artichoke-parmesan-soup with a proscuitto-parmesan-crostini

last sunday my husband and i went to the beverly hills grill for dinner and i had the best soup that i have ever ate, artichoke parmesan soup.  i decided to attempt making my own and when my husband wasn't feeling well today i thought it would be the perfect light dinner for him and a great opportunity to attempt re-creating the soup.  the re-creation was a success and ryan thought he was even feeling a little better after dinner:)  i posted my recipe below..

ingredients:
3 yukon gold potatoes
2 cans artichoke hearts
evoo
1 and 1/4 cups grated parmiggiano reggiano
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
10 cloves garlic
2 shallots
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 parmesan rinds 
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

directions:
pre-heat the oven to 350 and start preparing the garlic infused olive oil to drizzle atop the soup.  place 6 large peeled garlic cloves in a small ramekin and cover with evoo. once the oven has pre-heated, place the ramekin in the oven until the garlic roasts (turning brown in color), approximately 30 minutes.  in the meantime, begin preparing the soup by peeling and quartering the potatoes and placing in a dutch oven over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of butter and two turns of evoo. then coarsley chop the remaining garlic cloves with the two shallots and add to the dutch oven.  saute the potatoes with the shallots and garlic for 5 minutes before adding the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, thyme, parsley, and the parmesan rinds.  then, stir in the parmesan and add salt and pepper to taste.  bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 40 minutes.  after simmering, stir in 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and remove the parmesan rinds.  transfer the soup to a food processor (bit by bit) and process until smooth. once you pour the soup into bowls, place the proscuitto parmesan crostini on top and drizzle with the garlic infused olive oil.

proscuitto-parmesan-crostini

ingredients:
4 slices of bread
4 slices thinly sliced proscuitto di parma
shaved parmesan
evoo

directions:
pre-heat the oven to 400, then toast the crostinis with some drizzled olive oil for 3-4 minutes a side. after toasting, spread a light layer of shaved parmesan on top and then wrap with the proscuitto and top with extra parmesan. then return the toasts to the oven to melt the parmesan/crisp the proscuitto or, using a kitchen torch, brown the proscuitto and parmesan just lightly.
 

penne arrabiata di mozarella

penne arrabiata is one of my husband's favorite dishes.  when we lived in chicago, there was an italian restaurant across the street from our apartment that served a great arrabiata sauce- i've been trying to re-create their sauce for a while now and have come up with several different combinations.  the version i created tonight was far superior to my previous attempts and, as such, blog-worthy.  this version was also inspired by my grandma's delicious meat sauce- she taught me that processing the seasoning with the onions allows an equal flavor distribution in every bite- so with that wisdom - i decided to process my onions, shallots and garlic with the dried herbs in this sauce.  i think i finally captured the appropriate amount of spice :) - the recipe is posted below, enjoy...
ingredients:
3/4 of one yellow onion
6 cloves garlic
2 shallots
1 tsp thyme (dried)
1 tsp (italian seasoning blend)
1 tsp oregano (dried)
3.5 teaspoons crushed red pepper divided
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 teaspoon capers
1/2 tablespoon butter
evoo
1 28 oz can dei fratelli crushed tomatoes
1  mozarella round, diced
1 pound penne

directions:
quarter the onion and shallots and place in a food processor with the 6 cloves of garlic, thyme, oregano, capers, italian seasoning and 2 tsps crushed red pepper, process until smooth.  then transfer the mixture to a pre-heated pan with the melted butter and 1 swirl of evoo- heat over low-medium heat for 7 minutes to develop the sweetness in the onions- be cautious not to burn the garlic.  then, add the crushed tomatoes, 1.5 teaspoons crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper- turn the heat down to low and simmer for 2 hours.  about 20 minutes before the sauce is done stewing, heat a pot of water over high for the penne and chop the mozarella into small cubes.  cook the penne until al dente and then immediately after straining mix each serving with about 1/4 cup of diced mozarella- the mozarella will melt into the pasta and continue melting as you pour the arrabiata sauce over top of it.  once the sauce is done stewing and removed from the heat, mix in about 20 freshly cut basil leaves before pouring on top of the mozarella infused penne.

