Black Truffle Risotto with Green Tea

Risotto
1/4 c White wine
1 c Arborio rice
1.5 c Chicken stock
1 tbs Butter
1/2 small onion diced
1/4 c Shredded parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

Mushrooms
3/4 lb mixed mushrooms (portobello, crimini, shitake, etc.) 
1 clove garlic
1 tbs butter
1/4 tsp thyme
1 tbs truffle oil
1/4 c white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Garnish
Fresh Black Truffle, shaved
2 c Green tea


Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, melt 1tbs butter and 1 tablespoon truffle oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms over medium heat until softened and then add garlic and thyme. When garlic is fragrant, about 30-45 seconds, add white wine and cook until most of the wine is evaporated. Check seasoning and set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot or onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until it is slightly translucent.


Add the rice to the pot and stir it briskly with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Sauté for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. But don't let the rice turn brown.


Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed. Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process. 

Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20-30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter, the parmesan cheese and the parsley, and season to taste with Kosher salt.

Sausage, Potato, + Kale Soup

1/2 lb Italian sausage
2 medium Russett potatoes, diced
1 medium onion
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bunch kale
4c Chicken stock

Saute sausage with chili flakes, fennel seeds and onion then strain out any excess fat. Add potatoes and chicken stock and cook on a low boil until potatoes are softened, about 10-15 minutes. Add kale last and cook for 5 more minutes.

Savory Mushroom Tart

At the farmer's market I found a little ball of sunshine. I brought it home and have been savoring + rationing it. The last little chunk garnished my lunch.

Crust
1 1/4c Flour
1/2c Butter
3 tbsp chilled water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dried Rosemary, chopped
1 tsp dried Thyme. chopped

Filling
3/4 lb Mixed wild mushrooms (Crimini, Portobello, Shitake, etc)
1/4 c Dry white wine
1 tbs Olive oil
2 tsp Chopped garlic
2 tsp Fresh Thyme
1/2 small Onion, sliced and Caramelized
1c Coconut milk or Cream
3 Eggs
goat cheese and shaved white truffle to garnish

Combine flour herbs and salt in a bowl. Scatter chilled butter pieces over the flour mixture and cut in. When coarse crumbs form, drizzle in water until dough becomes an evenly moist mass; not a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill.
Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, heat up olive oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms + onions and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms over medium heat until softened and then add garlic and thyme. When garlic is fragrant, about 30-45 seconds, add white wine and cook until most of the wine is evaporated. Check seasoning and set aside.

Roll out dough and line it in a tart pan. Scatter mushroom and onions. Beat eggs and coconut milk and pour on top, filling the pan, but not overflowing. 

Bake @325 for 40-45 minutes, until eggs/milk are firm.
Garnish with goat cheese and shaved white truffle.

Pumpkin Muffins

Lately, a friend has been on a health kick. She's a huge fan of the Jillian Michael's cookbook and sent a recipe for Pumpkin muffins over saying they were good but her batch came out a little flat. As I've been trying to do some healthier baking, I've adjusted the recipe slightly and came out with these delicious morning treats. Separated my batch and made half with blueberries mixed in, which came out even better!

1 15oz can Pumpkin Puree
2 Large Eggs
1/2 c Maple Syrup
1/4 c Coconut Cream (or milk)
1/2 c Olive Oil (or Grapeseed Oil)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tbs Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
2.5 c Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 c Pumpkin Seeds 
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 Ground Nutmeg
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Freshly Grated Ginger (optional)
1/2 c Frozen Blueberries (optional)
1/4 c Pepitas (optional)
1 tbs sugar for dusting

Mix all wet ingredients stir in dry ingredients, flour last.

Place liners in muffin pan and scoop about 3/4 full.

Bake @325º for about 20 minutes

Apple Leige Waffles

In Amsterdam, around all the coffee shops are little bakery stands that sell belgian waffles. The yeast ones where the pearl  sugar melts and forms a thin caramelized crust on the outside of the waffle. Then they put chocolate on one side or with a little more powdered sugar and sell them all sorts of different ways. Needless to say I was a fat kid who ate them all.

