Portobello Parmesan

Ingredients

(from NY Times Cooking)

Yield: 4 servings
10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (1 pint)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
3 cups store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
1 cup panko bread crumbs (optional)
½ cup (½ ounce) basil leaves, finely chopped, plus more leaves for topping

Prep:

Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan, along with half the garlic, and drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and toss to coat the tomatoes.

Step 2
To the sheet pan, add the mushroom caps in between the tomatoes, gill side up, and drizzle each generously with olive oil. (Don’t skimp here, as the olive oil will add lots of rich flavor.) Scatter the mushrooms with the remaining garlic, and season each mushroom with salt and black pepper. Fill each mushroom with marinara sauce, and top with cheese. Place in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly and golden.

Step 3
Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the bread crumbs, basil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Remove from heat immediately and transfer to a bowl or jar.

harvest moon soup

come a little bit closer, here's a soup you'll want to try...on this harvest moon.

Kale, Cannellini Bean & Sausage Soup
(Adapted from Frances Mayes from Everyday in Tuscany: Zuppa di Cavolo Nero, Cannellini e Salsicce)

Ingredients

(Serves 8-10)

2 Italian sausages, skins removed and meat crumbled
4 tbsps olive oil
1 onion, chopped
12 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 cups dry white wine (or white cooking wine)
6 cups chicken stock
6 thyme sprigs
1 bunch of dinosaur kale or bagged, chopped kale
2 cups butternut squash, cubed (optional)
2 zucchini squash, cubed (optional)
4 cups cooked cannellini beans (dried beans or 2 cans of beans)
1 cup shredded parmigiano-reggiano

1. Saute the onions and garlic, add in crumbled sausage in the olive oil and cook until browned.
2. In the same pan, add in the thyme and the white wine to deglaze the pan.
3. Add the chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a boil and add the kale (and other veggies) and cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add the cooked sausage, parmesan and beans and simmer for another 15 minutes.

week knight: cheesy broccoli

this is one of my flavorite new week knight meals. a week knight is an easy dish that saves you if you didn't plan, and just have 30 minutes before bedtime and two ingredients in the fridge. in this case the two ingredients are broccoli and some leftover cheese (of any sort). parmesan, cheddar, Beecher's...you really can't go wrong. i originally made this broccoli as a side dish to lemon chicken pasta, although, in all honestly, the broccoli was so tasty that I snacked until I had eaten the whole broccoli batch before anything else was done cooking. so now, i cut out the middle man and go straight for the good stuff. think of this as a hot salad covered in crispy melted cheese and tangy lemon juice, with just enough substance to be the whole meal deal. if you've been on the hunt for a new, go-to week knight, this is it. adapted from this bon appetit contributor who says, "This Cheesy, Crispy Broccoli Skillet Might Be the Best Thing I’ve Ever Made." believe her. and believe me. who knew stovetop broccoli could turn into a dream come true??? don't delay, make it this week knight and don't ever look back.  plus because it's veg, you'll feel great about this choice being a meatless mainstay for Monday or any day of the week.  for short you can call this dish brocco cheese, broccoli deligh, broccoli d or broccoli deeze or BD or just b-deeze. you know b? you know b-deeze? 

if you're not convinced it can work as a standalone meal, some other thought starters to get you acquainted:
-add on top of any of your favorite pasta dishes for some green (mixed into TJ's pappardelle with roast chicken & parm)
-put atop your adult mac n cheese
-stir into your fave soup for some char and cheesiness (I added to plain matzo ball soup & it was fab)
-serve as a side dish to any favorite meal

the skillet in all of it's glory.

broccoli d in matzo ball soup

broccoli d with beecher's mac & chicken

broccoli d with pappardelle & bolognese

Broccoli Delight / Broccoli D / Broccoli Deeze / BDeeze

Recipe (adapted from Cheesy Broccoli Skillet)

1 lb broccoli (precut florets or floreted broccoli heads)

8 cloves garlic (chopped)

olive oil

a lemon

salt to taste (probably a handful)

crushed red pepper flakes

Add a generous coating of olive oil to a preheated cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, then add the broccoli (try to arrange the cut sides down), season with salt and chili flakes. Let cook, undisturbed, until the undersides are dark brown and the florets are bright green, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Toss everything around and let the broccoli cook a few minutes longer, until the new undersides take on some color and the stems are crisp-tender, another 5 minutes or so (but taste one to find out). 

