ragu.

garganelli with lamb sausage and mint ragu

(serves 4)

• 1/2 pound garganelli or penne (rusichella d’abruzzo is a great brand)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 pound merguez sausage (available in Burlington at Healthy Living) or other lamb sausage
• 1/2 cup diced pancetta
• 1/4 cup diced carrot
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 ounces white wine
• 1 tablespoon mint, thinly sliced
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup parmesan (garnish)

Prepare pasta as directed on package, cook until al dente, toss with a dash of olive oil and set aside.

Set a large skillet over medium heat add the sausage and pancetta and cook until the fat has render and meat begins to brown. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic and slowly cook until the vegetables soften. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping anything sticking to the bottom to retain all of the flavors. Add the tomatoes and cook until the ragu begins to thicken (about 20 minutes). Season to taste with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce allow to warm, and toss so well coated. Serve immediately and garnish with parmesan cheese.

]]> http://bluebirdvermont.com/hand-rolled-garganelli-with-lamb-sausage-mint/feed/ 0 http://bluebirdvermont.com/scenes-from-opening-week/ http://bluebirdvermont.com/scenes-from-opening-week/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:44:10 +0000 Sue http://bluebirdvermont.com/?p=40

phoebe, laura & aaron taking a break

the double burger

fun on the deck

terrine nibbles

frites!

deviled eggs on the board

aaron & nate end of the shift

laura mixing up a cocktail

the butcher board

the butcher board & cheese board

This week all of the temporary work lights came down and our electrician Liam zipped around the building installing the amazing fixtures created by our friends at Conant Metal & Light.

The entry light has a bit of heft to it and it was a tricky install – luckily Liam and Tyler were able to wrestle it up there without any mishaps (I participated in my usual way by standing nearby and taking photos – very helpful).

These custom sconces are all over the building and they let off this beautiful glow against the walls.

We’re trying to take it easy with the bluebird theme but we could not resist adding another cute little bird to the lamp at the host desk.

And here’s a shot of Liam installing the pendants in what we are now calling the “Blue Room.”

Thanks for taking a look at our new lights!

~ Sue

Yesterday we took down the temporary work lights in the bar area and replaced them with these awesome wine bottle pendants made by our friends at Conant Metal & Light. While the work lights were functional (and kind of cool if you like that industrial sheik look) they let off an eerie glow that made things not so pretty. With the new pendants dropped in and recessed lighting provided by our electrician Liam it’s actually starting to feel like a restaurant.

In the picture below you can also see our new copper bar top crafted by our friend Alistair from Metal Design – more information on the bar design will be coming soon!

It’s been quite a bit of fun working with Steve Conant and his crew from the Pine St shop! Judging from the pictures Steve sent over it looks like they’ve been having a bit of fun with this project as well – especially the rooftop wine drinking party where our bar pendants were born.

The best part about working with Steve and his staff has been the creative force that they bring. Basically if we can dream it they can build it, making the whole design process more fun and exciting. Below is a shot of Steve in his shop working on the wine bottle:

We’ve got some more cool things coming from Steve! Here’s a sneak preview…

Also coming soon I’ve got an update on our general manager and chef hires! Thanks for stopping by the site – Cheers!

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at the Bluebird Tavern and the renovation project is rolling right along. If you have driven by lately you may have noticed that the buildings got a new look!

Pro-tech painters moved extremely quickly and had the whole exterior paint job done in one day – it was amazing to watch. Now on task for the weekend is cleaning up the landscaping up front and tackling weeds that are invading the parking lot.

Projects on the inside are moving along as well. One of the biggest new additions was the cabinetry behind the bar, a snazzy mirror, and beer tap system. We’ve also nearly completed things that you don’t see, an electrical re-wire, mechanical upgrades, and equipment installation.

I think that’s it for now! Next week I will be introducing you to our recent hires, showing off our copper bar top, and (hopefully) dazzling you with pictures of our completed function space.

Have a great holiday weekend!!

Sue

It’s been an exciting few weeks at the Bluebird Tavern and the building is quickly transforming into something special. One of the biggest changes has been the addition of a new roof, which has already made a big difference in the buildings aesthetic. Our contractor D.G. Morin also began taking quotes from painters this week, so we will be saying a fond farewell to the turquoise and pink trim shortly.

The interior is shaping up as well. Above is an action shot of Jeff, our carpenter who has been working diligently to create a great foundation for the bar. The bar top is out at a local metalworkers shop waiting to be wrapped in copper – we think it will be a pretty classy look.

Here’s a shot of Liam from Electrical Power Services, who has remained very patient throughout the process and has been able to deal with me changing my mind quite frequently – Thanks, Liam!

One of the more exciting days was when Charlie from Stan & Sons pulled up his tractor trailer in the driveway and dropped off our refurbished kitchen equipment. He’s got quite a crew who was able to unload the rig in a couple of hours.

Up next on the horizon is the completion of the function space (which is coming along nicely), the installation of new exterior windows, a bit of a backyard cleanup, and some other fun projects that should keep us very busy through May.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out our site!

~ Sue