Homemades (Fresh Pasta)

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Camille

Homemades

Most Italians call fresh pasta “Homemades”.  Yep, that was the word Mom used to let us know we were going to have fresh pasta for Sunday Dinner.  (I know I have told you in the past the story of my Mother making homemades.)  I have been making fresh pasta for years and I am always upgrading my recipe.  Recently I gave my brother Vince and sister-in-law Kathy a lesson in making fresh pasta.  My sister was taking part in the lesson too since she is an accomplished pasta chef as well.  I used my Mothers recipe which is one cup of all purpose flour to one whole large egg.  This is the only recipe my Mother used but I, always being the one to experiment, changed my recipe to include Semolina Flour.

Today I made my “Homemades” with half Double Zero Flour and half Semolina Flour. The result was a much more tender and tastier pasta.  I rolled it out a little thicker than usual and it was the best I have ever made.  A little thicker made it more “toothsome” giving me the feel in my mouth that I so enjoy about pasta.  Something I can’t explain but there were a lot of ow’s and ah’s at the dinner table.  I even think I heard a little bit of food humming going on that night.  You know what I’m talking about you lover of pasta!!

Here is my newest recipe for Fresh Pasta – “Homemades” Italian style.

Homemade Pasta with Double Zero and Semolina Flour

You can count on one egg per person when making pasta.  I usually do 3 eggs because it is a workable amount:  I have enough for dinner and I freeze whatever I don’t use for a later date.  If I do too many eggs at one time I will end up with too much dough to roll and I get bored and tired of rolling after a while.

1½      Cups Double Zero Flour, Plus More for Rolling Out

1½      Cups Semolina Flour

3          Whole Large Eggs

½         Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

½         Cup Water, Room Temperature

Homemades

In a bowl combine the two flours and the salt with a whisk. Place the flour mixture directly on a work surface and make a well (hole) in the flour leaving some at the bottom of the well.

Homemades

Break the eggs into the middle of the well.  With a fork gently incorporate the eggs into the flour by taking a bit of the flour from the inside sides of the well being careful not to break the walls of the well.  If this happens the eggs will escape from the well and run all over your work surface.  Once the eggs are incorporated enough to not run finish incorporating the flour and eggs with your hands.  To help pull the dough together, wet your hands every now and then with the room temperature water.  The reason for this is to keep out as much excess water as possible.  (Sometimes I use all of the water and sometimes I don’t; it all depends on the atmosphere of the day.  Just don’t use any more than ½ cup.)  Once it is completely incorporated scrape any hard bits off the work surface, lightly flour it and begin kneading the dough.  Constantly turn the dough over itself and by using the heel of your hand push it away from you.  Do this for about 10 minutes to create a soft, pliable dough.  The dough should be soft, not sticky, and not hard.

Homemades

Shape the dough into a ball and place it on a lightly floured tea towel and cover with a bowl.  Let the dough rest for 1 hour before rolling out.

After an hour, cut the dough into half and each half into thirds.  While working with a piece of dough keep the others covered with the bowl.  Roll the first piece with a rolling pin to about ½ inch thick.  This will help the dough go through the rollers of the machine easily and not squeeze out the moisture you want.  Set your machine on the highest number and roll the dough through 6 to 8 times folding it over itself each time.  Turn the number to the next lowest and roll the dough through 4 times folding the dough over itself each time.  Continue lowering the numbers and rolling the dough 3 or 4 times through each number until you reach the thickness you like.  Once the dough has gone through all of the settings cut into noodles to the thickness you like by hand.  (I have 8 settings on my machine with 8 being the thickest.  I roll my thicker pasta through #4 setting and thinner through #3.  I roll ravioli sheets through #2 setting.  My brother’s pasta machine works the opposite with having #1 as the thickest.  Use your own taste as to how thick you want your pasta,  but I am guessing that if you already have a pasta machine you know what thickness suites you best.)

Homemades

Place the pasta on a lightly floured towel on a sheet pan into nests.  Continue with each piece of dough until all is rolled and cut.  Remember to do each piece individually.  Rolling all of the pieces first and then cutting them does not work.  The dough begins to dry and will not cut without cracking.

Hints and Tips:  Folding the dough over itself and rolling over and over makes for a perfectly elastic dough that will not fall apart when you cook the pasta.

If the dough starts to get sticky when rolling it out don’t be afraid to sprinkle a little flour on it.  When you fold it over itself while rolling don’t put extra flour on the sides that will meet each other.

When you put the cut pasta on the floured towel in nests let it air dry without covering it.  After a bit, gently lift the nests to be sure they are not sticking to each other.

Cooking the pasta should be done in a large pot with lots of boiling, salted water.  The pasta will take only a few minutes to cook as opposed to the longer cooking time for dried pasta.

This pasta freezes well.  I IQF (Individually Quickly Freeze) the nests and then place them in a large plastic container or plastic bag.  It will last in the freezer for a month.

Let me know your results.

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Ahh Haa Moments, Eggs, Food For Thought, Fresh Pasta, Hints and Tips, Pasta, Pasta Dough, Recipes To Share | Tagged | Comments Off on Homemades (Fresh Pasta)

The Holidays Are Here

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Camille

The Holidays are just around the corner and I am sure that many of you will be preparing Christmas Dinner or New Year’s Day Dinner.  I want to give you something new to bring to the table on the special day and I thought a Roasted Rack of Pork with Winter Vegetables would be a great entree.  I’ve planned a menu I believe is interesting and easy to prepare.  Much of this menu can be done a day or two in advance giving you plenty of time to enjoy your guests.

Each course has been perfectly planned for you.  Here’s the menu and I hope you will do either the whole menu or even just a part of it for your dinner.

Christmas Dinner 2013

Wild Mushrooms and Chestnut Soup

Roasted Beets, Fresh Fennel, Navel Oranges and Watercress Drizzled with Orange Infused White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Roasted Rack of Pork with Winter Vegetables

Sour Cherry and Apple Compote

Decorated Sugar Cookies

Wild Mushroom and Chestnut Soup

Wild Mushroom and Chestnut Soup

I like to use the wildest mushrooms I can find:  The ones that stayed out late partying the night before.  The wilder the mushrooms the better.  You don’t want this soup to be a “run of the mill” mushroom soup, so forge ahead and look to your local upscale market for a good selection of wild mushrooms.  If you can’t find wild mushrooms locally a very good source for wild mushrooms is Oregon Mushrooms.  They are reliable, prices are fair, they have a huge selection of seasonally fresh and dried mushrooms and they deliver a perfect product every time.   www.oregonmushrooms.com

The Chestnuts give the soup a flavor that is earthy sweet.  The drizzle of white truffle oil as garnish is a bit extravagant but well worth the cost.  It adds another dimension of earthiness you can only get from truffles.  I found The chestnuts in a sealed foil package at the grocery store.  The brand is Gefen and comes in a 5.2 ounce package.  The price was quite reasonable at $2.99 a package.  This brand contains no preservatives or artificial coloring.  It is also a Kosher brand.

I don’t put in any herbs, other than Sunny Paris Seasoning from Penzey’s Spices, because I want the mushroom flavor to be the predominate taste.  The Sunny Paris gives it a little French flair.  There is no salt in Sunny Paris.  I love this herb mixture:  It is subtle and it reminds me of Paris.  Check out Penzey’s website.  Some of you may be lucky enough to have a retail store in your area.  If not, the catalogue has everything you can think of and shipping is inexpensive.  http://penzeys.com

Makes About 4 Quarts

1          1 Ounce Package Dried Porcini Mushrooms

4     Pounds Wild Mushrooms Such as Shitake, Yenoki, Hen of the Woods, Oyster, Trumpet, Hedgehog

4          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Divided

4          Tablespoons XVOO, Divided

1           Pound Packaged Roasted and Shelled Chestnuts

1          Large Spanish Onion, Finely Chopped

6          Celery Stalks, Finely Chopped

2          Large Yukon Gold Potatoes, Skin On, Cut into ½” Cubes

2          Tablespoons Sunny Paris Dried Seasoning from Penzey’s Spices

2          Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt

1          Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

¼         Cup All Purpose Flour

1          Cup Madeira Wine

2          Cups Mushroom Liquid

4          Cups Homemade Chicken Stock or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth, Heated

1          Cup Crème Fraiche

1          Cup Heavy Cream

Crème Fraiche, a Drizzle of White Truffle Oil and Chopped Chives for Garnish

Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a small saucepan and cover with 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let the mushrooms sit in the liquid for 10 minutes before straining.  Strain the liquid through a strainer fitted with cheesecloth or paper towel.  Rinse the mushrooms to be sure there is no dirt or sand.  Squeeze out as much liquid as possible into the cheesecloth fitted strainer.  Set the liquid aside.  Coarsely chop the mushrooms.

Clean the wild mushrooms of any dirt and/or sand and coarsely chop.  You want the mushroom pieces a little on the large side so you can sink your teeth into these wonderfully flavorful morsels.

Gently smash the chestnuts but putting pressure on the flat side of a chef’s knife.

In a large pot, such as a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons each of the butter and XVOO over medium high heat.  When the butter stops sizzling put half of the mushrooms in the pan.  Sprinkle the mushrooms with a little of the salt and pepper and sauté them in two batches ( sprinkle the mushrooms with the salt and pepper as you place each batch in the pan).  Before you stir them let the mushrooms get a bit of caramelization on the bottom.  You don’t want them to steam or release their liquid.  Remove from the pan and sauté the rest of the mushrooms.  Remove and set aside.

Add the rest of the butter and XVOO and, over medium heat, sauté the onion, celery and potato until the onion and celery are a bit softened.  Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and stir to coat.  Cook for a few minutes stirring often.  You want to cook the flour flavor out of the mixture.  Add the rest of the salt and pepper and the Sunny Paris Herb Mixture to the vegetables.

Pour in the Madeira wine and stir into the vegetables.  This will become thick and paste like.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.  Stir in the 2 cups of mushroom liquid and the chicken stock and gently bring the mixture to a boil.  Add the chestnuts and reduce heat to simmer.  Gently simmer until the potatoes are softened, about 20 minutes.

Add the 1 cup of crème fraiche and the heavy cream and stir to incorporate.  Add the reconstituted Porcini mushrooms and the sautéed mushrooms with all of the juices that have accumulated and continue to gently simmer for 20 more minutes.