rockfish-with-a-dill-mango-blood-orange-sauce, citrus-haricots-verts, and creme-fraiche-mashed-potatoes

this meal was the born from the desire to use the mango chutney left over in my fridge.  i only use mango chutney for one recipe and every time i make that recipe i seem to have tons of it left over.  i decided to mix it with some crème fraiche and zest of a blood orange and to cut the sweetness  i added a little soy sauce, shallot and some fresh dill.  i had originally planned on pouring this sauce over a red snapper, but when whole foods didn’t have any in stock, i elected to use the rockfish instead.  rockfish has a taste very similar to red snapper but the consistency is more consistent with a scallop, almost buttery.  i love the color and flavor of blood oranges and decided to incorporate them into my side dish- citrus-haricots-verts. haricots verts are essentially a long and skinny green bean and go well with a lush butter or citrus sauce- i think the citrus sauce complemented our fish quite well.  to balance the meal off, i made some simple twice baked mashed potatoes using the left over crème fraiche and some butter.  the recipes are posted below- enjoy and have a great weekend!

rockfish with a dill-mango-blood–orange sauce and citrus haricots verts

ingredients:

4 oz crème fraiche

2 tablespoons mango chutney

zest from a blood orange

2 blood oranges

2 shallots

1 tablespoon fresh dill

2 filets of rockfish

2 cups haricots vert

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp soy sauce

directions:

first pre-heat the oven to 400 and heat a pot of water over high for the haricots verts.  then, combine 4 oz of the crème fraiche with the mango chutney, 1 teaspoon blood orange zest, 1 tsp soy sauce and the chopped shallot before gently mixing in the chopped dill, set aside.  season the rockfish with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish lined with parchment paper, pour the crème fraiche mixture on top of the rockfish and then top each piece with two slices of blood orange and bake until done, about 10 minutes.

while the rockfish is cooking, prepare the haricots verts by blanching them for 3 minutes in the pot of boiling water.   then in a separate pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the juice from ½ of a blood orange and ½ of a lemon and 1 chopped shallot.  heat the mixture for 3-5 minutes before tossing in the blanched haricots verts.  sauté the haricots verts in the mixture with some salt and pepper to taste until evenly coated and then serve next to the rockfish.

crème fraiche mashed potatoes

ingredients:

1 pound red skin potatoes

4 oz crème fraiche

½ stick of salted butter

1 tsp salt

1tsp pepper

directions:

pre-heat the oven to 400.  heat a pot with boiling water and clean and half the potatoes.  once the water is boiling, slowly add the potatoes and then cook for approximately 25 minutes or until soft.  drain the potatoes and then place in a mixing bowl with the butter, crème fraiche, and salt and pepper- mix the potatoes on low until fully mashed and then transfer to a baking dish.  bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tips are a slightly browned color from roasting. 

bhan mi's with cilantro lime aioli

bhan mi’s are traditional vietnamese sandwiches. they come in multiple varieties but are always served on a crusty bread with a plethora of fresh vegetables and cilantro.  when i lived in houston there was a great vietnamese restaurant right down the street from my apartment- it was one of the few places my husband and i could walk to.  although houston is a major metro area, walkability is not one of it's strong suits so you can imagine the excitement i had when i found some tasty vietnamese in walking distance from my apartment.  

when my husband and i were reminiscing on our houston days this past weekend (which always includes food memories) i decided to attempt re-creating our beloved bhan mi and i think it was a great success! the recipe is posted below:)

bhan mi:

ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken

2 jalapenos

1/2 seedless cucumber

2 carrots

siracha

rice vinegar

1 lime

2 large handfuls of fresh cilantro

salt and pepper

1/4 cup of chicken stock

directions:

first pre-heat the oven to broil. then, julienne the carrots, jalapenos (leave some seeds on), and cucumbers and place in a bowl. then pour enough rice vinegar to just barely cover the vegetables and top with the juice from 1/2 of the lime.  set aside.

then, shred the white meat from your rotiserrie chicken and place in a pot with the chicken stock, 3 tablespoons of siracha and salt and pepper to taste and heat over medium low heat.

while the chicken is heating, make the cilanrto lime aioli- see the recipe below.

then, cut the french baguette into 6-8 inch sections and drizzle with evoo before transferring to an aluminum lined baking sheet.  once the broiler is ready, toast the bread until lightly browned about 2-5 minutes.

once the bread is toasted, begin sandwich assembly by placing a thin layer of cilantro lime aioli on the bottom layer of bread, then top it with the roasted chicken.  strain the vegetables and layer on top of the chicken.  top it all off with handfuls of cilantro (stems on) and then sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy! 

