Zucchini Bread with Grilled Fig and Goat Cheese

Recipe adapted from Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin, TX

2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ medium lemon, zested
3 eggs
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ tablespoon baking soda
1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)
8 fresh figs, sliced in half lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ pound sliced ash-covered goat cheese (such as Ste. Maure)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the butter with the brown sugar, granulated sugar and lemon zest until the butter is lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Fold the flour mixture and the grated zucchini into the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 9-inch loaf pan and place in the oven. Bake until the top is browned and the bread is cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove the loaf from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool completely before slicing into ½-inch slices.

On a hot grill pan or outdoor grill, brush the figs with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and grill until the figs are warmed and start to caramelize, about 20 seconds. Lay the zucchini-bread slices on the grill and grill until warm and grill marks form, about 1 minute. Arrange the grilled figs and zucchini-bread slices on a plate alongside the goat cheese and serve immediately.

Sweet Potato, Ricotta, and Arugula Flatbread

Recipe from Faith Durand, The Kitchn

1 lb pizza dough
1 sweet potato (roughly 10 ounces)
1 cup ricotta
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, loosely packed
2 oz arugula (two big handfuls)
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a baking stone, set it in the oven now.

Use your hands to gently press the pizza dough into a large oval. If the dough starts to spring back, let it rest for a few minutes and then try again. I prefer to roll the dough on top of a piece of parchment paper to make it easier to shuttle the pizza into the oven.

Peel the sweet potato and slice it into thin 1/8" coins (or use a mandoline). Toss the coins with a little olive oil in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the thyme into the ricotta.

Spread the ricotta mixture across the top of the dough. Arrange the sweet potato coins in slightly overlapping layers on top. Sprinkle the entire surface with a little salt.

Bake for 7 minutes and rotate the flatbread. Bake for another 7-8 minutes until the edges of the bread are turning golden and the sweet potatoes are soft. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for one more minute.

Scatter the arugula on top of the flatbread as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let it stand for a few minutes before cutting for the arugula to wilt. Slice and serve either warm or room temperature.

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.

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.

Delicias de Queso

Cheese Balls

2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Dash nutmeg
1/2 pound cheese, such as Gouda, grated
2 tablespoons grated Manchego or Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons minced cured ham
1 teaspoon grated onion
Oil for frying

In a bowl beat the egg yolks with a wire whisk until light colored. Stir in the milk, then gradually add the flour and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the yolk mixture into the whites, adding the salt, pepper, nutmeg, cheeses, ham, and onion. Drop by the teaspoonful into hot oil, at least 1/2 inch deep, and fry, turning once, until just golden. Do not overcook. Drain and serve immediately.

Cheese Balls with Olives

13-ounce jar large olives (for example, stuffed Spanish green olives without pits)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons cheese (Sharp Cheddar)
1 stick of butter
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 tablespoon cayenne

Combine cheese, butter, salt and cayenne. Cover olives. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes.

Sweet Basil Cheesecake

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis for the Food Network

Butter, for greasing the pan
1/2 cup (4 ounces) ricotta cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup (3 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
Pinch fine sea salt
1/2 packed cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Serving suggestion: assorted crackers
 
Special equipment: 4 1/2-inch diameter springform pan, about 2 1/2 inches tall

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 4 1/2-inch diameter springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with a piece of heavy-duty foil.

Place the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor. Pulse until mixed. Add the sugar, egg, egg yolk, and salt and blend until smooth. Add the basil and pulse until incorporated. Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared pan. Place the pan in an 8-inch by 8-inch square baking dish. Pour enough hot water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken (the cheesecake will become firm when chilled), about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the springform pan from the baking dish and remove the foil. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes.

Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the cheesecake with extra-virgin olive oil and serve with assorted crackers.

Stuffed Artichokes

Recipe from Daily Candy

4 artichokes
½-¾ c. bread crumbs
4 tbsp. good, sharp Parmesan cheese
2 heaping tsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, quartered
Olive oil for drizzling

Trim artichokes by cutting one inch off the top of the artichoke and cutting off the stem at the bottom (so the artichoke can sit upright).

Use kitchen scissors to trim the pointy tips off each petal. Discard petals that are split or bruised. Set aside.

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, and oregano in a bowl.

Loosen the petals of a artichoke from the center (so that it looks like a flower in bloom). Fill in each petal with a little of the bread crumb mixture, making sure it’s packed relatively tightly. Push a piece or two of garlic right into the center of the artichoke. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Place the artichokes (stems down) in a pot. Make sure they fit snugly so the artichokes will remain upright. Fill the pot with an inch or two of water and put a tight-fitting lid on the pot. Steam over medium heat for 40 minutes or until the petals can be pulled from the center of the vegetable without too much tugging.

Asparagus Gruyere Tart

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food

Flour, for work surface
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.