At this point the soup will be perfect but if it seems a little too thin for your liking thicken it up by dissolving 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in water.  Use your fingers to mix it.  Be sure there are no lumps.  Bring the soup to a boil and add the corn starch/water mixture stirring continuously until all of the cornstarch liquid has been blended in and the soup is slightly thicker.

Ladle the hot soup into heated bowls.  Dollop each bowl of soup with crème fraiche, a drizzle of white truffle oil and sprinkle with chopped chives.

The soup can be made 2 or 3 days in advance and reheated at a gentle simmer.

Roasted Beets, Fresh Fennel andOrange Salad with Watercress Drizzled with Orange Infused Vinaigrette

Roasted Beet Salad

Use naval oranges because there are no seeds.  No seeds make eating this salad a pleasant experience.  You can also switch it around and use golden beets and blood oranges instead.  It’s the color thing you are going for.  Bump the salad up a notch by sprinkling a bit of crumbled goat cheese or Maytag blue cheese on the finished dish.

Serves 8

For the Vinaigrette

¼         Cup White Balsamic Vinegar

¼         Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

1          Medium Shallot, Peeled

1          Tablespoon Coarse Grain Mustard

¼         Cup XVOO

¼         Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil

½         Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt

¼         Teaspoon Freshly Group Black Pepper

6          Large Roasted Beets

2          Medium Fresh Fennel Bulbs, Trimmed of Frons, Core Removed and Thinly Sliced Lengthwise

3          Large Navel Oranges, Skin and White Pith Cut Off, Sliced in Half Lengthwise and Each Half Sliced into ¼” Slices Crosswise

4          Cups Baby Watercress, Trimmed of Long Thick Stems

Put the vinegar, orange juice, shallot and mustard in a blender and process until pureed.  Wish the motor running add the oil in a slow and steady stream and blend until completely emulsified.  Add the salt and pepper and blend until combined.  Transfer to a glass jar or a squeeze bottle and refrigerate until ready to use. (Vinaigrette can be made a day or 2 in advance.)

In a medium bowl toss the fennel with some of the vinaigrette; enough to just barely coat the fennel.

On a salad plate place 3 half slices of the beets overlapping each other.  Place 3 or 4 slices of oranges on the plate in the same manner as the beets.  Top with some of the fennel.  Mound a bit of watercress on the plate and drizzle all with the vinaigrette. 

Roasted Rack of Pork with Winter Vegetables

DSC_0695

This dish could not be any easier.  You cook the meat, vegetables and potatoes all together in one pan at the same time.  You end up with a delicious and brilliantly executed dish.  If your Rack of Pork is cooked to the temperature suggested and the vegetable and potatoes are not done, remove the pork from the pan and continue to cook the vegetables in the oven until perfectly cooked.  The veggies and potatoes should be a bit on the soft side;  not mushy but soft.

When ordering your Rack of Pork tell the butcher you want the cut of meat that is used for the Crown of Pork and be sure to tell him not to cut through the meat to make it in a shape of a crown.  You want it to be the same cut as a Prime Rib of Beef.  Sometimes the butcher in a big box store has no idea what you are talking about when you tell him you want a Rack of Pork.  Just be very specific in what you are ordering.  If you have to, show him the picture.  Also you must tell the butcher to remove the chine bone.  If it is not removed you will not be able to cut through the rib.  The chine bone is the long piece of solid raggedy edged bone running the length of the rack.  When it comes time to slice, you will be able to easily slice the rack into 8 chops or you can carve the meat off of the rib bones first and then slice.  The meat next to the bones is the tastiest and is a favorite with everyone.

I prefer to brine when the situation calls for it.  Brining pork will insure you the most tender and moist Rack of Pork.  Brining is simple and worth doing.

Roasted Rack of Pork with Winter Vegetables

Roast Rack of Pork with Winter Vegetables 

Serves 8

For the Brine

1/2      Cup Coarse Sea Salt or Kosher Salt (Neither is Iodized)

1/2      Cup Granulated Sugar

3          Bay Leaves, Broken in Half

2          Teaspoons Whole Black Peppercorns

2          Teaspoons Fennel Powder

6          Garlic Cloves, Smashed

1          8 Bone Rack of Pork (About 7 Pounds), Chine Bone Removed

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1          Tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt

2          Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2          Teaspoons Garlic Powder

2          Teaspoons Fennel Seed Powder

1          Pound Purple Peruvian Potatoes,, Cut In Half Crosswise

2         Medium Sweet Potatoes, Peeled and Cut into 6 or 8 Chunks

4         Medium Size Yukon Gold Potatoes, Skin Left On and Cut into Quarters

1          Large Red Onion, Thinly Sliced

8         Large Carrots, Peeled and Cut Crosswise on an Angle ¼” Thick

4         Turnips, Peeled and Quartered

4         Parsnips, Peeled and Cut Crosswise on an Angle 1/4″ Thick

¼       Cup Whole Garlic Cloves, Peeled

1 1/4  Cups XVOO

1         Cup White Wine

2         Cups Homemade Chicken Stock or Low Sodium Canned Chicken Broth

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large pot such as a Dutch oven combine the salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns and garlic with 2 cups water.  Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.  Remove from the heat and add 4 cups ice cubes and six cups of cold water to the pan.  Set into the refrigerator until completely chilled.  Add the Rack of Pork being sure it is completely covered with water.  If you have to add more water to cover don’t hesitate to do so.  Place the pan with the pork and the brine in the refrigerator and brine the meat for at least 6 hours and up to no longer than 8 hours.

After the brining time, remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel.  Bring the meat to room temperature before roasting, about 30 minutes.  Discard the brine.

In a large roasting pan, place the potatoes, carrots, onion, turnips, parsnips and garlic and toss with 1 cup of the XVOO, sprinkle with half of the sea salt and half of the pepper.  Toss to combine.  Place the pork rack in the pan and pour the rest of the XVOO over the meat.  Sprinkle the rack with the rest of the salt, pepper, all of the garlic powder and fennel seed powder and rub the spices all over the meat including the sides.  Pour the cup of wine over the vegetables.

Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring the vegetables around every 20 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 145° when placed in the center of the pork rack.  Remove from oven and transfer meat and vegetables to a platter.  Loosely cover with foil to keep warm.  Let the meat rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

Discard the oil and fat in the pan and deglaze the pan with the chicken stock.  Scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan to make a great pan sauce.  You can serve as is or strain for a more refined sauce.

Dark Cherry and Apple Compote

Cherry-Apple Compote

Makes 3 Cups

2          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

2          Granny Smith Apples, Cored, Peeled and Cut into 1/2” Dice

½         Cup Onion Jam

¾         Cup Granulated Sugar

¾         Cup Apple Juice

2          12 Ounce Bags Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries

Zest of One Large Orange

In a large sauté pan melt the butter.  Once the butter stops sizzling add the apples and sauté until just beginning to soften.  Add the onion jam and sauté for 1 more minutes.  Add the sugar and cook until the sugar is dissolved and begins to color.  Add the apple juice and stir to combine.  Add the cherries and their juices to the pan and stir to combine.  Add the zest and bring the mixture to a full boil.  Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring often, until the juices thicken to a very syrupy consistency.  Remove from the heat and cool.  Once cooled transfer the compote to a glass jar.  Refrigerate until completely cool and then cover with a lid.  Properly stored in the refrigerator, the onion jam will keep for a week.

Decorated Sugar Cookies

Decorated Christmas Cookies

DSC_0710

 2          Large Egg Yolks

3          Tablespoons Heavy Cream

3½      Cups All Purpose Flour

1          Cup Granulated Sugar

2½    Sticks (10 Oz.) Cold Unsalted Butter, Cut Into 1 inch pieces

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cream.  In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and sugar.  Add the butter and beat at low speed until the mixture resembles crumbs, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the cream-egg mixture in a slow steady stream, beating at low speed until the ingredients are just combines.  Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, shape into disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.  Let the dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.

Preheat oven to 350° with rack in the middle of the oven.

Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough ¼ inch thick (thick is important) and cut out shapes.  Place on the parchment lined baking sheets and bake one cookie sheet at a time for 16 to 18 minutes, or until pale golden, rotating pan half way through the cooking time.  Cool on the trays.

When cookies are completely cooled, frost them with Royal Icing.  Let cookies sit overnight uncovered.  This gives the icing time to set.  Cookies can be stored in tins for a long time, 3 to 4 weeks.

Royal Icing

5          Tablespoons Meringue Powder

1          Box (1 Pound) 10X Confectioners Sugar

Place meringue powder and scant ½  cup water in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on low speed until blended.  Add confectioners sugar and mix on low speed until soft peaks form, about 10 minutes, scraping down sides periodically.  At this point you can add more liquid a drop at a time to make the icing perfect for icing cookies.  Add food coloring and mix until well blended.

To ice the cookies use the flooding technique by outlining the cookie with the icing in a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain pastry tip and then flood the cookie.    Do not outline all of the cookies first because the outline will harden and you will not be able to blend the flooding.

Hints and Tips:  You can purchase Meringue Powder at a baking supply store or Williams-Sonoma.  I have purchased Meringue Powder from both Williams-Sonoma in the store and CK Products on line.  http://www.CKproducts.com 

To color the icing, divide it into smaller containers and use food color to achieve the colors you would like.  I use food color paste which you can buy at a baking supply store such as CK Products, Williams-Sonoma or Michael’s Craft Store.  I don’t like the liquid type of food color you can easily get at the grocery store because it will change the consistency of the icing:  It actually makes the icing too thin to work with.  The paste is much better.  Keep the icing covered with a lid or plastic wrap when not in use.  It hardens faster than you think.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Healthy Happy New Year.

