Easy Holiday Pasta From Chef Michael Chiarello

Check out some easy holiday ideas using pasta to make a spectacular and tasty meal sure to impress everyone - 3 recipes.

From Denny: Did you know this is National Pasta Month? Only in America! :) We have a "National Something" just about every day of the year. Why not celebrate pasta? Pasta done right is an awesome dish. Pasta cooked correctly, under cooked that is, does not swell in your stomach and make you feel bloated. Besides, if a man wants to get a woman to take him seriously all he has to do is cook her favorite pasta dish because women love pasta in all its glorious forms.

Chef Michael Chiarello is well known on Food Network, the Cooking Channel and around the world for his celebration of his Italian heritage and its wonderful food. His restaurant, Bottega, is in the famed wine country of Napa Valley, California and is one of the hottest spots to visit in town. His latest cookbook, "Bottega," named for his restaurant, was released in September to rave reviews and sales.

Chef Chiarello visited The Early Show to give us some easy crowd-pleasing pasta dishes when the relatives and friends come visiting this holiday season. You are sure to be a huge hit with these tasty pasta dishes. And, to top it all off, he also gives wine pairing suggestions. This guy doesn't miss a detail. If you have never caught one of his shows, be sure to tune in as he is a wonderful teacher. He is a favorite at our house. We learn a lot about California wine from him.


Recipes Featured:

Spaghettini Cooked in Zinfandel with Spicy Broccoli Rabe and Pecorino Romano
Tagliarini with Manila Clams and Calabrese Sausage
Salsa di Parmigiano








Spaghettini Cooked in Zinfandel with Spicy Broccoli Rabe and Pecorino Romano

This pasta is a celebration of one of my favorites grapes, Zinfandel. Seldom is zinfandel given the respect I think it deserves. This dish lets you kneel at the altar of Zinfandel, a glass of it on your right hand, an entire plate of it on your left. The pasta is barely cooked in water, and then you finish cooking it in zinfandel until it's deep purple. Paired with a little broccoli rabe and some pecorino, this is a dish that is simple and yet extravagant.

It's a great crowd pleaser but one that might need explanation. Spaghetti and spagettini are expected to be doused in tomato sauce; this dish shows that spaghetti has a wider range than you might imagine.

Wine Pairing: Zinfandel

Serves: 4 as main course or 8 as first course

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe
1 pound spaghettini
1 750-ml red wine, preferably zinfandel
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sliced garlic (about 3 medium cloves)
1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt, preferably gray salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

Directions:

Bring an eight-quart pot of salted water to a boil, cook the broccoli rabe for about 3 minutes, and then transfer to a sheet tray and spread it out to cool. Using the same water, cook the spaghettini for half the normal time, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes. You'll do the second half of the cooking in the zinfandel. Reserve one cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta in a colander and set it aside. Return the empty pasta pot to the stove. You'll sauté the garlic at the same time that you finish cooking the pasta in wine.

Heat a large deep skillet until hot. Pour in the olive oil. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Cook until the garlic is pale golden, about 3 minutes.

Pour the wine and the sugar into the drained pasta pot and boil vigorously over high heat to reduce 50 percent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the spaghetti to the pot and shake the pot to prevent the pasta from sticking. Gently stir with tongs until coated and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 6 minutes (pasta will be al dente).

When the garlic is golden, add the chili paste and the blanched broccoli rabe to the skillet, add salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Add the garlic, chili paste, and blanched broccoli rabe to the purple spaghettini, toss gently, and transfer onto individual plates or one big platter. Finish with grated pecorino cheese.





Tagliarini with Manila Clams and Calabrese Sausage

In different incarnations, this has been a part of my repertoire for 25 years. It's one of my all-time favorites, and all it needs is a cold glass of Pinot Grigio or a Bianco from Friuli to make it sing. Add some blanched rapini (broccoli rabe) to round out the meal.

Like many of my favorite dishes, this one began with fishermen. They brought dried sausages on their boats, caught clams, and cooked the two together for supper. You'll find variations of this shellfish-and-cured pork idea in China, Portugal, Spain -- in just about every fishing village around the world.

You can use either cherrystone or Manila clams. Manilas open faster than cherrystones, within about four minutes. If you don't own a sauté pan large enough to hold a pound of pasta and a lot of clams, a big roasting pan set right on the burners of your stove will work in its place, or you can use a Dutch oven. Taste before adding any salt; the sausage has a good amount of salt and you may not need any extra.

Wine Pairing: Greco, Pinot Grigio, or Friuli Bianco

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

24 manila clams or cherrystone clams (1 pound), scrubbed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sliced garlic
3 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup peeled and diced Calabrian sausage or any spicy salami or chorizo
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds fresh egg pasta or store-bought, cut into tagliarini (1/8-inch-wide ribbons), or 1 pound dried tagliarini
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup late-harvest extra-virgin olive oil for tossing

Directions:

Toss out any clams that aren't tightly closed. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Heat a large sauté pan, roasting pan, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and, when it's hot, add the garlic. Sauté until the garlic is light brown. Immediately add the clams and cook until you hear them popping, no more than 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the wine.

Increase the heat to high, place the pan on the heat for just 30 seconds, then reduce the heat to medium-high. (If using cherrystone clams, you'll need to cover the pan.) Using tongs, transfer the opened clams to a baking sheet. Shake the pan to redistribute the closed clams. (If cooking cherrystone clams, lift the lid every 30 seconds or so and take out any opened clams.)

After 5 minutes, give any clam that has not opened a good tap with a pair of tongs or a metal spoon, and put it back in the liquid, cooking for another minute to see if it will open. Discard any clams that do not open. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, cooking for about 1 minute to reduce the liquid. Add any clam juice to the pan, along with the basil, sausage, and black pepper.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until not quite al dente, because you'll finish cooking it in the pan used to cook the clams. (Again, the clock isn't as important as tasting to tell when the pasta is ready.) Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Add the pasta to the sauté pan and toss for 1 minute. Add the clams and the parsley and toss. If the pasta is dry, add 1/2 cup of the pasta water, or more if needed. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes more for fresh pasta or 3 to 4 more for dried. Taste to tell when the pasta is perfect. Toss with the late-harvest olive oil and serve right away.