While that's happening, crumble about 4 ounces of cheddar (or your other favorite melting cheese) into ½” pieces, then sprinkle them over the broccoli. The cheese will immediately melt and some will start to drip down into the spots between the florets and onto the hot surface of the pan. Whatever lands there will bubble and brown into cheese sheets. The rest of the cheese will softly melt onto the florets without getting crispy, and that’s just what you want. One cheese, two textures.

2,012 garlic clove soup

well, not quite, but about 40-60 cloves of garlic when all is said and done.  i made this soup on New Year's day -- it's easy, very flavorful, healthy and who doesn't love max quantities of garlic??

60 Garlic Clove Soup
Recipe from Martha's Whole Living 
4 heads garlic, halved crosswise (TIP: roast an extra bulb for spreading on bread with your soup)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 cups chicken stock

16 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle garlic heads with oil. Wrap tightly in foil and roast until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze garlic from papery skin and set aside. Bring stock, potatoes, and roasted garlic to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan. For additional texture, pull out 1-2 cups of cooked potatoes, and blend everything remaining in the pot with an immersion blender. Add potatoes back into blended soup. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with more Parmesan and serve with rustic bread.

butter noodles

this pasta is tasty, but it feels like an item you'd find on the kid's menu in an Italian restaurant. that's not to say an adult wouldn't enjoy it, sometimes eating like a kid is just what you need, and sometimes it's just the only option.  like last night at 9, when I hadn't eaten dinner and the only ingredients I had were 4 different kinds of pasta, half a stick of butter and some Parmesan-Romano from Trader Joe's.  I remembered this Mark Bittman article I'd read a while back about a favorite pasta of his with those ingredients, it sounded perfect. I would recommend it for anytime you need a quick meal and are running low on food supplies.

Here's what you'll need:

SPAGHETTI WITH BUTTER & PARMESAN
From Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound of any pasta (he uses spaghetti, I used bow ties)
1/2 to 3/4 stick butter
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the pasta until tender, but not mushy and drain it.  Reserve some of the pasta water for later.  Toss the pasta with butter, add a little of the water to thin the sauce.  Toss with the Parmesan.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Serve with more Parmesan at the table.

Eggplant Lasagna

This is a new take on lasagna that is both meat and gluten-free. For this recipe I used the same filling that I use for regular lasagna and cannelloni, and a jar of store-bought or a homemade marinara. The eggplant is used in place of noodles and I used a Trader Joe's marinara sauce.  


EGGPLANT LASAGNA
2 medium eggplants (about 2 1/4 pounds total), trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

• 3 zucchinis, sliced thinly lengthwise
• Coarse kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil

16-24 ounces of canned marinara sauce

For filling:

1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed & drained well

15 basil leaves, chopped

1 lb. fresh ricotta

1 cup shredded mozzarella, plus 1/2 cup for topping
salt & pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated parmesan 

• 
  
  Cover bottom and sides of each of 2 large colanders with 1 layer of eggplant slices; sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Continue layering eggplant slices in each colander, sprinkling each layer with coarse salt, until all eggplant slices are used. Place each colander over large bowl; let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Rinse eggplant slices to remove excess salt; dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• 
  
  Position oven rack 5 to 6 inches from heat source and preheat broiler. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange eggplant slices in single layer on prepared baking sheets. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil. Broil 1 sheet at a time until eggplant slices are tender and beginning to brown, watching closely and removing eggplant slices as needed if cooking too quickly, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove baking sheet from oven and cool eggplant while preparing filling.
  
  
  Combine drained spinach, basil, ricotta, mozzarella, salt & pepper and eggs; mix well. Add 1/4 cup parmesan, reserve the rest for topping and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Spread a layer of sauce evenly over bottom of dish. Place one layer of eggplant slices over sauce, covered by one layer of filling (about 1 inch thick), covered by one layer of zucchini slices and cover entire layer with sauce.  Repeat with another layer of eggplant, filling, zucchini slices and sauce.  Cover entire pan with remaining marinara, mozzarella and parmesan.  

