Sunday, July 21, 2013
Caprese Pasta Salad
ingredients:
- 4 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 pound fusilli pasta
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces small mozzarella balls (ciliegine or bocconcini), halved
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
directions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanche basil leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds or until they turn bright green. Transfer to an ice water bath with a slotted spoon to stop the cooking, then drain, squeezing out any excess liquid.
- Cook pasta according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
- In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine blanched basil leaves, olive oil, vinegar, shallot, salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and pulse until uniform and very finely chopped. Pour dressing over pasta and stir until until evenly coated. Add mozzarella, tomatoes, and capers and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Salad will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days, although the basil will start to discolor slightly after the first day.
rhubarb clafoutis
- 5 ounces rhubarb (about 1 thin stalk), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup sugar, divided
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the rhubarb and ¼ cup of the sugar to the bottom of an 8-inch tart pan and toss until evenly distributed. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggsuntil well beaten. Sift the flour into the bowl and whisk to combine well. (Sifting flour minimizes the occurrence of lumps in the batter.) Add the remaining ½ cup of the sugar, milk, heavy cream, and the vanilla bean seeds to the bowl, whisking until well combined and thickened.
Pour the batter over the rhubarb-sugar mixture and place the tart pan in the oven. Bake until the edges pull away from sides of the tart pan and the top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.
Pantry Note: Leftover clafoutis can be stored in the fridge, well covered, for up to three days. Save the vanilla bean pod for making vanilla sugar, or if you can’t find a vanilla pod, add a spoonful of vanilla extract to the batter, instead.
Farro with Tomato
Serves: 4 as a side, 2 as a hearty main
2 cups water
1 cup (updated) semi-pearled farro (sometimes labelled “whole farro;” see Note above for explanation)
1/2 large onion (I usually use a white one, for mildness)
2 cloves garlic
9 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
Up to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Few basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
1 cup (updated) semi-pearled farro (sometimes labelled “whole farro;” see Note above for explanation)
1/2 large onion (I usually use a white one, for mildness)
2 cloves garlic
9 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
Up to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Few basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Place water and farro in a medium saucepan to presoak (I find just 5 to 10 minutes sufficient) while you prepare the other ingredients. Adding each ingredient to the pot as you finish preparing it, cut onion in half again, and very thinly slice it into quarter-moons. Thinly slice garlic cloves as well. Halve or quarter tomatoes. Add salt, pepper flakes (to taste) and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and set a timer for 30 minutes. Bring uncovered pan (no lid necessary) up to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. When the timer rings, the farro should be perfectly cooked (tender but with a meaty chew), seasoned and the cooking water should be almost completely absorbed. If needed, though I’ve never found it necessary, cook it for 5 additional minutes, until farro is more tender.
Transfer to a wide serving bowl. If there’s enough leftover cooking liquid to be bothersome, simply use a slotted spoon to leave the amount you wish to behind. Drizzle farro lightly with additional olive oil, scatter with basil and parmesan. Eat immediately. Repeat tomorrow.
Crispy Cauliflower Cakes
- Cakes:
- 12 ounces cauliflower florets
- 1 (10-ounce) peeled baking potato, cut into 4 wedges
- 2 large shallots, halved lengthwise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), lightly toasted
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons light sour cream
- 2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise (such as Hellmann's) $
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salad:
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Preparation
Hands On: 30 Minutes
Total: 1 Hour, 30 Minutes- 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
- 2. To prepare cakes, place cauliflower, potato, and shallots on a baking sheet. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over vegetables; toss. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until tender, stirring once. Place cauliflower mixture in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until chopped. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Add fontina, thyme, salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and egg, stirring well.
- 3. Combine panko and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a shallow dish. Using wet hands, shape cauliflower mixture into 8 (1-inch-thick) patties; dredge in panko mixture. Place patties on baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until browned, turning once.
- 4. To prepare sauce, combine sour cream and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl.
- 5. To prepare salad, combine arugula, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons oil, and juice; toss well to coat. Place 1 cup arugula mixture on each of 4 plates; top with 2 cakes and 1 tablespoon herb sauce.
Lobster Corn Risotto
- 1 (2-pound) lobster, cooked
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
- Risotto:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Preparation
- To prepare stock, remove meat from cooked lobster tail and claws. Chop meat; chill. Place lobster shell in a large zip-top plastic bag. Coarsely crush shell using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Place crushed shell in a large saucepan; add 3 cups water, 2 cups onion, celery, and clam juice.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Strain shell mixture through a sieve over a bowl, reserving stock (about 3 cups); discard solids. Place stock in a large saucepan; keep warm over low heat.
- To prepare risotto, melt butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine and salt; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion of stock is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in reserved lobster meat and corn; cook 2 minutes or until heated. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, green onions, and lemon juice.
Zucchini, Squash and Corn Casserole
- 1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1/4 cup butter, divided
- 2 cups diced sweet onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) freshly shredded white Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise $
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 cups soft, fresh breadcrumbs, divided
- 1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese, divided
Preparation
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bring first 2 ingredients and water to cover to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and boil 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; gently press between paper towels.
- 2. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes.
- 3. Stir together squash, onion mixture, corn, next 6 ingredients, and 1/2 cup each breadcrumbs and Asiago cheese just until blended. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
- 4. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Stir in remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup Asiago cheese. Sprinkle over casserole.