Salsa di Parmigiano

Serves: 2+ Cups

8 ounces Parmesan cheese, broken into 1" chunks
8 ounces Asiago cheese, broken into 1" chunks
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 teaspoon pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for about 10 seconds, to break the cheese into small granules. (Use a rubber spatula to scrape down and recombine between every couple of pulses.)

Transfer the salsa to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving.


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Fall Comfort Food NYC Chef Style: Braised Osso Buco, Risotto, Salad

Check out how to make Italian comfort food in an hour, all done in the oven - 3 recipes.




*** Another version of Osso Buco served with sweet potato fries by @joefoodie at flickr


From Denny: Chef and cookbook author Ron Suhanosky paid a visit to The Early Show on CBS to show home cooks how to make the ultimate comfort food, Italian style, called Osso Buco. If you have never enjoyed this tasty dish now is the time to try your hand at making it at home! It's one of those dishes I will get when I dine out and the weather is really cold and wintry as it warms you right up. Make sure you don't eat for three days before because this is hearty filling food. :) This would be a great holiday meal this Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year season.

Chef Suhanosky founded the Sfoglia restaurants in Manhattan and Nantucket. He is now off on his own adventures, leaving the restaurants in good hands. His passion? Bringing people together over great food.


Recipes Featured:

Braised Osso Buco with Fall Root Vegetables
Risotto All'Amarone with Prunes and Crushed Amaretti
Shredded Kale, Orange and Hazelnut Salad









Braised Osso Buco with Fall Root Vegetables

INGREDIENTS:

4 pieces Veal Osso Buco
1 large carrot, peeled and rough cut
1 stalk celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 Spanish onion, cut medium dice
4 parsnips, peeled and rough cut
1 large turnip, peeled and cut into 2 inch squares
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1 sprig rosemary
1 cup red cooking wine
6 cups water
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste


METHOD:

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven pan, place grape seed oil over medium heat. Season Osso Buco and sear all sides until golden brown. Add all cut vegetables into Dutch oven and deglaze pan with red wine. Add water and rosemary sprig. Bring to a boil on the stove, then cover with lid and put in the oven for one hour or until meat is falling off the bone. Season to taste and serve.







Risotto All'Amarone with Prunes and Crushed Amaretti

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
2 cups canaroli rice
1 cup Amarone wine
6 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup quartered prunes
6 amaretti cookies, 3 double packages, crushed


METHOD:

Add the grape seed oil and chopped onions to a room temperature 3 quart sauce pan. Turn on the heat to medium and sauté stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent, about 3 - 4 minutes. It's important that the onion doesn't take on color.

Add the rice to the pan and stir into the onions. Let the rice "toast", or dry out - you'll see the kernels become opaque, 1 - 2 minutes. Agitate the pan to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom. Add 1/2 cup Amarone and let it evaporate. Begin to add the water 2 cups at a time. Keep stirring in order to release the starch.

Continue to shake the pan from time to time. Add the next 2 cups of water when a wooden spoon dragged through the rice reveals a pathway. Add the salt and pepper.

During the addition of the last two cups of water to the rice add 3 tablespoons butter and the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, then begin to make the topping.

Add the prunes, remaining Amarone and butter to a small, room temperature skillet. Turn heat to medium-high and reduce the liquid to syrup, about 8 - 10 minutes.

To serve add the risotto to a warm, shallow bowl. Place the topping in the center and let it sink into the rice. Alternately make individual plates for each person to be served.




Shredded Kale, Orange and Hazelnut Salad

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds Black Tuscan Kale
2 whole Oranges
1/2 cup Hazelnuts
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

METHOD:

Wash kale thoroughly to remove all dirt and grit and spin dry. Remove large stems and veins from all leaves. Roll up leaves and roughly chop or shred. Segment oranges and reserve the juice. Toast hazelnuts and chop. Combine kale, orange segments hazelnuts and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a little of the orange juice. Season with salt and pepper.


*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes


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*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
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Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
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Chef Recipe: Seared Grouper with Crawfish, Bacon Risotto, Softshell Crab

*** Louisiana chefs celebrate fabulous new recipes in local food and wine competition.




Chef Austin Harrell at Mansurs on the Boulevard in Baton Rouge, Louisiana


From Denny: At the end of this month (August 26 to 28) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is putting on the culinary ritz for three days. It's called "Fete Rouge - A Louisiana Celebration of Food and Wine," the fourth annual event of gastronomic events. It will take place at the Belle of Baton Rouge Atrium. The event is hosted by the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society and is a showcase for local chefs, farmers, foods and wines. It definitely is a "do not miss celebration."

The Grace "Mama" Marino Lifetime Achievement Award (of Gino's Italian Restaurant fame where Hollywood celebrities visit) will be awarded to restaurateur and chef Charles Brandt. He owned the local hotspot Chalet Brandt from 1973 to 1996. Chalet Brandt was known for its continental dining as was popular during that period. It was also the only Baton Rouge restaurant to ever earn the four-star Mobile Guide Award for excellence in food, service and hospitality. Get this; it also received this award for a succession of the 20 years it was in operation. Chef Brandt will not be able to attend for his award due to illness.

Seven chefs are preparing the awards dinner menu that begins at 6 PM for cocktails and 7 PM for dinner. Entertainment will be enjoyed from Ned Fasullo and the Fabulous Big Band Orchestra. Dinner dress is black tie optional for men and cocktail attire for women. Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner tickets are $200 per person. And this was just for the first day.

