Sunday, October 20, 2013

 

Sriracha Mac and Cheese

SRIRACHA MAC + CHEESE

recipe slightly adapted from the Mac + Cheese Cookbook
serves 4
mac sauce:
for the pasta:
to make the mac sauce:
Heat the milk in a pot over medium heat until it just starts to bubble, but is not boiling, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Heat the butter over medium heat in a separate, heavy bottomed pot. When the butter has just melted, add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Slowly pour the warm milk, about 1 cup at a time, into the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. It will get thick when you first add the milk, and thinner as you slowly pour in the entire 3 cups. This is normal.
Once all the milk has been added, set the pot back over medium-high heat, and continue to whisk constantly. In the next 2-3 minutes the sauce should come together and become silk and thick. Use the spoon test to make sure it’s ready. Dip a metal spoon into the sauce-if the sauce coats the spoon and doesn’t slide off like milk, you know it’s ready. Add the salt and stir to combine.
to make the sriracha mac & cheese:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until a little less than al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain the pasta again.
Mash together the ginger and butter in a small bowl until fully combined.
Add the mac sauce, cheese, and ginger butter to a large heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat. Stir until the cheese is barely melted, about 3 minutes. Add the sriracha and the cooked pasta and continue cooking while stirring continuously until the dish is nice and hot, another 5 minutes.  Add the green onions and stir to fully combine.
Pour the mac into a 14-inch casserole pan and sprinkle with panko. Bake until hot and bubbly and the topping is golden, about 20 minutes. Remove  from the oven and drizzle with more sriracha. Spoon into bowls and serve.

 

Apple Jalapeno Jam

Apple jalapeño jam
2 1/2 pounds baking apples, such as Granny Smith or Cortland, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 to 4 jalapeños, seeded and diced (depending on how hot you want it) 
1 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Sterilize 2 half-pint jars and their lids. Place a plate in the freezer.

Add the apples, jalapeños, water, and apple cider vinegar to a non-reactive sauce pot. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer uncovered, while occasionally stirring, until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes. If the liquid gets too low during this process, you can add more water a tablespoon at a time.

Once the apples are soft, stir in the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the salt. As you stir, mash the apples against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher. You can make it as chunky or mashed as you like. For instance, I prefer mine to leave a few apple chunks in my jam for texture. Continue to cook the jam for 20 minutes, while occasionally stirring.

After about 20 minutes, take the plate out of the freezer and place a spoonful of the jam on the plate. After about 15 seconds, tilt the plate and if the jam doesn’t run then it’s ready. If it does run, continue to cook it while occasionally stirring for 5 more minutes and then check again. Continue to cook and test until it doesn’t run.

Pour jam into hot, sterile jars leaving a bit of headspace. Cover with lid and rings. Allow to cool and then refrigerate. I find that it can last for a month in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: 2 half-pints

Friday, October 04, 2013

 

Spaghetti Squash noodle bowl with peanut sauce

spaghetti squash noodle bowl + lime peanut sauce recipe
serves:
 4
notes: Definitely use the sharpest knife you’ve got for the spaghetti squash. You don’t want to be pulling a stubborn knife out of a half-cut squash, commanding someone nearby to dial 9 + 1 in standby emergency preparation
squash etc ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise + seeds scooped out
4-5 kale stalks (7-8 if you’re using lacinato), stems removed
1 shallot, peeled
1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts of your preference (I used cashews)
3 tbsp sesame seeds (toasted, raw, whatevs)
chopped leafy herb if you feel it (cilantro, mint, thai basil etc)
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
salt + pepper
lime peanut sauce ingredients:
1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled + rough chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled + rough chopped
1-2 tsp sriracha (or other hot sauce you like)
2 tbsp peanut butter (or tahini, sunflower seed butter, almond butter etc)
1 lime, peeled + chopped
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider/white wine vinegar)
2 tsp agave (or honey etc)
1.5 tbsp tamari soy sauce
little scoop of extra virgin coconut oil (optional, but I love the coconut fragrance here)
tiny splash of toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the squash halves, cut side down, onto the sheet. Bake for about an hour or until the flesh pulls away in easy strands.
While the squash is baking, slice the kale leaves into 1/3 inch-ish ribbons and place in a large bowl. Cut the shallot in half lengthwise, slice the halves into thin half-moons and set aside. Chop up the herbs and toasted nuts as well, set them aside with the shallows.
Once you’ve cut the broccoli, set a medium saucepan with about an inch of water over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer. Place the broccoli florets into a steamer basket and set aside until right before service.
Place all of the sauce ingredients in a blender and bend until fully incorporated. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
When squash is cool enough to handle, place the steamer basket of broccoli into the pot with the simmering water. Put a lid on it and allow broccoli to steam for 3-4 minutes, or desired doneness. While broccoli is steaming, scrape the spaghetti strands out with a fork into the large bowl with the sliced kale. The heat from the squash should wilt the kale slightly. Pour a big splash of the dressing into the bowl, season with salt and pepper and lightly toss the squash and kale.
Remove broccoli from the heat. Portion the squash and kale into 4 bowls. Top each bowl with the steamed broccoli, sliced shallots, chopped nuts, sesame seeds, chopped herbs and extra sauce.