cilantro lime aioli:

ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic

1 handful of fresh cilantro

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

juice from 1/2 lime

directions:

place the 3 cloves of garlic into a food processor with the juice of 1/2 of a lime, process until very fine.  then, add the 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise and a handful of the cilantro and process until smooth.

happy valentine's day!

tomorrow my husband and i are going out with our friends kim and tom to celebrate valentine's day but i thought you all might enjoy seeing the feast that i surprised my husband with last year.  for starters, i made a tomato artichoke soup using some fresh vegetables, white wine and pureed tomatoes (this was made from a combination of several recipes i found online) and topped it off with a parmesan crostini. our second course included a salad of baby rocket leaves (aurugula) with roasted cherry tomatoes and my lemon dijon dressing (see post from january 28th).  for the main entree, i followed giada's recipe for spinach and mushroom ravioli with my basic marinara sauce.  and for dessert, i followed a recipe for a honey lavender panna cotta that i found on apartment therapy's website topped with some balsamic and pepper soaked blackberries.  i've posted some pics below- hope you all have a great valentine's day!

spanish-rice

 

spanish rice

this is one of my first original recipes and like most good recipes, it has greatly transformed since i originally created it my junior year in college.  when i first made the recipe i used campbells tomato ranchero soup but, after they discontinued the soup, i was forced to re-create my spanish rice.  re-creating it turned out to be a great idea because the final product is much better than the original. this only takes about 25 minutes to make and works great as a main course on a week-night or as a side to enchiladas on a weekend when you have more time.

ingredients:

serves 2 (but can be easily doubled)

1 jalapeno

1 green pepper

½ yellow onion

8 slices cooked bacon

1 can zesty chopped tomatoes with green chilis

1 can reduced  sodium chicken stock (just fill the zesty tomato can with chicken stock if you purchase the box)

3 handfuls fresh cilantro

dash garlic powder

1 tbs of heavy whipping cream

garlic powder

2 dashes chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

tobasco

2 cups minute rice

directions:

chop the jalapeno, green pepper, onion, and bacon and sauté in a pot with 2 swirls of EVOO for 8-10 minutes. while the veggies are sautéing, chop the cilantro and set aside.

then, add the tomatoes, chili powder, one handful of cilantro, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste, and a can and a half of chicken stock to the pot and bring to a simmer. once the pot is simmering, add the rice, cream, and tabasco and stir constantly for 5-6 minutes or until the rice is tender.  once plated, sprinkle some more fresh cilantro on top of the rice. 

 

chardonnay-margherita-pizza

 

chardonnay-margherita-pizza

i was going to make my spanish rice tonight  but the jalapeno i planned on using went missing (sorry liza-will post soon). so, we ordered pizza instead and although i didn’t make my margherita pizza tonight, i thought it would be a good night to post the recipe. like yesterday’s meal- if you prep the dough ahead of time this doesn’t take long to make at all.

ingredients:

pizza dough (i use giada’s recipe)

2-3 roma tomatoes sliced paper thin

20 fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

EVOO

chardonnay

cornmeal

finely shredded italian cheese blend

dry italian seasoning mix (I use the whole foods bulk blend)

20 fresh basil leaves

directions:

preheat the oven to 425. roll the dough out into a circle and pour a light layer of cornmeal on a baking pan- place the pizza on the cornmeal dressed pan and drizzle the dough with EVOO and  italian seasoning.  pre-bake the dough for about 8 minutes.  then, slice the roma tomatoes almost paper thin and place in a medium fry pan.  cover the tomatoes with the chardonnay and 2 teaspoons of dried italian seasoning and simmer the tomatoes in the wine until the wine has almost completely reduced. after the dough has pre-baked, top with the cheese and the wine-saturated tomatoes. then, return the pizza to the oven and bake until the dough is lightly brown on the edges, about 8 more minutes.  once you remove the pizza from the oven, top with the torn basil and 2 cloves of freshly chopped garlic. 

citrus-rosemary-mint-lamb-chops-and-rosemary-reds

hello foodies- as many of you know i went back to work this week so i needed to come up with some quicker weeknight meals.  so as we say so long to our roasts and hello to our quicker meals i give you my citrus rosemary mint lamp chops with a honey balsamic glaze and my rosemary reds….

this meal is great because you can prepare the chops ahead and they are super quick to cook in the oven and still come out as tender as a roast.  big thanks to my  husband who prepared the potatoes for me tonight and resumed his role as suet chef extraordinaire…

ingredients:

juice of 1 lemon

EVOO

10 mint leaves

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

3 cloves garlic

2-3 lamb chops per person

salt and pepper

2 redskin potatoes per person

½  cup balsamic vinegar.

