Grilled Pizza With Butter, Cinnamon, Sugar & Star Anise With Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 recipe Pizza Dough, rolled into 1 (10-inch) rounds
3 T canola oil
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground star anise
1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
good quality chocolate sauce, like Fran's, heated

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Ingredients for pizza dough:
2/3 cup lukewarm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 T olive oil, plus additional for oiling bowl
1 3/4 to 2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons coarse salt



Preparing the dough:
In a large bowl stir together 1/3 cup water, yeast, and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 3/4 cups flour, cornmeal, and salt and blend until the mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour, as necessary, to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth about 5 to 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.

Lightly oil the sides and bottom of a large bowl with oil, add the dough, turn to coat in the oil, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Gently punch the dough down and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle that is 1/8-inch thick. Brush off excess flour and transfer the dough to a baking sheet, cover each circle of dough with plastic wrap and continue stacking rolled out pieces on top of each other. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to grill.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Preparing the pizza:
Heat the grill to high.

Brush both sides of each pizza with the oil. Grill until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Preparing the topping:
Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and star anise in a small bowl.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Assembling the pizza:
Brush the tops of each pizza with the butter and sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Place back on the grill, close the cover and cook an additional 1 minute. Cut into quarters and drizzle with the warm chocolate sauce.

Serves 4

Read More...

Summary only...

Linguini With Roasted Garlic Pesto & Shrimp

Ingredients:
15 garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 head)
1 cup olive oil, plus extra for tomatoes
1 lb. cherry tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves
1 lb. linguine
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preparing the garlic and infused oil:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place garlic cloves in a single layer in a small baking dish. Add 1/2 cup olive oil to cover cloves, cover with foil, and bake 45 minutes, until golden brown and fork-tender. Meanwhile, in another baking dish, toss tomatoes with enough oil to coat. Lightly season with salt and pepper and roast at same temperature until tomatoes blister, about 25 minutes.

Strain garlic cloves and set aside in a small bowl, reserving infused oil separately. In a blender, add the roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, parmesan, and basil. Pulse until combined. While machine is running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil until pesto comes together. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and reserve.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Preparing the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Preparing the shrimp:
Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and saute until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Assembling the dish:
In a large bowl add the linguine and some of the pesto. Toss to coat and top with the shrimp. Garnish with toasted pine nuts.

Serves 4

Read More...

Summary only...

Chicken Penne In Almond Sauce

Ingredients:
1 lb. penne pasta
2 cups (9 ounces) blanched, slivered almonds
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 store-bought, rotisserie chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 cup frozen petite peas
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 large lemon, zested
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated Parmesan
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparing the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Preparing the sauce:
In a blender, combine the almonds, chicken stock, olive oil, and garlic. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into a large skillet and turn the heat on to medium. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken, peas, cream and lemon zest. Cook, stirring frequently until the chicken is heated through, about 4 minutes (mixture will be thick). Season with salt and pepper, to taste

Put the cooked pasta into a serving bowl and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Toss together until the pasta is coated. Add the chicken mixture, the remaining cheese and the basil. Toss the ingredients together, adding the reserved pasta water, as needed, to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 4 to 6

Read More...

Summary only...

Apricot & Taleggio Crostata

Ingredients for crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 T sugar
3 T cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup cold mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice
3 T ice water

Ingredients for filling:
2 cups (12 ounces) dried apricots
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup honey
7 ounces Taleggio cheese, rind removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 egg, beaten

Preparing the crust:
Add the flour, salt, and sugar to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is finely chopped and the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the mascarpone cheese and lemon juice and pulse a few times. Add the ice water and run the machine just until the mixture is moist and crumbly, but does not form a ball. Do not overmix. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Press into a disk, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preparing the filling:
Put an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the apricots, walnuts, lemon zest, cinnamon, and sea salt. Add the honey and stir until all the ingredients are coated. Stir in 2/3 of the cheese.

