Sunday, January 27, 2013

Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

Pre-cheese

Post-cheese
The original plan was to make quail Saturday night, but after checking the contents of the freezer on Friday, and only finding two birds, more were ordered for delivery Tuesday, and a new plan was made. As usual, when in doubt, make soup or pasta. Soup was the night before, so pasta was the winner. Mom wanted Amatriciana, and since we had (almost) everything on hand, I went with that. Normally, you should have pancetta for this, but we had bacon, and that is a fine substitute. A lot of recipes call for Bucatini pasta, but spaghetti works just as well, and that's what we had.

Spaghetti all'Amatriciana
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 lb pancetta (or bacon), sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 28oz can San Marzano tomatoes, put through a food mill
Salt and pepper to taste
300 grams (about 10.5 oz) spaghetti (or bucatini)

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes, till it's just beginning to brown.
  • Add onion and garlic and cook till soft, about 5-8 minutes
  • Add red pepper flakes and cook another minute or two
  • Meanwhile, put a pot of water on with plenty of salt.
  • Add tomatoes and a bit of their juice, but not the whole can - reserve in case you need to add more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer while you cook the pasta.
  • When your water has come to a boil, add the pasta and cook till just before al dente. About half-way through, take out some of the pasta water and add it to your sauce. The starch in the pasta water will help the sauce adhere to the pasta.
  • When pasta is just before al dente, fish it out of the water with a spider of large slotted spaghetti spoon, and put in into the sauce. Continue cooking in the sauce for another minute, tossing the whole time to completely coat the spaghetti in the sauce.
  • Serve with grated parmigiano reggiano to sprinkle at the table.

Valerie makes steak!

Ok, so the photo is not so good... but it was delicious! I started out with this menu wanting to make one of the sides, pecorino budino. One of my absolute favorites, I first had this at Michael Chiarello's old restaurant Tra Vigne, way back when he still owned it. There was something so yummy and comforting about it, something that reminds me of my childhood, although I still can't figure out what. So I asked for the recipe, and they gave it to me! I haven't been there in a few years now, but it has never disappointed. The budino (Italian for custard, or pudding), is actually incredibly easy to make - you just need to make sure you have an hour and a half to two hours, most of it non-active time. At Tra Vigne, they serve this as an appetizer with some asparagus and olives, but I left that part out since I was using it as a side dish. I got four 4oz servings from this recipe.

So I had my side dish chosen, and I decided that a nice steak would go well with it, and they had NY strip on sale at Balducci's, so that's what I got. I was going to do a sauteed chard to go with it, but I found Tuscan Kale, so I went with a recent favorite at my house, Kale Caesar Salad. I knew it was a gamble, as Father isn't so keen on greens, but I hoped I could win him over with the tasty dressing. As for the steak, I used a newly found recipe for pomegranate-pinot sauce, except I used a Cote du Rhone, since we had one open. Creg usually cooks the steak in our house, so this was my chance to see how good I am at it, and it came out ok! Best part is that I had leftovers for the next day.

Budino Di Pecora, Tra Vigne

1 c. milk
1 c. cream
1 c. fresh, white bread crumbs (no crust) from baguette or Italian bread
1 c. grated Fulvi Pecorino cheese + a little to sprinkle on the unmolded budino
3 egg yolks
pinch of pepper
18 spears ofsmall-medium asparagus tough ends trimmed and stalks peeled (I left out the asparagus, lemon, and olives)
1 lemon
2 T chopped Gaeta olives
  • Heat milk, cream and Pecorino until it just simmers. Remove and strain through a chinois. Discard the cheese solids and save the strained cream. Add the fresh bread crumbs to the warm cream. Set aside to allow the crumbs to soften in the cream for 30 minutes.
  • Pour the cream mixture and a pinch of salt and pepper in the yolks and whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
  • Pour four ounces of the budino custard into well buttered ramekins and bake in a water bath for 1-1 1/2 hours at a temperature of 300 degrees or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. (I used a larger size ramekin, so mine were done in an hour, since they were not as thick)
  • Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. The resting is not imperative but is good for unmolding the budino.
  • Blanch the asparagus briefly in boiling water. Remove and place asparagus in a bowl. Toss with a little olive oil and grey salt. Grill over hot coals for 2 minutes just to singe the asparagus on one side.
  • Place three spears onto a Warm plate. Run a toothpick or thin knife around the outside of the custard to loosen from the sides of the ramekin. Unmold it onto a plate and finish with a great extra virgin olive oil chopped Gaeta olives and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Dino Kale Salad (aka Tuscan Kale)

