Italian Baba Ghanouj with Balsamic Reduction and Stewed Figs

Or is it baba ghanoug or baba ganush....to my knowledge, there isn't a "right" translation and spelling from Arabic to English and it is often spelled differently everywhere you look. This popular, tangy eggplant dip grew in popularity in the U.S. mostly in the last ten years or so. I think of it as hummus's lesser known sibling. The hummus boom made the garbanzo bean version of this dip wildly popular and I have to wonder, why not eggplant? What made hummus so much more common? The plethora of hummus flavors out there is overwhelming. There is everything from roasted pepper or olive hummus to Buffalo-style hummus and pesto hummus. I have even seen edamame hummus. While these are exciting alternatives to the standard, I see no reason to limit myself to all beans. I love a good batch of baba ghanouj (my preferred spelling) with it's vague smokiness from the roasting, creaminess from the tahini, and bit of acidity on the tongue. I wonder, why can't we change a few seasonings and make flavored baba ghanouj the way some hummus companies and kitchens make flavored hummus?

Traditional baba ghanouj is made with a roasted eggplant (roasted over a flame, if possible, to achieve that smokiness), tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil. To be really traditional, you could add a wee bit of pomegranate molasses, found in Middle Eastern stores, and I love adding toasted cumin seeds and some sweet paprika. That is the classic version--not too far off from what is added to garbanzo beans for traditional hummus.

Versatile ingredients all ready to go!

For my eggplant dip to rival hummus, I am going to roast a medium eggplant with some garlic cloves, add fresh oregano, olive oil, and balsamic reduction drizzled on top in lieu of the pomegranate molasses.  Rather than a taste of the Middle East, we are off to Italy for this one. This is great served with sliced Italian bread, focaccia, or pita. I may even try to scrounge up some dried figs, stew them to soften them and garnish the top with wintery sweetness.

Italian Baba Ghanouj with Balsamic Reduction and Stewed Figs

1 medium eggplant
6-8 cloves garlic, with skins on
2 T extra-virgin olive oil+ 4 T
1/3 c +2 T inexpensive, everyday balsamic vinegar
8 dried figs
2 t freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 t chopped fresh oregano, or 1/4 t dried
1/2 t sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

crusty bread, focaccia, or flatbread for serving


Preheat to oven to 350 degrees. Wash the eggplant and coat gently with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place on a large piece of foil that is laid across a baking sheet. Rub cloves of garlic with another tablespoon of oil. Nestle them near the eggplant in the center of the foil and wrap them loosely.

Roast for about 40 minutes, checking after about 25 minutes to check the garlic cloves. If they are very soft before the eggplant, pull them out and let them cool. When eggplant is done roasting, open the foil and also let it cool.

In a small saucepan, cook the balsamic vinegar over medium heat to reduce by 1/2. It is done when it is thick and syrupy. You can go a little over and reduce more, but don't reduce less. Transfer to a bowl.

Without washing the pot, add about 1/2 c water, 2 T balsamic vinegar, and the dried figs. Simmer until figs are very tender and water/balsamic mixture is just about evaporated. Let cool, then quarter the figs.

When eggplant is cooled, slice open and scrape out the insides into a mixing bowl. Mash with lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste. Add about half of the balsamic reduction and taste, adding and adjusting salt and lemon, as well.

Pour into a low flat bowl to serve. Garnish the top with olive oil, balsamic reduction, and quartered figs. Serve room temperature with warm bread.

Mediterranean Bruschetta with Fava Bean Puree

If you are lucky enough to have a market that carries fresh fava beans in season, then be sure to pick some up when you see them. They are typically found fresh in June in the northeast, but are now available in cans and jars. There are even cooked favas in water in a vacuum seal pack at Whole Foods in the produce section so, while fresh is best, your fava season can be extended if you love them as much as I do. Fava beans have an earthy, green flavor that hold their own as an hors d'eouvre or are often seen sauteed and as an accompaniment to fish or chicken. They are fresh, bright green, and addictive.

Drain and rinse.

I bought a huge batch this spring and shelled, peeled (the tender, beany outer skins), blanched, and froze a bunch to extend my fava season. Unlike canned, jarred, or dried, they kept their perky green color and taste so fresh I thought they should be showcased on a baguette. Served with zucchini pancakes and roasted tomato sauce, this is a fantastic late-summer vegetarian/flexitarian meal or it's perfect as an appetizer.

Mediterranean Bruschetta with Fava Bean Puree

3-5 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

Cool roasted garlic before peeling.

extra-virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup total)
1 1/2 cups cooked fava beans

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Spelt lasagna noodles and roasted tomatoes ready to go!

Wondering what to do with a bumper crop of zucchini and tomatoes? Try this improvised version of a classic favorite. I am using whole spelt noodles (from VitaSpelt) to keep it really healthy and nutritious. Thinly slice the veggies you have, broil them, and layer them with the cooked pasta and whole cheese from pastured cows.  Rather than sticking to just my suggestions, use any summer vegetables that tempt you--  artichokes, spinach, chard (the leafy stuff you can saute, not roast, of course), carrots, parsnips, onions, whatever is in season and abundant near you will go just fine.

