Dumpling Filling

My riff on Chinese dumplings.  The first version was good....

Ingredients:
2 small spring onions, sliced into thin rings, whites and light green parts
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 "pinky" size piece fresh ginger, chopped fine
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp chili flakes
2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper as needed
1 pound ground pork

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and let sit in refrigerator for 2-4 hours to let flavors combine.

Stuff into dumpling skins, approximately a teaspoon full for each.

Tuna Cakes

I made these to get my daughter to eat more protein...but they are actually pretty good in general! Serve with a salad and a sour cream based sauce and it is a nice dinner.

Also, all of the veggies are for the obvious reason to get her to eat a lot of vegetables as well!

Ingredients:

2 large cans of tuna in water, drained (about 2 cups of tuna)

1/2 cup parsnips, grated

1 cup carrots, grated

1/4 cup celery, grated

1/4 cup onion, chopped very finely

1 clove garlic, chopped very finely

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped finely

1 cup corn, copped roughly (I use frozen and thaw in the microwave)

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

2 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup mayonaise

3/4 cup bread crumbs

3 eggs

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Take parsnips, carrot, celery, onion and garlic and sautee in a little olive oil until soft.

In a bowl, break the tuna down in to small pieces and add in the red pepper, corn, Old Bay, paprika, salt, mayo, eggs, olive oil, breadcrumbs and softened vegetables. Mix together well.

Heat a sautee pan over medium heat and wipe bottom with a little oil. Make patties about 3/8 inch thick and 2-3 inches in diameter. Cook for 3-4 minutes and flip, cooking 3-4 minutes more. Both sides should be golden brown.

You can also add in a little hot pepper (which I like). And, if the patties fall apart, you can add a little milk plus more breadcrumbs to help hold it together.

Cuban Pulled Pork

This was...awesome. I should have made 10 pounds...

Ingredients:

1 pound pork shoulder lightly trimmed

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

Olive oil

Directions:

Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Use about a tablespoon of oil and coat the pork shoulder. Add the spices and salt and pepper and coat well. In a hot pan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil brown the shoulder on all sides. Add in the orange and lime juice and bring to a boil.

Put the pan in the oven, covered, for two hours. Check that the meat should pull apart easy. Uncover the pot and cook for another 30 minutes to reduce the sauce and further brown the meat.

Remove from the oven, and put the shoulder in a separate bowl and shred with two forks. Add as much of the juice as you would like (I would suggest all of it).

Serve with tortillas, over saffron rice, with potato and apple latkes (awesome) or just eat it out of the bowl and lie to your friends that the dog ate it.

White Bean Crostini

As with any crostini, just get some really good bread, slice medium thick and toast. Put on any appropriate toppings...this is one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

1 16 oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic chopped fine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, marjoram or tarragon

1 cup water (or stock for a richer taste)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

Sautee the garlic over medium low heat until just starting to get light brown. Add in the beans, water and hot pepper (if using). Turn heat up to medium high and cook until beans are very tender (you may need to add a little more water). Towards the end add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and mash roughly with a fork. Serve slightly warm.

Texas Caviar

This was a dip a friend of ours brought over for a party. It was very, very good.

Texas Caviar

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 15 oz can black beans

1 14 oz can of white corn

1 can black eyed peas

1 jar chopped pimentos or 1 red pepper chopped

1 can chopped green chilies

3-4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 can chopped green chilies

1 small red onion chopped

Combine sugar, olive oil, apple cider vinegar in small saucepan and heat over med-low heat until dissolved.

Rinse and drain black beans, corn, black eyed peas, pimentos/red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let marinate overnight. Strain liquid next day and serve dip with tortilla chips.

John's Babaghanoush

This is not authentic, but close. Due to the lack of tahini (a traditional ingredient) I used what I had...

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, cut lengthwise

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Sprinkle eggplant halves with a little olive oil and salt and pepper and place on a medium-hot grill for about 30-40 minutes until very soft (don't worry if they get a bit dark - that is flavor!).