1/2 Lemon (or a whole one if dry)
1 anchovy
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
6 tbsp Olive Oil (more or less)
1/2 cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 bunch Dino Kale, cut into strips
  • Combine the first 4 ingredients in a blender; purée until smooth. With machine running, slowly add oil to make a creamy dressing. Check consistency, and add more oil if needed. It should be thick, but not too much. Transfer dressing to a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD: Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
  • Toss kale and dressing in a large bowl to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Steak with Pomegranate-Pinot Sauce (from Cooking Light, with some slight changes)

4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (I used NY Strip, since it was on sale. Made 2 steaks, and cut them up after resting to serve)
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray (I used olive oil)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/3 cup pinot noir or burgundy wine (I used Cote du Rhone)
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/3 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1 thyme sprig
1 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
  • Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks evenly with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. (I put them in a very hot oven to finish cooking because that's what Creg does). Remove steaks from pan and let rest while you make the sauce.
  • Add shallots to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, wine, juice, broth, and thyme sprig; bring to a boil.
  • Cook 7 minutes or until reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Remove from heat; discard thyme sprig. Add butter to sauce, stirring until butter melts. Serve sauce with steaks.

Potato and Rice Soup

As the cold continues, I'm in the mood for more soup. Also in the mood for something super easy after the 6 hour cassoulet! This is a soup that my grandmother used to make in Italy. My mom gave me the recipe years and years ago, while I was still in college. She claims that she never used tomato paste, and that there's parsley in it, but that's not what I have written down. Anyway, this fast, simple, but delicious soup is also very filling, and can be completely vegetarian, even vegan if you want!

Potato and Rice Soup

Olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 potatoes, diced
6 cups stock
6 tablespoons rice
Garlic cooking
Potatoes added
simmering away

  • Heat olive oil.  Add garlic and cook till just fragrant, taking care not to burn it.  Add potatoes and tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add stock and cook at a high simmer for 20 minutes.  Add rice and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Smash about half of the potatoes and rice with a fork or a potato masher.  Serve with some grated parmigiano reggiano.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

The big day - Cassoulet!

The big day has arrived. Hit by a cold front, with temperatures in the teens, what better day than today to spend hours in the kitchen, experimenting with a new dish? I've never made cassoulet, but have eaten plenty of it. Often, if I'm in a French restaurant I will order it precisely because it's one of those things that you normally wouldn't have time to do at home. I looked over many recipes, and found this one from Saveur magazine that sounded good, and not too hard. Cassoulet is one of those things that changes region by region, so I went for one that sounded yummy to me. Your version might be vastly different, but that's the nature of the dish! I'm inspired now to make it again, but this time making my own duck confit, as I learned to do in my cooking class. More time needed for that, of course, but with a little planning.... If you are going to make this, make sure that you allow at least 6 hours start to finish (and don't forget that you will need to soak your beans the night before), and read all the way through before starting. The first three hours are active cooking time, the final three it is in the oven, so you can go do something else. This would also be a great dish to make for a dinner party, and bake in individual casserole dishes, if you happen to have those.

Cassoulet from Saveur magazine

1 lb. dried great northern beans
10 tbsp. duck fat or olive oil
16 cloves garlic, smashed
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 large ham hocks
1 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1"cubes
1⁄2 lb. pancetta, cubed
4 sprigs oregano
4 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
1 cup whole peeled canned tomatoes
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
4 confit duck legs (optional)
1 lb. pork sausages
2 cups bread crumbs

  • Soak beans in a 4-qt. bowl in 7 1⁄2 cups water overnight. Heat 2 tbsp. duck fat in a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add half the garlic, onions, and carrots and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add ham hocks along with beans and their water and boil. Reduce heat and simmer beans until tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours.
  • Transfer ham hocks to a plate; let cool. Pull off meat; discard skin, bone, and gristle. Chop meat; add to beans. Set aside.
  • Heat 2 tbsp. duck fat in a 5-qt. dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown for 8 minutes. Add pancetta; cook for 5 minutes. Add remaining garlic, onions, and carrots; cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Tie together oregano, thyme, and bay leaves with twine; add to pan with tomatoes; cook until liquid thickens, 8–10 minutes. Add wine; reduce by half. Add broth; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, until liquid has thickened, about 1 hour. Discard herbs; set dutch oven aside.
  • Meanwhile, sear duck legs in 2 tbsp. duck fat in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat for 8 minutes; transfer to a plate. Brown sausages in the fat, about 8 minutes. Cut sausages into 1⁄2" slices. Pull duck meat off bones. Discard fat and bones. Stir duck and sausages into pork stew.
  • Heat oven to 300˚. Mix beans and pork stew in a 4-qt. earthenware casserole. Cover with bread crumbs; drizzle with remaining duck fat. Bake, uncovered, for 3 hours. Raise oven temperature to 500˚; cook cassoulet until crust is golden, about 5 minutes.


