24 July 2016 Quick and Easy Pesto

Quick and Easy Pesto

July 24, 2016 By

Jarred PestoEvery spring, I plant basil in my garden as it’s one of my favorite fresh herbs. By mid-summer, I have so much basil that I wonder why I planted so much for a 2-person household. Every summer is the same “why did I plant so much again”.

Luckily, there’s pesto. Yesterday, I picked a whole bunch of basil leaves and made thick, luscious pesto that I’ll toss with gnocchi tonight and freeze in ice cube trays for future use.

This recipe yields about a cup of pesto, but it can easily be doubled if you have tons of basil, like I do.

It’s perfect tossed with pasta, spread on sandwiches or used as a topping for grilled/roasted chicken or fish.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup, pine nuts (could use cashews or slivered almonds)
  • 4 cups fresh basil leaves, cleaned, dried and slightly packed
  • ⅓ cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
  • Zest of half a lemon
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
  • ½ cup high-quality olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Carefully watch this process and shake the skillet periodically to ensure the nuts don’t burn.
  2. In a food processor (could use a blender), add the remaining ingredients, including the nuts, except the oil. Pulse for about a minute then run for about 30 seconds until the ingredients are finely incorporated.
  3. With the food processor running, stream the oil into the pesto until fully emulsified, about 30 seconds. Taste the pesto and add more Parmesan cheese if you want a cheesier pesto.
  4. I store the pesto I’m going to use within a week in a canning jar in the fridge. For anything over a week, I place the pesto in ice cube trays, freeze fully then pop out of the trays, place in zip top bags and freeze for up to a couple months.
Filed Under: Appetizers, Cheese, Cuisine Type, Italian, Sauce, Sides Tagged With: , , ,
14 July 2016 Make Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes

Make Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes

July 14, 2016 By

Twice Baked PotatoesSummer’s all about BBQs and outdoor parties and the last thing I want to do once my guests have arrived is to slave over a hot stove in the kitchen. We also attend a lot of outdoor events where I’m always puzzled with what to bring besides desserts.

These old-school twice-baked potatoes are simple-to-make and can be prepared ahead and reheated on the grill or a camp fire before dinner.

Don’t feel like making your own mashed potatoes? Just buy some at the grocery store and doctor them up with the cheese, bacon (if using) and scallions.

Ingredients:

  • 3 large baking potatoes
  • 2 Tbsp. softened butter
  • 1/3 cup half & half (could use whole milk), warmed in the microwave for a minute
  • 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (optional)
  • 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup sour cream (optional)
  • ½ cup chopped scallions (optional)

Directions:

  1. Cook potatoes until fork-tender and allow to cool until just cool enough to handle. Cut each potato lengthwise and, using a spoon, scoop out most of the flesh without cutting through the skins. Place the scooped out flesh in a bowl and add the butter, half & half, bacon (if using) and cheese and mash until mostly smooth.
  2. Fill the potato skin shells with the mashed potatoes. At this point, you may wrap the potatoes in foil and keep in the fridge for a couple days until ready to use (go to step 3 when ready to cook) or, place on a cookie sheet for immediate use.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook room-temperature potatoes for 25 minutes, until slightly golden.
  4. Top the hot potatoes with sour cream and chopped scallions, if using.

Makes 6 servings.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Cheese, Entrees, Potatoes, Sides, Starters
20 April 2016 Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

April 20, 2016 By

This Roman dish was created in the middle of the 20th century using simple ingredients: pasta, eggs, pork jowls (think bacon) and cheese, typically Pecorino.

I’m all about simple pasta dishes, especially during the week, so this is one of my go-to recipes. I’ve made this decadent dish using a few variations, adding peas, morel mushrooms and shrimps…it’s delicious any ways. Note that garlic isn’t authentic to pasta carbonara, but it’s so darn tasty that I include it. Don’t like garlic – omit it! I used red pepper flakes too, which aren’t authentic either…sue me purists!

