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Pezzo (pĕt-ZO) n. A piece, portion or bit

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Radish Vinaigrette: A Revelation. Try on this Mixed Green Salad with Haricot Verts

I picked up some bright pink radishes from the farmer's market and found an interesting recipe on Epicurious for Mixed Greens with Radish Dressing.  I would never have thought to puree radishes into a dressing, but I can't explain how delicious it came out.  It has a silky texture and beautiful flecks of pink throughout.  The fresh bite of the radish flavor mingles with sweet honey mustard and cracked black pepper.  

This salad is perfect for a light lunch.   

Mixed Greens with Radish Vinaigrette
Serves 2

4 radishes, unpeeled, trimmed, coarsely chopped
2 tblsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 handful slender green beans, trimmed

2 handfuls mixed baby greens
1 shallot, thinly sliced
4 radishes, sliced paper thin

1.  Place chopped radishes, vinegar, mustard, honey, and garlic in a food processor; puree.  Slowly add olive oil as the machine is running until a thick dressing forms.  Season with salt and pepper.

2.  Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Pat dry and chill until cold.

3.  Place beans, mixed greens, shallot, and sliced radishes in a large bowl.  Toss with enough dressing to coat.

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Posted 28 minutes ago

An early Spring salad: Quinoa with Cucumber, Feta and Bibb Lettuce

 

If you're a health nut, you probably know about quinoa, the super grain first cultivated by the Incas over 6,000 years ago.  They called it chisaya mama, which means "the mother of all grains."  Interestingly, quinoa is not technically a grain, it's a leafy vegetable related to chard and spinach, but the edible seeds of the plant are the true superstars.

Quinoa is a complete protein, with all nine essential amino acids, more than any other grain.  It's also rich in vitamin B2, magnesium, fiber, iron, zinc, and vitamins E and B6.  So basically, it prevents headaches, hypertension, osteoporosis, cataracts, heart disease, and maybe even breast cancer.  EAT IT.

Beyond all of quinoa's exceptional health benefits, it is a versatile and delicious ingredient.  It cooks up light and fluffy in minutes, and can replace rice or couscous in virtually any recipe.  It's subtle nutty flavor always shines through, whether chilled in a salad, steaming in a side dish, or sweetened in a dessert.

Always rinse quinoa thoroughly in cold water.  When the germ ring separates from the grain, the quinoa is cooked.

Quinoa Salad with Feta & Cucumber
Makes 4 side dish servings or 2 entree

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tblsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
fresh black pepper
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise
1 Persian cucumber, sliced
2 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
2 handfuls Bibb lettuce, cut in strips
1 red Belgian endive, sliced on the diagonal

1.  Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water, draining in a fine metal sieve.  Stir together quinoa, water, and 1/2 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all the water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.  When done, the grain appears soft and translucent, and the germ ring will be visible on the outside of the grain.  Let the quinoa cool.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk together lemon juice, oil, remaining salt, pepper, and parsley.  Toss the quinoa, lettuces, cucumber, olives, and feta with the dressing.

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Posted 5 days ago

Superb Black Olive Tapenade recipe from The Barefoot Contessa

This stellar recipe for tapenade comes from the "barefoot contessa", Ina Garten, one of my favorite cooks.  She's a former nuclear policy analyst (!), caterer, and the consummate recipe creator. And she's from Connecticut, my home state :)  I trust any recipe with her name on it.

At our last get-together, I served this with toasted baguette, marinated bocconcini, prosciutto and Genoa salami. I reduced the number of anchovy fillets and it was perfect for my tastes.  Don't be put off by this secret ingredient...it really compliments the olive flavor.

Black Olive Tapenade
6 servings

1/2 lb good Kalamata olives, pitted and diced
3 tblsp capers, drained
3 anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup good extra-virgin olive oil
1 tblsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tblsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 baguette, sliced and toasted

1.  Combine the olives, capers, anchovies and garlic in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, and pulse 3 times.  Add the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, thyme and parsley and process until chunky.  Serve on toasts.