Almost Meatless Monday

I love making soup! There are infinite possibilities, and winter brings us so much great squash and root veggies that you can get really creative. Monday night I went on a squash kick. One winter, and one summer squash. Who knows where they're growing zucchini right now, but even though they're a summer squash, they seem to be available almost year round. I made these with prosciutto in the filling, but you can just as easily make them vegetarian by substituting something like mushrooms or some other veggie. This recipe is originally from my mom, although I've changed it up a little bit. 

As for the soup, this is a version of the squash soup that I make every year for Thanksgiving. One of my friends has said that this soup may be the answer to world peace! Normally I use one butternut and one acorn squash, but I only used butternut this time. Really, any sort of hard squash would work here, and each will give you a slightly different end result. I think the fresh herbs really make a difference, so make sure to use them! You can switch out the chicken stock for veggie, and omit the cream if you're dairy sensitive. The hardest part of this is peeling and chopping the squash. A sharp knife is your best bet, but they are slippery, so proceed with caution! A good vegetable peeler can also work well. You can also change this a bit by roasting the squash first to make it easier to deal with, and that would give you still another wonderful version. I saved the seeds and roasted them up with some olive oil and salt to use as a garnish, and also as a snack - super yummy! 

Winter Squash Soup


1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
5-6 cups low-salt chicken broth
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons sugar

cutting the skin off the squash
all cubed up and ready

  • Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Working in batches, puree soup in blender (or use an immersion blender). Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and sugar; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)
Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini (one per person)
Bread crumbs - about 1/2 cup for 3 people - adjust as you make for more
Milk
1 egg, beaten
Prosciutto, cooked ham, or other deli meat, small dice
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add zucchini (whole) and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
  • Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or a mellonballer, scoop out the flesh, being careful not to cut through the skin. Chop up the removed flesh, drain in a kitchen towel or in a sieve, and place in a bowl.
  • Add bread crumbs, egg, prosciutto, and cheese and mix well.  Add enough milk to moisten and bring everything together. If it gets too runny, add more breadcrumbs.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil, place hollowed out zucchini on it, and fill each one with the filling mixture. Top with a bit more cheese, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Catching up - step back to Sunday

Lidia's pasta, with slight variations
I'm not sure how the days get away from me. It's not like I have so much to do here, and really, I feel like I could be accomplishing so much more. I am managing to get my workout in most mornings though, but by the time I have breakfast, work out, and shower, most of the morning is gone! So, I am a few days behind on my menus. I'll start where I left off... Saturday we had crepes. Sunday I made a simple pasta. I tend to do one day of something a bit complicated, and the next day I do a simple meal to offset it. This is a pasta dish that I first encountered during a pledge drive for KQED, our local public TV station in SF. Yes, I'm that much of a celebrity stalker that I volunteered to answer phones during a pledge drive because Lidia Bastianich was going to be there. She made this dish during one of the pledge segments, and then we (the volunteers) got to eat it! Lots of people go to Lidia's restaurants, but how many people can say that they had food that she actually cooked herself - while you watched! I was super happy. And then, she autographed books, and spent time chatting with everyone. I spoke to her in my limited Italian, and could not have been more thrilled. She is truly a gracious person. This has become one of my go-to pasta dishes, as I generally have most of the items on hand. Often, I will add peas (as I did Sunday) or maybe eggplant, just to give it a twist, but I always use the fennel and sausage, although not always Italian sausage - if I have wild boar on hand, I'll use that, and sometimes I'll use a mix of sweet and spicy sausages. Disclaimer: the photo above is of a different time when I made this pasta, as I forgot to take a photo the other night! Here's Lidia's version, direct from her website, lidiasitaly.com:

Ingredients
salt for the pasta water
1 pound ziti
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, without fennel seeds
1 large fennel bulb, about 1 pound
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, cut in half-moon slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup tomato paste
3 cups finely chopped fennel fronds
1 cup freshly grated pecorino, or Grana or Parmigiano
Directions
Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling for the pasta. Drop the ziti into the boiling water, then bring back to a boil and cook until the ziti are not quite al dente. Drain, reserving 3 cups of the pasta water. While the pasta is cooking, remove the sausage from its casing and break the meat up a bit with your fingers. Trim the fennel bulb, removing any tough outer parts, reserving the fronds. Slice the bulb in half lengthwise, remove core then slice each half in ¼- inch- thick lengthwise slices.