Instead of a heavy, slow-cooked tomato sauce,  roasted Roma tomatoes will keep this lasagna summery and fresh. For cheese, a classic combo of ricotta and mozzarella is always welcome, but don't be afraid of substituting chevre in the middle or provolone on top. Maybe there is fresh farmer cheese at the greenmarket. Maybe there is something else that strikes your fancy--sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or roasted peppers? Follow this basic formula, whichever you choose. Serve it with some simply dressed greens

Try using a few varieties of summer squash

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

3-3 1/2 lb Roma tomatoes
4 T+   extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
sea and freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg spelt lasagna noodles
2 lb assorted zucchini and summer squash
10-15 leaves fresh basil, washed
1 15 oz container pasture-raised ricotta
3 cups shredded provolone cheese


Preheat oven to broil. Put a big pot of lightly salted water on the stove to boil. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil to prevent a nasty clean-up.

Slice the tomatoes into 1/3" thick slices and transfer them to the lined sheet pan. Add a tsp of the minced garlic and about 2 Tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and gently rub tomatoes with seasonings with clean hands until evenly distributed. Place under the broiler for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Transfer tomatoes to a mixing bowl. Thinly slice summer squash the long way (1/4"-1/3" thick slices?).  Transfer to the pan that the tomatoes were in and season with the remaining oil and garlic, as well as sea salt and pepper. Broil these for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.  Let cool and switch oven to 350 F.

Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta cooks, prepare a 9"x13" lasagna pan. Lightly oil with extra-virgin olive oil.

Layer lasagna in baking dish beginning with a layer of tomatoes and basil leaves, then pasta, then summer squash, pasta, ricotta. Repeat pasta and veggies. Be sure to layer the tomatoes on thick in the middle, so lasagna is saucy and fresh at the same time.  Discard excess tomato juice in bowl (or use it in minestrone) Finish with some tomatoes, then top with shredded provolone.

Bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
Let rest 5 minutes and serve.

Brrrr. Haven't Seen the Sun (chokes) for Days.

Italian Treviso on the left, American Treviso on the right!

After much anticipation, followed by a bit of procrastination, I waited until the coldest weekend of the year thus far to research my first published article outside of my blog. It turned out great, thankfully, but Friday was certainly one frigid Brooklyn adventure.

As I hopped around Brooklyn on bus, train, and foot, seeking cozy spots for cold weather dinner and drinks, I saw some exciting and some not-so-exciting spots and feel like I may have uncovered some gems, as well as personally black-listed some holes.  I finished my day meeting friends for dinner and drinks in Bushwick, Brooklyn WAY off the beaten path at a hip little cabin-style joint called Northeast Kingdom.  It did make the article based on great ambiance and decent food, but mostly because of the nifty little salad that follows below.  Then, today, while 80% of this country was glued to football, I bravely ventured out in the 17 degree temperatures to hit Eataly, Mario Batali's new(ish)  Italian enclave which is a gorgeous and vibrant indoor marketplace with an Italian-style bustle. Adventurous, aren't I?  What a weekend!

Look at this stuff! Am I in Manhattan in January or Italy in June?

Eataly was certainly the highlight of it all, though it wasn't what I was writing about...I was just there for my own benefit, really.  From the moment I entered, Eataly wowed me with the bushels, baskets, and mounds of gorgeous produce displayed in a very European fashion. They had an exhausting assortment of fruits and squash, sun-dried tomatoes (both red and yellow), exotic citrus including citron and bergamot, and any continental specialty item you can dream of.  The Italian soda/juice department was just as tempting as the wine section.  The shapes and colors in the pasta aisles were astounding.  The cheese...the cheese...more varieties of fresh mozzarella than I can count on both hands...the cheese...

Egg Pasta

Just one of many tempting pastry cases.

I managed to maintain some level of decorum and only bought a few affordable items I know I will use in the near future.  The charcuterie, meat, and fish sections were tempting but I knew not to even start or I would leave with more than would be eaten at my house this week.  This place is seriously food paradise.  I spotted a huge gluten-free import section which is useful for some, tons of handmade sauces, pastas, desserts, and more.  In the manner of a real Italian marketplace, there were cases of teeny tiny beautiful desserts and pastries, not to take home, but to stand at one of the many counters and enjoy with a properly pulled espresso.

The crowds moved at an Italian pace, which strangely didn't make me nuts here.  Anywhere else, that would have evoked my classic New York 'sidewalk rage'.  Not here.  I moved leisurely with the crowd and was able to navigate my way just fine.  Even the crowded counters with people sucking mussels and sipping Montepulciano in the middle of the pathways only added to the truly European feel that Eataly provides.

There are also various restaurants, an Italian bakery, a gelateria which took all of my self control to bypass, and a serious Lavazza espresso presence as well as aisles of chocolates, jams, sauces, and condiments everywhere.

When I got home, all I wanted was a glass of wine and some simple, Italian-braised veggies to be eaten with leisure.  I had some basics and one killer cheese.  Isn't that what a simple Italian meal is all about?  What a glorious day of goodness!

While there, I was able to pick up a bag of sunchokes and some red endive, something I normally wouldn't even attempt to find.  In order to duplicate our best dish of Friday night, I needed them and they just came to me.  I am meant to duplicate this salad.

So...to return to Northeast Kingdom on Friday night, I wanted to mainly research the place and be able to write a good

Another day, another wheel of Parmigiano Reggi

blurb about it's coziness.  We met some friends there and ordered a small assortment of goodies.  It was all fine and fairly decent, but the shining star of this meal, everyone agreed upon.