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

 

 

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Butter, Cherry Apple Compote, Chicken Stock, Cookies, Dessert, Desserts, Entree, Food For Thought, Hints and Tips, Meat, Menus, Mushrooms, Onion Jam, Pork, Preserves, Recipes To Share, Soup, Sugar Cookies, Vegetables, Vinaigrette, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Holidays Are Here

Thanksgiving Feast

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Camille

Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I am posting some of my old favorites for the  American Day of Feasting.  I’ve made changes in many of the recipes to give them a new and improved twist.  My favorite change is the Golden Cornbread I used for the Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing.  I find the flavor and texture are a bit more sophisticated and delicious compared to the recipe I’ve used in the past.  I changed the Roasted Corn Pudding to Roasted Corn and Sweet Pea Pudding.  I came up with this recipe change for a dinner I recently had with my dear friends who do not eat onions and peppers but love corn and peas.  I also changed the seasoning from southwest flavors to the more subtle Sunny Paris seasoning I get from Penzeys.  Go to www.penzeys.com for ordering.  I also changed the cheese to shredded Mozzarella cheese instead of Cheddar and Jack Cheeses.

For the Brussels Sprouts I used pancetta instead of bacon.  Love this change because the pancetta does not overpower the delicate flavor of the Brussels Sprouts.

Another huge change is in the Cranberry Sauce.  For years I have been using Kumquats but decided to try something different since no Kumquats could be found.  Instead I used a California orange and a Ruby Red Grapefruit.  I used the peel and the juice.  I made it yesterday and I am quite pleased with the end result.

Thanksgiving Feast

Roast Turkey with Golden Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing

Roasted Corn and Sweet Pea Pudding

Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions and Pancetta

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

Cranberry Citrus Compote

Traditional Pumpkin Pie Topped with Italian Meringue

Apple-Pear Pie

Roasted Turkey Stuffed with Andouille Sausage and Cornbread

Roasted Turkey with Golden Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing

Roasted Turkey with Golden Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing

Every oven is different and things can get really scary when roasting a turkey.  If the turkey doesn’t have the little pop up gage in the breast there is always the question of it being done or not.  The best way to take a lot of the mystery out of cooking the big bird is to use a probe thermometer.  You stick the probe end of the thermometer wire into the thickest part of the thigh and the other end of the wire into an instant read thermometer.  If you don’t have a probe that came with your oven then this instant read probe thermometer is absolutely the best way to go.  It’s worth the investment.  You can get one of these wonderful gadgets at any kitchen store.

Serves 12

1        Cup (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, Melted

1        23-25 Pound Fresh Turkey, Rinsed Well and Patted Dry

Golden Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing

Coarse Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

6        Large Carrots Coarsely Cut into Pieces

2        Large Spanish Onions Coarsely Cut into Pieces

6        Celery Stalks Coarsely Cut into Pieces

Reserved Turkey Neck

8        Cups Homemade Turkey Stock or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1        Cup All-Purpose Flour

Coarse Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F with the rack in the lowest part of the oven.

Place cut up carrots, onions and celery into a large roasting pan.  (Laying flat on the bottom of the pan will act as a roasting rack.  The veggies cooked with the turkey in this way will give your gravy more flavor.)  Place the turkey, breast side up, in the pan on top of the veggies.  Fold the wing tips under.  Season the turkey body cavity and the neck cavity with salt and pepper.  Loosely stuff the turkey body cavity and the neck cavity with the Cornbread and Andouille Sausage stuffing.  (Put left over stuffing into a buttered heat proof dish and bake at 350 degrees F 40-50 minutes.  Serve as a side dish besides the stuffing in the bird.)   Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine.  Fold the neck cavity skin under and secure with a skewer or long pick.  Rub the turkey all over with the melted butter and pour some of the butter over the veggies.  Sprinkle the turkey with salt and pepper.

Place the turkey in the preheated oven and roast for 5 to 6 hours.  Baste the turkey occasionally (about every 45 minutes).  Do this quickly; keeping in mind that each time you open the oven door you loose about 25 to 40 degrees of heat and it takes time to recover the heat.  The turkey is done when an instant read thermometer reads 175 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest part of the thigh.

Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a large platter.  Cover with foil and let rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour before serving.  Remember the turkey will continue to cook when covered with the foil.

Place the roasting pan over two burners.  Over medium high heat bring the juices, fat and veggies to a boil.  Sprinkle the veggies with 1 cup all-purpose flour.  Stir this all together, scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan and let it cook for about 5 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan continuously.

Meanwhile heat the turkey stock.  Slowly add the hot stock to the pan stirring continuously.  Let this cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Strain the gravy into a large sauce pan and slowly bring back to a simmer.  Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.

Gravy Hints and Tips:  You can make the Turkey Stock by boiling together 10 cups water, two cut up carrots, a cut up onion and several cut up stalks of celery, the turkey neck, a bay leaf, ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and fresh parsley.  Lower heat to simmer and cook for two hours covered.

If the gravy is too thin for your liking, blend cornstarch and water together to a smooth thin paste and stir into boiling gravy a little at a time until the desired thickness is reached.  If the gravy is too thick for your liking, add hot stock until the desired thickness is reached.

 

Corn

Roasted Corn Pudding

Roasted Corn and Sweet Pea Pudding

Makes One 9”x13” Casserole

6          Cups Roasted Corn Kernels, Instructions Below (Fresh Yellow or Bi-Color Kernels        Cut off the Cobb or the Equivalent of Frozen Corn Kernels)

1          Cup Chopped Scallions

3          Cups Frozen Peas

6          Large Eggs

2          Large Egg Yolks

1½      Cups Heavy Cream

1½      Cups Half and Half

3          Cups Shredded Mozzarella (Pizza Cheese NOT Fresh Mozzarella)

2          Tablespoons Sunny Paris (From Penzy Spices)

1          Tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt

1          Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Pinch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Spray the inside of Large Baking dish (13x9x3 high) with cooking spray.  Set Aside.  Have a large pot of boiling water at the ready when it’s time to bake the pudding.

Whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream, and half-and-half in a large bowl.  Add Sunny Paris, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Add the cooked corn, the scallions, peas and grated cheeses to the egg/cream mixture and combine well.   Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Place the dish in a large roasting pan and fill the pan half way up the side of the dish with the boiling water.  Bake the pudding for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the top begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Serve warm.

Roasted Corn – You will get about ? cup of kernels from each corn cobb.  Use either yellow, white or bi-color corn.  Remove the kernels from the cobb and place on a half sheet pan with sides.  Sprinkle lightly with corn oil and toss to coat.  Roast until kernels begin to take on a slight golden color, about 10 to 15 minutes at 375°.   Alternately you can use frozen corn kernels but you will have to roast a bit longer for the kernels to become drier.

 

Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions and Pancetta

This is a wonderful dish to serve with Thanksgiving Dinner.  It is equally good served any day of the week.  I give you this large recipe for the holidays but it is easy enough to cut down for a smaller group of diners.

Serves 12

½         Pound Thinly Sliced Pancetta, Cut into Julienne Strips

3          Pounds Brussels Sprouts, Medium in Size, Core Trimmed and

Cut in Half Length-Wise

1          Pound White Pearl Onions, Skins Removed

2          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

2          Tablespoons XVOO

1          Cup White Wine

½         Cup Homemade Chicken Stock or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1          Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt

½         Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

In a sauté pan large enough to hold all of the Brussels sprouts and pearl onions in a single layer, cook the pancetta until all the fat is rendered and the pancetta is crisp.  Remove the pancetta from the pan and drain on paper towels.  Set aside.  Discard the pancetta fat.  (If you don’t have a pan large enough to cook all of the sprouts and onions together then do it in smaller batches.)

In the same pan over medium high heat, heat the butter and XVOO.  When the butter stops foaming add the Brussels sprouts and the pearl onions to the pan and sauté tossing around in the butter and XVOO.  Add the salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.  Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce the wine by half.  Add the chicken stock and reduce by half.  This should take only a few minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan with a lid.  Cook until the sprouts are tender and the onions are cooked through, about 7-10 minutes.

Add the cooked pancetta bits to the pan and toss to combine.  Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Hints and Tips:  To peel the pearl onions, bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the onions and let simmer for two minutes.  Drain and quickly transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool down.  When cool, easily remove the skins from the onions.

 

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

Serves 12 – 15

For the Topping

1     Cup All Purpose Flour

3/4  Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar

1      Teaspoon Salt

1      Teaspoon Cinnamon

8      Tablespoons (1 Stick) Cold Unsalted Butter, Cut into 1/2 Inch Cubes

1½   Cups Chopped Pecans

For the Sweet Potatoes

7        Lbs. Sweet Potatoes

¼       Cup Heavy Cream

2        Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

8        Tablespoons (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter Melted

3        Large Eggs

½       Cup Maple Syrup

½       Cup Orange Blossom Honey

¾       Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar

2        Teaspoons Fine Sea Salt

1        Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

¼       Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 450 Degrees

To prepare the topping, in a bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Using your fingers, a pastry blender or two knives cut in the butter until the flour mixture has been completely absorbed into the butter.  The mixture should hold together when squeezed with your hand but still crumble apart easily.  Stir in the pecans, Set aside.

To prepare the sweet potatoes, put them a large roasting pan and add a small amount of water.  Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and roast until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a knife, 1 to 1 1/2 Hours.  (Don’t forget to pierce the potatoes with a knife before roasting.)  Cool the potatoes completely.  Once cool, remove the skins from the potatoes.  Refrigerate the potatoes for several hours.  This will make them much easier to handle and cut.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 Degrees.

Remove the potatoes from the refrigerator and cut the flesh into 1/2 cubes.  Transfer one-fourth of the potatoes to a large bowl and mash with a potato masher.  Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the cream, vanilla, butter, eggs, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Add the cream mixture to the mashed sweet potatoes and stir until well combined. Combine this mixture with the cubed potatoes and GENTLY stir to combine.  (Gently toss so as not to mash the cubes.)

Transfer the mixture to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish that has been sprayed with bakers spray such as PAM and sprinkle with the Streusel topping.  Bake until the topping is golden and crispy and the potatoes are hot and cooked all the way through, 45 to 60 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Hints and Tips:  To test the potatoes to be sure they are hot all the way through, insert a thin bladed knife into the center of the dish and leave it there for 30 seconds.  If the knife blade is hot then the potatoes are ready.

You can do some of this recipe in advance.  The streusel topping can be made the day before and refrigerated until you are ready to use it.

The potatoes can be cooked the day before as well, but peel them while they are still warm.

