Lasagna with all sorts of things December 13, 2009

I love pasta. It is the best, most perfect, food. It can come in many forms so its diverse and the amount of variation when it comes to sauces is endless. There is good pasta, bad pasta and poorly executed pasta (very often). I like plain store bought spaghetti with olive oil and garlic and hand-made fancy ravioli with a page long list of ingredients for the filling and another one for the sauce. I like regular pasta, stuffed pasta, long and short, fancy and plain, with sauce or in a soup. Here is something I made tonight, there is no recipe per-se but the technique and the various stages is something I want to share.

To make a pan full of lasagna, to feed 8 very very hungry people (or 10 hungry people), you will need:

4 eggs & 2 cups of flour (+ more for dusting) for the pasta dough OR a package of lasagna sheets enough for 5 layers in your dish

4-5 cups (approx. 1 liter/1 quart) tomato sauce – make your favorite one or buy one you are satisfied with (I recommend Dave’s Gourmet heirloom tomatoes, organic sauce)

1/2 lb (220 gr) spicy italian sausage (raw) - buy bulk or take out of the casing

1/3  (150 gr) lb ground chicken thigh meat

850 gr (30 oz) ricotta

a bag of spinach (lets say about a pound, 1/2 kg)

1/2 cup to 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

2 balls of fresh mozzarella

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

1) Put the ricotta in a fine sieve and let stand while you are doing the rest of the prep; it will lose some of the liquid.

2) Divide tomato sauce into 2/3 and 1/3, set the 1/3 aside. Brown the meat in some olive oil braking it while it cooks, add the tomato sauce and cook together until the meat is tender and the sauce reduced a bit (add a bit of flour if its too liquid).

3) Wash spinach and put it in a pot, sprinkle a teaspoon or so of salt, close the lid and let cook for a few minutes on a medium heat until absolutely wilted. Drain, wash under cold water, squeeze as much of the water as you can, chop and set aside.

4) Make pasta. 

5) Bring a pot of water to a boil add salt, cook pasta a few sheets at a time (just make sure the water is boiling at all times) for just a few second (lets say 5) and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Wash under cold water, pat dry with a towel.

*** If using store bought pasta follow manufacturer’s instructions rather than the ones above ***

6) Spread bottom of lasagna dish with a bit of the tomato sauce, cover with pasta sheets, spread half the meat sauce 1/4 of the mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano, cover with another layer of pasta. Cover with 1/2 the ricotta and half the spinach – sprinkle some salt and pepper. Another layer of pasta, another layer of meat sauce and Parmigiano, more pasta, ricotta and spinach and the last of the pasta should be covered with the plain tomato sauce the rest of the mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano.

7) Cover with foil and bake at  400 F (200 C) for 15-20 minutes, take off the foil and turn on the broiler and wait for the cheese to melt and a crust to form.

8) Take out of the oven and let sit for a few minutes for the lasagna to set, cut and serve with some fresh basil and freshly ground black pepper.

 

20 minutes breakfast muffins December 11, 2009

Why breakfast..? because those are not cake like muffins you would eat for dessert, those are the ones you eat for a power breakfast or a hunger killing snack. Those are fiber packed and as healthy as I could make them, they take exactly 20 minutes including baking.

What you need (8 large muffins, 10 if using an apple):

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used pastry flour)

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup ground old-fashioned oats (use your mini chopper/food processor/coffee grinder)

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar (I used raw sugar)

pinch of salt

1 tsp cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

4 oz  (110 gr) apple sauce (a scant 1/2 cup)

3/4 cups milk (fat free is fine)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup raisins

3 optional ingredients:

1/3 cup coarsely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans go well here)

1 Tbsp flax seeds – they are good for you :)

1 small apple – the basic recipe yields muffins that are quite dense, not heavy concrete dense or anything but still, and the apple chunks add a bit of moisture and freshness to them.

What to do, what to do…

1) preheat oven to 400 F

2) mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients and mix until combined, add apple cubes if using.

3) bake for 15 minutes (a couple extra minutes if using the apple)

Eat and be healthy!

Rocotta, almond and raisin pancakes November 8, 2009

Just something I whipped up tonight to go with a cup of tea, the idea is based on a traditional Russian food called sirniki or tvorojniki which are made with farmers cheese instead or ricotta and are coarser and a bit less refined (i.e. no lemon zest nor vanilla sugar) but nevertheless delicious and a childhood favorite.