Roasted Sunchoke and Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Fourme d'ambert dressing and Red Endive.

I know.  Get out of here.  Yes, that is what we ate and it was amazing.  Thank goodness Eataly provided me with those sunchokes and red endive.  It was indeed a salad meant to be at my table.  Here is my version of what we had.  If you have trouble finding the red endive, substitute regular green endive.  Texturally, you could substitute the sunchokes (aka Jeruselum artichokes) for fingerling potatoes, but flavor-wise the sunchokes are an integral ingredient.  Try to find them if you can.

Roasted Sunchoke and Roasted Red Pepper Salad 

with Fourme d'ambert Dressing and Red Endive

1/2 lb sunchokes/Jeruselum artichokes, well-scrubbed

2 medium red bell peppers

1 T+1T extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

1 t minced garlic

2 red endives, end trimmed off and leaves halved once into 2 square-ish pieces (halved the short way)

Dressing:

about 1/4 cup Fourme d'ambert cheese (or good gorgonzola if you can't find it)

1/2 t minced garlic

2 t fresh lemon juice

1 t honey

2 T white wine vinegar

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 t sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Halve sunchokes the long way and transfer to a mixing bowl.  Rub with 1 T extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and a bit of salt and pepper.   Transfer to a baking sheet and arrange on half of it.  Rub the red peppers with the other tablespoon of olive oil and arrange on the other half of the baking sheet.

Roast 30-40 minutes, until sunchokes are tender and red peppers are soft and skin's blister.  Transfer peppers to a mixing bowl while still hot and cover with plastic wrap, tightly.  Set aside for 20 minutes.  Let sunchokes cool and transfer to a mixing bowl.  Add prepped red endive.

Make dressing while waiting for peppers to finish resting by blending ingredients in food processor or blender.  Set dressing aside.

After about 20 minutes, peel skin from red peppers and de-seed.  Slice into long elegant strips about 1/4 inch wide.  Add to endive and sunchokes.  

Toss with dressing, starting with about half of it.  Add more to your personal taste and grind a bit of fresh black pepper on top.  Serve immediately.

Some Cuisine of the Catskills

"If I sit on the hearth by the fire and stare at them, maybe they will give me some attention."

 It's been a cold and snowy 2011 so far and I've already been wanting a much-needed vacation or maybe just a break from the snowy, snowy city. Last weekend, we had the pleasure of being invited to our friends' ski chalet in the Catskill mountains.  We drove the 2 1/2 hour trip during the second snowstorm of the new year knowing that once we arrived, it could snow all weekend and we wouldn't mind a bit.  We were about to spend the weekend with great friends, great food, frosty air, and open sky. 

Just some of  Sweet Sue's pancake menu

The chalet is adorable and comfortable, has a cozy fireplace, and even has an outdoor hot tub perfect for frigid snowy nights.  We enjoyed it almost as much as we enjoyed the company of the good friends we sat in it with (and their adorable dog, too, but he wasn't allowed in the hot tub).  It was a welcome three-day procrastination from getting back to the grind in NYC and gearing up for regular life again now that the holidays are over.  We ate and drank well the entire weekend, by both combining efforts at the chalet and hitting a few favorite local haunts that we love to visit when we are up that way.  Both restaurants can be found in a nearby town, Phoenicia, NY, a quaint and tiny town nestled in the mountains full of cute and hip spots and colorful locals.

One spot we love is a quirky combo of a place called The Sportsman's Alamo on one side (great California-style Mexican) and Brio's (homemade, fresh Italian) on the other side.  They are two restaurants that share a kitchen and allow you to order off either menu regardless of which side you have chosen to dine.  Friday night after we arrived and unpacked, we headed straight there.  My husband, Will, got his favorite menu item, which is incidentally the only thing he has ever gotten there.  His pepperoni, onion, and green pepper calzone with fresh mozzarella and ricotta is the only thing he even considers when coming. I enjoyed my chipotle shrimp with a huge serving of fresh sauteed spinach as much as I did the the Chilean Cabernet.  I was so immersed in my great meal, I can't tell you what our hosts got.  Probably something delicious. 

For our favorite Catskills breakfast spot we hit up Sweet Sue's Saturday morning, which has the most diverse and incredible pancake menu this side of the Hudson, as well as great coffee, outstanding house-baked breads and muffins, and just exceptional all-around brunch food. At our table, we had the biggest 1" thick pancakes I've ever seen.  They never cease to amaze me.  One order of blueberry and one order of chocolate chip for the boys.  Two Greek omelettes for the girls and assorted sausage--handmade turkey sausage (the size of a hamburger!), classic beef/pork, and veggie sausage, as well.  Bottomless cups of coffee rounded things out and we had to roll ourselves to the car.

The Porn Horns kicking back ready for another eating session.

Our hostess made two incredible lasagnas that night with a beautiful salad and we had flourless chocolate cake for dessert. On Sunday morning, she whipped up some lovely broccoli quiches without flinching, despite the fact that we were up late boozing in the hot tub.  We ate assorted appetizers the entire time including quinoa tabouli with whole wheat flatbread, spinach artichoke dip (you know the one), local Hudson Valley tomato-basil cheddar cheese, the hostess' own marinated antipasti, semolina bread with olive oil and balsamic, and plenty of wine.  I won't tell how much. Yep, we know how to do it.  Now for that New Year's scale-back on the gooey food and gluttony.