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until the cheese begins to brown.

i wouldn't really call it a flower

cauliflower or "cabbage flower" is something I ate a great deal of growing up, but never especially enjoyed.  it was usually served steamed, watery and on the bland side of things.  sometimes served with cheez whiz, which is a sauce that you can conveniently scoop out of a jar and melt, in order to easily pour over any vegetable. you can also add it to macaroni noodles for a "homemade" macaroni and cheese sauce or add salsa to it for a homemade chili con queso dip.

on a recent visit to New Orleans, we ordered a fried cauliflower appetizer served with a chile vinegar sauce.  Although everything is better fried, including the pickles, oysters, okra, chicken and dough that were also consumed on this NOLA trip, I try to steer away from the deep fried lifestyle at home. This appetizer opened my eyes to the flavor potential of cauliflower that is so often masked or subdued by steaming.  It also inspired me to pair it with something more acidic, to give it a little zing.

this is a good side dish for any meal, and is also nice served chilled in a salad.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and broken into small florets
4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons of grated parmesan to finish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim cauliflower and set aside in a mixing bowl.  Mix garlic, lemon and olive oil in a small bowl.  Pour the lemon garlic mixture over the cauliflower and stir to coat the florets evenly.  Spread onto a cookie sheet or baking dish, and bake for 5-8 minutes or until tender.  The cauliflower may brown on one side, but that adds to the flavor.

Toss with parmesan before serving.

carbon era

the much famed Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, an Italian staple, is filled with delicious ingredients that can be found within most cupboards and fridges year round. often referred to as "coal miner's spaghetti", it is said to have been created by charcoal workers looking for a sturdy meal after a long day of physical exertion, otherwise known as a meal that sticks to the ribs. it's also thought that Italians began making this dish in WWII when there was an influx of eggs and bacon supplied by U.S. troops, and that soldiers brought the recipe back to their homes when they returned from war. whatever the origin, it's full of flavor and has a certain nostalgic appeal, perfect for a night spent watching many an episode of Mad Men and admiring Donald Draper in the company of good friends.


I made other versions of this a few times before posting it, and found it to be slightly bland. Trial and error led me to the addition of garlic, and higher-quality bacon cooked more crisply. Also, salt and pepper are key because this is truly a minimalist dish.

bacon, onions and garlic cooking.

Cheese and egg mixture.

the finished product.  bacon was a little on the dark side, hence the browner color.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

• 5 oz bacon or pancetta
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano blend, finely grated 
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut bacon or pancetta into 1/3-inch dice, then cook in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fat begins to render, 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 10 minutes. Add wine and boil until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes.

Cook spaghetti in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, cheese, 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Drain spaghetti in a colander and add to onion mixture, then toss with tongs over moderate heat until coated. Remove from heat and add egg mixture, tossing to combine. Serve immediately.

creamy polenta with sausage

i spotted this little number in today's minimalist column. from time to time, i find myself stuck in a pasta rut, where all of my dinner ideas revolve around a noodle mixed with different ingredients. i want to switch things up, but lack a substantial fall back plan. here's a new go to: polenta.  It's quick, it's simple, it's forgiving and has a flavor that compliments almost any sauce, sautéed veggie or meat item.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE
Courtesy of Mark Bittman

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 good-quality sweet Italian sausages

1 cup medium-to-coarse cornmeal

Salt

1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

2 tablespoons butter

Freshly ground black pepper.

Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, put cornmeal in a medium saucepan along with 1 cup water and whisk well to make a slurry; continue whisking mixture to eliminate any lumps. Put pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking frequently and adding water as needed to keep mixture loose and free of lumps, between 3 and 4 more cups. If mixture becomes too thick, simply add a bit more water; consistency should be similar to sour cream’s.

Polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on grind. Add cheese and butter. Taste and add salt, if necessary, and lots of pepper; serve topped with sausages.

Yield: 4 servings.

Savory Scones: Take 2

This is take two on savory scones. Not because the first batch didn't work, but because they are delicious and after reading another savory scone recipe, I decided you can pretty much use any combination of herbs and cheese that you like. So here it is, a random mishmash of the herbs from my mom's kitchen and chives from the yard, plus cheeses from the fridge.

Parmesan and Herb Scones 
Adapted from The Cheese Board: Collective Works

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely ground yellow cornmeal
½ stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
½ cup parmesan and cheddar, grated
½ cup chopped herbs (I used dried thyme, parsley, dill and oregano with chopped fresh chives)
½ cup milk
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.

Beat together the milk and the egg and then set aside. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda, cayenne pepper, cornmeal and salt. Rub the butter into the flour mixture, working until you have no lumps bigger than a pea. Add herbs and cheese and stir or toss to mix. Pour the wet ingredients into the dries, reserving just a little of the milk-egg mixture to use as a glaze. Bring dough together gently with a wooden spoon.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead it a few times. Pat dough into a round approximately ½-inch thick, and cut into 8 or 12 wedges. Place on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment. Using a pastry brush, glaze wedges with any remaining milk/egg mixture.


Place scones onto prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 15 minutes or until scones are light brown on top.Yields about 8-12 scones.
 
Enjoy!