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Posted 11 days ago

A Unique Italian Dessert: Polenta Almond Cake

     
Click here to download:
A_Unique_Italian_Dessert_Polen.zip (8015 KB)

We had some friends over for dinner this weekend, and the main course included Grilled Halibut with Lemon and Fresh Oregano, Mashed Potatoes, and Fennel Slaw.  I felt that a chocolate dessert would overpower the delicate winter flavors, so I sought out a brighter finale.  I've seen Giada De Laurentiis and Lidia Bastiannich make a version of this golden Italian cake, but this recipe comes from Martha Stewart.

The cake takes on a flaxen color and crunchy bite from polenta, the Italian name for cornmeal.  Depending on the variety, it can be coarse or finely ground.  For our purposes, it must be finely ground.  If the package doesn't specify, most likely it is medium ground.  If your polenta is medium ground, give it a spin in the food processor.  Ground almonds also contribute to the cake's rich density, and help to keep it moist.  Fresh orange juice brightens the flavor profile, and I imagine lemon would be just as nice.

Polenta Almond Cake
Makes one 8-inch cake

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
1/2 cup finely ground polenta
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tblsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 tblsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 2 tblsp melted, for pan
1 cup sugar, plus more for pan
3 large eggs, room temperature
3 tblsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
confectioner's sugar, for presentation

1.  Preheat oven to 325°.  Spread sliced almonds in a single layer on a small baking sheet.  Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.  Transfer to a shallow bowl, set aside to cool.  In the bowl of a food processor, finely grind whole almonds, set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, polenta, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  Pour melted butter into an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan, swirling to coat the bottom and brushing up the sides.  Sprinkle with sugar and toasted sliced almonds.

3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar, and beat until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating to combine after every addition.  Beat in orange juice and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients, slowly beating until just combined.

4.  Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula.  Bake until a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the center comes our clean, about 45 minutes.  Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.  Remove cake from pan, and cool completely.  When completely cool, use a small mesh strainer to sift confectioner's sugar over the top.  Serve with berries or fresh fruit.

 

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Posted 15 days ago

Luscious Lasagna with Rainbow Chard, Sausage, and Bechamel

   
Click here to download:
Luscious_Lasagna_with_Rainbow_.zip (4502 KB)

After buying some beautiful rainbow chard at the farmer's market, I started searching for interesting recipes.  Winter greens like chard, kale, and collards are densely packed with nutrients that stave off cancer and other diseases.  Dressing them up with full-flavored ingredients like garlic, lemon and cream helps to balance their bitterness.

 

This is another Martha Stewart recipe that I tweeked for convenience.  Using rainbow chard instead of Swiss chard throws a bit of pink in the layers and looks really pretty, making this meal a good Valentine's Day option.  I also used a combination of sweet and hot turkey sausage to cut some calories and fat.  And I can never resist adding fresh ricotta to homemade lasagna.  

 

To remove the stems from the greens, fold the leaf in half, and cut the stalk from the edge.  It's fairly easy to find fresh lasagna noodles at the grocery store to save time.  Be generous with the Bechamel, because the pasta will soak it up in the oven.

 

Ingredients

Serves 4

 

For the Filling

1 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 links of Italian turkey sausage, one sweet, one hot, casings removed, meat crumbled into small pieces

2 shallots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4 inch half moons

1 bunch rainbow chard, stems removed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced crosswise

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp coarse salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 tblsp fresh lemon juice

 

For the Bechamel

2 1/2 tblsp unsalted butter

1/4 of an onion, finely diced

1 tsp coarse salt

pinch red pepper flakes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

 

fresh lasagna noodles, cut to fit your pan and cooked 

4 oz fresh ricotta cheese, drained if wet

4 oz fontina cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 400°.  Make the filling:  Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add sausage, and cook, stirring until golden and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.  Transfer sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate.

 

2.  Reduce heat to medium, and add shallots to drippings in pan.  Cook, stirring often until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add chard and cook, stirring frequently, until just starting to wilt, 2 minutes.  Add garlic, lemon zest,  and salt, season with pepper.  Cook, stirring often until chard wilts completely, about 3 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice.  Transfer to a colander to drain.