The chalet kitchen was up and running the whole time.

Below is my favorite part of our huge appetizer spread.  It was simple and delicious and my part-Italian hostess demonstrated delicious Italian simplicity by her choices of antipasti and pepper-marinating.  It is the way to go for a light and delicious appetizer selection.  

Hostess Antipasti Platter

1 6 oz jar roasted red peppers

1 clove garlic, finely minced

dash of dried oregano

dash of sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 T+1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup oil-cured black olives

1 loaf really fresh Italian bread

1 t balsamic vinegar

Italian or Italian-inspired cheese (such as above mentioned 'Hudson valley-made tomato basil cheddar')

Drain the peppers and slice into thin strips or rings and transfer to a small bowl.  Add minced garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of good olive oil.  Toss together and let marinate.  Refrigerate if you are making this well in advance (and you should!  It gets better the longer it marinates.)

When you are getting ready to serve, warm the bread in a hot oven and set up the platter.  Combine the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil with the balsamic and a pinch of salt and pepper and put in a tiny dipping bowl.  Slice cheese into 1/4" thick squares or triangles, whatever makes sense for the cheese.  

Arrange cheese, olives, oil, sliced bread, and marinated roasted peppers on a platter.  It is simple to do and marvelous to taste. 

Tuscan Ribollita

Simplify, simplify, simplify.  Things are kooky, nutty, and chaotic here with me having one of my busiest seasons yet and my husband, Will, in his first semester of grad school.  Working around the clock with end-of-semester projects at one end of our railroad apartment.  At the other end, mounds of shopping bags, lists, cookbooks, recipes jotted on scratch paper, food labels, filthy food-splashed clogs, and somewhere that tube of hand cream that I can never quite locate.

The crack of dawn at Union Square

The place as a whole is surprisingly not trashed since we have been steadily trying to tidy up as we go to prevent a complete lifestyle meltdown.  No strolling around 'marketing' for our veggies right now.  We have been almost exclusively Fresh Direct (online grocery delivery, for the non-New Yorkers who don't know what that is).  I feel lucky on days where I have one normal meal, hit the gym at some point, and sleep at least 6 hours.  Wellness Fizz and green juice are a part of my agenda when I remember.  .  .That's where I am.  It's sad to not have time to reflect on the new experimental dishes and old favorites that I pretty much live with as my main focus every day.  The produce in season has long since changed since I had a moment to walk around at the greenmarket, photograph pretty veggies, and create a recipe to go with them. 

Brooding root vegetables, beautiful like Gothic architecture.

This past week, I was fortunate enough to have a cook-at-home day.  The client just wanted a homemade soup delivery and was craving a hearty Tuscan something with lots of seasonal veggies, plus one other of my choice.  With zeal and zest, I trotted down to our neighborhood's health food store at 8am on the dot.  I wanted to get this work day over with so I could catch up on other things.  I found big waxy looking bunches of lacinato kale, beautiful green cabbage with streaks of purple in the curly outer leaves, decent Roma tomatoes, local fennel bulbs, and a nice organic fresh herb mix.  Yes! Tuscan soup in the making!

I also gathered my ingredients for Black Bean Soup (this is my go-to black bean soup since I tried this recipe from my friends at Grapes and Greens, FYI.) and headed home to get this soup party cooking, finished, and delivered.  Time's a wastin'.  As I chopped and prepped, I kept reminding myself to simplify.  Just focus on the soup and I can make our dinner, mop the floor, plan client menus, and sort laundry later.  Just because I can multi-task doesn't mean I always have to multi-task--a continually difficult concept for a chef, a New Yorker, or a high-energy person to accept and live with. 

As I sliced the fennel and munched on scraps, shredded cabbage and started simmering these pungent and earthy veggies, I simplified.  Focusing on each step, I stood over the pot while the fennel became translucent. This Tuscan soup gave me some much-needed respite from the frantic pace I'm used to.  It reminded and amused me that this fragrant traditional soup from Italy caused those around it to take on an easy Italian pace, each step producing new colors, textures, and fragrances to appreciate.   I highly recommend making some of this Tuscan Ribollita and slowing down the pace rather than rush out to the holiday crowds.  It is so good and packed with dark leafy veggies.  It might even ward off a cold if you are starting to run down.
I'm off to have another bowl right now.

Ribollita in the works!

Tuscan Ribollita

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large celery stalks, diced
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 large unpeeled Yukon Gold potato, scrubbed and cubed
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced crosswise
1 large pinch of dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 bunch of lacinato kale (aka dinosaur kale), cut
     into 1” ribbons
4 cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage
5 large plum tomatoes, chopped
1 2-inch Parmesan cheese rind
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Pinch of crushed red pepper
2-4 cups vegetable broth

(opt.) serve with crusty ciabatta bread

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add onion; sprinkle with sea salt.  Cook until onion is translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. 

Add celery, carrot, potato, fennel, thyme, and sage; cook until vegetables are tender and bring t turn brown in spots, stirring often, 15-18 minutes. 

Add kale, chard, cabbage, tomatoes, cheese rind, 5 cups water and 1 teaspoon sea salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 1 ½ hours.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Rosemary Bread sticks ready to go out.