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside a 12 by 17-inch baking sheet and put it on a work surface. Put the chilled dough on the parchment paper. Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Lift the parchment paper and transfer it to a baking sheet. Put the apricot filling in the center of the dough, spreading evenly, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the dough border over the filling to form an 8-inch round. Pleat the edge of the pastry and pinch to seal any cracks in the dough. Arrange the remaining cheese on top of the filling.

Using a pastry brush, brush the crust with the beaten egg. Bake until the crust starts to turn golden, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cover the crostata loosely with a piece of foil and cook until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted, another 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the crostata from the oven to a cutting board and uncover. Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into slices and arrange on a serving platter. Serve while still warm.

Serves 6 to 8

Read More...

Summary only...

Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
4 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
4 chicken breast halves, or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
Seasoned salt and pepper
2 T cooking oil
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 quart heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken base
1 T minced garlic
1/2 small yellow onion, minced
1 cup frozen green peas, cooked
1 cup chopped cooked carrots
pinch fresh grated nutmeg, optional

4 (2-cup) individual baking dishes

Preparing the crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips, 8 inches long. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover each pot pie. Brush beaten egg onto each lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes, or until dough has risen and turned light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pies. Leave oven on at 350 degrees F.

Preparing the filling:
Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into chunks. Alternatively, you may use precooked chicken.

In a large saucepan, melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but not brown like a roux. Slowly add cream and keep stirring. Add chicken base, garlic, and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots, nutmeg, if using, and cut up chicken. Remove from heat. Fill 4 individual oven-proof bowls with chicken mixture and then top each with a pre-cooked lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Any remaining pie filling may be frozen.

Read More...

Summary only...

Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme

Ingredients:
1 lb. of fettuccine pasta
2 cups grated Asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup
2 (8-ounce) containers creme fraiche
1 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 T fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

In a large bowl combine the 2 cups Aiago cheese, creme fraiche, Parmesan, thyme, salt, pepper, cooked pasta, and pasta cooking liquid. Gently toss until all the ingredients are combined and the pasta is coated. Place the pasta in a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Let sit for at least 5 minutes and serve.

Serves 4

Read More...

Summary only...

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients for soup:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
1/4 cup good olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
6 to 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces creme fraiche
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

crispy shallots

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ingredients for crispy shallots:
1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil
3 T unsalted butter
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

Preparing the soup:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.

When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and crispy shallots, if using.

Serves 6 to 8

* * * * * * * * * *

Preparing the crispy shallots:
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

Makes about 1/2 cup

Read More...

Summary only...

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb. leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium
3 T unsalted butter
heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
14 ounces, approximately 3 small, Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 quart vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 T snipped chives

Preparing the soup:
Chop the leeks into small pieces.

In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.

Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

Read More...

Summary only...

Onion Dip

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

Read More...

Summary only...

Cream Of Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
2 28-ounce cans of whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained, 3 cups of juice reserved, tomatoes seeded
1 1/2 T dark brown sugar
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 large shallots, minced (about 2/3 cup)
1 T tomato paste
pinch of ground allspice
2 T unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 T brand or dry sherry
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper

Preparing the soup:
Adjust the oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees F; line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread tomatoes in single layer on foil and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Bake until all liquid has evaporated and tomatoes begin to color, about 30 minutes. Let tomatoes cool slightly, then peel them off of foil; transfer tomatoes to small bowl and set aside.

Heat butter over medium heat in medium nonreactive saucepan until foaming, add shallots, tomato paste, and allspice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until shallots are softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Whisking constantly, gradually add broth; stir in reserved tomato juice and roasted tomatoes. Cover, increase heat to medium and bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.

Strain mixture into medium bowl; rinse out saucepan. Transfer tomatoes and solids in strainer to blender; add 1 cup strained liquid and puree until smooth. Place pureed mixture and remaining strained liquid in saucepan, add cream, and heat over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in brandy or sherry; season to taste with salt and cayenne and serve immediately.

Read More...

Summary only...