 

black bean and corn burgers


  1. Sauté onion and garlic in the olive oil for eight to ten minutes, or until golden, soft, and fragrant.
  2. Add 2 cups of the beans, the cumin, the paprika, the chili powder, the sea salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the sauté pan till all is warm.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350° F.
  4. Add the oats to the bowl of a food processor and pulse them a few times. Add the onion, garlic, and bean mixture. Process everything together, until it's well combined but still has texture.
  5. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the last cup of black beans and the corn and mix well with your hands. Check for seasoning and season to taste. If the mixture is too mushy to form into patties, add a little more oats or bread crumbs.
  6. Shape mixture into four large or six smaller patties. Transfer burgers to a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (or until golden), flipping once through. Alternately, you can chill them for twenty minutes before transferring them to a grill and cooking through. You can also pan fry them in olive oil until golden on each side.

 

homemade granola bars

Ingredients*
1 cup nuts (mix of your favorites)
1 3/4 cup of oatmeal
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 to 1 cup dried fruit (combination of raisins, Crasins, dried apricots, etc.)
1/2 to 3/4  cup assorted chips
* This recipe is as forgiving as you can get. Like coconut? Toast it and throw it in. Want to add peanut butter? Sure, go for it! Add some breakfast cereal for more crunch. Watching sugar? Decrease the brown sugar. Try different combinations of fruit, nuts and chocolate chips (ahem!) and create your perfect bar. My fav. is the white chocolate-Craisin-pecan-macadamia nut but I like the chocolate chip-almond-raisin as well. Go wild.
Same philosophy goes with the liquids; I’ve made these with all honey and no molasses and they’re delicious too.  There’s lots of room for improvisation here. Just work with a good liquid to dried goods ratio, try not to overcook them and enjoy the result!!
Directions
1.     Chop the nuts down to desired size, leaving some nice chunks.
2.     Preheat oven to 350 F.
3.     Butter 8 X 8 pan.  Line 8 X 8 pan with parchment paper and butter generously. Then butter it some more.
4.     Toast the nuts and oatmeal in pre-heated oven for ten minutes, mixing occasionally. Remove promptly to prevent any almonds you might have included from burning (those turn into carcinogenic chards as soon as you turn your back).
5.     In small saucepan over low heat, mix together butter, brown sugar, honey and molasses, stirring occasionally until melted.
6.     Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.
7.     Pour oats and nuts in medium bowl and pour butter-honey-brown sugar- molasses mixture over oats and nuts and mix well.
8.     Add dried fruit and chips and continue mixing.
9.     Press into the pan. Use your hands (or better yet, take a piece of wax paper and use it to press down) and do a REALLY good job of pressing down. If you don’t press down hard, you’ll make granola, not granola bars. (Which is darn tasty too!)
10. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20-22 minutes. Don’t be like me and leave them in the oven for just a few more minutes while you put away laundry – you’ll be sorry when they’re too brown.
11. Let cool a few hours and cut when they’re nice and cool.

 

stir fried shrimp and summer veggies

Stir-Fried Shrimp & Summer Veggies
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp- peeled & de-veined
4 cloves garlic- finely chopped
3 small zucchini/summer squash- thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions- cut into 1 inch pieces
2 ears corn- cut from cob
1-2 cups small tomatoes- sliced in half
butter and olive oil for cooking
splash of chicken broth
salt/pepper/cayenne pepper
3/4 box angel hair pasta- cooked & drained