1 shallot chopped

2 tablespoons honey

directions:

prepare the marinade the night before you plan on serving the lamb chops by mixing the juice of one lemon with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,  3 cloves of minced garlic, a handful of finely chopped mint leaves, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary and 2 shakes of salt and pepper each.  place the lamb chops in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top-refrigerate over night.

on the day of cooking, preheat the oven to 450.  while the oven is pre-heating, scrub the redskin potatoes clean and cut into 1/8ths.  heat a pan with two turns of EVOO over medium and then add the diced potatoes, salt and pepper to taste and a handful of rosemary-saute for approximately 25 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly toasted and soft.  while the potatoes are roasting, prepare the honey balsamic glaze by sautéing the shallots in a fry pan with about 1 swirl of EVOO for 3-5 minutes to develop their sweetness, then add the balsamic, honey and salt and pepper to taste and heat over medium until the sauce thickens and bubbles.

for the lamb, brown each side in a dutch oven over medium heat (about 3-5 minutes/a side) before transferring to the pre-heated oven and cook until lamb is medium - this will take about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your cut.  once plated, pour the honey balsamic vinegar on top of the lamb and serve alongside the rosemary potatoes and enjoy!

goat-gouda-and-robusto-grilled-cheese and tomato-coconut-curry-soup

grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup are my ultimate comfort food and are perfect for a snowy day.  i’ve tried creating several different combinations over the last year before creating a grilled cheese and tomato soup combination that i’d want to make more than once and feel comfortable serving for company.  when it came down to it, back to the basics was better.  for the grilled cheese, i focused on a good quality bread- zingerman’s farm house bread - which is a white bread made with a sourdough starter which gives it a subtle sour taste that is not overwhelming in a way that would compete with the cheese.  when selecting the cheese, i focused on consistency and looked for a combination of cheeses that weren’t too soft but also not too hard that they would take too long to melt. after much deliberation and trial and error, i have selected a newer goat gouda and robusto as my cheeses.  the robusto is a cheese from holland that has a slightly nutty flavor with a subtle sharpness reminiscent of a good parmesan, this marries well with the goat gouda which is the perfect combination of a cow’s milk gouda and creamy goat cheese- its flavors slightly more refined. and i’ve also learned over the last year that using the appropriate amount of butter really makes a difference in the taste of the grilled cheese.  and for the tomato soup, i wanted something with full flavor and a touch of cream that would be just as good on its own as it was  as a dipping soup for the grilled cheese. from this consideration, i give you my goat-gouda-and-robusto grilled cheese with a tomato-coconut-curry-soup.

gouda and robusto grilled cheese

makes 1

ingredients:

zingerman’s farm house bread

2 tablespoons butter

goat gouda

robusto

directions:

butter only the outsides of 2 slices of bread. layer thinly sliced goat gouda and robusto cheese on the unbuttered slice of one piece of bread and top with the unbuttered side of the other piece of bread.  melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan and reduce the heat to medium, add  the sandwich and place a lid on the pan for 3-4 minutes- this will accelerate the melting of the cheese.  once the underside of the bread has slightly browned, flip and toast the other side until it is also has lightly browned (if your pan gets too hot during the cooking and your butter browns to the pan, go ahead and add another half tablespoon of butter to prevent the grilled cheese from sticking). once both sides are toasted, remove the grilled cheese and serve alongside tomato-coconut-curry soup.

tomato-coconut-curry-soup

serves 4

ingredients:

1 onion

1-2 leeks

28 oz can whole italian peeled tomatoes (as before, dei fratelli’s are best)

red curry paste

chicken stock

crushed red pepper

coconut milk (unsweetened)

chinese five spices

dried basil

salt

pepper

brown sugar

lime

saute sliced onion and leek in a dutch oven with 2- 2.5 tbsp red curry paste, salt and pepper on medium heat until soft  and the onions are translucent (7-8 minutes),  puree the tomatoes and add to pan with the onions and leeks. add about 4 oz of coconut milk, juice of ½ lime, a pinch of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chinese five spices, 1/3 cup of chicken stock- you can add less or more depending on how you like the consistency of your soup, pinches of crushed red pepper and dried basil and salt and pepper to taste.  simmer on low for 30 minutes before serving.