The second day of the event brings on the "Food and Wine Fete" which is also hosted at the Belle of Baton Rouge Atrium downtown. This dinner sounds like a real blowout as it goes from 6 PM to 10 PM. Our Louisiana chefs will be presenting tastings of the latest fun foods and new recipes they are developing for culinary competitions. These dishes are what you see featured as Chef's Specials on the local menus. DeAngelo's chef, Mike Dardenne, says, "It’s a grand opportunity for food enthusiasts to see and taste the evolution of these dishes."

There are two categories of competition:

Open - this is where the dish can be anything like an appetizer, an entree or a side dish

Desserts - yes, this IS Louisiana where desserts reign king, deserving a category of their very own.

Louisiana ingredients are encouraged to be employed in these competition dishes.

Who are the esteemed judges?

Chef John Folse - who has won numerous national awards, becoming a national celebrity and promoter of Cajun and Creole cooking and yet is still a down to earth guy. Owner and founder of Chef John Folse & Company. He is also founder of the culinary education department at Nicholls State University. Chef Folse is also a well known local star of public radio and television culinary shows: "Stirrin' It Up" and "A Taste of Louisiana."

Chef Rick Tramonto - He is from Tramonto, of Tru, Osteria di Tramonto and Tramonto's Steak & Seafood restaurants in Illinois. He is known as a judge of Food Network's "Top Chef" and as a cook-off competitor on the esteemed foodie show "Iron Chef America."

OK, back to what you get when you go to this event besides enjoying the dozens of chef's tastings of future Chef's Specials on local menus. If you are a wine lover too then you will be able to sample from 150 wines. There is also a silent wine auction where you can bid on various culinary experiences and items like an instant 150-bottle wine cellar. Tickets for this Food and Wine Fete event are $50 if purchased in advance or $65 at the door.

The last day of the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society's Fete Rouge Festival is a free family fitness event. It will be held at the Main Street Market in downtown Baton Rouge from 9 AM to noon on August 28. You will get to witness culinary experts presenting cooking demonstrations for preparing seasonal healthy recipes for your family. The Red Stick Farmers Market (same immediate area just outside the door in the parking lot) will offer tastings of fruits and vegetables from the local farmers, vendors and chefs. Also present will be dietitians for advice and fitness experts leading family fitness classes.

Where do the proceeds from this festival go? Your dollars benefit child nutrition and 4-H youth education programs. It will also fund scholarships and cultural preservation projects in the Greater Baton Rouge area. They also spread the wealth to include the program ProStart that is a curriculum for high school students who desire to enter the culinary profession.

Want to purchase tickets? Just go to BresBR.com or call (225) 773-4889. If you plan on traveling to Louisiana consider a stop in Baton Rouge next year for this event.

Now check out this fabulous seafood recipe from this event! Mansurs on the Boulevard is a favorite restaurant at our house. It's always an imaginative menu along with familiar standards so there is something for everyone. Mansurs is a lively place on the weekends, like walking into an well-heeled jazz bar where regulars gather. The Sunday brunches are popular with families too.




Both Photos by Arthur D. Lauck @ The Advocate



Seared Grouper, Set Over Smothered Okra and Berkshire Bacon Lardon Risotto, Finished With Crawfish Butter, and Crowned With Blackened Soft shelled Crawfish

From: Chef Austin Harrell, executive chef at Mansurs On the Boulevard

Serves: 7

Risotto:

1 qt. risotto

2 yellow onions, diced

1 gallon or more crawfish stock

2 bottles Abita Amber beer

1 lb. butter

1-1/2 lbs. Berkshire bacon cut into lardons

2 lbs. fresh cut okra

1 batch spiced stewed tomatoes

1 each lime and orange zest

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste


Directions:

Bring seafood stock to a simmer.

In another sauce pot, render lardons in the butter. Just before the bacon is completely rendered, add the onions and cook until the bacon is fully rendered.

Add the risotto and stir with a wooden spoon. Let the risotto cook for about a minute with the onion and bacon, but do not allow risotto to stick to the pot.

Deglaze with the Abita and add enough stock to almost cover the risotto. Constantly stir to keep the risotto from sticking and to also work the starch out to make it creamy.

Add the Spiced Stewed Tomatoes.

As the risotto takes in the stock, add more and continue the process until the risotto is almost cooked. At this point, the risotto should be almost cooked and very creamy.

Add the fresh okra and cook until the okra is fully cooked.

Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Add lime and orange zest.




Spiced Stewed Tomatoes:

2 poblano peppers, diced

3 jalapeño peppers, diced

3 large shallots, thin sliced

12 large cloves garlic, thin sliced

10 large tomatoes, cut into 1/4–inch dice

6 ozs. Worcestershire sauce


Directions:

In sauce pot, sweat shallots, garlic, poblano peppers, jalapeño peppers until soft.

Add tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.

Deglaze with Worcestershire and reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper.





Crawfish Butter:

2 lbs. butter

5 lbs. live crawfish

3 sliced shallots

2 lemons, cut in half

Small bunch of fresh thyme

2 cups heavy cream

1 bottle Abita Amber beer


Directions:

In saucepan, melt butter with live crawfish, let sit on low heat for 10 minutes.

Puree butter and crawfish and strain through a fine mesh strainer.

Let chill until butter has become solid again.

In another sauce pot, add shallots, thyme, Abita and lemons. Reduce beer by 3/4 reduced. Add heavy cream and reduce by half.

Turn heat to low and slowly whisk in butter a little at a time. Add more butter as it melts. Season with salt and pepper.





Blackened Softshell Crawfish:

14 soft shelled crawfish

Blackening seasoning

Cornstarch


Directions:

Season crawfish with blackening seasoning.

Dust in cornstarch. Sear in sauté pan with oil for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.





Seared Grouper:

Ingredients:

7 (8-oz.) portions of grouper

1 cup white wine

Salt and pepper


Directions:

Cut each portion in half and season with salt and pepper. Sear in a hot sauté pan with a little oil until golden brown.