Cranberry Citrus Compote

Makes 4 Cups

1        Large California Orange

1        Large Ruby Red Grapefruit

2        Cups Granulated Sugar

1        Cup Water

1/2    Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

1/2    Cup Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice

2        12 Ounce Bags Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

1        Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt

Wash the Orange and Grapefruit and peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler.  Julienne the skins peels into very thin strips.  Set aside.  Squeeze the juice from both the orange and the grapefruit.  You should get about 1/2 cup of juice from each.

In a large pot such as a Dutch oven combine the sugar, the orange and grapefruit juices and water.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Boil until the sugar is dissolved and becomes a bit syrupy, about 5 minutes.  Add the cranberries, julienned strips of orange and grapefruit  and salt and bring to a rolling boil.  Lower the heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring often.  Skim the foam that will float to the top as you go along.

Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely.  Store in air-tight containers and refrigerate for up to one month.

Apple Pie Made With Love

Apple Pie Made With Love

Apple Pie With Vanilla Gelato and Caramel Sauce

Apple Pie With Vanilla Gelato and Caramel Sauce

Apple-Pear Pie

Makes One 9” Deep Dish Pie

1          Recipe Pate Sucre (Recipe Below)

5          Large Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored and Sliced ¼” Thick

3          Large Bartlett Pears, Ripe But Not Soft, Peeled, Cored and Sliced  ¼” Thick

1          Cup Granulated Sugar

¼         Cup All-Purpose Flour

¼         Cup Corn Starch

1          Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

1          Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

½         Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg

1          Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice (DO NOT USE BOTTLED)

2          Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter Cut into Small Pieces

1          Large Egg Beaten with 1 Tablespoon Cold Water for Egg Wash

Coarse Sanding Sugar for Pie Top

Preheat oven to 425°.  Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.

In a large bowl combine the apples, raisins, pecans, sugar, flour, cornstarch, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice.  Toss until well combined.  Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of pate sucre into a 11” to 12” circle approximately 1/8” thick.  When rolling, add a little flour to the top of the pastry so the rolling pin won’t stick.  To make an evenly round circle when rolling make a quarter turn with the pastry.  In other words, give a few rolls over the pastry, lift the pastry off of the rolling surface and turn it to the right 90 degrees.  Do that three times while rolling and you will have a perfect circle.  Gently roll the pastry up onto the rolling pin and lift over the top of a 9” deep-dish pie dish and roll out.  Gently press into the pie dish.  You should have about a 1” overhang.

Place the apple-pear pie mixture into the pastry-lined dish, evenly distributing the apples and pears.  This will allow for more even cooking.  Pour any juices that may be in the bottom of the bowl over the top of the apple-pear mixture.  Dot the apple-pear mixture with the 2 tablespoons of cold butter pieces.  Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.

Roll out the second disk of pastry in the same manner as the first.  Place the rolled pastry over the apples.  Seal the edges by trimming with a scissor.  Press the edges decoratively with your thumb and forefinger.

With a sharp thin knife make a whole in the top of the pie to let out the steam while it cooks.  You don’t want it to explode in the oven – and believe me, it will if you don’t vent the pie.  Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sanding sugar.

Place the pie on a sheet pan with holes (such as a pizza pan) lined with parchment paper.  Bake the pie for 15 minutes and turn down the oven temperature to 375°.  Bake the pie for 1 hour more or until the top is nicely browned and the juices are bubbling.  You will see some of the juice leek out of the pie on the side.  To be sure the apples are cooked, insert a skewer into the vent at the top of the pie.  There should be no resistance when the skewer goes through the apples.

If the pie is not cooked through and the crust is beginning to get too brown, loosely cover the pie with aluminum foil by making a tent.  You do not want to crush the pie or cover the vent tightly.

Remove from the oven to a wire cooling rack and let the pie cool completely before serving.  I like to serve this pie with Caramel Sauce (Page) and Cinnamon Ice Cream or Gelato.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie Topped with Italian Meringue

Anyone who knows me knows I am a purist when it comes to food.  Only organic and fresh for me:  Nothing frozen, canned or precooked.  BUT once in a while I have to make the exception to my rule and Pumpkin Pie filling comes under the exception category.  I have made Pumpkin Pie with fresh pumpkin, pumpkin I have picked, white pumpkin, you name it.  The only pumpkin I like for Pumpkin Pie is the good old standard – Libby pumpkin puree.  My mother used it and I am continuing the tradition.  The pumpkin puree by Libby is consistent.  I never have to second guess the product.  I guess you can say I am only 99¾% pure.  DO NOT USE PUMPKIN PIE FILLING IN THE CAN.  When you reach for the puree on the shelf don’t grab the wrong one.

To take it even further, I use the recipe on the can.  The proportions are perfect.  I am giving Libby complete credit for the Pumpkin Pie but the Meringue Topping is my idea.  I thought it would be fun to do something different for the topping.

If the Italian Meringue is too daunting for you or you just don’t have the time with everything else that is going on, go ahead and use whipped cream to top the pie.  But, please, do me a favor and don’t use cool whip!!  Please!!!!

¾       Cup Granulated Sugar

½       Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

1        Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

½       Teaspoon Ground Ginger

¼       Teaspoon Ground Cloves

¼       Teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg

2        Large Eggs

1        15 Ounce Can Libby’s Pumpkin Puree (NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING)

1        12 Ounce Can Evaporated Milk

1        Disk of Pate Sucre (Pastry Crust)  Recipe Below, Rolled Out to Fit a 9″ Deep Dish Pie Pan, Flute the Edges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small bowl combine the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.

In a larger bowl beat the eggs lightly, add the pumpkin puree and the spice mix.  Blend well.  Slowly add the evaporated milk.  Mix well.

Pour into unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 350 Degrees F (325 if using a convection oven).  Bake 40 – 50 minutes or until a thin bladed knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack completely before topping with Italian Meringue.

Hints and Tips:  I found that baking a pie in a glass dish is the best way to get a crispy cooked crust.  If you don’t have a glass dish, ceramic works just as well.  If you don’t have either I suggest you purchase one.  You will be so glad you did.  They are sold at the grocery store for as little as $6.00

You can make the pie the day before and refrigerate it overnight.  When you are ready to top it with the meringue, bring the pie to room temperature before topping it.  If the pie is cold and the meringue is warm condensation will develop between the pie and the meringue.  You don’t want this.  Also, when you take the pie out of the refrigerator to bring it to room temperature there may be a little moisture on top of it.  Blot it lightly with a paper towel.

Italian Meringue

6          Large Egg Whites at Room Temperature

½         Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

Pinch of Fine Sea Salt

2 2/3 Cup Sugar

2/3        Cup Water

You have to do the two steps to this recipe simultaneously.  Have a standing mixer ready to go along side your stove.  You will also need a candy thermometer.

Begin by beating the egg whites on medium speed to break up the whites.  Add the cream of tartar and the salt and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form, not dry peaks.

At the same time bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat, swirling the pan in the beginning to help dissolve the sugar.  Do not stir with a spoon.  Once it begins to boil, cover it with a lid for a minute or two to help dissolve the sugar crystals that form on the side of the pan.  Do this instead of washing the crystals down with a brush.  Doesn’t work!!!!   Remove the lid and boil the sugar/water mixture until it reaches 238 Degrees F on the candy thermometer.  As soon as it reaches 238 Degrees F quickly pour the mixture into a 4 cup measuring cup (don’t burn yourself).

With the mixer on low, slowly add the syrup in a slow and steady stream to the egg whites.  When all of the syrup is in, turn the mixer on high and beat until the meringue is cool.  This will take about 10 minutes.

Place some of the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a French tip or star tip and decoratively pipe the meringue onto the pie.  Complete a full circle around the pie using either of the tips.  Then do a second full circle on top of the first circle.  You will most likely not use all of the meringue but go ahead and be generous with it.  After the meringue is piped onto the pie, torch it with your blow torch to give it a little brown color.  This also sets the meringue.  If you don’t have a blow torch (mine is industrial size) put the pie under the broiler about five or six inched below the heat.  Stand there and watch it turn a light brown color.  Don’t take your eyes off of it for it will surely burn.  It will take only a minute or two to brown under the broiler

Refrigerate the pie for several hours before serving.

Pate Sucre (Pastry Crust, Pie Crust)

Enough for a 13 Inch Tart or Two 9” Pie Crusts

For the Pastry

3½     Cups All Purpose Flour

1/2     Cup Granulated Sugar

1        Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

8        Ounces Cold Unsalted Butter (2 Sticks) Cut Into 16 Pieces

½       Scant Cup Cold Vegetable Shortening Such as Crisco

5 – 6   Tablespoons Ice Water

My personal preference for making this or any pastry crust is to use my fingertips.  To make it my way, place the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.  Add the cut up butter and blend into the flour mixture using your fingertips.  Work quickly so butter does not get too soft.  Blend until the mixture resembles coarse meal or small peas.  Add the vegetable shortening in the same manner.  When all is mixed take a small amount and press it together in the palm of your hand.  If it stays together it is time to add the water.  Start with 5 tablespoons of the ice water and pour over the mixture.  Gather the mixture together into a ball.  If it is too crumbly and won’t stay together add a little more water.  You want the mixture to come together nicely.  Not dry or wet.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into two balls. Flatten into disks and wrap the disks in plastic.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

If this all seems to daunting, use your food processor following this next set of directions:  Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and shortening to the flour. Pulse the mixture until the mixture forms crumbs the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine the mixture and the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into two balls. Flatten into disks and wrap the disks in plastic.  Refrigerate for 1 hr.

Whew, that was a long posting.  I hope you read it all and maybe, just maybe, you will try at least one of my recipes. If you have any questions please contact me by posting directly on this blog or e-mailing me at:

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!  WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

 

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Apple Pie, Bread, Butter, Cranberry Citrus Compote, Desserts, Food For Thought, Fruit Desserts, Hints and Tips, Italian Meringue, Menus, Pastry Crust, Pate Sucre, Pumpkin Pie, Recipes To Share, Sausage, Side Dishes, Stuffing, Turkey, Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Thanksgiving Feast

Memory Of A Past Party

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Camille

This past Sunday, on my daily walk, I ran into a couple who I catered parties for before I retired.  After spending about half an hour talking I went on my way and began reminiscing about the parties I did for them in the past.  My first party for this wonderful couple, married nearly 50 years, was a party for 80 of their friends, all members of their club.  I still have a copy of the menu and thought I would share it with you.  This party took place in April, 2004.  WOW!!!  The time sure does fly.

