This one got the thumbs-up. I used canned beans, because I didn't want to deal with cooking them myself, but dried beans cooked in an herbed mixture give the dish a fuller flavour.
Mats
2 cans cannellini beans with their canning liquid
1 large onion, diced
1 bulb of fennel, diced
3 carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided into 1/2 and 1/4 cup amounts
1c breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In an oven-safe pan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the carrots and fennel and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the diced onion and cook another 7 minutes, uncovered and stirring frequently.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and add the vinegar, stirring well and scraping all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Add the beans with their canning liquid, parsley, thyme and 1/2c Parmesan cheese. Stir well to combine.
The bean mixture should have enough liquid in it to just barely cover the beans. If it's short, add a little water.
In a separate bowl, mix the 1c of breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4c cheese with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Stir well
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the bean mixture and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
NB:
If you want to use dried beans, start with 1 lb cannellini beans. Soak them overnight in a large bowl of cold water.
Put the beans in a pot with enough water to cover them by 3 inches.
Tie together 6 sprigs of thyme to 3 sprigs of parsley. Peel an onion, stick 3 whole cloves in it. Peel 6 cloves of garlic and chop them in half. Cut the fronds and stems off the fennel. Toss all of the above into the pot with the beans
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and boil with a semi-cocked lid for 30-45 minutes or until beans are tender. Discard the herbs, onion, garlic and fennel, but reserve some of the cooking liquid for use in the gratin.
This is why I just used canned beans. Easier and still quite tasty.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Italian-style stuffed Portobellos
This recipe was quite fast to make and wasn't a lot of effort. The balsamic marinade really helped mitigate any overly-mushroomy flavor and made it a delight to eat.
Mats
Mushrooms
1/4c olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed
Filling
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
10 sun-dried tomatoes, halved
1/2c milk
10 oz spinach or arugula. I used a mix of the two greens
4oz mozzarella cheese, grated
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs, lightly toasted
Preheat your oven to 375
Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil and place the mushroom caps, gill-side up in the pan
Combine the oil, vinegar and garlic in a mixing cup and stir well to make a vinaigrette
Pour marinade over the mushroom caps and bake for 30 minutes or until caps are soft.
Meanwhile, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, basil, oregano, pepper and salt and saute for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.
Add the milk and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes
Add the spinach/arugula and cook until wilted. Spinach is really bulky, so you'll find it easier if you add the greens in two batches and wait for the previous one to wilt. Stir often, coating the leaves with the milk/onion mixture. It will take about 4 minutes for each batch to wilt down.
Add the mozzarella and stir well. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
When the mushrooms are done, remove them from the oven and put them on plates. Top each mushroom cap with 1/4 of the spinach mixture, 3 cherry tomato halves and a sprinkle of the breadcrumbs.
Mats
Mushrooms
1/4c olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed
Filling
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
10 sun-dried tomatoes, halved
1/2c milk
10 oz spinach or arugula. I used a mix of the two greens
4oz mozzarella cheese, grated
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs, lightly toasted
Preheat your oven to 375
Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil and place the mushroom caps, gill-side up in the pan
Combine the oil, vinegar and garlic in a mixing cup and stir well to make a vinaigrette
Pour marinade over the mushroom caps and bake for 30 minutes or until caps are soft.
Meanwhile, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, basil, oregano, pepper and salt and saute for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.
Add the milk and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes
Add the spinach/arugula and cook until wilted. Spinach is really bulky, so you'll find it easier if you add the greens in two batches and wait for the previous one to wilt. Stir often, coating the leaves with the milk/onion mixture. It will take about 4 minutes for each batch to wilt down.
Add the mozzarella and stir well. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
When the mushrooms are done, remove them from the oven and put them on plates. Top each mushroom cap with 1/4 of the spinach mixture, 3 cherry tomato halves and a sprinkle of the breadcrumbs.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Tortellini with Nutty Herb Sauce
Happy New Year! With the holidays finally over, I'm picking up where I left off - trying new, delicious recipes and using this blog as my recipe book. I inherited a pile of cookbooks from my husband's grandma and I can't wait to dive into them! Every cookbook is like a treasure chest - handing recipes down and around has been the secret language of families for aeons and I'm honored to be taken into their confidence.