Separate the slivers of fennel if they are attached at the bottom; cut the long slivers in half so you have about 3 cups of 2- inch- long matchsticks of fennel. Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium- high heat. Add the sausage meat, and cook, stirring and breaking it up more with a wooden spoon, until it sizzles and begins to brown, about 1½ minutes. Push the sausage to the sides of the pan, and drop the onion slices into the clear part of the pan; sauté, stirring, until they sizzle and wilt, another 2 minutes or so, then stir them in with the meat. Clear a new space, and drop in the fennel; let it heat up and wilt for 1 minute or more, then stir to combine.

Sprinkle on ¼ teaspoon salt; drop the hot red pepper flakes into a cleared hot spot, and toast the flakes for ½ a minute, then stir to combine. Clear a good sized hot spot in the center of the pan, plop in the tomato paste, and cook, stirring it in the spot, for a good minute of more, until it is sizzling and caramelizing. Then stir it in with everything else.

Ladle the reserved pasta water into the skillet, stir well, and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and let cook until the flavors have developed, the sauce is thickened but not too thick, and the fennel is soft but not mushy, 6 minutes or more. (Add more water if the sauce reduces too rapidly.) Season to taste.

Drop the cooked ziti into the simmering sauce. Toss everything together, then sprinkle over it the chopped fennel fronds, and continue to cook until the ziti are perfectly al dente and cooked with the sauce.

Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle the grated cheese over the ziti, and toss it in. Serve the hot pasta right from the skillet into warm pasta bowls.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Crepes!


Crepes... the thought of these used to strike fear in me, and even after making them many times now, I get a little nervous.  But then I get going and realize that they're quite easy.  Just accept that the first one (or two) will be throw-aways, and you'll be fine.  My mother taught me to make crepes using Julia Child's recipe.  In fact, the photo of me in my profile is of me flipping one!  Since this recipe is tried and true, it's the one I always use.  The fillings are mine (and mom's), and the possibilities are endless - just use your imagination and try new combinations.  The crepes can be made one day, the fillings another, the tomato sauce yet another (we had some in the freezer) and then you can assemble and bake everything the day you eat them.  I did most of this in one day, aside from the tomato sauce, since I have all day here to do things like this.  I made spinach & ricotta, and ham & cheese.  And since we had so many crepes, I had to make dessert crepes also, so we did dulce de leche.  Another good one would be nutella and banana.

First, the crepes, from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume One. This is supposed to make 12 crepes, but I always get more.  This time, I got 25.  No idea why.
Crepe Batter:
1 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk (I used lowfat - she does not specify)
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (make sure you sift, as unsifted will measure differently)
4 tbsp melted butter

  • Put the liquids, eggs, and salt into the blender jar.  Add the flour, then the butter. Cover and blend at top speed for 1 minute. If bits of flour adhere to sides of jar, dislodge with a rubber scraper and blend for 2 to 3 seconds more. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  • The batter should be a very light cream, just thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. If, after making your first crepe, it seems too heavy, beat in a bit of water, a spoonful at a time. Your cooked crepe should be about 1/16 inch thick.

Method for making the crepes:
The first crepe is a trial one to test out the consistency of your batter, the exact amount you need for the pan, and the heat.  You'll need an iron skillet or a crepe pan with a 6 1/2 to 7 inch bottom diameter and a piece of fat bacon or pork-rind; or 2-3 tbsp cooking oil and a pastry brush. (I always use melted butter with a brush, and I use a regular small saute pan - I just measured and it is, in fact, 6 1/2").