What I remember mostly about this party was the wonderful time everyone had and how much they enjoyed the food.  The couple hosting the party were the youngest people there so pretty many of the guests were in their 70’s and 80’s.  The drinks were flowing, the food was enjoyed with gusto and the party went late into the night.  It was a beautiful Spring night in South Florida so the outdoor setting by the pool with a  backdrop of the Intracoastal was beyond spectacular.

After the party that night I went on to cater several more parties for them and members of their family.  They also were guests at many other parties I catered.  We have managed to stayed in touch through my blog and I know that the cook of this dynamic duo is a loyal reader and has made several of my recipes posted on this blog with great results.

Thank you for the memories of parties gone by.

Here is the menu and two of the recipes I prepared on April 4, 2004.  Enjoy!

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Mini Parmesan Baskets Filled with Herbed Goat Cheese Mousse

Maryland Crab Cakes Served with Traditional Remolaude Sauce

Kalamata Olive Tapenade Served on Toasted Garlic Crostini

Crispy Phyllo Filled with Wild Mushrooms, Scallions, Fresh Herbs

Bite Size Potato Pancakes Topped with Corn Relish and Crème Fraiche 

Dinner Buffet

Beautiful Field Greens Salad, Granny Smith Apples, Toasted Pecans, Gorgonzola Cheese, Roasted Apple Vinaigrette 

Sautéed Jumbo Shrimp, Tri Color Peppers, Plum Tomatoes and Fresh Fennel, Served with Pernod-Garlic Butter Sauce

Boneless Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Dried Fruit, Shallots, Watercress and Fresh Bread Crumbs, Served with Pan Sauce

Marinated and Grilled Flank Steak, Grilled Onions, Horseradish Sour Cream

Roasted New Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

Saffron Orzo Pasta with Sweet Baby Peas

 Grilled Asparagus Drizzled with XVOO and Fresh Lemon Juice

Assorted Country Style Breads and Rolls

Dessert

Rich and Delicious Chocolate Torte, White Chocolate Whipped Cream

Pear Tart Frangipane, Caramel Sauce, Home Made Vanilla Bean Gelato

Key Lime Tart Topped with Italian Meringue

Roasted Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Dried Fruit, Shallots and Watercress

Roasted Boneless Leg Of Lamb

Roasted Boneless Leg Of Lamb

Here is a recipe for lamb that I love.  It’s a beautiful dish not only in flavor but also in presentation.  The sweet and savory filling looks great and the flavor compliments the subtle semi-gamey taste of the lamb.

Ask your butcher to remove the bone and gland and to butterfly the leg for you.  Discard the gland (the butcher will do this for you) and use the bone to make your stock.

The lamb stock for the sauce can be made the day before along with the stuffing and the marinating of the leg of lamb.

Serves 6 – 8

Preparing the Lamb for Marinating

1          6-7 Pound Leg of Lamb, Bone Removed and Butterflied

¾         Cup XVOO

12       Roasted Garlic Cloves, Smashed (Recipe Follows)

1          Bunch Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, Rinsed

1          Bunch Fresh Oregano, Rinsed

4          Sprigs Fresh Rosemary, Rinsed

2          Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper

For the Stuffing

1          Cup Dried Cranberries

1          Cup Dried Apricots, Finely Diced

½         Cup Dried Golden Figs, Finely Diced

½         Cup Dried Mission Figs, Finely Diced

½         Cup Golden Raisins

1          Cup Madeira Wine

2          Cups Water

1          Cup Shallots, Peeled and Sliced

4          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

3          Cups Fresh Bread Crumbs, Chunky NOT Fine

½         Cup XVOO

2          Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt

1          Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2          Bunches Watercress, Large Stems Removed (About 8 Ounces)

For Roasting the Lamb

2          Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt

1           Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

6          Carrots, Cut Into Large Chunks

6          Celery Stalks, Cut Into Large Chunks

1          Large Onion, Cut Into Large Chunks

All of the Reserved Herbs Used for Marinating the Meat

The Rest of the Liquid from Re-Hydrating the Dried Fruit

A Few Tablespoons XVOO

2         Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt

1          Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Lamb Sauce (Recipe Follows)

Lay the leg of lamb on a board lined with plastic wrap with the meat cut side up (Photo #1).  Place a piece of plastic wrap over the meat and with a meat mallet pound the meat to even out the thickness of the surface.  Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the freshly ground black pepper, rub in the XVOO and smashed roasted garlic.  Lay most of the assortment of herbs on top of the meat and fold the meat over as if closing a book (Photos #2 and #3).  Place the meat in a non-reactive dish, or pan, and rub the outside with any of the left over XVOO.  Sprinkle with 1 more teaspoon of pepper and lay the rest of the herbs on top.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Photo #1

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #2

Photo #3

Photo #3

In a medium large saucepan combine the dried fruit with the Madeira wine and the water.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to low and slowly simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool before draining.  Drain the fruit and set aside.  Reserve the liquid.

Melt the butter in small sauté pan over medium heat.  Once the butter becomes hot and bubbly, add the shallots and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the re-hydrated dried fruit, breadcrumbs, XVOO, shallots with the butter, salt and pepper and thoroughly combine.  Add half of the reserved dried fruit liquid and the watercress and once again combine.  Cover and refrigerate overnight (Photo #4).

Photo #4

Photo #4

After marinating the lamb overnight remove it and the stuffing from the refrigerator and lay the leg of lamb cut side up.  Remove the herbs and season with sea salt.  Evenly spread the dried fruit mixture over the cut side of the meat (Photo #5).  Roll the meat into the leg shape and tie with butcher’s twine every two inches.  Bring the twine completely around the meat length wise to secure the ends (Photo #6).

Photo #5

Photo #5

Photo #6

Photo #6

Preheat oven to 400° with the rack in the lower third of the oven.

Sprinkle the meat all over with the salt and pepper and place the meat in a roasting pan on top of the cut up carrots, onion and celery stalks, the herbs used to marinate the lamb overnight, the reserved liquid from the dried fruit and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of XVOO (Photo #7).  Roast the leg of lamb for 1 hour and 30 minutes for medium or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the Leg registers 140°.

Photo #7

Photo #7

Remove from the oven and transfer the meat to a platter.  Let stand for at least 30 minutes loosely covered with foil.  The Leg will continue to cook and reach 145° for medium.

Slice the meat into medium-thick slices and ladle some of the lamb sauce over each serving.

Hints and Tips:  Cover the meat lightly with foil to keep warm for up to an hour keeping in mind it will continue to cook.  This is a great way to get the meat a little more done than medium by using the residual heat of the meat instead of leaving it in the oven.  It will stay very moist yet be a bit more done.  You can also drain the juices from the pan using a baster or fat separator and add it to your stock before you make the sauce.

Lamb Sauce

The Bone From the Leg of Lamb

8        Carrots Cut into Chunks, Divided in Half

2        Large Spanish Onion Cut into Chunks with Skin On, Divided in Half

8        Celery Stalks Cut into Large Chunks, Divided in Half

1/2     Cup Fresh Garlic, Divided in Half

XVOO Olive Oil

2        Cups Madeira Wine or Red Wine

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the bone and half of the vegetables and garlic into a roasting pan or large sauté pan and toss with olive oil to coat.  Roast for 1 hour until the bone and vegetables are nicely browned.  Remove all from the pan and place in a Dutch oven or stock pot with the rest of the vegetables.  De-glaze the pan with the wine scraping up the brown bits.  Pour this into the stock pot and cover the bone and vegetables with water by about two inches and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to a simmer and cover with a lid.  Simmer for several hours (I like to let it simmer for at least 8 hours and many times I will let it go over night).  Strain the stock and refrigerate until the fat comes to the top.

Remove the fat and make a roux using equal parts fat and flour (start with 8 tablespoons of each.  The amount of roux you will incorporate into the stock will depend on how much stock you have.)  Cook this mixture over medium heat for about 10 minutes stirring constantly.  This helps reduce the flavor of raw flour and makes for a more delicious sauce.  Bring the stock to a boil and add the cooked roux, a little at a time, whisking all the while ,until the roux is dissolved and the stock is thickened into a sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Strain into a serving bowl and spoon some of the sauce on to each portion of sliced of meat.

Roasted Garlic

1        Cup Peeled Garlic Cloves

1 ½    Cups XVOO

Place peeled garlic in a medium-small sauce pan and cover with extra virgin olive oil.  Bring the garlic and olive oil to a slow simmer over low heat.  Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool completely.

Store the garlic in the oil in an airtight container.  The garlic will keep, covered with oil, refrigerated for at least two weeks.  You can use the garlic infused oil to cook with replacing what you use with fresh XVOO to keep unused garlic totally covered.  This is called a Confit.

Key Lime Tart Topped with Italian Meringue

Key Lime Tart Topped with Italian Meringue (Structured Topping)

Key Lime Tart Topped with Italian Meringue (Structured Topping)

 

Key Lime Tart Topped with Italian Meringue (Freeform Topping)

Key Lime Tart Topped with Italian Meringue (Freeform Topping)

I prefer to make and eat Key Lime Pie as a tart instead of as a pie.  This is purely personal and if you would rather have a pie instead use the same amount of ingredients and press your crust into a 9” deep dish pie dish.  It may take a few minutes more to set.

For the Crust

1¼      Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

½         Cup Macadamia Nuts, Finely Ground

½         Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut, Finely Ground

¼         Cup Granulated Sugar

?         Cup Unsalted Butter (5? Tablespoons), Melted and Cooled

For the Key Lime Mixture

6          Large Egg Yolks, Room Temperature

2          14 Ounce Cans Sweetened Condensed Milk

1          Cup Fresh Key Lime Juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

For the Crust:  Mix the cracker crumbs, macadamia nuts, coconut, sugar, and melted butter together.  Blend well and evenly press into the bottom and sides of an 11” tart pan with removable bottom.  Set aside.

For the Key Lime Mixture:  Mix the egg yolks with the sweetened milk and blend well.  Add the lime juice in a stream and beat into the egg mixture.  Combine well.  Poor into prepared tart pan.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.  Top with whipped cream or, If you want to WOW your guests, top with Italian Meringue (Recipe Follows).