Turn heat down and flip the fish and let the other side develop some color.

Deglaze with white wine. Cook until the albumin (the white protein) starts to come out.



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
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The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
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Chef Bergeron Appetizer: Zucchini Cakes With Unusual Garlic Dill Sour Cream Mayo Sauce

*** Check out a simple veggie recipe that can be an appetizer or served as an entree, your choice. And what an unusual outstanding yummy sauce.




Photo by Richard Alan Hannon @ The Advocate


From Denny: Our local newspaper was running this recipe from Louisiana chef Don Bergeron. Our downtown Farmers Market in Baton Rouge, called the Red Stick Market, features a chef sharing cooking demonstrations almost every week. This week it was Chef Bergeron who was making these simple Zucchini Cakes as appetizers and everyone at the tasting raved about the tastiness of the sauce he served with the cakes.

This is one of those easy simple recipes where you can even add more spices to your taste or enjoy the simplicity as it stands. This is also a vegetarian recipe. About one very large zucchini will make the eight cakes so keep that in mind in case you can only find medium-sized zucchinis. If you prefer smaller sized cakes this recipe will make up to 12. The Dill Mayo Sauce makes a bit over 1-1/2 cups, a bit too much for one recipe of cakes. You might prefer to cut the sauce recipe in half or double the amount of cakes you are making to create a meal instead of an appetizer. This sauce will work well over other vegetable recipes and fish too.

Pull out your old-fashioned box grater like your grandmother used to grate the zucchini. Chef employs the lighter panko style bread crumbs for both the making of the veggie cake as well as the breading. Remember, summer squash like zucchini is full of water, so squeeze tightly to rid the grated veggie of as much water as you can so the cake will hold together well. To coat the cakes in the breadcrumbs, because of the moistness factor and because the mixture is very loose for the cakes, it is easier to hold the cakes in your hands as you coat them than try to roll them in a pan of panko crumbs. So, handle delicately as you coat the cakes.



Zucchini Cakes With Dill Mayo Sauce


From: Chef Don Bergeron

Makes: 8 cakes

Zucchini Cakes:

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, grated, about 2 cups (after you grate the zucchini, squeeze out excess water)
1/2 stick butter
1 cup chopped vegetable seasonings (onions, celery and bell pepper)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup panko bread crumbs, PLUS extra for breading
Sprinkle of ground nutmeg, roughly 1-4 tsp.
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and black pepper to taste
Olive oil (enough to cover bottom of skillet)


Directions:

Melt butter over medium heat and add chopped seasonings and garlic. Sauté until wilted and vegetables are tender. Set aside to cool.

Combine zucchini with Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the bread crumbs, nutmeg, egg, salt and pepper and reserved sautéed vegetables.

Shape into patties. Roll or coat lightly in extra bread crumbs.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once heated, add patties and cook until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes on each side). Serve with cold Dill Mayo Sauce.



Dill Mayo Sauce

Makes: almost 1-3/4 cup sauce. This is more than you will need for one recipe of the above Zucchini Cakes. Recipe can be halved if desired.

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 tbls. fresh dill, chopped
2 tbls. fresh parsley, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 tbls. Heinz Chili Sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. white pepper
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all of the sauce ingredients in food processor. Serve cold or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Cake Tuesday: Chef Bobby Flays Throwdown Competition Carrot Cake, Coconut Cake

*** Enjoy two popular cake recipes from a famous chef: carrot cake and coconut cake!




From Denny: We enjoy Bobby Flay's Food Network show Throwdown at our house and were watching this one about two of favorite cakes: carrot cake and coconut cake. Chef Flay doesn't have embeddable clips or a video clip from this particular show which was a really good one.

Like a lot of other people I went looking for a link to the chef's site to order the beautiful tall 12-layer carrot cake that was Bobby's competition when he challenged him in South Carolina. So far no luck on that one. In fact, all there was on Food Network were these two recipes but what outstanding recipes they are to enjoy! These two cakes will satisfy your creative side and deliver some seriously tasty treats to friends and family.


Carrot Cake with Marshmallow Fluff Cream Cheese Frosting

From: Bobby Flay

Prep Time: 1 hr 15 min
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hr 0 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Intermediate

Serves: 1 (8-inch) cake, about 10 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled, plus more for buttering pan
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pound carrots, peeled and grated on the small holes of the grater (about 3 cups, lightly packed)
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed brown muscavado sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup finely diced crystallized ginger
3/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Cream Cheese Marshmallow Frosting, recipe follows

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (8-inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment well too.

Pulse the pineapple in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until it is finely chopped. Put the eggs in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the eggs for 10 seconds. Add the oil, 1/4 cup melted butter, vanilla, carrots, chopped pineapple and grated fresh ginger and mix until combined.

Whisk together the flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a bowl until combined. Add the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. Remove and fold in the crystallized ginger and pecans. Divide the batter between the 2 pans.

Bake until the tops are a very golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 40 to 55 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack and let them cool completely. Remove the parchment from the bottoms of each cake. Cool completely before frosting.


Cream Cheese Marshmallow Frosting

Fluff:

3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved
2 large egg whites
Pinch salt
Pinch cream of tartar
8 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
1 stick unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 pound organic powdered sugar, sifted twice
2 cups Fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the water, corn syrup, 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla bean to 246 degrees F. Before adding the syrup to the egg whites below, carefully remove the vanilla bean.

In the meantime, in a completely clean, dry mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until creamy and foamy, about 2 minutes. Still whisking, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to whisk until the whites hold very soft peaks, about 2 minutes. While mixing on slow speed, carefully drizzle in the hot syrup. Turn the mixer to high and whisk until thick, fluffy and just warm, about 7 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and whisk in the reserved vanilla seeds. Scrape the fluff into a bowl. Wash the bowl and whisk and return them to the machine.

Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of the mixer and mix until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Increase the speed and whip until light and fluffy. Add about 2 cups of Fluff and the vanilla and whip until combined. Refrigerate for 15 minutes if too soft to use as frosting.








Throwdown's Toasted Coconut Cake with Coconut Filling and Coconut Buttercream

From: Bobby Flay, 2008

Prep Time: 1 hr 0 min
Inactive Prep Time: 4 hr 30 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 5 min
Level: Intermediate

Serves: 8 servings


Ingredients:

Toasted Coconut:

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Coconut Simple Syrup:

1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Coconut Custard:
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons coconut rum (recommended: Malibu)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Coconut Filling:

3/4 cup coconut custard (recipe above), cold
3/4 cup very cold heavy cream

Coconut Buttercream Frosting:

3 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup coconut custard (recipe above) (cold)
Pinch fine sea salt

Cake:

2 tablespoons softened butter, for pans
2 1/4 cups cake flour, plus more for pans
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, slightly cold

Directions for the toasted coconut:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Spread the coconut evenly onto a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden brown, stirring once, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the coconut sit in the oven until very dry and crunchy, about 15 minutes longer.

For the simple syrup:

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir in the coconut, remove from the heat and let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan, bring to a boil and let cook until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

For the custard:

Combine the milks and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture then return the mixture to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the rum and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.

For the filling:

Combine the custard and cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

For the buttercream:

Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the coconut custard and salt and beat until combined and smooth.

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9 by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

Whisk together the milk, egg whites, vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With mixer running at low speed, add the butter, one piece at a time and continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, increase speed to medium and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape sides of bowl and mix for 20 seconds longer. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pan and smooth the tops using a rubber spatula.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pan on baking rack for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the side of the pan and invert cakes onto the baking rack, removing parchment paper, and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.

To Assemble:

Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Reserve 1 of the flat bottom layers for the top of the cake. Place another layer on a cardboard round cut side up and brush with some of the coconut simple syrup. Spoon 1/3 of the coconut filling onto the cake and using a small offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cake. Repeat with 2 more layers. Brush the cut side of the reserved cake layer with the remaining syrup. Place the layer cut side down on top of the cake.

Frost the sides and top of the cake with the buttercream. Pat the coconut onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle the remaining coconut on the top of the cake.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

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Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Forget the Birds: Awesome Recipes 4 Stale Bread

From Denny: Chef Jose Andres of a restaurant in Washington, D.C., shares with us some great ideas of what to do with leftover stale bread. Many times my husband has come home with his latest "grocery prize" of day or two old artisan bread for a great price - only to discover it's so tough it can't be sliced easily. Grating it into fresh bread crumbs is an easy solution. If you are patient you can close it up into a plastic storage bag and place it in the fridge, take it out the next day and see if the crust has softened enough to slice. Usually, it does and all is well at our house once again. :)

Chef Jose Andres offers up some favorite recipes for stale day old bread from his native Spain like Castilian Garlic Soup, a mushroom and ham saute and a dessert by the name of Apple Charlotte. Yum! Since my great-grandmother came from "southern" Spain and was a wonderful cook I just had to see what she might have cooked in her day when she lived in Spain. Check it out what you can do with stale bread for delicious, easy and inexpensive recipes:


Castilian Garlic Soup
Bread with oyster mushrooms and Spanish ham
Jaleo's Apple Charlotte

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Sopa de ajo (Castilian garlic soup)

From: Chef Jose Andres

4 servings

Chef Andres: Wherever I go in my travels, I find Spanish people who are proud they know how to make this traditional Castilian dish, no matter which region they come from. My good friend Magin Revillo, the Washington correspondent for Radio Nacional de España (Spanish national radio), makes one of the finest garlic soups I ever tasted — even though he grew up in Barcelona.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 3 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1/2 tablespoon pimentón (Spanish sweet paprika)
• 6 ounces rustic white bread, crust removed, torn into small pieces
• 1 quart chicken stock (see page 000)
• 2 large eggs
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat parsley

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in the olive oil until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the white wine and continue cooking until the alcohol evaporates, about 30 seconds. Add the pimentón and sauté for 1 minute.

Add the bread and pour in the stock. Stir together and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the eggs and stir with a spatula to fold them into the soup. The eggs will form long strands, almost like noodles. Simmer for 2 more minutes and add salt to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
TIPS

You can make this soup with water if you like. It's the traditional way but I find that chicken stock makes for a richer and tastier soup. Instead of adding the whisked eggs, you can poach a whole egg per person: just break the eggs into a barely simmering soup and leave them for 2 or 3 minutes without disturbing.








Bread with oyster mushrooms and Spanish ham

From: Chef Jose Andres

4 servings

Chef Andres: There are many different versions of migas, a dish that has sustained many a Spanish family when food was scarce. I often talk about recipes made of humble ingredients that can feed an entire family, and this is a perfect example. It shows what can be done when leftovers are the only option. Over the years many of these survival dishes have become beloved delicacies. I love this one for its simplicity and intense flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium banana pepper
• 4 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 2 cups oyster mushrooms or saffron milk cap mushrooms (available in autumn)
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 ounce thinly sliced jamón serrano
• 1/4 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 1 12-inch day-old baguette, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• Sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the broiler. Roast the pepper under the broiler, turning it as it browns. Transfer the pepper to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and steam for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the pepper, discard the skin and remove the seeds. Slice the pepper into ½-inch strips and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and the thyme and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the jamón and peppers and cook for 1 minute. Lay the bread slices on top of the mixture and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Stir the bread into the mixture and fry in the pan until it gets brown and slightly crunchy. Toss in the grapes and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt.

Use day-old bread for this dish. You will get a better crunch.