1 pkg Active-dry yeast
1/3 c Warm water
1½ tbs Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
2 c Bread flour
3 Eggs
1 c Butter, softened
1 c Pearl sugar
1/2 c Fuji Apple, diced apple

Mix yeast, water, and sugar and let develop for 15 minutes.

Place flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well, pour in yeast mixture, and begin to knead. Continue to knead, add eggs, one at a time, and add soft butter mixing well. Let dough rest in bowl until doubled.

Gently mix in pearl sugar and apple. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Heat waffle iron. When hot, butter waffle iron, pour in 3 tablespoons dough per waffle. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until waffles lightly brown on top.

Yuzu-wasabi Asparagus

1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp Yuzu
1/2 tsp wasabi
1 tbs Kewpie mayonnaise
1 lb Asparagus, trimmed

In a medium pan, heat up olive oil. Add yuzu and wasabi. Sautee asparagus tips until al dente. Toss in mayonnaise. Serve warm. 

Bacon Jalapeno Corn Bread

Growing up, my grandmother would always make us 'care packages' where she'd cook us dinner. We'd stop by her house after school to pick them up on the way home. These straight out of the oven was always one of my favorite after-school snacks. 

I use her basic recipe and often mix in other ingredients for various flavors. Lets face it, bacon goes with everything. This version goes particularly well with seafood and chili.

2 c Flour
1 c Butter
1 c Sugar
1 c Milk
2 Eggs
3½ tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 c Corn Meal
5 strips of Bacon, diced and fried
1 medium Jalapeno Pepper, diced
1/4 c Corn kernels

Fry the bacon and set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Mix wet ingredients and fold in the remaining dry ingredients.

Pour in a greased 9x9 pan. Bake @ 325º for 20-25 minutes.

Peach Shortbread Bars

Sometimes, I use my favorite shortbread recipe for ice cream sandwiches. Today it became Peach Bars. I couldn't resist the peaches at the farmer's market this morning and made these...I suppose I could still add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and make them into sandwiches.

Shortbread Dough
2 3/4 c All purpose flour
1 c (2 sticks) Butter, softened
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1 egg
2 Fresh yellow peaches, sliced thinly.

In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients: sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and spices. Use a pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg into the flour mixture. It will be crumbly. Pat 3/4 of the crumbs into the bottom of a parchment lined 9x13 pan, pressing firmly. 

Tile peach slices over crumb base in a single layer. Scatter remaining crumbs evenly over peaches. Bake at 375º for about 30 minutes, until top is slightly brown and you can see a little color around the edges. Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

Wild Mushroom Mac + Cheese

1/2 c Uncooked large elbow macaroni
2 c Milk, room temperature
1/4 c All purpose flour
4 tbs Butter
 
3/4 lb Mixed wild mushrooms (Crimini, Portobello, Shitake, etc)
1 stalk of Leek
1/4 c Dry white wine
1/2 c Parmesean, grated plus more for top of casserole
1 tbs Olive oil
1 tbs butter
pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp Chopped garlic
2 tsp Fresh Thyme
2 tbs butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the macaroni until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes. Set aside. 

Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, melt butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms over medium heat until softened and then add garlic and thyme. When garlic is fragrant, about 30-45 seconds, add white wine and cook until most of the wine is evaporated. Check seasoning and set aside.

To make the sauce, melt remaining butter in a medium pot. Whisk in flour to create a white roux. Cook for a moment and then whisk in the milk, stirring to prevent lumps. Cook until the raw flour taste is gone and the sauce is thickened, about 6-8 minutes. The sauce is thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon. Stir in nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, Parmesan, mushrooms and macaroni. Stir together and then move to a casserole dish. Top with remaining Parmesan and bake until bubbly, 25-35 minutes.

Corn + Bacon Griddle Cakes

I'm always looking for different ways to use more Bacon in my cooking. Here we have another winner.

 

1 egg
2/3 c milk
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt and pepper
1 c flour
8 strips bacon fried and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 c corn, frozen or fresh
2 tbs chives, chopped
1/2 small onion, diced and sauteed
maple syrup, for serving

In a pan, fry bacon until crisp. Use the bacon grease to cook onion until it is softened. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bacon mixture for topping the griddle cakes upon serving- and set it aside.
 