  • Rub the skillet with the rind or brush it lightly with oil. Set over moderately high heat until the pan is just beginning to smoke.
  • Immediately remove from heat and, holding handle of pan in your right hand, pour with your left hand a scant 1/4 cup of batter into the middle of the pan. (ok, I don't think which hand matters... in fact, I use the opposite)  Quickly tilt the pan in all directions to run the batter all over the bottom of the pan in a thin film. Pour any batter that does not adhere to the pan back into your bowl; judge the amount for your next crepe accordingly. This whole operation takes but 2 or 3 seconds.
  • Return the pan to heat for 60 to 80 seconds. Then jerk and toss pan sharply back and forth and up and down to loosen the crepe. (I generally use non-stick, so there is less jerking to do, but I can just see Julia saying this) Lift its edges with a spatula and if the under side is a nice light brown, the crepe is ready for turning.
Side one in the pan
After flipping
  • Turn the crepe by using 2 spatulas; or grasp the edges nearest you in your fingers and sweep it up toward you and over again into the pan in a reverse circle; or toss it over by a flip of the pan. (this is what I usually do, and it works great, until someone watches me)
  • Brown lightly for about 1/2 minute on the other side. This second side is rarely ore than a spotty brown, and is always kept as the underneath or nonpublic aspect of the crepe. 
  • Slide crepe onto a plate. Grease the skillet again, heat to just smoking, and proceed with the rest of the crepes. Crepes may be kept warm by covering them with a dish and setting them over simmering water or in a slow oven. Or they ay be made several hours in advance and reheated when needed. (I have found that they also keep in the fridge for a day or two, with a piece of wax paper between each one, or in the freezer in the same way)
  • As soon as you are used to the procedure, you can keep 2 pans going at once, and make 24 crepes in less than half an hour. (right... Julia can - I never have).
Spinach and ricotta filling:
1 package frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted and drained well
1 small container ricotta
about 1 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
salt
nutmeg
  • Mix first 3 ingredients together.  Add salt to taste, and a tiny grating of nutmeg.
Ham and cheese filling:
6-9 slices of ham (depending on how many crepes you will make)
6-9 slices of cheese (fontina, or swiss)

Assembling the crepes:
  • Preheat oven to 400 (380 convection)
My sous chef,  hard at work assembling the crepes
  • Martha's method: Spread the spinach filling in a thin layer all over one side of the crepe and roll it up.  My method: put some of the filling about one third of the way down in kind of a log shape, then roll from short edge over the filling (like making an enchilada). Both seem to work equally well.  If you're making ham and cheese, lay down one piece of ham, one piece of cheese, and roll up.
Ham & cheese, ready for oven
Spinach & ricotta, ready for oven
  • Place rolled crepes, seam side down, in a shallow baking pan.  Top with either tomato sauce (we used that for the spinach) or bechamel (we used that for the ham and cheese) and sprinkle a little parmigiano on top.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes, till the tomato sauce is bubbling a bit, and the bechamel has just begun to brown.
Dessert!
  • Spread one side of each crepe with a couple of tablespoons of dulce de leche. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar. Place under broiler for about 2 minutes - watch very carefully, as they can burn quickly. The sugar should start to caramelize - that's when they are done.  The edges will get a little crispy. Drizzle and dulce de leche that has seeped out, over the top of the crepes.  Serve immediately.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Gnocchi


Today, I'm making gnocchi!  A bit intimidating at first, but really not hard once you get the hang of it.  It is a little bit time consuming, so it's a good weekend meal. Since I have all day to cook here, while I work on the cleaning project, I thought I would take advantage of the time.  It's nice to start these early, and give each step in the process lots of time, but you can also get this done in a couple of hours with no pauses.  Mom and dad usually eat these with just butter and sage, but I think I'll make a cognac cream sauce with peas tonight.  Trying to get those veggies in where I can!

Gnocchi

3-4 large potatoes 
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
1 tsp kosher salt 
¼ tsp pepper (use white pepper if you don’t want the black specks to show) 
1 ½ to 2 cups all purpose flour 
  • Fill a large pot with cold water. Add whole unpeeled potatoes and bring to boil. Cook till tender. Drain and cool till you can handle, and then peel. Put through a food mill or ricer, spread out on a board and allow to cool completely. 
Potatoes cooling
  • Once potatoes are cooled, form a mound and make a well in the center. Put egg, salt and pepper into center of the well and stir into the potatoes. 
Mixing the egg into the potatoes
  • Once combined, add flour about ¼ cup at a time until you have a nice dough (it will still be a little sticky, which is ok because more flour will be incorporated as you roll them out). Knead for about 3 minutes. Do not overwork or add too much flour or the dough will become heavy. 
After the dough has been kneaded
  • Cut dough into about 8 sections and on a well floured surface, roll each one out into a ½” thick log and slice into ½” sections. Roll each little section onto the tines of a fork dusted with flour, making an indentation with your thumb as you roll. Spread gnocchi out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment of wax paper that has been sprinkled with a little flour. At this point, gnocchi can be frozen on the cookie sheet and then transferred to a freezer bag once frozen. 
Rolling onto the fork
mid-roll