Jaleo's Apple Charlotte

From: Chef Jose Andres

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS

• 7 apples (Fuji or another good baking apple), peeled, cored and sliced thin
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of Rhum
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 beaten egg yolks
• For the crust
• Butter
• Half a loaf of brioche bread, cut half into 1/4" cubes and the rest into slices as 1/4" thick


DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples with sugar until soft. Lower the heat and cover. Simmer until apples are soft saucy consistency. Add butter, rum and vanilla. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and cool. Once cool, mix in the beaten egg yolks. Reserve

Clarify the butter. Toast the bread cubes in the clarified until golden and crisp. Reserve.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In each ramekin, place crisped squares on the bottom. Dip the brioche slices in the clarified butter and line the sides of the ramekins. Fill with the apple mixture. Place the ramekins in a baking pan. Fill the pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the ramekins. Bake for 35 minutes turning the pan once during baking to ensure even browning.





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Chef Mario Batalis 3 Saltimbocca Recipe Variations

From Denny: We like Mario Batali at our house. He is always enthusiastic about whatever he does and he does it well because he has a high personal standard of excellence. He is also more user friendly than most chefs, possessing an abundance of people skills. Mario is a natural as a teacher of great food.

He spent a lot of time exploring his ancestors' Italy, learning the language and the regional foods. He traveled, sampled and even worked for some small Italian kitchens just to learn the very old traditional recipes. Here he shares with us a very simple dish that is both a succulent and elegant meal fine enough to serve to guests for that special occasion.

Take a look at the variations you can do with this dish. Also, did you know that sage is great for easing toxin headaches? As winter ends, it's a good idea to include some sage into your diet as your body begins to naturally detox from the winter season. Chef Batali talks a bit about Italian culture and the language in the origin of the recipe's name. For a guy who received his original degree in Economics, he sure is bubbling over with information on just one recipe!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Saltimbocca alla Romana

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 8 pork cutlets (about 2 ounces each)
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 8 slices prosciutto di Parma
• Flour for dusting
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Lemon wedges


DIRECTIONS

Using a meat mallet, pound each pork slice to about 1/8-inch thick. Place 1 sage leaf and 1 slice of prosciutto on each pork cutlet and fold over to form a sandwich, with the meat inside the prosciutto. Pound lightly with the meat mallet, then secure with toothpicks.

In a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat until it foams and subsides. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the cutlets lightly in the flour. Add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

Pour the wine into the pan and bring to a boil, stirring with wooden spoon to dislodge the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Return the cutlets to the pan just to reheat, then transfer to plates, pour the sauce over, and serve immediately, with lemon wedges.





Scallopa al Pizzaiolo

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound pork loin, cut into 4 pieces 1/2-inch thick
• 4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 2 cups basic tomato sauce
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 rounds of 2 inches each
• 2 bunches fresh oregano leaves, stems removed, to yield 1 cup


DIRECTIONS

In a shallow bowl, mix flour with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge pork pieces in flour mixture and set aside. In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Shake excess flour from meat and place pieces in pan. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pork pieces and pour out oil.

Add 1/2 cup water to pan and deglaze, scraping lightly with a wooden spoon to loosen brown bits. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Replace pork in pan and coat with sauce. Place 2 pieces fresh mozzarella over each piece of pork and place pan in oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove pan from oven.

Place pork on platter, surround with sauce, sprinkle with fresh oregano and serve.





Pork Saltimbocca

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound pork loin, cut into 8 equal thin slices by your butcher
• 4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
• 8 sage leaves
• 4 tablespoons flour, seasoned with salt and pepper,
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sweet butter plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup marsala wine (sweet)
• 1/2 cup basic tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup basic chicken stock
• 1/4 pound domestic mushrooms, quartered
• 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup


DIRECTIONS

Lay 4 thin slices of pork on counter and season with salt and pepper. Place 1 slice prosciutto di Parma in center of each and 2 sage leaves over the prosciutto. Dust edges of 4 pieces with flour. Place 4 remaining pieces of pork over 4 on counter. Massage the edges together so they stick together and set aside.

Flour outsides and place into bread crumbs, patting so the crumbs adhere. In a 12- to 14-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons sweet butter until bubbling over medium heat. Place 4 pork "sandwiches" in pan and cook slowly until golden brown. Turn and cook other side the same. Remove pork carefully and set aside in warm place. Turn heat to high and add marsala, tomato sauce, chicken stock and domestic mushrooms. Bring to boil and reduce by half. Add remaining sweet butter and 4 pork "sandwiches."

Simmer 10 minutes, add chopped parsley and serve.



*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Warm Gooey Cheese Fondue 4 Cold Nights

From Denny: The Olympics food and recipes are still posting and this one is divine! There are three secrets to great cheese fondue.

1 - Prepare in a saucepan on the stove. Leave the official showy fondue pot for when the dish is ready to be served. You will be doing a lot of stirring as the cheese melts and it's just easier to control the heat temperature on the stove.

2 - Rub the inside of the saucepan with raw garlic to flavor the final dish. Then you pour in the wine and other ingredients.

3 - Place some cornstarch water in the saucepan after the garlic rub. What this does is prevent the cheese from separating into ugly unappetizing lumps. This simple little trick is a winner for keeping the cheese properly bound and smooth in the final product.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Pierre's fondue recipe

From: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, chef and owner Market Restaurant: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/3 c Gruyere cheese, grated
• 3 1/3 c Fribourg Vacherin cheese, grated (or Comte if not available)
• 3 1/3 c dry white wine
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp kirsch
• 1 pc crushed garlic
• 1 each baguette, cut into 1" cubes with crust
• 1 each Gala apple, cut into 1" cubes
• 1 1/2 c red grapes, washed
• 4 oz Bresaola, thinly sliced
• Cornichons
• Pickled onions

DIRECTIONS

Rub inside of a heatproof casserole with the garlic. Add the wine and cornstarch and heat until liquid is steaming but not boiling. Slowly add the cheese and bring just under the boiling point, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the mixture is completely melted and velvety in texture, mix in the kirsch and continue stirring until it comes back together. Remove from the heat, season with fresh ground pepper and nutmeg. Serve tableside on a burner. Arrange all the garnish on a plate and serve.