Once the eggplant has cooled scrape the flesh from the skin and add all other ingredients. Mash with a fork or potato masher until just a bit chunky.

Serve with good bread or homemade pita bread!

Greens and Beans

This is a recipe we got from Cafe Cappriccio in Albany. It is simple but very good. We have adapted it by using a little more stock and a little more garlic.

We also like to make this with a piece of broiled or sauteed fish on top - delicious.

Ingredients:

On head escarole, cleaned and chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic chopped fine

3 ounces of bacon or pancetta cut in small pieces

2 Tablespoons olive oil

16 ounces chicken broth

1 can (12 ounces) white beans (Great Northern)

Pecorino or pamigiano cheese

Directions:

Sautee bacon or pancetta in olive oil until just crispy and brown. Add escarole and sautee for 3-4 minutes, turning a few times.

Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes.

Add broth and beans, cover and bring to a boil and cook 3-5 minutes, until beans are soft and greens are tender.

Server in a bowl and grate fresh cheese over top.

Cheese Steak Crostini

I made these for one of the playoff game weekends. The idea was to have a finger food that had the flavors of "game day" (that is, unhealthy!). These were pretty tasty, though I will likely tweak the recipe a bit.

Ingredients:

3 medium red onions, halved and sliced thinly

2 tablespoons of fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)

16 oz ribeye steak

1 french baguette

1 chunk (12-14 oz) really sharp provolone cheese, cut into ribbons with a vegetable grater (or just shred).

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

First, take the ribeye, pat dry and generously salt and pepper the outside. Again, if you like spicy, add a little cayenne or hot pepper flakes as well. Grill over high heat to rare (trust me, do not go past rare - you will get additional cooking when you finish the dish), which will be about 4 minutes per side. Set on a plate a loosely cover to rest, at least 15 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a sautee pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions, thyme, red pepper and good pinches of salt and pepper. Sautee the onions until they are just starting to caramelize. This will take a while - 15-20 minutes. Don't rush it or else you will get burned, instead of caramelized, onions.

Slice the baguette on a bias and arrange sliced on parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Slice the ribeye fairly thin in lengths just short of the length of the baguette slices. Spoon on a thin layer of the onions on each slice, next a piece of ribeye then a ribbon of provolone. Put under a high broiler until the cheese is melted and a little browned.

Chickpeas and Balsamic Vinegar Bruschetta

A good friend of ours made this for an appetizer one time - it was delicious - a great summer appetizer, nice and light.

Ingredients:
1/2 baguette
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Thinly slice half a baguette. Place the rounds on a baking sheet and broil them until they're golden brown (about 1 1/2 minutes per side).

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, parsley leaves, garlic, oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture on the rounds.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Gnocchetti di Semolina

This is a recipe from Gina, the cook we met in Italy (Tuscany) while taking her cooking class. It is really simple and very delicious. It can be modified in a number of different ways (imagine adding some roasted mushrooms and thyme) and is easy to make ahead of time.

Ingredients:

1 quart milk
1 cup semolina flour
1 stick butter
2 egg yolks
Grated parmigiano reggiano
Fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon salt



Add the salt to the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk in the semolina flour a little at a time to avoid lumping, whisk vigorously.

Take off the heat, add the butter and egg yolks and spread onto a buttered baking dish. Dot with more butter, generously spread with cheese and sage leave and bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown and set. Serve warm or at room temp.

PS - The butter is a bit much for me - I use one stick of butter total – a little to grease the pan, about 1/3 cut into bits to put on top and the rest to mix into the semolina. I think this was enough butter! You may also substitute the butter you mix in with some good olive oil, but I would keep the butter you put on top to help it brown and get a nice nutty flavor.

PPS - I also sometimes sautee some rough chopped sage leaves and mix into the semolina to accentuate the sage flavor.

Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Goat Cheese and Chili Oil

This is a Bobby Flay recipe - it is terrific with a loaf of crusty french bread.

