Monday, March 21, 2011

Bruschetta with Rosemary, Roasted Plum Tomatoes, Ricotta and Prosciutto

Recipe from Bon Appétit  | August 2010

6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), quartered lengthwise
12 1/2-inch-thick diagonally cut baguette slices (each 3 to 4 inches long)
12 tablespoons ricotta cheese, divided
6 thin prosciutto slices, cut in half crosswise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup microgreens or baby arugula

Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir 6 tablespoons oil, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend. Add tomato quarters and stir to coat. Let stand 5 minutes. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lift tomatoes from marinade and arrange, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet (reserve marinade for toasts).

Roast tomatoes until skin is browned and blistered and tomatoes are very tender, about 35 minutes. Cool tomatoes on sheet. Maintain oven temperature.

Meanwhile, arrange bread slices on another rimmed baking sheet. Brush top of each with reserved marinade (including garlic and rosemary bits).

Roast bread until top is golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool toasts on sheet.

Spread 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese on each toast; sprinkle with pepper. Fold prosciutto halves over and place on ricotta. Arrange 2 tomato quarters atop prosciutto. Whisk lemon juice and remaining 1 teaspoon oil in medium bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Add microgreens and toss to coat. Top bruschetta with microgreens. Arrange on platter and serve.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Fish Tacos

Recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's My Father's Daughter

A bunch of cilantro
Juice of 5 limes
1/3 cup of olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for cooking
1 small white onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 jalapeño or 3 red fresno chili peppers, roughly chopped
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
Coarse salt
2 pounds halibut, finely diced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup white wine

Combine the cilantro, lime juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, onion, garlic, chili, garlic powder, cumin and paprika together in a blender with a large pinch of salt and puree until thoroughly combined and smooth. Set the mixture aside. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot and add the halibut. Cook, stirring now and then, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Pour over the reserved cilantro mixture, stir gently just to combine and cook for just another minute to let all the flavors say hello. Serve immediately with deep-fried flour tortillas, crema fresca (or sour cream), cotija cheese, and a fresh pico de gallo with chunks of avocado (mix equal parts diced tomatoes and avocado and then season with salt, pepper, fresh cilantro, lime and diced red onion).

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus with Shallot and Rice Wine Beurre Blanc

Recipe from Kitchen on Fire

1 bunch Thin Asparagus, trimmed into 3 inch pieces
6-10 slices Prosciutto
Olive Oil for drizzling

6-7 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
3 tbsp Shallot, minced
¾ cup Butter, cubed & chilled
to taste Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400˚.

Toss the asparagus with a good drizzle of olive oil & place into 3-5 piece bundles. Wrap each with a ¼ piece (or ½ piece) of prosciutto & place onto an oiled sheet tray into the oven for about 15 minutes; until the prosciutto is crispy & the asparagus is tender.

In a sauce pan on med-high heat, add the vinegar & shallot; reduce the liquid until almost dry. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the butter a few cubes at a time (you want the butter to melt & without separating to butter fat & foam). Move back to the heat as necessary. Whisk until all butter is melted & smooth. Season with salt & pepper; serve with the asparagus.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Hummus Crusted Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon

Recipe from Clean Eats

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (local and free-range)
2 lemons, (1 sliced into rounds and 1 juiced)
1/2 cup hummus (you can buy it or use the quick and delicious recipe below)
4 fresh rosemary sprigs or 2 tablespoons dried
Generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Make the hummus in a food processor by blending the following ingredients:
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Preheat to 450.

Place the chicken breasts in a small roasting pan, covering all exposed meat with the hummus (use a spoon or your hands, just make sure it’s layered quite thick, about 1/4”).

Scrunch each lemon half in your hand and then loosely arrange them over the chicken with the rosemary sprigs, broken into smaller pieces, so the flavor comes out more. Generously drizzle the entire mix with lemon juice and then a quick drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Bake until the hummus is golden brown and the meat is juicy and tender (checking with a knife to make sure it’s cooked all the way through), about 30 minutes.

Finish with another quick drizzle of lemon juice and an optional pinch of sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Arroz con Leche

1 cup rice
3 cups water
A dash of salt
1 stick of cinnamon (about 8 cm. long)
A dash of lemon or orange peel (optional, I usually don't add)
4 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg (optional)

Cook the rice with the water, salt and cinnamon stick on the stove. Once the water has almost evaporated, reduce heat and slowly stir in the milk, sugar and vanilla. I some times beat an egg into the milk before pouring into the rice. Once the rice thickens, remove from the stove and let cool, and then refrigerate. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving chilled.

Note: I used brown sugar, which gave the arroz con leche a darker color.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Fettuccine With Asparagus

1 1/2 pounds of asparagus
12 ounces fettucine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
3 shallots, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Course salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Trim the tough ends of the stalks from the asparagus. With a vegetable peeler, pare away any tough skin from the lower half of the stalks. Rinse the asparagus in cold water.

Either cook the asparagus in a steamer or tie in a bundle standing in two inches of water. Cook, covered, until tender but firm. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, cut the stalks into three-quarter-inch pieces. Meanwhile, bring water to boil for the fettuccine.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and the shallots and saute for one minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook for several minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper. Add the asparagus and keep warm until the fettuccine is cooked.

Cook the fettuccine until al dente, drain, and transfer to a heated serving bowl. Add the sauce, toss, and serve. Pass the cheese separately.

Note: I used whole grain vegan pasta and substituted the heavy cream with fat free half-and-half.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Rosemary Apple Turnovers with Honey

Recipe from Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan

1 recipe single pie crust, chilled or 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 large apple, about 8-10 ounces, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
pinch salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In a bowl, combine the apple, honey, vanilla, rosemary, nutmeg, flour, and salt. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust out to a 17- x 9-inch rectangle. (If using puff pastry, unfold the sheet.) Trim to a 16- x 8-inch rectangle. Cut the sheet into eight 4- x 4-inch pieces.

Place a generous spoonful of the apple mixture in the center of each square, leaving at least 3/4-inches around all sides. Using a finger or a pastry brush, gently apply a coat of the beaten egg to the exposed border of the pastry.

Fold each piece to form a triangle. Seal the edges with the tines of a fork, or pinch with two fingers. Brush the tops of the turnovers with more of the egg wash. Slice a few small slits in the top of the turnovers to allow steam to escape.

Place the turnovers on a lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.