While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, chives, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk, egg and oil, just until moistened. Stir in the bacon mixture, corn and cheese. The mixture will be thick. If you'd like the griddle cakes to be slightly thinner, add a little more milk to thin out the batter.

Heat and grease a griddle or large skillet. Pour a heaping 1/4-cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook until it is golden brown- 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve stacks of griddle cakes topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon/onion and a good dose of warm maple syrup.

Sesame Ginger Salmon

It's Summertime!!! 
For me this means lots of grilling!

Marinade
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs rice vinegar
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbs fresh ginger, grated
1-2 tbs sesame seeds, toasted
4 green onions, sliced


Sesame Ginger Honey Glaze
1/4 c honey
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Marinate fish for about 30 min to an hour. 

Grill or on a pan in the broiler. Cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on the salmon’s thickness, until opaque and easily flakable with a fork. Flip the salmon halfway through cooking if desired.

Remove and serve immediately, with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, green onions and the glaze 

Turtle Tart

You may have noticed a turtle theme...

Crust - Coconut shortbread cookie
1c Butter
1/2c Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Exract
2c Sifted All Purpose Flour
1c Grated Coconut

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and coconut. Stir in flour.
Press into tart pan and Bake at 300˚ for 20-25 minutes, until edges turn slightly golden.


Filling - Chocolate French Silk
1c Butter
1 1/2c Granulated Sugar
4oz 70% Chocolate, melted
2 tbs Dutch processed cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs

Melt chocolate in a double boiler and let cool.  
Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the sugar with an electric mixer until light colored and well blended. Stir in the thoroughly cooled chocolate, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 5 minutes on medium speed after each addition.
Spoon into baked tart crust.


Topping - Salted Caramel
1 tbs Water
1 tsp Lemon juice
1c Sugar (200g)
--
1/2c Heavy cream (100g)
4 tbs Butter (60g)
1/2 tsp Sea salt

In a sauce pot, heat sugar, lemon juice, and water on a medium heat until it reaches a golden caramel color. Tilt the pot to mix, but do not stir. 

Once at the golden caramel stage, add cream and stir in salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until until caramel thickens. Remove from heat and add butter.

Once cooled, drizzle on top of the tart. Garnish with chopped macadamia nuts and shaved chocolate.

Madeleines

Lemony glazed goodness :P

Cake
2 Large eggs
2/3 c Sugar
1 1/4 c Butter, melted and cooled
1/8 tsp Salt
1 1/4 c All purpose four
1 1/4 tsp Baking powder
2 tbs Whole milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Almond extract
Zest from 1 lemon

Glaze
3/4 c Powdered Sugar
1 tbs Lemon Juice
1 tsp water

Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add in salt, baking powder, vanilla, almond extract, milk, and lemon zest. Stir in flour until smooth, do not over mix. Gently continue to stir in the melted butter half at a time.

Chill batter for 1 hour.
 
Bake @450 for 9-12 minutes

Breakfast Sausage

½ lb Ground pork
2 tsp Kosher salt
1½ tsp Ground black pepper
2 tsp Sage leaves, chopped
2 tsp Thyme leaves, chopped
½ tsp Rosemary, chopped
1 tbs Light brown sugar
½ tsp Grated nutmeg
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
½ tsp Red pepper flakes

Combine ground pork with all other ingredients and chill for 1 hour. Form into 1-inch rounds. Refrigerate and use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. For immediate use, saute patties over medium-low heat in a pan. Saute until brown and cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Pizza Dough

2½ tsp Active-dry yeast
1 c Warm water
2½ c All purpose flour
1 tsp Sugar
½ tbs Salt
2 tbs Olive oil

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, wet first, and stir until a rough ball forms. Knead the dough until soft, smooth and elastic.

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let rise until it doubles, about 1.5-2 hours.

Shape, with corn meal below. Add toppings.

Bake @ 450º for 10-15 minutes

Turtles

Ever notice that the letters in 'Easter' also say 'Eaters'?