While the eggs do get warmed when tossed with the hot pasta, they aren’t fully cooked. If slightly cooked eggs aren’t your thing, this is likely not the dish for you. If you can get past that, you’ll get addicted, like I am, to the creamy “sauce” created by the eggs, pasta water and cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound good quality spaghetti, I use Delverde
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 8 ounces diced pancetta or slab bacon
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (or black pepper if you prefer)

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook 1 minute less than the cooking directions on the packaging recommend.
  2. While the pasta’s cooking, warm the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until browned, about three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Place the pancetta/garlic and the oil they cooked in, in a large, heat-proof bowl and set aside to cool.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, 1/2 cup of the cheese and pepper flakes. Whisk until well blended.
  4. When the pasta’s just al dente, scoop it out of the water using a pasta fork or tongs, and into the bowl with the pancetta – don’t drain the pasta water out of the pot! Toss the pasta until coated in the oil from the pancetta.
  5. Add the egg mixture to the pasta and toss quickly to ensure the eggs don’t scramble – you might need to give this method a couple tries to get it right – it’s worth it!
  6. Add ¼ cup of pasta cooking water to the pasta then the remaining cheese. Keep tossing to create a silky, creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Serve immediately.

Serves two for dinner or four as a starter.

Filed Under: Appetizers, Cheese, Eggs, Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , , ,
12 April 2016 Pig & Prince Restaurant Duck Fat Grilled Cheese

Pig & Prince Restaurant Duck Fat Grilled Cheese

April 12, 2016 By

Today is National Grilled Cheese Day, a day dedicated to celebrating a national favorite: the grilled cheese sandwich. Chef Mike Carrino, of popular restaurant Pig & Prince Restaurant in Montclair, NJ, has masterfully created an elegant and delicious twist on a classic sandwich – the Duck Fat Grilled Cheese.

Duck Fat Grilled Cheese _ pig and princeThis elevated take on the ‘old reliable’ of sandwiches is sure to please die-hard grilled cheese lovers.

Duck Fat Grilled Cheese

  • 8 – ½ inch slices of artisanal rosemary sourdough
  • (or your favorite type of rustic bread)
  • 12 slices of muenster cheese
  • 12 slices of cypress grove, midnight moon cheese
  • 8 large slices of tomato
  • House made boursin cheese (see recipe below)
  • 16 slices of duck bacon (regular pork bacon can also be used)
  • 4 tbls melted butter
  • 4 tbls rendered duck fat (duck confit fat would be best)

Housemade Boursin:

  • 16oz cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup soft butter
  • 3 cloves garlic (microplane)
  • 1 tbsp chopped herbs
  • ¼ tsp chopped dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp chopped dill
  • ¼ tsp chopped basil
  • Salt and lemon to taste

In a medium bowl, mix all the boursin ingredients together until fully incorporated.

To assemble the grilled cheese:

  1. Spread some melted duck fat on the inside of the bread with a pastry brush.
  2. Smear your homemade boursin on the inside of each slice of bread.
  3. Layer 3 slices of Muenster on one side of the sandwich bread and 3 slices of Midnight Moon on the other side of the sandwich.
  4. Lay the tomato on the Midnight Moon side and then the duck bacon (or bacon) on top of the tomato.
  5. Place Muenster side on top in a large skillet, on medium heat, pour in melted butter and the remaining duck fat.
  6. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes each, moving often to keep the heat equally distributed.
  7. Remove from pan and allow to sit one to two minutes before cutting.

Happy National Grilled Cheese Day!

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Sandwiches Tagged With: , , ,
21 March 2016 Warm Brie with Honeyed Raspberries and Pistachios

Warm Brie with Honeyed Raspberries and Pistachios

March 21, 2016 By

This is an easy yet festive recipe I received from the folks at Driscoll’s Berries.