Italian Meringue

6               Large Egg Whites at Room Temperature

½             Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

Pinch of Fine Sea Salt

2  2/3      Cup Sugar

2/3           Cup Water

You have to do the two steps to this recipe simultaneously.  Have a standing mixer ready to go along side your stove.  You will also need a candy thermometer.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the wire whisk beat the egg whites on medium speed to break up the whites.  Add the cream of tartar and the salt and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form, not dry peaks.

At the same time bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat, swirling the pan in the beginning to help dissolve the sugar.  Do not stir with a spoon.  Once it begins to boil, cover the pan with a lid for a minute or two to help dissolve the sugar crystals that form on the side of the pan.  Do this instead of washing the crystals down with a brush (a secret I learned from Julia).   Remove the lid and boil the sugar/water mixture until it reaches 238 Degrees F on the candy thermometer.  As soon as it reaches 238 Degrees F quickly pour the mixture into a 4 cup measuring cup (don’t burn yourself).

With the mixer on low, slowly add the syrup in a slow and steady stream to the egg whites.  When all of the syrup is in, turn the mixer on high and beat until the meringue is cool.  This will take about 10 minutes.

Place some of the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a French tip or star tip and decoratively pipe the meringue onto the pie or tart.  Completely fill in the top of the pie or tart.  Then do a second layer on top of the first layer.  You will most likely not use all of the meringue but go ahead and be generous with it.  After the meringue is piped onto the pie or tart, torch it with your blow torch to give it a little brown color.  This also sets the meringue.  If you don’t have a blow torch (mine is industrial size) put the pie under the broiler about five or six inched below the heat.  Stand there and watch it turn a light brown color.  Don’t take your eyes off of it for it will surely burn.  It will take only a minute or two to brown under the broiler.

Refrigerate the pie for several hours before serving.

Please try the recipes and let me know your results.

You can always leave me a comment on the blog or email me at

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Enjoy

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Desserts, Dried Fruit, Eggs, Food For Thought, Garlic, Hints and Tips, Italian Meringue, Lamb, Lamb Stock, Meat, Menus, Recipes To Share, Stuffing, Vegetables, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Memory Of A Past Party

Pot Roast – The Ultimate Comfort Food

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Camille

Comfort Food

Pot Roast

I love slow cooking pot roast or whole fresh hams or pork butts or beef brisket.  I don’t get much of a chance to do it in Florida because it is so warm all of the time, but when we get a little cold spell you can be sure I will be slow cooking something or another.

Here’s an old favorite of anybody who lives in the cold now or did at one time.  This was a staple when I was growing up in cold Chicago.  My Mother’s Pot Roast was so typically American and this coming from a cook who was so typically Italian.  Note the addition of the marinara:  Mom had to put something Italian into every dish.

Serves 6

Pot Roast

1          5 Pound Chuck Roast, Tied

1          Tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt

2          Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper

¾         Cup All Purpose Flour for Dredging Roast

4          Tablespoons XVOO, Divided

2          Large Spanish Onions (About 3 Cups), Coarsely Chopped

8          Carrots (About 4 Cups), Peeled, Cut Crosswise On a Diagonal Into ¼” Pieces

6          Celery Stalks (About 3 Cups), Cut Crosswise Into 1/4″ Pieces

8          Large Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced

1/2         Cup Madeira Wine (Optional)

2          Cups Marinara

4          Cups Homemade Beef Stock, Homemade Chicken Stock or Low Sodium Canned Beef Stock

2          Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt

1          Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1          Bouquet Garni with 2 Bay Leaves, 6 Sprigs Fresh Oregano,  3 Large Sprigs Fresh Basil, 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme, 3 Large Sprigs Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (Instructions Below)

1          2 Pound Bag Small Red Potatoes, Cut In Half

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt and 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the roast in flour, including the ends.  In a large pan such as a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons XVOO over medium heat.  Add the roast and sear on all sides, including the ends, until nicely browned.  This will take about 15 minutes.  Remove the roast from the Dutch oven to a large platter.

Pot Roast

Add 2 tablespoons XVOO to the pan.  Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and slightly brown.  Add the Madeira and bring to a boil.  Add the marinara, beef stock and the Bouquet Garni to the pan. Put the roast back into the pan and bring to a boil.  Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and place in the oven.  Roast for 3 hours, turning the roast in the sauce half way through the cooking time.

Pot Roast

Remove the roast and the Bouquet Garni from the pan.  (Discard the Bouquet Garni.) Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.  Bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium heat and add the potatoes.  Cook the potatoes in the sauce for 20 to 30 minutes until they are tender, stirring often to be sure the potatoes and carrots do not stick to the bottom of the pan.  Check the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

Remove the strings from the roast and cut the roast into thick slices.  Spoon the sauce with the vegetables on top of the meat.  Serve immediately.

Hints and Tips:  The amount of flour on the meat and the potatoes will thicken the sauce naturally.  You should not need to add any more flour to thicken the sauce.

Be sure to let the meat rest before slicing.  The amount of time it takes the potatoes to cook in the stock will allow the meat to rest comfortably.

If you don’t have marinara handy you can use 1 small can tomato paste mixed with 1 cup water.

Bouquet Garni – The reason I use a bouquet garni in many of my recipes is to keep the recipe clean.  No loose pieces of herbs floating around:  The bouquet garni makes it easy to take out of the pot.  In a double layer of cheesecloth, place the herbs that are designated in the recipe.  Gather the edges of the cheesecloth to form a pouch-like parcel and tie the pouch with kitchen twine.

This delicious Pot Roast is a great meal for Halloween evening.  For dessert serve Caramel Apples.  Here’s the recipe for the Quintessential Halloween Treat.

Caramel Apples

Caramel Apples

Caramel Apples

12       Medium Size Apples (Your Choice of Favorites)

2          Cups Granulated Sugar

½         Cup Water

2          Cups Heavy Cream, Heated

1          Cup Coarsely Chopped Pecans for Dipping Coarse

Coarse Sea Salt for Sprinkling

In a small sauté pan, toast the pecans over medium heat, tossing several times, until pecans become fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a medium-large heavy sauce pan (a 6 quart size is best) place the sugar and water.  Swirl pan over high heat until sugar is dissolved and cook until mixture turns brown NOT BURNT.  (Never use a spoon to mix the water and sugar.  It just doesn’t work and will cause the sugar to clump.  Swirling is the only option.)  Remove from heat:  CAREFULLY and SLOWLY add 2 heated cups heavy cream.  When you add the cream to the sugar mixture it will bubble up and if you add too much too fast it will flow over the sides of the pan.  This could be dangerous so please be careful.  Mix with a large stainless steel spoon and return to heat.  Simmer the sauce over medium heat until temperature on candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees.  Remove from heat.  Transfer to a heat proof deep and narrow bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

Insert a 5” pointed dowel into each apple (I used plastic twigs purchased at a craft store).

Dip each apple, one at a time, into the caramel sauce.  Let the excess caramel drip off and immediately dip into the toasted pecans, or sprinkle the top rim of the caramel apple with sea salt.  Place the coated apples on a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or a silpat non-stick baking mat.  Let apples set before transferring to a serving platter, about 45 minutes.

Enjoy these dishes and let me know your results.  Contact me either on this blog by leaving a comment or you can email me at

camille@camillecooksforyou.com/blog

Happy Fall to All!!!

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Beef, Desserts, Food For Thought, Fruit Desserts, Hints and Tips, Meat, Menus, Recipes To Share, Vegetables, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Pot Roast – The Ultimate Comfort Food

Homemade Ravioli With Homemade Pasta Dough

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Camille

Ravioli Ravioli Ravioli

About 5 months ago I stopped eating Gluten:  No bread or pasta, nothing with flour, white or whole wheat.  No cakes, pies, or cookies.  I did this because I know several people who have joined the No Gluten Challenge and wanted to find out if not eating Gluten would make a difference in how I felt.  After 5 months of not eating Gluten, I, the biggest spaghetti bender you will ever meet, had to have some pasta.  I hadn’t had any problems craving Gluten-laced food but suddenly I couldn’t stand the thought of not eating a dish of pasta.  So on Sunday I made homemade ravioli.

Not only was it the thought of sinking my teeth into a pasta dish that made me excited but actually making the dough and the filling was something I could not wait to do.

This was not my first attempt at making pasta as I have been doing it for oh so many years.  I started by watching my Mother make pasta on a regular basis.  She also made ravioli for special occasions that landed on Sunday.  Here comes the reminisce. Whenever Mom made ravioli it was for a special occasion and to feed a crowd.  She would start very early on Sunday morning with making the pasta dough.  “One egg per cup of flour”, she would bellow as a reminder to us or herself or whomever was present.  “How many eggs?”, she would ask.  What did we know?  She ultimately ended up answering the question herself.  “There will be 10 for dinner so I think I’ll do 5 eggs”.  (Her thought was always 1 egg per 2 people)  Five eggs makes a lot of pasta dough.  I mean a LOT!  She would make the dough and let it rest covered with a bowl for about an hour before she began rolling it out.

Mind you, Mom did not have a pasta maker, or even a hand cranked machine until very much later in her life.  That meant she would make the dough by hand, knead it without the help of a mixer with a dough hook and then roll it out to perfectly even thickness with a rolling pin.

While the dough was resting she would make the rich ricotta filling, once again with the precise measure of 1 egg to 1 pound of ricotta.

After the dough had rested she would begin to roll it out into long sheets about three inches wide by two feet long, put a tablespoon of filling at two inch intervals along the lower third of the pasta sheet, fold over the dough, cut and seal the edges with the tines of a fork.  Repeat – roll, fill, cut, seal.  This went on for several hours as she would make over 100 ravioli.  She would let them dry at room temperature until ready to cook at around 2 in the afternoon.  (2pm was always the time for Sunday Dinner.)

Where did she let these little packages of goodness dry, you might ask?  Well, on her bed, of course.  She would make her bed and then lay a clean white flour sack towels on top and dust the towels with flour. The raviolis would be lined up as if they were little dancers in a chorus line.  If there is one thing I learned from her about making ravioli it is always put them on a cloth dusted with flour otherwise they stick to any other surface.