-Start by thawing and cleaning your shrimp. Lay out on a paper towel to dry. 
-Next, you want to chop the garlic. Thinly slice the zucchini. Cut scallions into 1 inch pieces. Cut corn from cob. Halve the tomatoes.
-Start your pasta water. 
-In a large sauté pan, heat a few tablespoons each of butter and olive oil over med-high heat. Once butter is melted, add garlic and cook until it just starts to brown. Be careful not to burn. Add shrimp and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for just a few minutes until shrimp turns pink on all sides. Remove shrimp and all of the liquid in the pan and set aside. The liquid will become the sauce later, so don't throw out.
-Salt your boiling water and throw in the pasta. Cook according to package.
-Add another couple tablespoons each of butter and olive oil back to sauté pan.  When melted, add zucchini and scallions. Season with S&P. Saute on med-high for a few minutes. Once it starts to soften a little, add the corn. Stir veggies, and cook the corn for a couple minutes. 
-Once all the veggies are browned on the edges and softened, add shrimp and liquid back to pan. Add a splash of chicken broth (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup) and season with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper. 
-Once the liquid starts to simmer, add tomatoes and cook through for about 2 minutes. 
-Now you are done. Serve over angel hair pasta. We also had our favorite french bread on the side.
 

Pimento beer cheese pie

  • For the pimento cheese:
  • ¼ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I prefer Duke’s)
  • 2 tablespoons lager beer
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½ cup shredded smoked Gouda
  • ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • ½ cup shredded extra sharp cheddar
  • ½ cup shredded mild cheddar
  • 4 ounce jar diced pimentos, drained well
  • For the pastry:
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, cubed and chilled
  • 6-8 tablespoons beer- – lager, ale, or bock preferred
  • 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
  1. Begin by making the pimento cheese filling.
  2. Add the shredded cheese and mix to combine, then add the drained pimentos and mix well. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
  3. While the pimento cheese chills, prepare the pastry.
  4. In a large bowl whisk the flour, salt, and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add the cubed butter and, with your fingers, work the butter into the flour until most of the butter is worked in and only a few pea sized pieces remain.
  5. Add the beer, starting with 6 tablespoons and adding more a tablespoon at a time as needed. Mix with a spoon until the dough forms a rough ball.
  6. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and press the dough into a rough rectangle. Fold the dough in half and repeat three more times or until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
    Once chilled divide the dough in half. Roll out half of the dough on a lightly floured surface until ⅛-inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut as many rounds from the dough as you can. Reserve the scraps to be re-rolled one additional time. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  7. In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, beer, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Mix with a hand mixer on medium low speed until very smooth. If you prefer, you can use a blender for this step.
    1. Scoop the filling by rounded teaspoons onto the dough. Brush the egg wash along the edge of the pastry rounds and fold carefully in half, pressing out any excess air. Crimp the edges with a fork and cut a small air vent into the top of each pie. Place on a parchment lined backing sheet, cover with plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
    2. Heat the oven to 375 F.
    3. Brush the chilled pies with egg wash and bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil the pies for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. The cheese may leak from the pies, that is ok.
    4. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

 

Loaded mashed potato cakes



Directions:
  1. Cook the Instant Mashed Potatoes as directed on the package
  2. Mix Potatoes, Chives, Cheese, Eggs, breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon of bacon bites
  3. Using a skillet or frying pan (spray with pam) form burger patties out of the mashed potato mixture
  4. Fry for 10 minutes on each side or until browned
  5. Sprinkle with bacon bites, chives and a dollop of sour cream.

 

Roasted marinara

Tomatoes - About 5 pounds
I used a combination of roma, cherry, and glacier – some from my garden, some store bought. Dice large ones and leave cherry tomatoes whole. Remove stems.
Fresh Basil - Cup (packed) with fresh basil leaves, washed (whole leaves), stems removed
Fresh Garlic - Whole cloves, about 10 or 1/4 Cup
I like garlic, use less if this sounds like too much
Zucchini - 1 – 2 zucchinis, diced in 1/2″ thick slices
Onions - Two medium onions, quartered
I used a red onion and a Walla Walla Sweet onion (from my garden)
Olive oil - About 2 Tablespoons
Balsamic Vinegar - 1 Tablespoon (optional)
Salt - 3/4 Tablespoon
Italian Seasoning - 1 Tablespoon
Ground Pepper – To taste

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degree F
2.) Wash and chop all your vegetables. If you have large tomatoes, quarter them. Basically you want everything about the same size when you chop it up – so it all cooks at the same rate.
3.) Once all your vegetables are chopped, toss them into a roasting pan or glass pyrex pan. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over vegetables. Add salt, italian seasoning and ground pepper to taste.
4.) Pop in the oven. Cook 45-60 minutes at 400 degrees. You can take the pan out about half way through and give it a good stir. If you have enough for multiple pans, rotate them on the shelves so they cook evenly.
4.) Remove from oven. Allow to cool.
5.) Once cool to touch, use a slotted spoon to scoop vegetables into a food processor, blender or Blendtec/Vitamix. I recommend a slotted spoon because I found I had a lot of liquid from my tomatoes – leave the juice in the pan, you can add more later.
6.) Puree your vegetables. The longer you puree, the smoother the sauce. If you had very seedy tomatoes, puree a bit longer to help break those up. Scoop in liquid from your roasting pan to get it to the consistency you would like. You can always freeze this liquid for tomato soups or to add to sauce at a later time (I didn’t want to throw mine away!). If it’s not thick enough for you, try adding some tomato paste.
7.) Freeze in Ziploc bags or freezer bags. Or if you’re up for it, can it!