*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Chef Mario Batalis Easy 3 Pork Saltimbocca Recipes

From Denny: We like Mario Batali at our house. He is always enthusiastic about whatever he does and he does it well because he has a high personal standard of excellence. He is also more user friendly than most chefs, possessing an abundance of people skills. Mario is a natural as a teacher of great food.

He spent a lot of time exploring his ancestors' Italy, learning the language and the regional foods. He traveled, sampled and even worked for some small Italian kitchens just to learn the very old traditional recipes. Here he shares with us a very simple dish that is both a succulent and elegant meal fine enough to serve to guests for that special occasion.

Take a look at the variations you can do with this dish. Also, did you know that sage is great for easing toxin headaches? As winter ends, it's a good idea to include some sage into your diet as your body begins to naturally detox from the winter season. Chef Batali talks a bit about Italian culture and the language in the origin of the recipe's name. For a guy who received his original degree in Economics, he sure is bubbling over with information on just one recipe!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Saltimbocca alla Romana

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 8 pork cutlets (about 2 ounces each)
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 8 slices prosciutto di Parma
• Flour for dusting
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Lemon wedges


DIRECTIONS

Using a meat mallet, pound each pork slice to about 1/8-inch thick. Place 1 sage leaf and 1 slice of prosciutto on each pork cutlet and fold over to form a sandwich, with the meat inside the prosciutto. Pound lightly with the meat mallet, then secure with toothpicks.

In a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat until it foams and subsides. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the cutlets lightly in the flour. Add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

Pour the wine into the pan and bring to a boil, stirring with wooden spoon to dislodge the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Return the cutlets to the pan just to reheat, then transfer to plates, pour the sauce over, and serve immediately, with lemon wedges.





Scallopa al Pizzaiolo

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound pork loin, cut into 4 pieces 1/2-inch thick
• 4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 2 cups basic tomato sauce
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 rounds of 2 inches each
• 2 bunches fresh oregano leaves, stems removed, to yield 1 cup


DIRECTIONS

In a shallow bowl, mix flour with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge pork pieces in flour mixture and set aside. In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Shake excess flour from meat and place pieces in pan. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pork pieces and pour out oil.

Add 1/2 cup water to pan and deglaze, scraping lightly with a wooden spoon to loosen brown bits. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Replace pork in pan and coat with sauce. Place 2 pieces fresh mozzarella over each piece of pork and place pan in oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove pan from oven.

Place pork on platter, surround with sauce, sprinkle with fresh oregano and serve.





Pork Saltimbocca

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound pork loin, cut into 8 equal thin slices by your butcher
• 4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
• 8 sage leaves
• 4 tablespoons flour, seasoned with salt and pepper,
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sweet butter plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup marsala wine (sweet)
• 1/2 cup basic tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup basic chicken stock
• 1/4 pound domestic mushrooms, quartered
• 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup


DIRECTIONS

Lay 4 thin slices of pork on counter and season with salt and pepper. Place 1 slice prosciutto di Parma in center of each and 2 sage leaves over the prosciutto. Dust edges of 4 pieces with flour. Place 4 remaining pieces of pork over 4 on counter. Massage the edges together so they stick together and set aside.

Flour outsides and place into bread crumbs, patting so the crumbs adhere. In a 12- to 14-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons sweet butter until bubbling over medium heat. Place 4 pork "sandwiches" in pan and cook slowly until golden brown. Turn and cook other side the same. Remove pork carefully and set aside in warm place. Turn heat to high and add marsala, tomato sauce, chicken stock and domestic mushrooms. Bring to boil and reduce by half. Add remaining sweet butter and 4 pork "sandwiches."

Simmer 10 minutes, add chopped parsley and serve.



*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Warm Gooey Cheese Fondue 4 Cold Nights

From Denny: The Olympics food and recipes are still posting and this one is divine! There are three secrets to great cheese fondue.

1 - Prepare in a saucepan on the stove. Leave the official showy fondue pot for when the dish is ready to be served. You will be doing a lot of stirring as the cheese melts and it's just easier to control the heat temperature on the stove.

2 - Rub the inside of the saucepan with raw garlic to flavor the final dish. Then you pour in the wine and other ingredients.

3 - Place some cornstarch water in the saucepan after the garlic rub. What this does is prevent the cheese from separating into ugly unappetizing lumps. This simple little trick is a winner for keeping the cheese properly bound and smooth in the final product.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Pierre's fondue recipe

From: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, chef and owner Market Restaurant: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/3 c Gruyere cheese, grated
• 3 1/3 c Fribourg Vacherin cheese, grated (or Comte if not available)
• 3 1/3 c dry white wine
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp kirsch
• 1 pc crushed garlic
• 1 each baguette, cut into 1" cubes with crust
• 1 each Gala apple, cut into 1" cubes
• 1 1/2 c red grapes, washed
• 4 oz Bresaola, thinly sliced
• Cornichons
• Pickled onions

DIRECTIONS

Rub inside of a heatproof casserole with the garlic. Add the wine and cornstarch and heat until liquid is steaming but not boiling. Slowly add the cheese and bring just under the boiling point, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the mixture is completely melted and velvety in texture, mix in the kirsch and continue stirring until it comes back together. Remove from the heat, season with fresh ground pepper and nutmeg. Serve tableside on a burner. Arrange all the garnish on a plate and serve.


*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Ming Tsai’s Chinese New Year Feast: Year of the Tiger

From Denny: Chinese New Year celebrations began on February 14th, the same as Valentine's Day, and last for two weeks or more. This year is known as the Year of the Tiger.