Chicken Tetrazzini.  It isn't the first thing that comes to mind when menu planning.  I have yet to be tempted to put it on a client's menu or our own.   For me, it has connotations of gloopy gloppy canned cream of something mixed with frozen bits of something and slopped up. It sounds pretty gross and I'm not sure where this peculiar vision came from, but it is what I think of when the words chicken tetrazzini pass my way.  When it was requested by a favorite client who loves to entertain, who am I to say no?  I said yes, of course! For 30 people?  Sure. Why not?
 

Cheese Platter prep

The crowd was pretty casual and were all friends, a group of avid bicyclists as a matter of fact (I guess they bike off all the pasta and bechamel calories or something because these people can seriously eat.).  Last year, I cooked for the same gathering and provided a gi-normous 50 lb white lasagna so full of cheese and butter that I'm still not completely over the ordeal.

Prep for tetrazzini recipe x 5.  That's a lot of tetrazzini!

In recipe research I learned that there are gloopy gloppy versions of chicken tetrazzini that are sort of 'instant' where you mix together some cans of stuff and boil chicken, but there are also some 'from scratch' recipes that involved fresh veggies sauteed, pan-cooked chicken breasts in butter, fresh parsley, and bakery bread crumbs.  It's a little more (okay, a lot more) work, but, in my humble opinion, totally worth it.  I choose bechamel any day over a can of pasty gelatinous 'stuff'.  I served a huge Boston and Red leaf lettuce salad, a big vegetable saute, assorted fresh bakery rolls, as well as a serious appetizer/cocktail hour and dessert from The Little Red Hen Bakery on the upper east side (chocolate layer cake and ice cream for this crowd).

It all went off without a hitch and everyone had a good time.  The recipe I ended up using was one from Giada de Laurenttiis, who tends to make very decadent 'Italian' food.  I trust her when it comes to something like this, since she doesn't head for the canned goods shelf in the pantry every time she cooks.  She does it right, and for this chicken tetrazzini, so did I.  I multiplied her recipe times five for this crowd (which hilariously brought the first ingredient to 45 tablespoons of butter.).  Here is the recipe with some changes and additions, as I deemed necessary.  I added the chopped roasted red peppers and changed just a bit of procedure.

...and there it is.  This one wins the award for biggest tetrazzini

I just had a flash!  This would be the perfect answer to all of those turkey leftovers you just don't know what to do with!  Turkey tetrazzini a few days after Thanksgiving to kick off the holiday season?  I don't know...it could be a new tradition...

Chicken Tetrazzini

recipe adapted from one by Giada De Laurentiis

9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound white mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cups chopped fire-roasted red peppers, medium dice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguini
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
1/4 cup bakery breadcrumbs


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13x9 baking dish.  Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly.  Coarsely shred the chicken in to bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan.  Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushorooms evaporates and the mushrooms become golden, about 12 minutes.  Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the roasted peppers and wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes,  Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat.  Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper.  Increase the heat to high.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but stilll firm the to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes.  Drain.  Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture.  Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well-blended.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish.  Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend.  Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta.  Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter.  Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.

Cornmeal Gnocchi

I have never really understood obsession that some people have with pasta.  It's good, but it's rarely so good I crave a repeat.  Honestly, I probably ate a ton of it in college with plain old jarred sauce and just got sick of it,  forgetting how great fresh pasta with a delicate and flavorful sauce can really be.  This being said, I really and truly appreciate fresh, homemade pasta, probably more than the average joe.  I have tried my hand at making pasta a few times and know it isn't foolproof.  Even simple semolina pasta made by hand involves skill, practice, and a handful of luck.

Well, this weekend with my foodie friend, Lori, in town for a visit, we headed to Little Italy on Saturday night.   Along with a few other food-loving girls, we headed to Holly's favorite, Da Nico Ristorante.  They don't take reservations, but we were seated in their huge, sprawling garden within ten minutes.  A beautiful and unique house-made bruschetta-type flatbread came to the table right away.  It was delicious.  It was a round flatbread-type crust that suggested a brick oven in action.  This crisp and flaky crust was topped with ripe, sweet tomato chunks just chopped and tossed with garlic, lemon, and basil.  When your ingredients are this fresh and impeccable, simplicity like this is the way to go!

On such a warm and beautiful night, we ordered a crisp and citrus-y Pinot Grigio and took our time perusing the menu.  The pasta selection was great!  Traditional preparations like pomodoro sauce and Bolognese sauce were offered, as well as creative preparations like spicy vodka sauce with olives and fresh mozzarella, pesto, and various chicken and seafood preparations.  All pastas were made in house.  They also had a vast selection of pizzas and non-pasta entrees/secondo corso as well.  Delectable.

Potato gnocchi is always where I gravitate on an Italian menu if it is offered.  Those chewy little potato dumplings are so addictive and I like them with just about any sauce.  So that is what I ordered--Gnocchi Napolitana.

It arrived and was outrageously delicious.  It may be the most tender, yet flavorful gnocchi I have had.  Very fresh mozzarella was chopped into pieces about the size of the gnocchi and the mixture was gently tossed in a very fresh and delicate tomato sauce and topped with a huge sprig of aromatic basil.

My friends enjoyed the Rigatoni with Olives and Fresh Tomatoes, a special that offered Lobster Chunks in a Spicy Vodka Sauce that was divine, and a classic Spaghetti with Bolognese.  We ate well.  At the end, the waiter brought us a plate of zeppoles on the house (not that we were able to eat much more!).

The service here was great and we felt not a bit rushed, which is a rarity and a huge plus for a busy garden restaurant like this in NYC.  What a great spot!  This is a place to remember for great Italian eats.  A hidden gem!