  • If you are cooking the gnocchi right away, bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a good amount of salt, as if you were cooking pasta. While the water comes to a boil, make sauce (see next page). Drop about ½ of the gnocchi in and stir immediately to make sure they don’t stick. After about 2-3 minutes, they will begin to rise to the surface. Cook for about 1 more minute after this happens, then fish them out with a spider or a large slotted spoon. Put on a plate with a little butter and cover to keep warm while you cook the 2nd half.
Cognac-Cream Sauce with Peas
2-3 shallots, finely chopped 
1 clove garlic, minced 
2 tbsp butter 
1/4 cup cognac 
1/2 cup heavy cream 
1 cup frozen peas 
Salt & pepper to taste 
  • Melt butter in a large skillet, add shallots and garlic and sauté till soft, 2-3 minutes. 
  • Add cognac and reduce. Add cream, salt and pepper and let it come to a simmer. Cook very gently for about 5 minutes. (put the gnocchi in the boiling water once you reach this stage) Add the peas and heat through for about a minute. Turn off heat. Once the gnocchi are ready, fish out of water with a spider and put into the sauce. Toss very gently. Serve with parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top. 
Simmering sauce




Wednesday - Stuffed pork tenderloin with mashed sweet and yukon gold potatoes

While at Whole Foods on Tuesday, I also picked up a nice pork tenderloin.  The meat counter at the WF here was looking better than I remembered.  While I'm still very sad at the state of the produce here (yes, spoiled California child), It was nice to find good meat.  This is another one of those dishes that I make a lot, fairly easy to do, parts can be done ahead, and its very pretty on the plate.  Father says he doesn't like pork tenderloin, but then he always likes it when I make it this way.  For the sides, I made mashed yukon gold potatoes for Father, and mashed sweet potatoes for mom, since Father doesn't like sweets... and mom never gets to eat them otherwise.  I like both, so I had a combination (as pictured).  I forgot to take photos while I was making it.  Maybe I can dig some up from my cooking class.
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Yukon Golds


For the pork:
1 leek, rinsed and chopped
1 zucchini, small dice
1 red pepper, small dice
¼ lb fontina cheese, small dice (that's my normal recipe - I only had Comte, so used that instead)
1/8 lb pancetta, diced (didn't have pancetta, so I used prosciutto)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chopped rosemary
1 pork tenderloin
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup marsala
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp cold butter
  • Preheat oven to 500 (485 convection).
  • Saute the vegetables in some olive oil.  Remove to bowl.  In same pan, sauté pancetta till rendered, then add to veggies.  Combine with fontina, garlic, 1/2 of the rosemary, salt & pepper. This can be done ahead, and then stuff the pork when ready to cook.
  • Make an opening in center of the short end of the tenderloin with a boning knife and/or sharpening steel.  If using a knife, be careful that you don't cut through the sides of the tenderloin.  I usually use a knife to start, and then use the steel to get all the way through.  Then I use my fingers to make sure the hole is big enough to accomodate the stuffing.  Stuff with veggie mixture and close ends with toothpicks.  This part can be a little tricky and messy.  Make sure to get the stuffing all the way to the center.  You can stuff from both ends.  Take your time - patience is the key with this step.
  • Heat 2 tbsp oil in ovenproof pan (not nonstick) and brown pork on all sides.
  • Put in oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, until a thermometer reads 145.
  • Remove pork and tent with foil.
  • Add marsala to pan to deglaze, reduce for a few minutes.  Add stock and reduce for about 5 minutes.  Swirl in butter.
  • Slice pork and drizzle sauce over.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes.
For the potatoes:
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (or 2 sweet potatoes)
salt
2 tbsp butter
  • Peel the potatoes, and cut into similar size pieces, about 2" diameter
  • Put in a pot of cold water.  If doing both sweet and regular, use 2 separate pots.
  • Add plenty of salt - the water should be salted the same as pasta - it should taste like the sea.
  • Bring to a boil, then cook for about 15 minutes, until fork tender (fork, not knife).
  • Drain into a colander, then put through a food mill back into the pan.  Alternately, if you don't have a food mill, you can use a masher, but a food mill will give you a nice, fluffy, even texture.
  • Add butter, stir, and taste for seasoning.