Remember this, while she is making the ravioli, the marinara sauce (gravy) with meatballs, pork, Italian sausage and braciola is being made.  And if it were a holiday she should also make a Prime Rib or Turkey along with all the sides that accompany that part of the dinner.  But that’s a story for another blog.

The only time my Mother didn’t go to church on Sunday was when she made ravioli.  Just think how thankful she was when the Catholic Church started Saturday evening masses. She always felt guilty about not going to church on ravioli day until the church made the big change.

Mom had help on those ravioli days and that help was always my sister, Mom’s sister and myself.  She would roll, fill and cut and my sister and I would seal.  Her sister, JiJie, would make the gravy and if Grandpa was there he would direct the whole process.  A note about Grandpa:  He was the best cook of all.  When my Mother and her 4 siblings were growing up, Grandpa was the cook as well as the bread winner.  Once again the story of my Grandfather is worthy of a special blog.  More on him at another time.

Mom’s kitchen was a bustling, well organized and joyous place to be on Ravioli Day.  I will cherish the memory forever.

OK, I made the ravioli on Sunday like I said at the beginning of this blog and ate them for dinner.  They were as good as my Mother’s ravioli and I was quite pleased with myself. But here is the twist:  I did NOT use my mothers recipe for the pasta dough.  I have been using my own recipe for quite some time.  My Mother’s recipe was 1 egg to 1 cup of all-purpose flour.  Several years ago I discovered Double Zero flour from Italy.  It is a super fine flour and it has less gluten.  I used 3 1/2 cups of Double Zero with 3 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks.  This flour produces a much lighter, more tender pasta dough.  It is quite resilient as well.  I rolled the dough extremely thin and never broke through.  And when I cooked them not one ravioli broke in the water.  All of you who make your own ravioli know what I am talking about.

I started this blog out by telling you that I hadn’t eaten any Gluten for several months.  I am most definitely done with that Tom Foolery.

Here is my recipe for pasta dough and ravioli filling.  Enjoy!!!

This recipe is a quick lesson on pasta making.  I could write a book about all the different pastas; long and short, filled and unfilled, infused with saffron or spinach or dried tomato, dried and fresh.  So many pastas, so little time.

Mom, Lucille, Camille

Mom, Lucille, Camille

Home Made Pasta with Double Zero Flour

When I make the pasta dough for ravioli I almost always use half the dough for ravioli and half for pasta noodles.  The noodles freeze really well and will last for at least a month in the freezer.  I do not recommend cutting the pasta dough recipe in half but you can cut the filling recipe in half without any problem.

Makes Enough Dough For 3 to 4 Dozen Ravioli or Enough Pasta For 6 As A Main Course

3½      Cups Double Zero Flour, Plus More for Rolling Out

3          Large Eggs

2          Large Egg Yolks

½         Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

A Bowl of Water to Keep Hands Moist

Place the flour directly on a work surface and make a well (hole) in the flour leaving some flour at the bottom of the well.

Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pour into the middle of the well.  With a fork gently incorporate the eggs into the flour by taking a bit of the flour from the inside sides of the well being careful not to break the walls of the well.  If this happens the eggs will escape from the well and run all over your work surface.  Once the eggs are incorporated enough to not run finish incorporating the flour and eggs with your hands.  To help pull the dough together, wet your hands every now and then.  The reason for this is to keep out as much excess water as possible.  Once it is completely incorporated scrape any hard bits off the work surface, lightly flour it and begin kneading the dough.  Constantly turn the dough over itself and, by using the heel of your hand, push the dough away from you.  Do this for about 10 minutes to create a soft, pliable dough.  The dough should be smooth, not sticky, and not hard.  (Kneading dough is a good upper body workout.)

Divide the ball of dough in half and cover with a damp tea towel.  Let the dough rest for 1 hour before rolling out.

After an hour, cut each half into halves.  While working with a piece of dough keep the others covered with the damp towel.  On a lightly floured surface, roll the first piece of dough with a rolling pin to about 1/2 inch thick.  This will help the dough go through the rollers of the pasta machine easily and not squeeze out the moisture you want.  Set your machine on the highest number and roll the dough through 3 or 4 times folding it over itself each time.  Turn the number to the next lowest and roll the dough through 2 times folding the dough over itself each time.  Continue lowering the numbers and rolling the dough twice through each number until you reach the thickness you like.  I go to number 3 on my machine when making long noodles (2 when making ravioli).  Once the dough has gone through all of the settings cut into noodles to the thickness you like by hand.  To cut even noodles by hand sprinkle flour on the pasta sheet and roll it loosely lengthwise.  Cut the noodles to your desired thickness and gently loosen them into long strands.  Place the pasta on a lightly floured towel on a sheet pan into nests.  Continue with each piece of dough until all is rolled and cut.  Remember to do each piece individually.  Rolling all of the pieces first and then cutting them does not work.  The dough begins to dry and will not cut without cracking.

When making Ravioli, on the pasta sheet place 1 tablespoon of filling on the lower third of the sheet about 2 inches apart.  Fold the top of the dough over the filling and gently press the air out between the each tablespoon of filling.  Cut the pasta with a pizza cutter in between each dollop of filling leaving about an inch all the way around 3 sides.  Trim to even up the edges and press the dough with a fork to seal.

Place the ravioli on sheet pans lined with a towel and sprinkle with flour.  Leave the ravioli uncovered for about 30 minutes and then cover with a tea towel.  They can stay like this for a couple of hours or you can refrigerate them until ready to use.  If you refrigerate, bring the ravioli back to room temperature before dropping into the boiling water.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and gently place 12 to 16 ravioli into the boiling water.  Bring the water back to a boil and cook the ravioli for 3 or 4 minutes.  Remove the ravioli from the water with a slotted spoon or skimmer and transfer to a colander to drain well.  Once drained, place them on a dish and cover with your favorite sauce.  I like to serve them up on individual plates.  With this size ravioli, 6 each is a perfect portion.  Put a little sauce on the plate them top with ravioli and more sauce.

Hint #1:  Folding the dough over itself and rolling over and over makes for a perfectly elastic dough that will not fall apart when you cook it.

Hint #2:  If the dough starts to get sticky when rolling it out don’t be afraid to sprinkle a little flour on it.  When you fold it over itself while rolling don’t put extra flour on the sides that will meet each other.

Hint #3:  When you put the cut pasta on the floured towel in nests let it air dry uncovered.  After a bit, gently lift the nests to be sure they are not sticking to each other.

Hint #4:  I use the cut scraps for soup.  Let the scraps dry at room temperature and then place in a plastic bag and freeze for up to a month.

Ricotta Filling For Ravioli

Makes Enough Filling For 4 Dozen Ravioli

2          Pounds Whole Milk Ricotta, Drained

2          Large Eggs

½         Cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1          Cup Shredded Whole Milk Mozzarella

¼         Cup Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

¼         Cup Chopped Fresh Basil

1          Teaspoons Fine Sea Salt

¾         Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

To drain the ricotta, place it into a doubled piece of cheesecloth and set it into a colander set over a bowl.  Place in the refrigerator and drain for several hours or overnight.

In a large bowl thoroughly combine the ricotta, eggs, cheeses, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

There you have it,  my memory of Mom and Ravioli and my recipe for pasta dough.

Buon Appetito!!!

Questions, comments, suggestions and ideas are always welcome.  Leave them on the blog or email me at

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Cheese, Food For Thought, Fresh Pasta, Hints and Tips, Pasta, Pasta Dough, Recipes To Share, Ricotta Cheese | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Homemade Ravioli With Homemade Pasta Dough

Perfectly Perfect Pan Seared Filet Mignon

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Camille

Perfectly Perfect Pan Seared Filet

Saturday night at the Hansen’s is steak night.  Sometimes I make steak at home and other times we will have it at a steak house.  I prefer to eat Rib Eye but would rather cook Filet Mignon.  Filet is much more of a challenge and there is something so satisfying when I cook it perfectly perfect.  Since Jim loves Filet Mignon I make that more than Rib Eye. Whether it be Rib Eye or Filet it better be good.  First of all it is really expensive either buying it at the market or ordering it at a steak house.  Secondly, it better be cooked right, and believe me when I tell you that it is not always cooked perfectly perfect at a steak house.

Just last week we went to a popular and very expensive steak house to celebrate Jim’s birthday.  The menu at this particular steak house states that all the steaks are Prime and cooked on the grill at a searing high heat of 1700 degrees.  Yes, 1700 degrees.  So imagine my surprise when the steak appeared at our table with the ever popular grill marks that were so light I could barely see them and the steak looking gray and so very unappetizing.  When I cut into the steak it was cooked very rare (I ordered medium-rare) and it had a “purple-raw, I hardly sat on the grill” look.  $59 for an 8 ounce steak that had no accompaniments with it.  It’s not the price that got to me but the way it was cooked.  It almost looked as if it were steamed and grill marks added at the last minute to give the impression that it actually was cooked on a grill.

I will never understand why a steak at a steak house can’t be properly cooked.  The person that cooked the steak most likely had no clue as to the proper cooking method for such a beautiful cut of meat.  I ordered it medium-rare with the hopes of getting it medium rare, not raw.  I am sure that the grill was not 1700 degrees; if it was cooked on the grill at such an extremely high heat it would have had a great crust on it and the interior of the steak would have been perfectly medium-rare.

Personally, I prefer to have my Filet Mignon seared in a cast iron pan.  That’s how I learned to cook Filet and that, for me, is the best way.  Searing it in a pan locks in the flavor and produces the best crust on the outside and the best temperature on the inside. Although I am against anything well done, you can cook a Filet my way, cook it well done and still have a moist delicious interior.

If I am going to cook my steak on the grill, it has to be a cut that has a good deal of fat within the steak.  This is called marbling.

Grilled Rib Eye

Rib Eye steaks are the perfect example of a steak that is well marbled.  The grill fire has to be very hot so as to sear and get the crust I have been talking about.  As most of you know by now I like to grill on a charcoal grill, not gas.  The fire is hotter and the flavor is more intense.  I use only hard wood charcoal and never lighter fluid.  I seldom use smoking wood chips as a steak is not on the grill for all that long.  A very important detail when grilling a steak is not to move it around.  It needs full undisturbed contact with the grill to cook properly.