mustard-pork-roast-with-an-apple-onion-coulis-and-pickled-root-vegetables

in the midst of our winter blizzard, i thought it only fitting to make a roast, so i opted for a pork loin roast with a savory apple coulis. the flavors from this meal are based off one of my favorite sandwiches that i get at marie catrib’s in grand rapids. i love how the tartness of the apples harmonize with the sweetness of the onion while the whole grain mustard crust provides needed texture and a touch of acidity to this meal- which is even further enhanced by the side of pickled roots that i chose to pair this with.   the recipes are posted below- enjoy!

ingredients:

2 pound pork loin roast

leaves from 4-6 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 shallot

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

salt

pepper

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 green apples

½ red onion

½  teaspoon nutmeg

½  cup brandy

directions:

pre-heat the oven to 425.  mix the mustards, minced shallot, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl with one teaspoon salt and pepper and then rub over the exterior surface of the pork roast. place the pork on a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 1 hour or until  the pork is fully cooked.

in the meantime make the apple-onion coulis by heating 2 tablespoons butter in a pan, once melted, add the chopped green apples (skins removed) and chopped ½ red onion with ½  teaspoon of nutmeg and thyme leaves from 4-6 sprigs.  sauté until the onions become translucent and the apples become soft and then sauté a little more until everything starts molding together in your pan. then de-glaze the pan with the brandy and cook until almost all of the liquor has evaporated, then puree in a food processor and serve as a bed for your pork roast or atop slices of the pork roast.

pickled beets and turnips

ingredients:

2 slices of bacon fully cooked

½ red onion

1 turnip bulb

1 beet bulb

olive oil

salt

pepper

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup white wine vinegar

EVOO

directions:

heat one swirl of EVOO over medium heat in a dutch oven. then, add the sliced red onion, diced bacon, and sliced turnip and beet bulbs and season with salt and pepper to taste, sauté for 10-15 minutes over medium high heat. then add the vinegars and reduce until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. serve warm.

vegetable-penne-in-wine-sauce-with-creamy-cow's-milk-cheese

vegetable-penne-in-a-lemon-wine-sauce-with-creamy-cow’s-milk-cheese

when i was at zingerman’s this past sunday, i picked up a package of their “sharon hollow” cheese which is a very creamy cow’s milk cheese that is cultured with garlic and peppercorn. it has the texture of goat cheese but is slightly more subtle and less sour, but the flavor is still robust with subtle hints of garlic and sharp bites of peppercorn. i’ve been snacking on it for the last couple of days, but couldn’t imagine anything better to serve it with than a vegetable pasta in a lemony-wine sauce, which enhances the garlic in the cheese and harmonizes well with the peppercorns.  if you do not have access to zingerman’s this recipe would also go well with a nice goat cheese.

ingredients:

1 package zingerman’s peppercorn sharon hollow cheese

1 pound penne

1 yellow pepper

1 pint grape tomatoes

6 mushrooms

2 shallots

4 cloves garlic

dried oregano

fresh thyme

20 leaves fresh basil

½ bottle of chardonnay

juice of ½ lemon

directions:

heat a pot with water and a pinch of salt for your penne and then start cleaning and chopping the vegetables/shallots/garlic.  clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth and then quarter them and remove the stems. in a separate fry pan, heat 2 swirls of EVOO over medium and then add the chopped shallots, yellow pepper, grape tomatoes, and mushrooms- sauté for 5-6 minutes with the EVOO before adding the chopped garlic, then sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes before adding the ½ the bottle of chardonnay, juice of ½ lemon, 5 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 teaspoons dried oregano and salt and pepper to taste.  once the chardonnay has been added, turn the heat up to high and reduce by half- the tomatoes will blister as the wine cooks.  once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook to al dente as specified on the package.  after the pasta has finished cooking drain and place in a large bowl and mix with the vegetables and wine sauce, then toss with the fresh basil leaves and top with ½ package of diced zingerman’s sharon hollow peppercorn cheese.