Now that I am thinking about gnocchi, I will share a gnocchi recipe that I haven't made in ages, but was a huge hit and often-requested dish with my clients a few years back.  I would serve this with a roasted pepper-infused tomato sauce or cilantro butter.  It isn't traditional like what we had on Saturday, but it is a guaranteed hit!

Buon Appetito!

Cornmeal Gnocchi

1 cup cold mashed potatoes

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1/2 tsp sea salt

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together to make a soft dough.  The best way to do this is mashing everything together with clean hands.

Divide the dough into fourths.  On a floured board with floured hands, roll each quarter into a rope 12 inches long.  Slice each rope into 15 pieces.  After slicing, roll the dough between two forks the make some cute ridges, if you like.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the gnocchi.  Cook until the gnocchi float to the top.  Drain and serve with a classic or creative sauce.

The simplest homemade pasta that there is!

Chews in the 'Cuse

As great as city living can be, sometimes you just have to get out and reconnect with how the other half lives. It's easy to forget what it feels like to just hop in the car and go somewhere without traffic or go out to brunch without an hour-long wait.  Last weekend we headed 4 1/2 hours north to Syracuse, NY where our good friends, Matt and Nicole, moved for graduate school and a break from the New York City pace.  The sun was shining Thursday as we hopped into the car with iced coffees and a charged ipod.  We drove upstate via New Jersey and Pennsylvania and hit Syracuse before the sun was even down!  Aaaahhh.  Out of the city!

our gracious hosts enjoying some local craft beer

We enjoyed some awesome cheese and wine (way too much, I may add.)  as soon as we arrived.  Nicole and I share a love of cheese and she always has a knack for cocktail hour.  Her cheese platter had an aged blue served with honey, a young gouda served with grainy mustard, and a pungent Tallegio that needed no condiment!  Yum.  We then enjoyed some grilled trout that Will had caught the day before, as well as grilled flank steak for the carnivores, grilled summer squash, and rice a'la nicky (No explanation needed.  It's good.)

Well, we were moving slowly the next day, but we managed to motivate and get out in the evening  and hit the world-famous Dinosaur Barbecue.  There we were bowled over by the exquisite craft beer selection, impeccable house-made sauces, and perfection at every turn--not your typical barbecue joint.  They have a few locations including in Rochester and in Harlem, so if you are near one, you definitely want to stop in. We started with truly excellent fried green tomatoes.  My friends enjoyed ribs, chicken, and assorted meats slathered in house sauces and charred to perfection.  I enjoyed the best blackened catfish I've had outside of New Orleans and my Carrot Raisin Salad and Macaroni and Cheese rivals any southern grandmother's.  Each was perfectly seasoned and had depth of flavor including a slight spicy-sweet curry essence in the carrot raisin salad.  Awesome.

We enjoyed a sweet and savory waffle breakfast at a local favorite, Funk and Waffles.  They feature Gimme Coffee (always one of my favorites!) and some house combos, but also a list of batters and toppings to create your own perfect waffle.  I had whole grain batter with spinach and feta.  Needless to say, it was sooooo good.  The guys got classic buttermilk with chocolate chips and they were gone in an instant.

Pastabilities.  The name just doesn't do the place justice.  For our last night chillin' in the 'cuse, we went out to an Italian favorite and enjoyed AMAZING bread with "spicy tomato oil", which was a housemade tomato sauce diluted with rich olive oil and infused with heat.  We could have just had that it was so delicious and fresh...but we didn't.  The fried calamari was ho-hum, but that was quickly forgotten when my balsamic grilled tuna with polenta triangles, sauteed spinach, and roasted yellow peppers arrived.  Perfection.  Will and Nicole enjoyed a local favorite "Chicken Riggies" which we learned about that day that includes a spicy vodka sauce with some cream worked in and cooked with chicken and tossed with rigatoni (aka riggie).  They loved it!  Matt had asparagus and angel hair with pistachio lemon pesto and creme fraiche.  This place is not your every day pasta joint and we went home fat and happy once again.

If you think we haven't eaten enough in just a few days, yes, we went to brunch before we left town.  L'Adour served up the most ooh la la French brunch in town. Crepes, Galettes, Croque Monsieur, pastry, coffee, and something called gingerbread toast topped off our weekend.

If you are ever in Syracuse, don't be afraid that you won't find any good restaurants.  That town knows how to eat.  It was a weekend full of good food and great friends!  Here is a classic recipe for chicken riggies.  It's not about the chicken, but about that delicious sauce, so do what you will, whether it's a classic chicken and riggie toss or a nouveau riggie with veggies.

Chicken Riggies

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cubanelle pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 3 roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 2 hot cherry peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni pasta, and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain and keep warm.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook in the hot oil until lightly browned on all sides, and no longer pink in the center, about 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, and keep warm. Stir the onion, garlic, and cubanelle peppers. Cook and stir until the onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Add the roasted red peppers, hot cherry peppers, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the heavy cream and cooked chicken. Simmer 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Roasted Artichoke Pesto Bruschetta with Creme Fraiche and Chives

Tissue Paper and Baby Sock Flowers for the Shower

Well, it was a fun-filled weekend with the warm weather and busy-ness of our trip to CT! We celebrated birthdays, had a baby shower for my lovely sis-in-law, celebrated Easter, and visited with an old friend. It was a blast and the shower was a success! We offered a homemade, seasonal hors d'oeuvres for guests to munch on arrival and it turned out great!