Tuesday - Salmon with French Green Lentils and Herb Butter

Tuesday I finally went to the store for a real shopping trip.  I had been here a week, and had managed quite easily to make meals out of what was already on hand.  Mom wanted to make Sole Meuniere, but the fish store, where I probably would have found sole, was in the opposite direction of Whole Foods, and I was feeling a little lazy.  So, Whole Foods won out - Creg will be happy about that! They did have some nice looking wild salmon, so with fish on my mind, I bought it. This is a dish that I've made often, and did once in my cooking class.  It is very easy, but also very elegant, and I've done it for dinner parties before.  You can start early and prepare the lentils ahead, and just keep them warm, or re-heat when it's time to serve.  You can also make the herb butter ahead and keep it in the fridge for a day or two, or freeze for even longer.  I like to add some swiss chard to the lentils, not only for a yummy contrast, but to sneak in greens for people who don't normally eat a lot of them (like my father).  This is for 3 people, but can be easily adjusted for more.  The amount of lentils will really feed 4 - I had leftovers for lunch the next day!
Salmon with French Green Lentils and Herb Butter


1 cup French green lentils 
4 cups water 
1 leek, rinsed well and chopped (white and pale green part only) 
1 onion, chopped 
1 rib celery, chopped 
1 bunch swiss chard (any color) 
4 tbsp butter 
1 tbsp lemon juice 
3 5-ounce skinless salmon filets 
Salt 
Pepper 
Herb butter (5 tbsp room temperature butter mixed with 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme) 
  • Put lentils, water and 1 tsp salt in a large pot and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes, till lentils are tender. Remove from heat, let stand for 5 minutes, then drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. 
  • Meanwhile, sauté leeks, onions and celery in about 2 tbsp butter with a bit of salt till soft, but not browned, 8-10 minutes. 
  • Remove ribs from Swiss chard, wash, chop, and add to leeks. Cook till chard is wilted down and softened, about 2-3 minutes. 
  • Add lentils to leeks and chard. Stir in 2 tbsp herb butter, lemon juice, salt & pepper, and some of the reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches desired consistency (not too runny, but not dry). Heat through, then remove from heat and cover to keep warm. 
  • Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp butter with a bit of olive oil (so the butter doesn't burn) in a large non-stick skillet over medium high.  Having a very hot pan will ensure you get a nice sear on the fish. Sauté salmon until golden and medium rare, about 4 minutes on first side, 3 on second side. 
  • Serve salmon over lentils and top each piece with a little herb butter. 


Yikes - behind already!

It's been 3 days since my last post... sounds like a confession.  Hard to fit everything in to my oh-so-busy schedule.  That's just another way of saying I got distracted.  So, I'll back up to Monday night, and a very simple, easy, satisfying dinner.  Americans generally think of eggs just for breakfast, but a frittata is a hearty dish that can easily be a meal in itself, accompanied by some good bread and a salad.  Super easy, and a great way to use up veggies that are lurking in your produce bin, waiting to be eaten.  Add anything you like - this is what I happened to have on hand.
Zucchini Frittata

Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
2 wild boar sausages (or any other sausage you like / have on hand)
1 zucchini, cut into smallish cubes
8 eggs
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
salt 

  • Preheat oven to 375 (360 convection)
  • Saute onion, fennel, and crumbled sausage in a bit of olive oil (about 1 tbsp) till veggies are beginning to soften and sausage is browned. (season with a bit of salt) Add zucchini and cook for another few minutes.
Frittata filling
  • Meanwhile, beat eggs, about 1-2 tbsp of water, salt, and parm in a bowl.
  • Add cooked veggie mixture to the eggs and stir to combine.
  • Put a little more olive oil in the pan, and add egg mixture.
  • Cook on medium heat till the bottom has started to brown and pull away from the edges of the pan.
  • Place in oven and continue to cook for about 8-10 minutes, till eggs are set.


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Saddle of Rabbit with Herb Polenta

Once again, we got to have a meal without buying any groceries - imagine that!  I've only been to the store once all week.  I always tell people, if there's a natural disaster (or the zombie apocalypse), come to my parents house, where there is enough food to feed an army!  We were going to have this rabbit last night, but it was still frozen, so we had some store-bought ravioli that were in the fridge with butter and sage.  By tonight, the bunnies were thawed, so we made them.  Well, mostly my mom did the rabbit, and I did the polenta.  When I was in Italy one time, about 8 years ago maybe, I bought a copper polenta pot that has a stirrer attachment.  I had to buy a converter, since Italy is on a different electrical current, but it works beautifully.  Unfortunately, that is at my house. Here, I had to stir the polenta by hand.  This is how Italian women get their muscles.  Not for the weak, but so worth the effort.  According to my mom, this is a special polenta, although I have no idea what brand it is, as it was in a glass jar in her fridge.  No, you don't have to keep polenta in the fridge, but she does.  I think it is because she is afraid of bugs getting into it - you'd have to ask her.  And I'm sure she'll comment after I post this.