 

birthday cake batter popcorn


Melt the almond bark/chocolate in the microwave. I put it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each 30 seconds until it is fully melted.
Add the vegetable shortening to the almond bark/chocolate and stir until it is melted. I usually don’t have to put it back in the microwave to completely melt it but you can if you have to.
Then add the cake mix to the almond bark/chocolate.
Pour the coating onto the popcorn and coat evenly. I use 2 spoons and toss it almost like a salad.
Pour the popcorn out onto cookie sheets to cool/harden. Sprinkle immediately with your choice of sprinkles.
Wait until fully hardened (if you can) and enjoy!



 

quinoa burger

The Big Veg Quinoa Burger
Makes 4
Ingredients:
quick and easy thousand island dressing:
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 1/2 tablespoons finely diced pickles
pinch smoked paprika
quinoa patties:
2 cups cooked and cooled red quinoa (about 2/3 cup dry)
3/4 cup shredded white cheddar
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg plus 1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 parsnip, peeled and grated
1 corn on cob, kernels removed
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons oat flour
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 pretzel buns (or sesame buns), split and toasted
4 slices American (or mild cheddar) cheese
4 to 8 leaves butter lettuce
12-16 pickle chips
Directions:
1. For dressing: Place all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. For patties: Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir together until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Divide mixture into four equal amounts and form into patties.
3. Pour half of oil into a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan and place over medium-high heat. Add patties, two at a time and sear for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Flip patties and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add cheese to each patty, 1 to 2 teaspoons of water and cover with lid for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until cheese melts. Remove cooked patties and repeat with remaining patties.
5. To assemble: Spread dressing onto each bun and top with quinoa patty. Add Top with lettuce, pickles and finally the bun tops. Gently press and serve.

 

Risotto with chard and mushrooms

Ingredients:
6 cups of broth (you can use chicken or veggie- I prefer to the low-sodium versions)
½ stick of unsalted butter
1 large shallot, diced small
Salt and pepper
1 cup of Arborio rice
½ cup of dry white wine
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a simmer: reduce heat and keep warm. In a heavy- bottomed skillet or pot (like a Le Creuset), heat ½ of the butter over medium heat. Add in the shallot, season with some salt and pepper. Cook for around 3-4 minutes (until the shallot is soft). Add in the rice and keep stirring, coating each grain for about a minute.

2.  Add in wine to de-glaze the bottom of the pot for around 2 minutes. The starch from the rice starts to stick to the bottom a bit- this is where the wine magically lifts it up and stops it from sticking. Ladle in about 1 cup of broth, stirring continually until the broth is absorbed (around 4 minutes). Repeat this step until all of the liquid is slowly added in- around 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the rest of the butter and Parmesan. This is when you can add in the veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Add more cheese on top!

 

lemon butter shrimp with cauliflower

1. Place olive oil, minced onion, garlic chili flakes, salt and pepper in a large pan and cook through until onion is translucent – roughly 3 to 5 minutes, though going a little longer certainly won’t hurt.
2. Add 3/4 cup chicken broth. Pacific does those cute little 1-cup cartons which come in handy – you may use more or less than my measurement, but the 1-cup portions are great. Let everything simmer in the broth for a minute or two before adding your frozen shrimp and allowing to thaw through entirely, continuing to stir every once in a while.
3. Add in your butter and the juice of your lemon – sometimes I use 1/2 a lemon, sometimes I use a whole one. This is entirely up to you according to how lemony you like things! Live it up, live the dream.
4. Your peas should be the last thing to go in since they “cook” (read: thaw and warm) so quickly.
That’s it. That’s literally all there is to this one. Put some cauliflower rice (recipe here if you scroll down) in the bottom of a dish, spoon some of your shrimp mixture on top, mix it all together and you’ve got an absolutely delicious meal.