Featuring my favorite spring vegetable, the artichoke, I made it in advance and had no problem setting it up quickly. This would be a great snack, soup accompaniment, hors d'oeuvre, or potluck addition, so try it out and don't eat it all before the guests arrive!

Roasted Artichoke Pesto Bruschetta with Creme Fraiche and Chives

6 large artichokes (you can use frozen or canned, but I love them fresh!)
2 juicy lemons
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp finely minced garlic (for roasting), plus 1 large clove garlic (for blending into pesto)
extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, chopped into chunks or smallish pieces
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 fresh baguette, sliced into 1/3" thick slices
chives and creme fraiche for garnish



FOR THE PESTO:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut 1/4 inch from the top of one artichoke, then slice away the tough leaves. Scoop the scary hairy stuff from the center and squeeze with lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt. Transfer them to a baking sheet. Continue with remaining artichokes. Be sure to do each artichoke individually and get lemon juice on it asap--they oxidize and turn a scary brownish color quickly.

When they are all prepped, add freshly ground black pepper, garlic, and a dash of extra-virgin olive oil. Rub together and distribute seasonings with clean hands and roast, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, until browned and tender. Let cool for a few minutes while you toast the pine nuts, watching them closely.

Toast pine nuts for 5-10 minutes, until just fragrant and beginning to color.

Place artichokes in a food processor with large clove of garlic, toasted pine nuts, parmigiano reggiano, sea salt, lemon juice, and oregano. Blend until smooth. Mixture will have some texture, but just make sure garlic and artichokes are blended. Chill until 2 hours before serving, if you are making it ahead. Otherwise, serve slightly warm or room temp.

TO SERVE

Spread 1-2 Tbsp of pesto onto baguette slices. Dot each piece with 1/4 tsp creme fraiche and a little snip of chives.

La Taverna

If you are looking for decent eats at a low price, La Taverna may be just what you are looking for. They opened in Greenpoint, Brooklyn about seven months ago on Manhattan Avenue at Java Street. It is an Italian trattoria-style restaurant complete with heavy carved wooden chairs, textured plaster walls in a sunny yellow, wrought iron chandeliers, and a flat screen tv at the bar with a futbol game playing. The menu is fresh, authentic-sounding, and very, very affordable. Not to mention they don't have a liquor license yet so it's still BYO. I noticed the place last summer and the menu looked great, I just hadn't heard a word about it from anyone. From the looks of the decor, the owners definitely invested time, money, and heart to make the place just right. This weekend, Will and I made the right decision and decided to pop in for a casual dinner out.

Wine bottle in hand, we walked in and were immediately greeted by a stout, middle-aged man with a ton of energy. We later realized that this guy was Papa Gino. He made a few silly old guy jokes, took our wine to open it, and seated us. There were only two other tables of two seated out of about 12-15 tables in the dining room. For a frigid winter night, this probably was close to typical for any restaurant, but not at all good for a struggling new restaurant.

Recession-wise, it isn't a great time to open up a small restaurant and the dead winter season only adds to the struggle. These factors always make me skeptical about how fresh or good anything will be, especially considering the large menu and the amount of ingredients that they needed to stock to be able to expedite it.

Well, whether the place will be good or not wasn't going to be a mystery much longer, so we decided to set some expectations and really go for it. We ordered grilled calamari on greens and ordered the garlic bread appetizer for luck. If you want a good feel for the freshness or quality of a restaurant's product, I say order the most delicate, perishable item on the appetizer menu and see what they do with it. You will quickly know if you want to have an entree or bolt after the first course.

The calamari was tender, sweet, and flavorful. It offered a nice, lightly charred aroma and was plated over mixed baby greens with a very fresh tasting lemon vinaigrette. We agreed that it was delicious and proceeded to devour it, along with the very buttery, very garlicky garlic bread. Will did point out that despite being a good deal (it was only $6 or $7), they didn't give us the briny chewy tentacles, which are my favorite part. What a great guy to be thinking of me and my tentacles with a table full of good food in front of him.

For entrees, we ordered individual pizzas, which were offered in a 10" size and also in, I think, a 14" size. The waitress informed us that there was only whole wheat crust that day, which was great for me, but I think Will was a little disappointed. He's a bit of a pizza purist and likes to test out the classic pie, at least the first time.

The pizzas came and were good. They were not the highlight of the meal, but were passable. The prices were all so low, that I think my expectations were met, even though it wasn't nearly the best pizza I had ever had. The whole wheat crust was great, though--very homemade tasting. My Mediterranean Pizza with feta, spinach, fresh tomatoes, and olives was something I would get again and Will's sausage and cheese disappeared, so I guess it was pretty good, too. Toppings were a bit skimpy, but all flavors were very good. Our first course out-shined the second by far, but we certainly were not about to leave hungry.

I plan on returning in the near future and trying out an entree. The menu offered long lists of fish, pork, beef, and poultry entrees, as well as a nice salad section, and a gorgeous pasta selection. They were also offering free cream of tomato soup or lentil soup with each entree order. Something tells me the entrees, soups, and salads are all quite good and maybe the pizza was a menu afterthought.