Chef Ming Tsai, from his restaurant Blue Ginger and Food Network fame, offers up a few tasty dishes to help us celebrate a feast fit for a tiger. These are some seriously sophisticated recipes. Makes me long for when I spent a few years of high school in Taiwan. The Taiwanese loved to teach others about their food and culture. The Taiwanese are also quite an enthusiastic culture, easy for Americans to relate to their exuberance. The Chinese celebrate New Year like we celebrate Mardi Gras in Louisiana - lots of incredible feasting!

Ming's Recipes Featured:

Tempura Shrimp Cocktail with Lime Leaf-Avocado Puree
Cranberry-Hoisin Sauce Glazed Duck
Lychee Champagne Granita






Ming's books:



Simply Ming: Easy Techniques for East-Meets-West Meals




Ming's Master Recipes (based on the Public Television series SIMPLY MING)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Tempura shrimp cocktail with lime leaf-avocado puree and chipotle puree

From: Chef Ming Tsai, Blue Ginger restaurant

Serves: 4

Shrimp in Chinese also means to laugh or smile, which we all need in the new year and is, of course, essential in a relationship!

INGREDIENTS

Tomato puree

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, rough chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 medium tomatoes, rough chopped, or 1 cup drained canned plum tomatoes
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo sauce, depending on heat preference
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Avocado puree

• 2 ripe avocados, rough chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded
• Juice of 1 lime
• 6 lime leaves, chiffonade
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

Tempura shrimp cocktail

• 2 flour tortillas or best quality tortilla chips
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups rice flour
• 2-3 cups club soda
• 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail-on (Contessa brand preferred)
• Canola oil, for deep frying
• 2 cups romaine lettuce, cut into 1/8-inch ribbons

DIRECTIONS

For the tomato puree

Heat a small skillet over medium heat; add oil and swirl to coat. When the oil shimmers, add onion and garlic and saute until brown, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and chipotles and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft and their liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and puree. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

For the avocado puree

In a food processor, combine avocados with jalapeno, lime juice and lime leaves and puree. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fold in the cilantro and shallots. Set aside.

For the tortilla chips

Fill a fryer or medium stockpot one-third full with oil and heat to 375 degrees. Cut tortillas in 1-inch-wide long-sided triangles that run the length of each tortilla. Fry tortilla triangles until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain well on paper towel-lined plate, season with chile powder and salt and set aside.

For the tempura shrimp

Place flour in medium bowl and stir in sufficient club soda to produce a pancake batter-like mixture. Dip the shrimp in the batter, drain any excess, and fry in 2 batches until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Remove with a large mesh spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt to taste.

To serve, have 4 martini glasses filled with romaine. Dollop purees side by side into martini glasses. Insert 3 chips upright in each glass. Hang 3 shrimp off edge of martini glass, pushing them gently into edge. You may need to make a 1/4-inch incision on top of shrimp so they will stay firmly attached.







Cranberry-hoisin glazed duck with bok choy fondue and a red roast sweet potato puree

From: Ming Tsai

Serves: 4

In Chinese culture, duck symbolizes fidelity and the color red symbolizes happiness.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 2 cups Shaoxing wine, or 1 cup dry sherry
• 1 cup dark soy sauce
• 3 cups Wanjashan organic soy sauce
• 2 cups Ocean Spray cranberry juice
• 1 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 boxes (about 3 pounds) rock sugar, or 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 cup Craisins, rough chopped, plus whole for garnish
• 1 5-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 whole head garlic, unpeeled and halved horizontally
• 2 bunches scallions, white parts sliced into 2-inch lengths, green parts sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 2 star anise
• 4 Thai bird chiles
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 large duck, about 6 pounds
• 2 cups water, plus more if necessary
• 8 baby bok choy, halved and cored
• 4 sweet potatoes, forked, wrapped in foil and baked through

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large, deep pot combine the wines, soy sauces, cranberry juice, hoisin sauce, rock sugar, Craisins, ginger, garlic, scallion whites, star anise, chiles and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir to dissolve rock sugar, about 5-10 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and add the duck and water. If the liquid doesn't cover the duck, add more water.

2. Place a second pot or stainless-steel bowl half-filled with water into the first to keep the duck submerged (see Tips) and simmer until the duck is very tender and almost falling from the bones, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Do not overcook or the meat will come apart. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the bok choy.

3. Meanwhile, prepare sweet potato mash: Unwrap hot sweet potatoes and scoop flesh into a large heat-proof bowl. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the hot braising liquid to potatoes. Stir together until well combined. Check for flavor and season with salt and pepper (and extra braising liquid, if you like). Place potatoes in center of a large platter. Using a large, mesh spoon, carefully remove the duck and bok choy from the pot and arrange on platter, using potatoes to anchor duck.

4. Glaze the duck with the sauce, garnish it with the scallion greens and reserved Craisins, and serve.

TIPS

Ming's Tips: The duck must be kept submerged in its braising liquid while it cooks. To accomplish this, find a pot or stainless-steel bowl that will fit into the braising pot. Fill it halfway with water and place it on the duck to weigh it down as it cooks.

Don't be put off by the amount of sugar I call for here; it's needed to give the dish its mellow flavor.





Lychee champagne granita

From: Ming Tsai, "Simply Ming"

Serves: 4

In Chinese culture, the lychee is considered a symbol of romance and love. It is also thought to be beneficial to place dried lychees under the marriage bed as a wish for many children.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup drained lychees
• 1/2 cup syrup from can of lychees
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups Champagne, plus more for garnish
• Whole fresh lychees, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a blender, combine lychees, syrup and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Strain mixture into a bowl. Add Champagne and stir to combine. Pour mixture into baking dish, stir once and freeze overnight. To serve, scrape using the back of a fork, pile into chilled martini glasses and top with more Champagne and a whole lychee, for garnish, if desired.






Ming's books:



Simply Ming: Easy Techniques for East-Meets-West Meals




Ming's Master Recipes (based on the Public Television series SIMPLY MING)


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