For the rabbit:

3 saddles of rabbit
3-4 tbsp butter
1 sprig rosemary
salt
pepper
marsala
white wine

  • Preheat the oven to 380 convection (about 395 regular)
  • Place the rabbit in a baking dish.  Sprinkle the rabbit with salt and pepper, dot with butter, and put some of the rosemary on each piece.
Rabbit ready to go into the oven
  • Pour some marsala (about 1/2 cup - mom, correct me if this is wrong... we don't really measure) and white wine (same amount) over and around the rabbit.
  • Cook for about 45 minutes, until rabbit is done and nicely browned.
For the polenta:

1 cup polenta
4 cups water or stock
salt
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
3-4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano
  • Heat the water or stock in a pot till boiling.  Add some salt (start with about 1 tbsp).  Make a whirlpool in the water with a whisk and slowly stir in the polenta (this is so that you don't get any lumps).  Switch to a wooden spoon and stir.  As it comes back to a boil, turn the heat down so that you have a constant very low simmer - you should see some bubbles come up, but not too many.  It will begin to thicken after just a few minutes.  Continue to stir.  And stir.  And stir.  You may stir slowly, but you want to keep the polenta moving at least a bit.  Taste it and adjust the salt if needed.
The polenta at the beginning
  • Meanwhile, add the herbs, smashed garlic, and cream to a small pan and heat slowly.
herbs and garlic, ready for cream
  • After you have been stirring for about 35 minutes, taste for doneness.  It should be smooth and creamy.  At this point, remove from heat and strain the cream into the polenta, discarding the herbs and garlic.  Add the cheese and stir together.
Finished polenta
Serve immediately.  Any leftovers can be turned into a number of delicious dishes.  I like to spread it out into a thin layer, refrigerate, and then fry wedges in a pan.  Or, as mom just suggested since we have a lot left, use it for a polenta lasagna.  I will post that recipe when we make it.  Basically, I take thin layers of cooked polenta and alternate it with tomato sauce and meat sauce, and top it with parm.  Another great winter meal!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Soup!

One of my favorite soups to make on a rainy day is Julia Child's Soup a la Victorine.  However, Julia's version has a lot of extra steps that I tend to cut down, and my result is a really yummy, easy, and relatively quick soup.  Once again, everything I needed was in the house already.  Except for the eggplant.  But there was frozen Wild Boar sausage from D'Artagnan, one of my favorites!  Normally, I use regular Italian sausage, which is just as good, but if there's wild boar around, I'll use that instead.  Or, for a lighter meal, I skip it all together.  I had to run out to Walgreens anyway to pick up my cold medicine, so I went to Whole Foods too.  And, I'm glad I did because I found what might be one of the last bags of white chocolate covered, peppermint encrusted, pretzel chips of the season!!
Once again, I digress.... but see how pretty?  Anyway, I came home and started on the soup.  The great thing about this, is that it makes a big pot, enough for 6 people, and since I'm cooking for only 3, we have leftovers to freeze for a day that I don't feel like cooking.  However, there is NO p-touch in this house.  Can you believe it?  My mother has yet to discover the wonders of labeling everything in sight.  I feel that might change once she reads this.  Or maybe I'll buy one for her.  For now, a piece of masking tape with "soup" written on it will have to do for marking the jars that are about to go in the freezer.



½ lb. Italian sausage
2 cups combination of sliced leeks and onions, or onions only, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced or mashed
olive oil 
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon sage
4 jars Borlotti Italian beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 cups chicken stock
A firm, shiny, 1 lb. eggplant (about 8 inches long and about 3 ½ inches at widest diameter 
1 can San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
salt
pepper

  • Brown the sausage in a bit of olive oil in a soup pot.  When mostly cooked, remove from pot and slice into rounds.  Brown those a bit.  Remove them to a plate.
browning sausage - yum!
  • If there is a lot of fat from your sausage, drain some of it.  If there is not a lot, add some oil to the pan.  Sprinkle the leeks and onions with salt and cook slowly until tender and translucent.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add the beans, herbs, and stock to cover.  Bring to the simmer, partially cover the pan, and cook slowly for 1/2 hour or until the beans are tender. (Stir frequently).  Sometimes, I will use dried cranberry beans and cook the soup in my pressure cooker.  Both ways are equally delicious, and it just depends on what I I have on hand. 
simmering it all together
  • Sauté the sausage in a separate pan, slice, and reserve.
  • Peel the eggplant and cut into ½ inch dice.  Sauté in some olive oil pan till lightly brown.
  • Purée the soup in a food mill, and add the sausage, eggplant, and tomatoes and some of their juice to the pan.
  • Simmer 10-15 minutes
  • Serve with a drizzle of good finishing oil.