 

3.  Make the Bechamel:  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, salt, red-pepper flakes, and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Whisk in the milk a little at a time, until incorporated.  Bring to boil, stirring often, then reduce heat to low.  Simmer, stirring gently and often, until thickened and creamy, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  

 

4.  In a 11 x 8 inch baking dish, spread 6 tblsp of bechamel in dish and top with a noodle.  Spread half of the chard mixture evenly, then 1/2 the sausage, then dot with ricotta.  Top with 4 tblsp Bechamel, then another noodle.  Repeat with chard, sausage, ricotta and Bechamel, then another noodle.  Spread another 2 tblsp Bechamel over the top, then sprinkle with the Fontina.

 

5.  Bake until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.  Let cool slightly before serving.

 

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Posted 23 days ago

Best. Coleslaw. Ever.

This recipe comes from an even bigger perfectionist than me...Chris Kimball of Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen.  This coleslaw is a refreshing balance of sweet, tangy, and savory and is a great side dish to fried chicken or sandwiches.  The delicate green of the cabbage and Granny Smith compliments the vibrant pink of the red onion beautifully. And it tastes even better leftover.

Apple and Fennel Coleslaw
Ingredients (makes 5 cups)

1 lb green cabbage (about half a medium head), finely shredded
salt and fresh pepper
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tblsp honey
2 tblsp rice-wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
2 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp mustard (preferably whole grain)
2 tsp minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch thick matchsticks
1 medium head fennel, halved and thinly sliced

1.  Toss cabbage and 1 tsp salt in a colander set over a medium bowl.  Let stand until cabbage wilts, 1 to 4 hours.  Press dry between paper towels.

2.  Stir together onion, honey, vinegar, oil, mustard and tarragon in a medium bowl.  Immediately toss cabbage, apple and fennel in the dressing.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  (It's best to let the flavors meld for at least 1 hour)

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Posted 29 days ago

Martha's All American Buffalo Chicken Tenders for Superbowl Sunday

   
Click here to download:
Marthas_All_American_Buffalo_C.zip (4512 KB)

I've made these buffalo tenders several years in a row for Superbowl Sunday.  It is a quintessential Martha Stewart recipe: perfect and simple.  Using skinless tenders cuts out a significant amount of fat...and why not go boneless?  

When battering the chicken, follow her directions: "to keep mess to a minimum, use one hand to dip chicken in buttermilk and place in flour; with the other hand, toss, pick up, and place on sheet."  Don't forget the celery stalks.

All-American Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Ingredients (4 servings)

1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
coarse salt and pepper
1 cup flour
1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as safflower
1/3 cup hot sauce
2 tblsp melted butter
celery stalks

1.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, and transfer to oven.  In a medium bowl, stir together blue cheese and 1/2 cup butter milk.  Season dip with salt and pepper and set aside.

2.  Place flour and remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk in separate medium bowls; season with salt and pepper.  Set out another rimmed baking sheet alongside.  Dip chicken in buttermilk (allowing excess to drip off), then in flour (shaking off excess); place on sheet.

3.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Transfer to rack in the oven to keep warm.

4.  In a large bowl, stir together hot sauce and melted butter.  Add chicken and toss to coat.  Serve tenders with blue cheese dip and celery stalks.

 

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Posted 29 days ago

For an interesting twist on Chocolate Birthday Cake, try this rustic Chocolate Carrot Cake

If you're reading this, perhaps you know about my deep love of carrot cake.  Moist and mildly spiced, with rich cream cheese icing, carrot cake is unpretentious and uniquely comforting.

I recently borrowed Scotto Sunday Suppers from the library and found several tantalizing Italian recipes, swinging between the classic and the unconventional.  I plan on making several of their recipes, including their Maple and Bourbon Glazed Roast Pork Loin, and their Pistachio-Crusted Sea Bass with Salsa Verde.  In the dessert section, I discovered Chocolate Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.  Luckily we had two friends with birthdays the next week.  

This is a rustic two layer cake, and the rich frosting really sweetens up the dessert.  The layer of frosting in the middle of the cake looks beautiful when you cut into it (unfortunately I don't have a picture of the inside, but check out the cookbook for a gorgeous photo!).  The grated carrots just melt into the batter, and help to keep it moist.  Make sure eggs, butter, and cream cheese are room temperature before starting.  