You need (for 15 small pancakes):

1 cup ricotta (drained in a colander if watery)

1/4 cup almond meal

1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I used pastry flour)

1 egg yolk

2 Tbsp vanilla sugar

1 tsp baking powder

zest of one lemon

1/4 cup raisins soaked in hot water for a couple of minutes

Mix all ingredients, wait for about 10 minutes for the mixture to thicken. Form small discs (about 1 inch/2-3 cm in diameter)  and saute in a preheated pan over medium heat. The pan and the oil in it must be really hot so the cooking time is only a minute or two per side, otherwise the pancakes will lose their fluffiness.

They do expand due to the baking powder so don’t overcrowd the pan. I hope you enjoy the homey smell and taste :)

Artisanal bistro at the Bravern review November 3, 2009

It is a nice place, nice atmosphere and interior, nice idea, average service, nothing special really. The concept is an Americanized French bistro, the so hyped cured meats (not made in house or anything like that, just imported) and cheeses are beautiful but do not require any preparation or imagination - just cut and arrange on a plate; I am not going to a restaurant to get that, I am perfectly capable  of cutting my own cheese and buying my own salami. We came recently for a very late lunch on a Saturday and ended up in the restaurant during happy hour – we ordered some cheese bites which to my surprise materialized to be a cheese toast cut into four bite size pieces, the duck rillettes that had a nice flavor (my husband said he thought it was way too salty) but the portion was so big it was very difficult for the two of us to finish, the frites came in after a long long time and they were actually cold and we had to send those back and wait for new ones after we were almost done with everything else. As a compensation we got some the Gougeres (little cheese puffs) which were actually nice. Overall a very hyped and anticipated restaurant that does not deliver. The main word that comes to mind is boring.

Orecchiette with Delicata squash and prosciutto November 3, 2009

The plan was different. I was going to make Orecchiette with squash and a garlic-herb sauce but my husband was lobbying for utilizing our hunk of prosciutto. Why hunk? Because we bought a whole leg of italian San Daniele prosciutto and split it between three families so we have a really nice large piece laying in our fridge and we savour it nice and slow. So except for the obvious choice of Bufala mozzarella, tomatoes and prosciutto seasoned with olive oil I also try to incorporate it into cooking; if you want to do the same be careful, do not use salt before you add the prosciutto to your dish, you may come to regret it because when you heat up the prosciutto the flavor becomes more concentrated as the fat melts and it becomes saltier. So back to  the pasta…

 

You will need (for 4 people):

1 small squash – I used a Delicata

1/3 cup cubed (1/2 cm or 1/4 inch) prosciutto

300 gr (approx. 10 oz) Orecchiette or other small pasta

Handful chopped flat leaf parsley

2 cloves of garlic – minced

Parsley oil or plain olive oil and parmigiano reggiano for serving

What to do, what to do…

1) Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C)

2) Peel the squash, remove the seeds and strings and cut it into small (1 cm or 1/2 inch) cubes

3) In an oven proof dish mix the squash with 1 garlic clove, a little olive oil, a small pinch of salt (remember the warning from the beginning of the post) and freshly ground black pepper.

4) Bake the squash for about 10 minutes (maybe 15), until soft and cooked through.

5) Meanwhile boil your pasta water (make sure to time it right so the pasta and squash are ready at the same time) and cook your pasta.

6) While those two are on, put the prosciutto in a pan and saute over medium-high heat (no oil needed) until lightly browned.

7) Drain pasta, mix in squash, prosciutto including the fat from the pan, parsley & the second clove of garlic.

8) Divide between plates, drizzle with parsley oil (or plain olive oil), grate some cheese and fresh black pepper.

*** To make parsley oil (or any other herb oil for that matter):

Chop a bunch of parsley very very fine or pulse it in your food processor, mix in olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let stand for a little while (30 minutes perhaps); strain into a clean dish (squeeze bottle for example) extracting as much pulp and flavor from the parsley and there you have it! For a bunch of parsley I would use approximately 1/2 cup of oil (more or less depending on the intensity of flavor you want to obtain). Keeps well in the fridge.

 Enjoy!!!