This year at Easter, one of my little cousins is taking a home-ec class. So for extra credit, we made cookies...lots of them. This was definitely the winner!

Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Dough
1/4c Brown sugar
1 1/2c Granulated sugar
2c Butter
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Baking soda
3/4c Cocoa powder
2c All purpose Flour

Cream butter, sugar, and salt. Sift cocoa powder, flour and baking soda. Add dry ingredients until just combined. Roll out between two sheets of parchment until 1/8" thick. Chill for 30 minutes. Cut out with a 2.5" round cookie cutter.


Filling
3/4c Brown sugar
1tbs Melted butter
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 lg Egg
1/4 c Pecan Nuts

For the crust make 1 batch of Cookie Dough, cut out and shape in a muffin tin. The filling is a pecan pie filling; pour 2/3 full. Place a layer of nuts on top, careful not to overlap.

Bake @ 350º for about 12-15 minutes

Corn Chowder

My grandmother would make care packages for us growing up which just meant she'd make us dinner. Every other week, my brother and I would get to request what we'd want to eat...Corn Chowder was always one of my favorite requests.

 
1 Medium onion, diced
1/2 lb Bacon, cut into pieces
2 medium sized Russet Potato (or 4 new red potatoes), diced
1 Leek stalk, chopped
2 Ears of Corn, kernels cut off the cob (or 1c frozed corn)
3 Celery stalks
2 Carrots  
4-5c water
1 tbs Butter
2 tbs all purpose flour
1/4c Heavy cream
Salt & Pepper to taste

Dice up vegetables. In a large pot, place potatoes in water and boil for 10 minutes. Water level should barely cover the potatoes

In a separate pan, fry the bacon, onions, & butter. Add salt & pepper to taste. Add other vegetable until they sweat, then add flour. Then combine in the pot with water and potatoes. Boil for about 15-20 minutes, when vegetables are cooked, add cream and stir. Continue to keep medium heat for another 5 minutes, but do not let the soup boil after adding the cream.

Gingerbread Cookies

1 1/2c Butter (3 sticks)
1 1/2c Granulated Sugar
1/2c Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1/4c Molassas
4 1/2c All Purpose Flour
4tsp Ground Ginger
1tbs Fresh Ginger, grated
2tsp Cinnamon
2tsp Baking Soda
1/2tsp Salt


Cream butter and sugar. Add all other ingredients, stirring in the flour last. Cover with plastic and chill in the refrigerator for an hour. 

Scoop out dough and dust with Sugar.

Bake @ 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Black Bean Brownies

I prefer to think of them as REALLY good protein bars...

1 can (15oz) Black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c Quick oats
1/4 c Vegetable oil
1/2 c Maple Syrup
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 tbs Dutch processed cocoa powder
2/3 c Semisweet chocolate chips

In a food processor, blend the oats, beans, oil, and maple syrup until completely smooth. Add salt, vanilla, cocoa powder, and baking powder and blend well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake @ 350º for 15-20 minutes

Savory Bread Pudding

1 (1-pound) loaf crusty country-style white bread
1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2lb Bacon, cooked and diced

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms (such as crimini, button, portobello, and stemmed shiitake), thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 stalk finely chopped Leek
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 1/2 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread and discard. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups loosely packed). Place cubes in very large bowl. Add oil, thyme, and garlic; toss to coat. Spread cubes out on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Return toasted bread cubes to same very large bowl. 

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, and leek. sauté until soft and juices have evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add sautéed vegetables, bacon, and parsley to bread cubes.

Whisk milk, eggs, salt, and ground pepper in large bowl. Mix custard into bread and vegetables. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Sprinkle cheese over. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake stuffing uncovered until set and top is golden, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes.

Almond Crusted Chicken

1/2 c Unsalted almonds
2 tbs Olive oil
3/4 tsp Lemon zest
1 tbs Lemon juice
3/4 tsp Dried rosemary
1 Garlic clove
1/4 tsp Salt
4 (4-5oz) Chicken Breasts

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a thick paste.

Place chicken flat on a baking sheet and evenly spread almond paste on top.

Bake @ 425º for about 10 minutes; a meat thermometer should read 165º-170º F