Original File Name: 4186-Rasp_Brie-014.tif

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shelled pistachios
  • 1 wheel (13.3 ounces) ripe Brie, box reserved, top rind sliced off, cheese chilled
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 package (6 ounces or 1 1/4 cups) Driscoll’s Raspberries
  • Water crackers or baguette slices for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˙F.
  2. Spread the pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Place Brie, in its box, on baking sheet. Bake until warm and the top is softened, but not until cheese is oozing, about 15 minutes. Transfer cheese in box to serving platter.
  4. Stir honey, vinegar, and rosemary in a medium skillet over medium heat just until warm. Add raspberries and pistachios and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Pour raspberry mixture over warm cheese. Serve at once, with the crackers for spreading.

Servings: 4 to 6

Filed Under: Appetizers, Cheese, Starters, Vegetarian Tagged With: , ,
23 February 2016 Easy Egg Cups

Easy Egg Cups

February 23, 2016 By

Breakfast, often said to be the most important meal of the day, is my favorite meal is the day. On the weekends, with more time on my hands, I have no issues making delicious, hearty breakfast, but on hectic weekday mornings…not as easy.

I’ve been making these cute and delicious egg cups on Sundays that I can have anytime during the week. They’re great for a quick breakfast with a piece of toast and even perfect for lunch with a side salad.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Generously coat two 4-ounce ramekins (or other small dishes) with cooking spray.
  3. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the spinach and sauté until fully wilted, 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the water, salt and pepper until fully blended, about 1 minute. Don’t whisk less than a minute if you want fluffy, light eggs.
  5. Divide the cooked spinach in the ramekins. Divide the cheese over the spinach then pour the gg mixture over the cheese and spinach. Use a small fork to gently move the spinach and cheese around so the egg mixture gets evenly distributed to the bottom of the ramekins.
  6. Place the ramekins on a sheet tray to catch any drips and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the egg is set and not jittery.
  7. Let the egg cups cool completely then cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
  8. To reheat, cover a ramekin with a paper towel and microwave for 60-90 seconds.

Makes 2 servings.

Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Cheese, Eggs, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,

Mini Speck Frittatas

November 26, 2015 By

We’re often told that breakfast is the most important meal – I’m a complete believer of this notion. What I don’t believe in is the idea that, with our busy lives, we have the time each morning to make breakfast from scratch. With that in mind, I often make crust-less frittatas on a Sunday to last me through the week and I’m always looking for fun variations. This week’s Frittatas special ingredient – Speck Alto Adige PGI.

Speck Alto Adige PGI is a cured and smoked Italian ham from Northern Italy’s Alto Adige region. The ham is similar to Prosciutto in appearance and alike to slab bacon in flavor – an outstanding, very versatile product. A few weeks back, the fine folks at Speck Alto Adige PGI contacted me about creating a recipe using their ham and I gladly accepted. I’m officially the November ‘Speckulator’ as named by Speck Alto Adige PGI! Here’s the recipe I created using the top-quality ham I received from Speck Alto Adige PGI. These are GREAT to have on hand during the holidays!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Speck Alto Adige PGI, cubed or julienned
  • 12 large eggs (one egg per Frittata)
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper and smoked paprika
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Generously coat a 12-muffin pan with cooking spray.
  • In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté the speck until slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, set aside and allow to cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the water, salt, pepper and paprika until fully blended, about 1 minute.
  • Divide the speck and the cheese among the 12 muffin cups.
  • Pour an equal amount of the egg mixture into the muffin cups over the speck and cheese.
  • Place the muffin pan on a sheet tray, to catch any drips, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the egg is set.
  • Let the Frittatas cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then unmold and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

To reheat, place two Frittatas on a plate, cover with a paper towel and microwave for 60-90 seconds. I like to top the Frittatas with a little green salsa. Makes 6 servings (2 Frittatas each). For more information about Speck Alto Adige PGI, for recipes and for where to buy the ham, visit http://www.speck.it.   Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Cheese, Eggs, Pork Tagged With: , , , ,
5 October 2015 Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe

October 5, 2015 By

Cacio e PepeI think my love for Cacio e Pepe, literally “cheese and pepper”, steams from enjoying buttered spaghetti with Parmesan cheese when I was a kid. What could be more simple yet satisfying than hot pasta with melted butter, freshly-cracked pepper and cheese?