Spicy Chickpea soup for the changing weather October 7, 2009

Fall is officially here, the leaves are colorful, the mornings are cold and the stove and oven get some over time. This soup is heavy and spicy making it a perfect meal on a cold evening or after you come home soaked because your umbrella broke. It does require some planning ahead because you need to soak the chickpeas overnight but when this is done you do the following:

Wash chickpeas and discard soaking water, transfer to a pig pot adding 8-10 cups of water, 2 dry chillies, 3 crushed garlic cloves, stems from 1/2 a bunch of Cilantro (you will you use the leaves later) and salt. Cook until tender with the lid closed.

Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 375 F, prick a few holes in the eggplant and roast it for 40 minutes. Let cool, peel off the skin and roughly chop.

When chickpeas are done, strain reserving the liquid. Discard garlic, peppers and cilantro.

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a smaller pot, add 2 chopped shalots, 1 crushed clove of garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, pinch of smoked paprika (1/4 tsp), pinch of turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes and saute for a couple of minutes until shalots are translucent and spices fragrant. Add the eggplant and 2/3 of the chickpeas, stir. Add 6 cups of the cooking liquid and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree with a stick blender or if your food processor. Add remaining chickpeas, 1 chopped fresh hot pepper and the finely chopped 1/2 bunch of cilantro leaves. Add a squeeze of lime juice.

Serve with sour cream and fresh chopped mint.

 

Full ingredient list:

1 cup dry chickpeas

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 bunch cilantro

2 dry chillies

1 eggplant

2 shalots

turmeric, smoked paprica, ground coriander, cumin, chili flakes, salt, olive oil

1 fresh chili pepper

juice from 1/4 lime

fresh mint and sour cream

Via Tribunali in Seattle – Review October 7, 2009

Another Seattle pizzeria chain certified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association. It is less casual then the previously reviewed Tutta Bella and hence slightly more expensive. The pizza is good, tomato sauce is delicious but for my taste there was a tiny bit too much of it and not enough of the Bufala mozzarella (one more slice would have been a very welcome addition). Overall the place is very nice (we went to the Queen Anne location) but was absolutely deserted on Sunday night.

WWW: http://www.viatribunali.net/

Jumbo Shrimp with Coconut Rice October 7, 2009

This one has Asian influences, something you get really accustomed to living in the Pacific Northwest both here in WA state as well as in British Columbia due to the large Asian communities. I personally love those ingredients so frequently used in Asian cooking – the hot colorful peppers, the incredibly fresh taste of ginger and lime, the cool cilantro leaves and the fragrant sesame and peanut oils. I like it that the use of salt is minimal and when it is required it is often substituted with soy sauce. I like the contrasts of colors and the balance of flavors and try to use them more in my own kitchen. This recipe has a good balance of sweet risotto consistency coconut rice and very flavorful slightly spicy shrimp, I love it!

Step zero: preheat the oven to 450 F – shrimp cook very well in the dry heat and stay moist and perfect.

Now, you should start with the rice. I use Arborio rice, the one you would normally use for risotto and a similar technique. Saute the rice for a couple of minutes over medium heat in a bit of peanut oil (use sesame, canola or grape seed if you don’t have peanut) until translucent. Reduce the heat slightly and add 1/5 of the coconut milk, and wait for it to evaporate almost completely stirring occasionally. Continue adding the coconut milk 1/5 at a time but after the 3rd addition close the lid, season with a bit of salt if you wish. While the rice cooks prepare the shrimp and put it in the oven a few minutes before the rice is cooked through – after you add the last portion of the coconut milk. 

*** For 2 people you will need 1/2 cup rice, 1 small can of coconut milk and a pinch of salt.

Now the shrimp (the rice is already cooking) – peel leaving the tails on. I think 5 jumbo shrimp per person is sufficient, therefore the quantities bellow correspond to 10 shrimp in total.

Chop the following:

1/2 stem lemon grass, tough and dry outer layer removed

1 to 2 Tbsp fresh ginger

1 shalot

1 hot pepper

2-3 garlic cloves

Put all the above in your baking dish and mix-in 2 Tbsp of sesame oil. Toss in the shrimp and coat them well with the oil distributing the ginger/garlic/shalot/pepper evenly. Do that as soon as you put the rice on to let the shrimp absorb some of the flavors before you actually cook it. The cooking time for the shrimp is only a few minutes so do watch them as soon as they are in the oven.