- 5. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and set. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Shrimp Tacos with Corn Salsa
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 diced peeled avocado
- Cooking spray
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 cup light sour cream
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Preparation
- 1. Preheat broiler to high.
- 2. Combine corn and oil in small bowl; toss gently to coat. Arrange corn in an even layer on a jelly-roll pan; broil 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine corn, onions, cilantro, 1 tablespoon juice, salt, pepper, and avocado in a medium bowl; toss gently.
- 3. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Combine shrimp, 1 tablespoon juice, and honey in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Add shrimp to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.
- 4. Combine sour cream and remaining 1 tablespoon juice in a small bowl.
- 5. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates. Top each tortilla with about 1/4 cup corn mixture, about 4 shrimp, and 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream mixture.
Vegetable Cobbler
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 small zucchini, sliced
- 1 small sweet red pepper, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- BISCUIT TOPPING:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold butter
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- 2/3 cup 2% milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, red pepper and onion; cook and stir 10-12 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
- In a small bowl, whisk flour, milk, salt and pepper; stir into pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Spoon into a greased 8-in.-square baking dish.
- For topping, in a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese and basil. Add milk; stir just until moistened. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls over filling. Bake 25-30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. Yield: 4 servings.
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
Hemingway Daiquiri
- Ice
- 2 ounces white rum
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
- 1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
- 1 lime wheel, for garnish (optional)
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the lime wheel and shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with the lime wheel.
Quinoa Cakes
Quinoa Cakes – Greek Style
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: Makes 10 cakes
Ingredients
Quinoa Cakes:
- 2 cups cooked Quinoa (1½ cups Quinoa cooked with 1½ cups water)
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley (can be subbed for basil)
- ½ cup Kalamata Olives (pitted and chopped fine)
- ¼ cup Sun Dried Tomatoes (chopped)
- 4 oz Feta (crumbled)
- 2 Eggs
- 4 tablespoons Oat Flour
Artichoke Hummus:
- 2 cups Marinated Artichokes
- 2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
Instructions
- In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the quinoa cakes well
- The texture will be very moist, but should hold up if you make a meatball with it
- (Feel free to add an additional tablespoon or 2 of oat flour if needed to bind things)
- Grease up your pan with a little EV olive oil if needed
- Make about 10 even sized balls and squash them onto a hot pan (I used a large griddle to cook them all at the same time)
- Cook until golden on each side and they firmly set
- In a food processor add the artichokes and vinegar
- Puree until smooth, it should be the cosistency of hummus
- Serve!! Enjoy!!
Monday, July 01, 2013
WHITE BEAN MANICOTTI WITH CREAMY DILL SAUCE
Creamy Dill White Bean Manicotti
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans
- 1/2 cup white kidney beans (cannellini)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (8 oz) package dry manicotti shells (16 shells)
For the Dill Bechamel Sauce:
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup Saucy Mama Dill Mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- fresh oregano, optional
Directions
- To the bowl of a food processor add the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs, beans (both kinds), garlic, pepper and salt. Process until a creamy paste is formed. You will have to push down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
- Scoop filling into a pastry bag or a Ziploc bag (cut the corner off once filling is in place). Pipe filling into uncooked manicotti shells until full. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- To make the sauce, in a large saucepan melt butter over med-low heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook and stir for 2 minutes to help cook out the flour taste (do not brown).
- Gradually add milk into roux. Stir constantly to prevent sticking. Add mustard and keep stirring. Cook until thickened, about 5-8 minutes, whisking all sides of the pan constantly. When thick, add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Fill the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish with about 1 cup of the sauce. Place manicotti filled shells on top of the sauce and top with the rest of the sauce and mozzarella cheese. (it will seem saucy but don't worry, it's not.) Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 40 minutes covered. Remove aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh oregano.
EDAMAME POTSTICKERS
Truffled Edamame Potstickers with Shallot White Wine Broth
Author: Adapted from Chef Michael Schulson
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Servings: 6
Steamed edamame is pureed with cream and truffle oil, then wrapped in wontons and gently cooked. Yeah, I said “gently.”
Ingredients
Shallot and White Wine Broth
- 8 ounces shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1½ cups white wine
- ½ cup chicken stock
- Pinch of thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Dumplings
- 1½ cups frozen shelled edamame
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp truffle oil
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 32 wonton wrappers, cut into 2¾-inch rounds
- Pat of butter
Instructions
Broth
- Heat butter in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat until melted. Add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned. Remove from the heat and stir in thyme.
- Deglaze with the wine. Reduce and then add the stock. Simmer for ten minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
Dumplings
- Cook the edamame in boiling water till tender, about five minutes. Strain and slip off skins. Puree with butter, cream, truffle oil, and salt to taste. Let the filling set in the fridge until firm.
- Place 1 dumpling wrapper on work surface and top with 1 teaspoon filling. Brush edges with water and press to seal, forming a half moon shape. Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel to avoid drying out. Repeat process until all wrappers have been filled. Place dumplings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until firm. Transfer dumpsicles to a zip-top bag in the freezer.
- Place steamer basket in a medium saucepan and fill to the steamer with water; bring to a boil. Cut a circle of parchment paper the size of the steamer basket with a slit in the center for the handle. Place the parchment round in the bottom of the steamer. Place the dumplings on the parchment, working in batches if necessary, cover and steam until wrappers have softened and filling is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
- While the dumplings are steaming, heat a tab of butter in a sauté pan. Transfer the cooked dumplings to the sauté pan and lightly brown.