My mom got me a beautiful pizza stone for Christmas, along with a book of neat pizza recipes. Not your standard tomato-and-cheese fare, so I'm really looking forward to trying those out too.
But for now, a new favorite.
Mats:
1 lb cheese tortellini or ravioli
3 Tbsp butter
100g walnuts (about 3.5 oz)
100g pine nuts (about 3.5 oz)
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4c ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp cream
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Set aside
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is all melted and begins to foam, add the nuts.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. The nuts will turn golden brown, and the butter will be a rich dark brown as well.
Remove the nuts from heat and add the thyme, parsley and about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with the cream. Stir so the cheese is all gloopy.
Dish the tortellini into serving bowls and top with the nut-butter. Put a large dollp of the ricotta/cream mixture on top. Top with cherry tomato halves and enjoy.
NB: Since my husband can't eat whole nuts, after the butter and nuts were finished cooking I put them, the thyme and parsley into the food processor and ground it into a fine paste-like concoction. It came out really well.
My mom got me a beautiful pizza stone for Christmas, along with a book of neat pizza recipes. Not your standard tomato-and-cheese fare, so I'm really looking forward to trying those out too.
But for now, a new favorite.
Mats:
1 lb cheese tortellini or ravioli
3 Tbsp butter
100g walnuts (about 3.5 oz)
100g pine nuts (about 3.5 oz)
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4c ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp cream
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Set aside
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is all melted and begins to foam, add the nuts.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. The nuts will turn golden brown, and the butter will be a rich dark brown as well.
Remove the nuts from heat and add the thyme, parsley and about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with the cream. Stir so the cheese is all gloopy.
Dish the tortellini into serving bowls and top with the nut-butter. Put a large dollp of the ricotta/cream mixture on top. Top with cherry tomato halves and enjoy.
NB: Since my husband can't eat whole nuts, after the butter and nuts were finished cooking I put them, the thyme and parsley into the food processor and ground it into a fine paste-like concoction. It came out really well.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Sweet Potato, Feta and Shiitake Packets
You can cook this with either parchment paper packets or aluminum foil. Either way, I served this on a bed of wild rice.
Mats
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into thin slices (mandolin again)
1c shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced thin
4 bulbs baby bok choy, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small red onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 c raisins or dried currants
4 Tbsp Feta cheese, crumbled
2 tsp lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato rounds with mushrooms, bok choy, onion, oil, garlic, raisins and oregano until everything is well coated.
Cut 2 15 inch lengths of parchment/aluminum foil, fold each in half
Open folded foil like a book and arrange half the mixture on one side of the crease.
Top the packet with 2 Tbsp feta cheese and 1 tsp lemon juice.
Fold foil over the food so the edges meet, then roll the edges together so the packet is sealed.
Repeat with the other foil piece and remainder of the sweet potato mixture.
Place the packets on a large baking sheet (I used the bottom bit of my broiling pan) and bake 20 minutes.
Let the packets sit for 5 minutes before opening and serving.
Mats
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into thin slices (mandolin again)
1c shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced thin
4 bulbs baby bok choy, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small red onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 c raisins or dried currants
4 Tbsp Feta cheese, crumbled
2 tsp lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato rounds with mushrooms, bok choy, onion, oil, garlic, raisins and oregano until everything is well coated.
Cut 2 15 inch lengths of parchment/aluminum foil, fold each in half
Open folded foil like a book and arrange half the mixture on one side of the crease.
Top the packet with 2 Tbsp feta cheese and 1 tsp lemon juice.
Fold foil over the food so the edges meet, then roll the edges together so the packet is sealed.
Repeat with the other foil piece and remainder of the sweet potato mixture.
Place the packets on a large baking sheet (I used the bottom bit of my broiling pan) and bake 20 minutes.