 

Curried Brown Rice with Zucchini

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 large or 2 medium zucchini, cut into large dice
1/3 cup carrot, grated
2 tablespoons raisins
1 cup brown rice
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds for garnish

1. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and zucchini, and cook until onion is translucent and veggies are just tender, about 7-9 minutes. Stir in carrot and raisins and cook for another minute. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a medium pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. When oil is rippling, add brown rice and stir to coat with oil. Toast lightly for about a minute.
3. Add water, curry powder, cumin, lime, and salt, and stir well. Bring to a boil and cover with lid. Reduce heat to medium and cook until most of the water has absorbed, then reduce heat to low and let steam until rice is tender.*
4. When rice is fully cooked, toss zucchini mixture with rice mixture in a large bowl or serving dish. Sprinkle with almonds for crunch and garnish.
*Alternatively, you may use a rice cooker and follow manufacturer’s directions. You may also use couscous in place of brown rice.

 

Avocado shrimp salsa

Makes about 6 cups salsa
1 pound small shrimp, shelled and deveined or pre-cooked and defrosted
2 firm-ripe avocados, halved, scored into a small dice
2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered or 2 cups chopped tomatoes, drained a little
1/2 small white onion, very finely chopped (use red if you can’t find white)
1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
Drizzle of olive oil
Juice of 1 to 2 limes
Salt
Handful cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Hot sauce, on the side
Tortilla chips, to serve
To cook the shrimp: Bring salted water* to a boil and turn off heat. Add shrimp, cover pot and let stand until firm and pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain shrimp, pat dry and chill.
Make salsa: Chop shrimp into small bites and put in medium bowl. Scoop avocados into bowl. Add tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño (if using, to taste) and a drizzle of olive oil. Add the juice of one lime, and a second one, if needed. Add salt to taste, then cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.
* If you have more time, you can first make a shrimp stock with about 3 cups water, 1 cup beer or wine, the reserved shrimp shells, additional lime juice or the peels from the lime juice you’ll use in the salad and some peppercorns or red pepper flakes. Boil these together for 20 minutes, then strain the mixture. Cook the shrimp in this stock instead.

 

Polenta with peppers and onions

Polenta Steaks with Multi-Colored Peppers, Red Onions & Smoked MozzarellaServes 4
You can use fresh mozzarella in this if you can’t find smoked.
Ingredients
For the polenta:
2 cups water
1 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter
Olive or canola oil for frying (around 1 cup)
For the topping:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 mixed color peppers (except for green), trimmed and diced
½ large red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus a few whole leaves for garnish
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ pound smoked mozzarella, torn into uneven bite-sized pieces.
Butter an 8-by-8 inch inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper. Butter that too.
In a medium stock pot, bring the water, half and half, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly pour the polenta into the pot by sprinkling it in in a gentle stream, while stirring briskly. Turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for ten minutes, or until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Add the cheese and butter and whisk to combine. Taste for seasoning, and add salt as necessary.
Evenly distribute the polenta in the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, then freeze for 30 minutes. You want the polenta to solidify fully so it doesn’t fall apart when you fry it.
Just before the polenta’s ready to take out, make the topping. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, the peppers, and the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 6 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft but not melting. Add the salt, sugar, white wine vinegar, and basil, and stir to combine. Remove from the heat. Stir in the mozzarella so the pieces start to melt. Taste, adding more salt if necessary. Set aside.
Place a large skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Fill it with about a ½-inch of oil.  Remove the polenta from the freezer and cut it into 4 squares. Pat each “steak” dry with paper towels. Cook them in the oil 2 at a time, for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until brown and crispy. Remove the steaks to a paper towel to drain while you cook the remaining 2.
To serve, place one “steak” on each plate. Top with a quarter of the topping mixture and garnish with a few fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.

 

Two ingredient pizza crust

Ingredients:

Method:

In a bowl, combine the flour and yoghurt and bring together to form a ball.
Turn out onto a floured board to knead and roll.
Knead for 5-8 minutes. Roll into a pizza shape and add toppings.

 

Fettucine with sweet tomato and asparagus

1 package fresh pasta of your choice
1 bunch asparagus
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 24-oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta
1. Heat the oven to 400F. Trim the tough ends (the lower 1/3) from the asparagus and lightly drizzle with olive oil and salt, then roast about 8 minutes (or until fork-tender).
2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat a little olive oil and cook the onion until just translucent, adding the garlic for the last minute or two of cooking and stirring constantly to prevent burning.
3. Add the tomatoes and turn down the heat. Let the sauce simmer 10-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions (fresh pasta should only take a couple of minutes).
5. Stir the balsamic vinegar and ricotta into the sauce, and season to taste.
6. Just before serving, cut the roasted asparagus into 1″ pieces and toss it with the pasta and tomato sauce.



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