To serve sprinkle with some fresh chopped cilantro and some chopped peanuts if you wish :)

I appologize for the picture quality, lighting was horrible and I was hungry…  

Blue Cheese Souffle with Fig and Candied Walnuts salad October 7, 2009

It only looks fancy and complicated but honestly its really not a big deal! It is a full meal, especially if you make them as big as I did and it really does take 15 minutes to make and another 30 minutes to bake so nothing you wouldn’t put up on a regular day. You can even make the cheese mixture in advance and reheat it very slowly and very gently just before baking; and just so you know, “older” egg whites i.e. ones that were in your fridge for a short while hold up their shape and volume better when you beat them than the ones you just separated.

The souffle – for 2 large (!!!)  portions:

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup milk

1  1/2 Tbsp butter & some for greasing the mold

2 Tbsp flour

salt

white pepper

nutmeg

2 eggs, separated

To make:

1) Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Butter molds and refrigerate.

2) Bring milk to a boil, set aside.

3) Melt the butter in a small sauce pan, whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes whisking to prevent it from coloring. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the hot milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat and season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking at all times, for about 10 minutes until its thick. Remove from the heat.

4) Mix in  the egg yolks into the milk, one at a time and then add the cheese. Mix well & cover to keep warm.

5) Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, whisk 1/3 of the egg whites into the cheese mixture  and then gently fold the remainder.

6) Divide the mixture between the souffle molds, coming at about 3/4 cm (1/4 inch)  from the rim. Bake for 15 minutes.

7) Reduce heat to 375 F and bake until puffed and golden, another 15 minutes or so.

DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR, NEVER! It will not rise properly!

The Salad -  2 portions:

* 2 handfuls baby greens

* 1/3 cup candied walnuts. How to make:  in a small pan, over low heat,  combine walnuts with a  couple tablespoons of water and srpinkle some sugar on top, when heated through and water evaporates transfer the walnuts onto a wax paper lined baking sheet separating them all and just let air dry.

* 2 figs, quartered

* a drizzle of good quality balsamic vinegar and a tiny drizzle of honey (1/2 tsp per person) and you are done!

Rosh HaShana Madeleines September 17, 2009

Those are Rosh HaShana inspired madeleines, to those of you who don’t know it is the Jewish new year which is celebrated this coming Friday September the 18th. One of the traditions for Rosh HaShana is to eat apples dipped in honey for a sweet year.

So, after the cultural perspective let’s go back to cooking…I substitued some of the sugar in the traditional madeleine batter with honey, some of the butter with apple sauce and I actually went as far as injecting some of them with more apple sauce…and I am really getting ahead of myself here…So back to the beginning…

You need (for about 60 mini madeleins or approx. 15-20 regular ones):

1/3 cup sugar (can be reduced to 1/4 cup in my opinion, husband disagrees)

1 tsp lemon juice (some lemon zest would be nice too)

2 eggs

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla extract or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean

pinch of salt

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup flour

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp apple sauce

How to:

Step 1: melt the butter and let it cool while you do the rest

Step 2: mix sugar and lemon juice together, add the eggs, honey and vanilla and beat on a low speed for a couple of minutes

Step 3: carefully fold flour, baking powder and salt into the batter

Step 4: mix butter and apple sauce

Step 5: add butter and apple sauce to the rest of the ingredients

Step 6: butter your madeleine mold, divide the batter and bake @ 400F for 10-12 minutes

*** it is better to let the batter sit for a while in the fridge before you actually make the madeleines anywhere between an hour and two days is fine :) Just cover it with a plastic wrap so it is touching the surface of the batter to prevent a skin from forming.

*** if you wish to inject the madeleines with apple sauce like I did – use a pasty bag; use a tip with a small opening to puncture a small hole on the non-fluted side of the madeleines (after you baked them…) and inject away…the quantity you inject is very small but it gives a bit of moisture and freshness and coolness to the right out of the oven fresh madeleins, which is by the way, the only way to eat them! 

*** feel free to add spices either to the batter itself or to the apple sauce – cinnamon, cloves, ginger, pumpkin pie spice etc…

Have a great year!