Month: June 2016

Lemon Curd

Ingredients

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

Zest of 2 lemons*

pinch of salt

6 T butter  cold and diced

Directions

Whisk eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in heavy saucepan until light in color. Place over medium heat and add lemon juice and butter. Stir constantly with spatula until thick and begins to bubble. Pull from heat and pour into bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for couple hours. Ready to serve. Layer curd and fresh raspberries in clear serving container for a beautiful and delicious  dessert. Also goes well with Pepperidge Farms gingerman cookies.

*I use microplane to zest and never strain the curd.

Beet Feta Salad

Ingredients

2 bunches baby beets(red and golden)*

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta

2 bunches baby arugula

Dressing

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 T champagne vinegar

1 T honey

1 1/2 T shallot minced

1/2 t Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

Directions

Serves 6

*Use my Roasted Beet recipe

Use my Champagne Vinegairette recipe

Place 4 sliced beets per serving plate, top with arugula, chop 4 beets into quarters and place on arugula, add feta and nuts. Drizzle with Champagne Vinegairette dressing.

Serve

 

 

Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients 

12 ounces papperdelle

2 T Kosher salt

1 pound Cremini or button mushrooms cleaned and sliced

5 garlic cloves chopped

1/2 shallot chopped

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

8 ounces Marscapone

1/8 t nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

Directions

Pasta

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to boil. Add fresh papperdelle and gently boil for 4-5 minutes. Boxed pasta takes 9-11 minutes to become al dente. Drain and save 1/2 half  cup pasta water.

 

Sauce

Add olive oil and butter to large skillet over medium high heat. Melt and add garlic and shallots. Cook until fragment but not brown. Add mushrooms and toss to coat in butter mixture. Cook until mushrooms have exuded liquid and most liquid evaporated. Mix in Marscapone and nutmeg. Add to pasta, toss, and adjust seasoning. If dry add small amounts of reserved pasta water to achieve creamy sauce. Add Parmesan and serve. Chicken or shrimp go well in this dish for protein.

 

Dijon Potato Salad

A simple potato salad with dijon and caper dressing for lunch or weekend barbecue.

Potatoes

2 pounds of Russet potatoes

2 T  cider vinegar

1 T salt

1T sugar

Peel and cube potatoes. Add to 2 quarts cold water with 1 T  cider vinegar, salt, and sugar.Bring to boil and cook for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat drain and add 1 T cider vinegar and toss gently. Cool potatoes.

Dressing

3/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 T Dijon mustard

1/2 red onion chopped

3 Claussen mini dill pickles chopped or 1/2 cup green olives chopped

1/2 cup diced celery

3 boiled eggs chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard together. Add remaining ingredients and toss together. Add to cooled potatoes and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

 

 

 

 

 

Shrimp Avacado Salad

Ingredients for Dressing

1/2 cup capers with liquid

1/2 cup olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

2 boiled egg whites finely chopped

1 1/2 t Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 t parsley fine chopped

3 T roasted red peppers minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and refrigerate For 24 hours

Salad

5 Roma tomatoes diced

1/2 Maui or sweet onion diced

2 avocados diced

1/3 cup Feta cheese

12 medium cooked shrimp cut in half

1 cup Hearts of Romaine shredded

Combine ingredients and toss with dressing. Serves 3 as main course

Note: I have used  half of dressing with above salad ingredients.

*Inspired by Nick’s Fishmarket

 

 

 

Flavorful Kale

Ingredients

1 large bunch curly kale, stemmed, rough chopped

3 T olive oil

4 garlic cloves chopped

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth

2 T red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Directions 

Check kale for grit, wash and pat dry. I use paper towels. Heat olive oil in large skillet and add pepper flakes for 30 seconds over medium high heat. Add garlic cook until soft. Add in kale and toss using tongs  until coated. Add broth and cook 3 minutes. Add vinegar toss and remove from heat. Salt and pepper to taste. Plate and serve.

 

 

Owl Cookies

image

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar packed

3/4 cup butter softened

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cup all- purpose flour

2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 ounce baking chocolate, melted

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup chocolate chips

2/3 cup cashews whole

Directions

In large bowl beat brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add flour,baking powder, and salt. Mix until soft dough forms. Place 1/3 of the dough in small bowl. Mix baking soda into melted chocolate  and add to 1/3 cup of dough. Mix until blended.

On a 12x 8 inch sheet of plastic wrap, press 1/2 if the light dough into 10 x 4 inch rectangle of dough. Shape 1/2 of chocolate dough into 10 inch roll and place on strip of light dough. Roll sides of light dough around chocolate dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate 1-2 hours for easy handling.

Preheat oven to 350•F. Cut each roll into 40 (1/8 inch) slices; place 2 slices, sides touching on cookie sheet with parchment paper to resemble owl face. Pinch top corner of each slice to form ears. Place chocolate chip in center of each slice for eyes, press whole cashew between slices for beak.

Bake 8 to 11 minutes until edges golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cool.

Inspired by Pillsbury