Let the packets sit for 5 minutes before opening and serving.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Rigatoni Torte with Ricotta and Fall Vegetables
Three words will keep this torte from flowing out all over your cooking surface: LET IT SIT. Do not let your hunger overcome the need for it to solidify and cool, like I did. It was a mess. A tasty and delicious mess, but a mess all the same.
EDIT: I've given up making this as a torte. It's now a casserole.
Mats
3 sprigs fresh sage, plus 2 Tbsp chopped sage. This is how I bid adieu to the last of my herb-garden sage.
12 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered
3 leeks , white and light green parts cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds.
12 oz broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
1 lb uncooked rigatoni
4 Tbsp butter
1/4c flour
32 oz creamy butternut squash soup
2c Gruyere cheese, grated
1 c ricotta cheese.
Preheat oven to 350. Assemble a springform pan and coat lightly with cooking spray, set aside.
Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Add the 3 sprigs of sage and 2 tsp salt. Bring it to a full boil.
Now we blanch the veggies. To do this, cook them for the indicated times, then pull them out of the boiling water into a colander and rinse with cold water. Don't dump the water out after each vegetable or you'll spend a lot of time waiting for the water to boil again. After you rinse the vegetable with cold water, pat them dry and set them aside in a bowl.
Blanching times:
Mushrooms: 3 min
Leeks: 2 min
Broccoli: 1 min
After the veggies are blanched, dump the rigatoni into the blanching water and cook them for 3 minutes LESS than indicated on the package. Mine were in there for 9 minutes. When finished, drain them (you can get rid of the water now) and rinse the pasta with cold water.
Put the now-empty pot on the stove on medium heat and let any water evaporate out. Melt the butter in the pot, then add the flour for a roux! Stirring constantly, cook the roux for 5 minutes until it's a nutty brown color.
Add the butternut squash soup, chopped sage and half the gruyere cheese. Stir constantly for 5 minutes while it thickens.
Turn off the heat, add the rigatoni and blanched veggies and stir well, so everything's coated.
Pour half the rigatoni mixture into the springform pan. Dot with half the ricotta cheese, then pour the other half of the rigatoni over top. Dot with the remaining ricotta and sprinkle the remaining gruyere over top.
Bake for 35 minutes. You'll probably want to put a baking sheet under the springform pan, as it may leak a bit.
When the top of the torte is golden and the cheese is bubbly, remove from the oven.
LET IT SIT. 10 minutes minimum, 15 to be safe. It WILL go everywhere if you try to plate it right away.
When you're ready, place a large dish over the top of the springform and invert. Pop off the mold and serve.
EDIT: I've given up making this as a torte. It's now a casserole.
Mats
3 sprigs fresh sage, plus 2 Tbsp chopped sage. This is how I bid adieu to the last of my herb-garden sage.
12 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered
3 leeks , white and light green parts cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds.
12 oz broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
1 lb uncooked rigatoni
4 Tbsp butter
1/4c flour
32 oz creamy butternut squash soup
2c Gruyere cheese, grated
1 c ricotta cheese.
Preheat oven to 350. Assemble a springform pan and coat lightly with cooking spray, set aside.
Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Add the 3 sprigs of sage and 2 tsp salt. Bring it to a full boil.
Now we blanch the veggies. To do this, cook them for the indicated times, then pull them out of the boiling water into a colander and rinse with cold water. Don't dump the water out after each vegetable or you'll spend a lot of time waiting for the water to boil again. After you rinse the vegetable with cold water, pat them dry and set them aside in a bowl.
Blanching times:
Mushrooms: 3 min
Leeks: 2 min
Broccoli: 1 min
After the veggies are blanched, dump the rigatoni into the blanching water and cook them for 3 minutes LESS than indicated on the package. Mine were in there for 9 minutes. When finished, drain them (you can get rid of the water now) and rinse the pasta with cold water.
Put the now-empty pot on the stove on medium heat and let any water evaporate out. Melt the butter in the pot, then add the flour for a roux! Stirring constantly, cook the roux for 5 minutes until it's a nutty brown color.