Chocolate Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
12 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake
8 eggs
3 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 cups grated carrots

For the Frosting
1 cup butter
1 lb powdered sugar
2 cups cream cheese
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb white chocolate, melted and cooled

1.  Make the cake.  Preheat the oven to 350°.  Butter and flour two 10-inch cake pans.  In a standing mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and tripled in volume.  Gradually add the oil with the mixer running.

2.  Sift together the dry ingredients and stir into the egg mixture (folding gently to hold the volume).  Fold in the carrots.  Pour batter into the two prepared cake pans.  Bake for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

3.  Make the Frosting.  Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer.  Add the cream cheese a little at a time.  Mix in the vanilla and white chocolate.

4.  After the cake cools, frost the cake.  Place the bottom layer on your serving plate.  Frost the center of the cake, then add the top layer.  Frost the top and outside of the cake generously.

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Posted 1 month ago

Cure your hangover (or the blues) with The Ultimate Breakfast Burrito

     
Click here to download:
Cure_your_hangover_or_the_blue.zip (7080 KB)

When you're hungover, you can't do much better than a breakfast burrito...eggs, cheese, crispy hash browns (and bacon or sausage), all rolled into a fresh tortilla.   Add some spicy Tapatio and pico de gallo and you'll be on the road to recovery.  We live very close LA's mecca for fast-food breakfast burritos, Lucky Boy.  Their famous burrito is straightforward comfort food, and probably has a calorie count pushing 3000.  I've also had some delicious gourmet-style breakfast burritos, stuffed with organic eggs, fresh vegetables and homemade salsas.  

After a night of bar-hopping with some friends last weekend, we endeavored to make the ultimate breakfast burrito, and I must say it was a success.  The star of this burrito is Greg's famous eggs.  You've never had eggs this perfect; creamy, fluffy, golden pillows.  Look out for a video post with his patented technique coming soon.
The Ultimate Breakfast Burrito
Makes 2
Ingredients
2 burrito size fresh flour tortillas
6 organic eggs
2 frozen hash brown patties
4 handfuls baby spinach
3 oz shredded cheese (cheddar or blend of your choice)
For Pico de Gallo
1 medium tomato, cored, seeded and chopped
2 scallions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
juice of 1 lime
2 tsp chopped cilantro
salt and pepper
1.  Combine all ingredients for the pico de gallo and set aside.
2.  Use a fork to lightly whisk the eggs with 1 tsp of water.  Scramble over low heat, using a spatula to gently pull the eggs across the skillet.  Finish them with salt and pepper.
3.  In the meantime, crisp up the hash browns in a small skillet until golden brown.  Chop into squares.  Lightly wilt the spinach in a large skillet; season with salt and pepper.
4.  Cover the tortillas with a clean, damp kitchen towl and microwave for 45 seconds.  Divide the eggs between the two tortillas, and top with shredded cheese.  Place the spinach, potatoes and pico de gallo alongside the eggs.  Wrap the tortilla around the filling by folding in half, then folding up the edges, and continuing to roll until closed.  See illustrated instructions here:  how to roll a burrito.  Serve with hot sauce.

 

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Posted 1 month ago

A splendid winter salad: Mixed Greens with Blood Oranges & Olives

Winter is the season for citrus, and good thing, because citrus is an excellent source of  Vitamin C, fiber, and folate.  Originally from Sicily, blood oranges are now widely available in the US, and are especially easy to find at farmer's markets in Southern California.  Look for plump fruit that feels heavy for its size.  Their bright crimson juice makes a beautiful cocktail ingredient for margaritas or martinis.  And they are a stunning addition to salads.

This salad couples blood oranges with another traditional Sicilian ingredient...olives.  The flavor combination was divine.

Mixed Greens with Blood Oranges & Olives
Ingredients (2 servings)

2 large handfuls of baby mixed greens
1 medium or two small blood oranges, peeled and cut crosswise into pinwheels
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1 shallot, thinly sliced in rings

1 tblsp fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tblsp white wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil

1.  In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, salt and pepper, and in a slow steady stream, the olive oil.

2.  Gently toss the lettuce, olives, and shallots in the dressing.  Arrange the blood orange slices around the edges of two plates.  Mound the lettuce mixture in the center of each plate. 

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Posted 1 month ago