Ingredients:
1/2 pound baby spinach
salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparing the spinach:
Preheat a fryer or large Dutch oven half-filled with vegetable oil to 350 degrees F. Place the spinach in the oil and fry until dark green and crispy, 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from the oil and place on a paper-lined sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
Posted by Esme at 11:41 AM 0 comments
Labels: side dishes, vegetables
Ingredients:
18 strips bacon
18 jumbo shrimp (16-20's) about 1 1/4 pounds
1 1/2 teaspoons Essence
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 recipe Cheese Grits
1 recipe Fried Spinach
1 recipe Tomato Jam
Preparing the bacon-wrapped shrimp:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails attached. Devein and set aside, refrigerated, until ready to use.
Cut 2 inches off of each strip of bacon and reserve the short pieces for another use. Place the trimmed strips of bacon on a sheet pan and bake the bacon until slightly pink and some of the fat has rendered out of it, about 6 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bacon to cool.
Season the shrimp with the Essence and wrap a strip of the partially cooked bacon around each shrimp, slightly overlapping the bacon as you twist it around the shrimp. Set aside and repeat with the remaining shrimp and bacon slices.
Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat, and add the olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, lay the shrimp in the pan and cook for 2 1/2 minutes. Turn the shrimp over and cook another 2 1/2 minutes.
Serve the shrimp over the top of cheese grits. Serve with fried spinach on the side, and drizzle tomato jam over the whole plate.
Serves 6
Posted by Esme at 11:34 AM 0 comments
Labels: entrees, seafood, side dishes
Ingredients:
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups quick cooking or old-fashioned grits (not instant)
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
8 T butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded white Cheddar
Preparing the grits:
In a large, heavy saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add a generous teaspoon of salt and the grits and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. When the grits thicken, add the milk, cream and butter and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the saucepan and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the grits are tender, smooth and creamy. Taste and season the grits with the remaining salt and pepper. [If the grits seem too runny simply allow to cook a bit longer, uncovered and stirring frequently, until the desired consistency is reached.]
Fold the cheese into the grits, and keep covered and warm until ready to use.
Serves 6
Posted by Esme at 11:30 AM 0 comments
Labels: grains, side dishes
Ingredients:
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 T sugar
1 T light corn syrup
1 T honey
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon toasted, ground coriander
Preparing the tomato jam:
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
Posted by Esme at 11:28 AM 0 comments
Labels: condiments
Ingredients:
2 1/2 T paprika
2 T salt
2 T garlic powder
1 T black pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T cayenne pepper
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Makes 2/3 cup
Posted by Esme at 11:25 AM 0 comments
Labels: condiments, spices
Ingredients:
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups (1/2-inch diced) bread from a ciabatta or French boule, crusts removed
16 plum tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 T minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 T sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Preparing the scalloped tomatoes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.
Combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.
Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.
Serves 6
Posted by Esme at 11:20 AM 0 comments
Labels: side dishes, vegetables
Type your summary here.
Ingredients:
8 ounces thick-cut bacon (Niman Ranch preferred)
8 ounces baby arugula
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
Ingredients for the dressing:
3 T apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (organic)
2 T freshly squeezed orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 T maple syrup
kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Preparing the salad:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and lay the bacon slices on the rack. Roast the bacon for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, apple, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese.
* * * * * * * *
Preparing the dressing:
Whisk together the vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, mustard, maple syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
Chop the bacon in large pieces and add it to the salad. Toss the salad with just enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
Posted by Esme at 11:12 AM 0 comments
Labels: salads and dressings
Ingredients:
fresh fennel, fronds chopped and reserved for another use
extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
grated parmesan
Preparing the fennel:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Slice the fennel in half, cut into 1/2-inch wedges. Drizzle and toss with olive oil and spread out the pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip the fennel after 30 minutes and roast for another 30 minutes, until the fennel is caramelized a golden brown. Sprinkle with parmesan when hot and serve, OR, roast another 5 minutes until the parmesan melts and then serve.
Posted by Esme at 11:02 AM 0 comments
Labels: side dishes, vegetables
Ingredients for the stuffing:
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced pancetta
1 large onion, finely diced
kosher salt
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups day old Italian bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup milk
2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound spinach, stems removed and cut into chiffonade
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated provolone
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 pounds top round, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 12)
Ingredients for the sauce:
extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
4 T tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 (32-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, passed through the food mill
2 cups water
grated parmigiano-reggiano, for garnish
chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Preparing the beef rolls:
Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the pancetta and bring the pan to a medium heat. Cook the pancetta until it gets brown and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions and crushed red pepper and toss to incorporate with the pancetta. Season with salt, to taste. Cook the onions until they are soft and very aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, in a large bowl, combine the bread and the milk. Toss to combine and let sit until the bread has absorbed the milk and is very soft. Use your hands to mix everything together very well. Reserve.
Add the garlic to the pan with the pancetta and onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, to taste, and saute until the mushrooms are soft and have let off their moisture, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the spinach.
Add the onion/mushroom mixture to the reserved bread and stir to combine. Add the pine nuts, provolone and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and stir to combine. Taste to make sure that the mixture is delicious and season with salt, to taste, if needed. Set aside.
Lay the beef slices between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet to flatten and even out the slices. Put about 1/4 cup of filling on 1 end of each of the pounded beef slices and roll up. Secure the rolls with toothpicks. Repeat this process with the remaining beef and filling.
Coat a large, wide pot with olive oil and put over medium-high heat. Season the beef rolls with salt, to taste, and brown them on all sides. When the beef rolls are brown on all sides, remove them from the pan and reserve. Make the sauce in the same pot.
* * * * * *
Preparing the sauce:
Remove the oil from the pot that the beef was just browned in. Add a light coating of fresh olive oil and add the onions and crushed red pepper. Season with salt, to taste, and put the pot over medium heat. Sweat the onions until they are translucent and very aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and red wine, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and 2 cups of water and season with salt, to taste. Return the beef rolls to the pan and snuggle them into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beef is very tender and flavorful, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the toothpicks before serving. To serve, arrange 2 or 3 braciole on each serving plate. Halve 1 or 2 rolls to expose the stuffing. Spoon on some of the sauce and garnish with parmigiano-reggiano and chopped parsley.
Serves 4
Posted by Esme at 5:01 PM 0 comments
Labels: beef, entrees, Italian food
Ingredients:
6 to 7 pounds beef brisket
2 T kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 T minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
8 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
6 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
6 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice
Preparing the brisket:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the brisket in a heavy roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano. Rub the mixture on the brisket. Pile the carrots, celery, onions, and bay leaves on the brisket and pour in enough tomato juice to come about 3/4 of the way up the meat and vegetables. Cover the top of the pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, then with aluminum foil. (The tomato juice will react unpleasantly with the aluminum foil if they touch.)
Bake for 3 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove the meat from the pan and keep it warm. Place the pan on 2 burners and boil the vegetables and sauce over medium heat for another 30 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.
To serve, slice the meat across the grain. Serve with the vegetables.
Serves 10 to 12
Posted by Esme at 12:04 PM 0 comments
Labels: beef, entrees, Jewish holidays
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