Overall, we had a good experience. Papa Gino did a little too much hovering, interrupting, and joke telling, but the truth is, he was likeable and really nice. If it had been busier he would have been spreading his stories and jokes around, rather than saving them all for us. The bathrooms were impeccably clean, the waitress was friendly and efficient, and our bill was around $35. I dare anyone to feast like that in a cute place in Brooklyn for less than that. What a steal! The word around town is they also deliver--I should have grabbed a menu (but then I wouldn't get to see Papa Gino, would I?). If you're a Greenpointer or Williamsburger, check this one out sometime soon and let me know what you got and what you thought of it. They could use the business and I'm sure you could use a decent meal and some Papa Gino jokes.

Hopefully, things pick up and we have La Taverna in the hood for awhile!

La Taverna
946 Manhattan Avenue (corner of Java)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 383-0732
no website...c'mon Papa Gino, get a website
http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-taverna-brooklyn

Buon Giorno!

Sundried Tomato and Pine Nut Terrine

Headed to a holiday party and not sure what to bring? Here is an easy, festive, and healthy hors d'oeuvre to bring along. Accompanied by a thinly sliced ficelle or baguette, or even just crackers, it is an elegant addition to the hors d'eouvre table.

Sundried Tomato and Pine Nut Terrine

Makes about 2 cups

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in ½ cup warm water for 30 minutes ( or use oil-packed, both are fine)
½ c chopped tomatoes
3/4 c pine nuts + 1 T for garnish
½ t minced garlic
1 t fresh lemon juice
1 T natural ketchup
½ t paprika
1/2 cup washed basil leaves
dash of dried oregano
½ t sea salt
½ t agave nectar
a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, as needed


In a food processor, combine sundried tomatoes, tomatoes, 1 cup pinenuts, garlic, lemon, ketchup, paprika, basil leaves, oregano, salt, and agave. Pulse until smooth, adding olive oil until mixture is thick, but spreadable.

Taste and adjust salt and lemon.

*Line the mold you are using with plastic wrap. Sprinkle 1 T pine nuts in the bottom. This will end up being the top of your pate so arrange them accordingly. You can put a few dots or a thin layer of pesto, too, for a Christmas-y look. Carefully spread tomato mixture into the mold, pressing all around the edges with a spatula to make sure there are no big air pockets.

Cover with plastic and chill at least an hour and until you are ready to invert onto a serving plate.

To Invert:
Uncover and place serving plate upside down on the mold. Firmly holding the plate to the mold with both hands, flip it over. Position the terrine on the serving plate, if necessary. Carefully remove the mold. Set aside. Next, carefully remove the plastic, taking care not to disturb the top or sides. You Did It!

If you are taking this to a party, bring the serving plate and the terrine still in the mold. When you arrive, invert there.


* Mold can be a mini-mini loaf pan, a mini bundt pan, a ramequin, or any dish with a cute shape.

Fresh Corn Polenta Cakes

I am on a polenta kick right now. It happens from time to time with me that I pick a food and just go with it. When I was little, about 8 or 9, I spent a whole summer eating sliced tomatoes--I was obsessed. Then, in high school I went on a peanut butter kick and ate peanut butter on everything.

Now my my obsessions are a little more subdued and individual foods aren't quite as exciting to me, but if I make something a few times for clients and it turns out really wonderful, sometimes I have to make it at home so I can stop thinking about it. Here is one of those recipes. I made this last week for a plated dinner party for 14 people and I'm making it today for a 17 year old vegetarian. Versatile, no?

Fresh Corn Polenta Cakes

1 onion, diced small
1 t minced garlic

2 cobs of corn, husked with kernals cut off

2 T butter
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup fine corn polenta
3 finely minced scallions
1 cup grated sharp cheddar


Lightly oil a cookie sheet with olive oil.

In a large pot, cook onion and garlic in butter, until onion softens, about 7 or 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add corn kernals and cook about 10 minutes, until they are cooked.

Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Slowly pour in polenta, whisking the whole time. Turn heat off and continue whisking until polenta is thick. Whisk in scallions and cheddar.

Using a rubber spatula, pour into oiled cookie sheet and smooth out. Using spatula, try to make a level surface and equal thickness throughout. Let cool.

When cooled a bit, cut into squares or cut out circles with a biscuit cutter.

You can warm them in the oven and serve with butter.
OR
Grill them and grill some veggies and serve them together.
OR
Lightly flour and pan fry them.
OR
Warm them in the oven and serve with marinara sauce and parmigiano reggiano.


Here is a cute idea--cut out shapes with cookie cutters and grill them! You could top these with creme fraiche and chives for fantastical appetizers!


I just love polenta.

Vegetable Napoleons!

These vegetable napoleons are so easy and versatile. You can make them to accompany any type of meal and use any combination of vegetables, cheese, polenta, or whatever you want to stack!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Slice veggies of your choice about 1/3-1/2 inch thick. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, garlic, and rosemary in a mixing bowl.

Here are some ideas for stacking veggies:

eggplant
red, green, or yellow peppers
tomatoes
onions
zucchini
yellow squash
fennel
artichokes
portabella mushrooms
butternut or acorn squash

Evenly distribute the veggies on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or so. Some veggies may take a little longer to get tender and slightly browned.

When finished, stack them up, layered with slices of fresh mozzarella, polenta rounds, squares of garlic bread, or anything you can think of! Bake 15-20 minutes, covered, or until hot. Serve with a little marinara and garnish with rosemary.