Chileoil:
1 cup pure olive oil
2 ounces dried New Mexicopeppers
1 ounce dried arbol chile powder
2 tablespoons ancho powder

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree. Strain mixture through a fine strainer. Reserve. This may be done up to one day in advance.

Roasted mushrooms:

8 cups mushrooms (combination of portobello or cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms), stems removed and sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 cup chile oil
8 ounces goat cheese, cut into 8 slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mushrooms with the olive oil, and shallots, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Arrange the mushrooms evenly in one layer in a heavy roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove the mushrooms from the roasting pan and place into a large cazuela or baking dish. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of chile oil and top with the slices of cheese. Bake until hot, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with thyme, and drizzle with the remaining chile oil. Serve with lots of crusty French bread.

Yield: 8 servings

Winter Squash Ravioli

This is a nice savory filling for ravioli. Though it is a lot of work, it is worth it! Use a sauce of brown butter and sage or some other light sauce so you can really let the taste shine through.

For the pasta:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
Water

Mix the ingredients together to make a pasta dough (using the water and extra flour to get the dough to a correct consistency) and knead for 5-10 minutes. Let rest for 60 minutes then run through a pasta maker to make sheets at a 5 thickness.

For the Filling:
1 1/2 pounds squash, cut into small pieces (roughly 1/2" square)
4 cloves garlic
1 cup parmesean cheese, grated
Breadcrumbs
1 egg
Salt and pepper

Place squash in a single layer on baking sheets and roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, until soft and most of the moisture is gone. At the same time, but in a separate plan, roast the garlic until golden brown. Let both cool then put into a bowl and add the cheese, egg, salt and pepper and the breadcrumbs, using just enough of the latter to absorb any excess moisture in the mixture.

Making Ravioli:
Cut the pasta into rounds using cooking cutters and place about a teaspoon of filling in the middle. Wet half of the outside edge of the pasta and fold over, being careful to remove as much air as possible from the pocket. Press the edges of the pasta together, and line on a baking tray to wait for cooking. Cook in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then toss with your favorite sauce.

- Cook 4 minutes

Polenta Pizza with Mushroom Ragout

This is the first of 4 recipes I made for New Years Eve 2009.

Ingredients:
1 cup polenta
4 cups water
4 cups mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes (or chop 2-3 fresh tomatoes)
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400F

Prepare polenta according to package instructions and set aside to cool.

In a large sautee pan or a roasting pan, combine mushrooms, tomatoes, rosemary, olive oil and salt and pepper and mix together. Put in oven and roast for 30-40 minutes, until almost all of the liquid has cooked out.

Spread polenta in a lightly oiled or buttered pan (I use a non-stick 12" frying pan) and place slightly cooled ragout on top. Top with grated parmesean and put under the broiler for 5 minutes to heat and brown the cheese. Cut into slices and serve.

If you bake it too long or if you don't let the polenta cool enough, the polenta will become soupy. Don't panic (I didn't!) - just serve as a rustic polenta dish that you can scoop right out of the pan.

Sweet and Sour Pumpkin

This is a recipe adapted from a Mario Batali recipe I saw one day. I had an abundance of winter squash, and this sounded like a good use. It can be done as an appetizer or side dish, and goes well with a hearty meat, like pork loin.

Ingredients:
1 Pound Sugar pumpkin or acorn squash
1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Cloves Garlic, finely sliced
3 Tbl Honey
3 Tbl Red wine vinegar
1 Handful Fresh chopped basil
2 Tbl Fresh chopped mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Leave the rinds on and remove seeds from the pumpkin. Cut the flesh lengthwise into wedges, each about the length of your hand from fingertip to wrist.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pumpkin wedges. Cook until soft and deep golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.

Turn the wedges over and add garlic.

Drizzle first the honey and then the vinegar over the pumpkin pieces, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cook until the liquids reduce to a glaze, turning the pumpkin pieces, if necessary.

Add basil and mint at the last second.

Transfer pumpkin wedges to a platter and drizzle pan juices on top. Serve room temperature or hot.