Ingredients

  • 8 Tbsp. butter, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 1 pound dry Spaghetti, cooked 2 minutes short of package direction, 1 cup pasta cooking water reserved (I use Delverde pasta)
  • 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Preparation

  1. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter.
  2. Add the pepper and cook, stirring a few times, 1 minute.
  3. Add the reserved pasta cooking water to the butter in the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
  4. Add the cooked pasta and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and reduce the heat to low.
  5. Add the Parmesan cheese and gently toss until melted. Remove pan from heat.
  6. Add the Pecorino cheese and gently toss until melted.
  7. Serve in warm bowls.

Serves 4.

Filed Under: Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , , ,
7 September 2015 Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant

Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant

September 7, 2015 By

 

I try to abide by my #MeatlessMonday promise when I can and am always looking for ways to use more vegetables in my diet so this weekend, I found beautiful mauve round eggplants that I prepared two ways – meat-stuffed and vegetarian.

These single-serve eggplants are great to fix on the weekend to bring for work lunches during the week. They’re also beautiful served as a starter at a dinner party and a breeze as they can be made in advance and reheated in time for dinner.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked Spanish rice, homemade or commercial (I used Goya brand Arroz con Tomate)
  • 4 ounces crumbled Feta cheese
  • ½ tsp. dried mint
  • 2 Tbsp. golden raisins
  • 4 Tbsp. Easy Greek Vinaigrette
  • Two small mauve round eggplants (or any small round eggplants)
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the rice, Feta, mint, raisins and 2 tablespoons of Greek Vinaigrette. Set aside.
  3. Using a paring knife and a teaspoon, remove the very top of the eggplants and then remove most of the pulp from the interior being careful not to pierce through the outer skin. See photo as reference.
  4. Rub the sea salt on the inside of each eggplant.
  5. Fill the cored eggplants with the rice stuffing then drizzle with the olive oil.
  6. Place the stuffed eggplants in a Pyrex baking dish with tall sides. If the eggplant won’t stand up straight, use a crumpled piece of foil to create a small “stand” for them.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes and either serve hot or at room temperature with a drizzle of the remaining vinaigrette.

Serves 2.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Entrees, Sides, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
1 June 2015 Almost Guilt-Free Individual Eggplant Parmesan

Almost Guilt-Free Individual Eggplant Parmesan

June 1, 2015 By

Eggplant ParmesanSometimes, when I’m in the grocery store, produce just speaks to me. On this last trip, eggplants screamed for me to take them home (well, seemed like they were screaming).

While I love breading and flying eggplant for eggplant Parmesan, I wanted this version to be less indulgent and lighter so I grilled sliced eggplant and made individual servings.

This technique of making single servings guarantees we won’t overeat, well, unless we decide to have a couple of servings.

The use of my Basil-Packed Marinara Sauce keeps this dish fresh and is a good use of basil and tomatoes as crops are plentiful.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large, medium girth eggplant, sliced in 8 thin disks
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper
  • 3 cups Basil-Packed Marinara Sauce (could use store-bought)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese   

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Lightly oil each side of the eggplant disks then salt and pepper them. Heat a grill to medium-high heat and grill the eggplant disks for 3 minutes on each side. Alternatively, use a grill pan to cook the eggplant.
  3. Place 4 ramekins on a baking sheet. Add a tablespoon of marinara sauce to each ramekin and top with a grilled eggplant disk. Top each eggplant disk with ½ teaspoon Parmesan and 1 teaspoon Mozzarella. Add a tablespoon of marinara, another eggplant disk and top with the remaining cheeses.
  4. Cook the eggplant Parmesans for 10 minutes, turn the broiler to high and cook an additional 4 minutes or until the cheesy tops have browned.
  5. Serve as a starter or as a side dish alongside grilled Italian sausages with the remaining marinara sauce.

Makes 4 side dishes.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Italian, Sides, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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