Add the butternut squash soup, chopped sage and half the gruyere cheese. Stir constantly for 5 minutes while it thickens.
Turn off the heat, add the rigatoni and blanched veggies and stir well, so everything's coated.
Pour half the rigatoni mixture into the springform pan. Dot with half the ricotta cheese, then pour the other half of the rigatoni over top. Dot with the remaining ricotta and sprinkle the remaining gruyere over top.
Bake for 35 minutes. You'll probably want to put a baking sheet under the springform pan, as it may leak a bit.
When the top of the torte is golden and the cheese is bubbly, remove from the oven.
LET IT SIT. 10 minutes minimum, 15 to be safe. It WILL go everywhere if you try to plate it right away.
When you're ready, place a large dish over the top of the springform and invert. Pop off the mold and serve.
Braised Salmon with leeks and dill
This dish is well-accompanied by roasted fingerling potatoes.
Mats
1 tsp olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds and separated
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tomatoes, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2c white wine
2 6oz skinless salmon fillets
1/2 tsp dry or 1 1/2 tsp fresh dill. I found my store carries these little tubes of various spices (like dill) that are mushed into a paste and can be used like fresh herbs. You have to refrigerate them, but they have a bit longer shelf-life than loose herbs.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leek, cook for 3 minutes stirring frequently.
Add the crushed garlic, cook for 2 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes, salt and pepper, cook for 2 more minutes.
Place the salmon in the pan, then add the white wine. Sprinkle the dill on top of the salmon.
Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 8 minutes.
Serve with roasted potatoes.
Mats
1 tsp olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds and separated
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tomatoes, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2c white wine
2 6oz skinless salmon fillets
1/2 tsp dry or 1 1/2 tsp fresh dill. I found my store carries these little tubes of various spices (like dill) that are mushed into a paste and can be used like fresh herbs. You have to refrigerate them, but they have a bit longer shelf-life than loose herbs.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leek, cook for 3 minutes stirring frequently.
Add the crushed garlic, cook for 2 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes, salt and pepper, cook for 2 more minutes.
Place the salmon in the pan, then add the white wine. Sprinkle the dill on top of the salmon.
Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 8 minutes.
Serve with roasted potatoes.
Coconut Red Curry
I was pleasantly surprised that this did not come out as spicy as I had feared it would. The particular curry paste I used was Thai Taste "gang ped", plus some stuff in Thai that I can't read.
Mats
1c rice. I like using unwashed short grain white rice.
1 Tbsp red curry paste
1 can light coconut milk
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
1/4c bamboo shoots
3 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/3c chicken stock
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, halved
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
Prepare the rice, set aside
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk and curry paste. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped basil, bamboo, 3 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 1/3c chicken stock and mushrooms. Simmer for 12 minutes.
While the curry is cooking, heat a separate saucepan over high heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom in oil. Sear the bell pepper pieces and onion for about 4 minutes. I like my picking up tiny bits of char on the outside of the peppers, so I don't stir the pan often at all.
Add the peppers and onions to the curry, and stir well to combine.
To serve - either fill a bowl with rice and spoon the curry over top or just dump the rice into the curry and make sort of a soupy rice mixture. I personally like it more like a soup.
Mats
1c rice. I like using unwashed short grain white rice.
1 Tbsp red curry paste
1 can light coconut milk
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
1/4c bamboo shoots
3 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/3c chicken stock
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, halved
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
Prepare the rice, set aside
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk and curry paste. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped basil, bamboo, 3 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 1/3c chicken stock and mushrooms. Simmer for 12 minutes.
While the curry is cooking, heat a separate saucepan over high heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom in oil. Sear the bell pepper pieces and onion for about 4 minutes. I like my picking up tiny bits of char on the outside of the peppers, so I don't stir the pan often at all.
Add the peppers and onions to the curry, and stir well to combine.
To serve - either fill a bowl with rice and spoon the curry over top or just dump the rice into the curry and make sort of a soupy rice mixture. I personally like it more like a soup.
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