Here is my recipe for pan seared Filet Mignon.

Perfectly Perfect Pan Seared and Roasted Fillet Mignon

If you have the opportunity to marinate the steaks early in the day of cooking, or even the night before, the outcome will be outstanding.  Here’s what to do:  Either early in the day or the night before put the steaks in a dish with a little XVOO on the top and bottom of each steak, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, place a smashed garlic clove on each fillet and several sprigs of mixed herbs such as basil, tarragon, oregano, parsley or whatever herbs you like.  Sprinkle a little more XVOO on top of the herbs.  Cover and refrigerate.  This gives the meat even more flavor and tenderness.  When you are ready to cook, discard the herbs and garlic and dab some of the XVOO off of the steaks with a paper towel.

If you don’t have the time to marinate, don’t worry; the steaks will still be delicious.

Cooking the steaks just before your guests arrive will give you time out of the kitchen during cocktails.  You can do this up to an hour before serving.  The steaks hold perfectly sitting in the pan off the heat.

Serves 4

4          8 Ounce Fillet Mignons (Cut From the Center of a Tenderloin)

1          Tablespoon XVOO

1          Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

            Freshly Ground Black Pepper

            Coarse Sea Salt

Preheat Oven to 450°.

Remove filets from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow them to come to room temperature.

Over medium high heat, heat the XVOO and the butter in a cast iron pan or frying pan large enough to hold the steaks without crowding.  (Crowding the pan will make the filets steam instead of sear.)  Season the steaks with the coarse sea salt and black pepper and add to the hot pan.  Sear the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until nicely browned and a crust forms.  Put the pan into the preheated oven and roast for approximately 8 minutes or until an instant read meat thermometer inserted in the center of the steak registers 128° for rare.  Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.

If you cook the steaks in advance:  When ready to serve the steaks, return the pan to the oven for 3-4 minutes to heat the filets.  (If you want the steaks cooked more, keep them in the oven, this time around, for several more minutes.)  Use your thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat: 130° medium-rare, 135° medium, 145° well done.

To add another dimension to the steaks, sauté an assortment of wild mushrooms with a bit of sliced shallot.  Use the same pan in which you cooked the steaks.  Remove the steaks and add a tablespoon of butter.  When the butter is hot and bubbly add the shallots and sauté briefly.  Add the mushrooms.  Don’t disturb them for about two minutes then sprinkled with salt and pepper and toss them around in the pan to finish cooking.  Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup Madeira or red wine.  Reduce the wine and juices from the mushrooms just a bit.  Take the pan off the heat and swirl in 2 tablespoons of cold butter that has been cut into eight pieces.  Add the butter bit by bit until completely incorporated.  Serve immediately with the seared steaks.

After writing this I don’t know if I can wait until Saturday night for steak.  It may just have to be tonight!

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask.  You can make a comment on this blog or email me at

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Beef, Butter, Food For Thought, Hints and Tips, Meat, Mushrooms | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Perfectly Perfect Pan Seared Filet Mignon

Blueberry Season Is Here

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Camille

Blueberry Blog

Yes, it’s here, the long awaited Blueberry season.  At least it is long awaited for me.  I love Blueberries and I love baking with Blueberries.  I love eating Blueberries and make sure I eat them every day for their superlative nutritional value.  In South Florida, at this time of the season, Blueberries are plentiful and super inexpensive.  When Blueberries are in season as they are now, I buy as many containers as possible and freeze them.  This is one fruit that freezes perfectly well.  In fact, when they are frozen and then thawed you most likely will not be able to tell the difference.

Here are several of my favorite Blueberry recipes.

Ricotta Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

Ricotta Cheese Cake with Blueberry Sauce

Ricotta Cheese Cake with Blueberry Sauce

Using ricotta along with cream cheese lightens up this delicious cheesy dessert and yet maintains the richness cheese cake is so loved for.  I twisted the crust a bit by using Amaretti di Saronno cookie crumbs instead of the traditional graham cracker crumbs used for most cheese cakes.  I thought it would be so much more Italian if I used the Amaretti cookies.  

Immediately Out of the Oven

Immediately Out of the Oven

30 Minutes Out of the Ove

60 Minutes Out of the Oven

For the Crust 

1½      Cups Amaretti di Saronno Cookie Crumbs

1/3      Cup Granulated Sugar

1/4      Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted

For the Filling

32       Ounces Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, Drained

16       Ounces Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1         Cup Granulated Sugar

3         Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

2         Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

2          Large Eggs, Room Temperature

2          Large Egg Yolks, Room Temperature

Preheat oven to 375°.  Place the rack in the middle of the oven.

For the Crust

Grind the Amaretti cookies in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Grind until you achieve fine crumbs.

In a medium bowl combine the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter.  Spray a 9” springform pan with non-stick baking spray such as Pam and press the crumb mixture into the bottom and half way up the sides of the pan.  Set aside.

For the Cheese Cake

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. combine the ricotta and cream cheese with the sugar and blend together on medium speed.  Add the flour and vanilla extract and mix well.

With the mixer on low, add the whole eggs and the egg yolks one at a time to the cream cheese mixture, being sure each egg is well incorporated before adding the next.  Beat until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.  Place on a sheet pan and bake the cheese cake for 50 – 60 minutes, until the cheesecake tests done by inserting a thin bladed knife into the center and the blade comes out clean.  Do no over bake.

Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a wire cooling rack for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, using a small metal spatula loosen the crusts from the side of the pan.  Cool 30 minutes longer and remove the springform pan.  Cool completely before refrigerating.  Cool in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.  Slice into wedges and served with Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry Sauce for Cheesecake

Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry Sauce

1          Cup Granulated Sugar

1/3      Cup Water

2          Pints Blueberries, Picked Over and Divided

Add sugar and water to a non reactive sauce pan.  Melt sugar completely and bring to a boil.  Add 1 pint of Blueberries and cook over medium high heat for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens and berries begin to pop, stirring often.  Remove from heat and add the rest of the Blueberries.  Cool completely and refrigerate.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

The first time I had Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes was in the early 1990’s when we lived in Crested Butte for a ski season.  It took me a few years to get the recipe just right and believe me when I tell you it is JUST RIGHT!!!  I never had pancakes that good until I developed my own recipe.  These are even better than Crested Butte’s.

Makes 8 to 10 – 3 Inch Pan Cakes

2          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted, Clarified and Cooled to Room Temperature

¾         Cup Buttermilk

¾         Crème Fraiche

1          Large Egg

¾         Cup Stone Ground White Cornmeal

¾         Cup All Purpose Flour

1          Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

½         Teaspoon Baking Powder

¼         Teaspoon Baking Soda

1          Tablespoon Granulated Sugar

1          Cup Fresh Blueberries, Divided

4          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted and Clarified

In a medium bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar with a wire whisk

In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons unsalted cooled butter, buttermilk, crème fraiche, and egg.  Blend together well.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and gently fold mixture together with a rubber spatula.  Fold just until blended together and the batter becomes thick.  Gently fold in ¾ cup of the blueberries.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Generously add some of the melted butter to the skillet or griddle.  When the butter begins to sizzle a little, add enough batter to make a 3 inch pancake (about 2½ tablespoons or use a 2” ice cream scoop).  Be careful not to overcrowd the pan as crowding will make it hard to turn the pancakes.  Cook the pancakes on each side until golden, about 2½ minutes per side.  Timing depends on how high the heat is under your skillet or griddle.

Transfer the pancakes to a heat proof dish and place in a warm oven.  Repeat with the next batch of pancakes being sure to add more butter to the skillet or griddle.

Serve two pancakes per person.  Add several uncooked blueberries to the dish for garnish.  Have ready softened butter and warm pure maple syrup (Please don’t us that corn syrup  laden stuff they call maple syrup.  For these pancakes you want only the real deal.)

Hints and Tips:  If you don’t have crème fraiche you can use all buttermilk.  Don’t use sour cream as it is too thick.  Also, you can use stone ground yellow or blue cornmeal.  The key here is stone ground.

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

Blueberry Scones

Blueberry Scones

Makes 16 Scones

3          Cups All Purpose Flour

1/3      Cup Sugar

2 ½     Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2      Teaspoon Baking Soda

3/4      Teaspoon Salt

6          Ounces Cold Unsalted Butter Cut into Small Pieces

1          Cup Fresh Blueberries, Picked Over

1          Generous Cup Buttermilk

1          Tablespoon Grated Orange or Lemon Zest

Melted Butter and Granulated Sugar for Brushing and Dusting Tops of Scones

Preheat oven to 425°.  Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut butter into flour mixture using finger tips.  Gently toss in the blueberries and pour in buttermilk.  Carefully mix with a fork only until the ingredients are just moistened being careful to not let the blueberries pop.  The dough should be soft and rough.  If dough looks too dry add another tablespoon of buttermilk.  Gather the dough into a ball, pressing it gently so that it holds together, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it very gently and  briefly – a half dozen turns should do it.  Cut the dough in half.

Gently pat one piece of dough into a ½ inch thick circle about 7 inches across.  Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.  Cut into 8 wedges and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or  silpat. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough and place on the same baking sheet.

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes turning the pan around half way through the cooking time.  Bake until golden on the bottom and top.  Let cool briefly on the pan and then remove to cooling rack.  Good warm or at room temperature.

Hints and Tips:  These scones can be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag and stored in freezer for a month.  Bring to room temperature and then warm at 350 for 5 minutes.

Blueberry Quick Bread

Blueberry Quick Bread

Blueberry Quick Bread

Makes 1 Loaf

1          Cup Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream

2          Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1          Tablespoon Lemon Zest

2          Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2      Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2      Teaspoons Baking Soda

1          Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

1          Cup Granulated Sugar

8          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

2          Large Eggs

2          Cups Fresh Blueberries

Preheat oven to 350° with the rack in the middle of the oven.

Prepare a 9x5x3” loaf pan by spraying evenly with non-stick baking spray.

In small bowl combine the sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, into the butter and sugar mixture.   Be sure each egg is incorporated into the mixture before adding the next.

Turn the mixer to low, add the flour mixture into the butter mixer in thirds, alternating with the sour cream mixture.  Begin and end with the flour mixture.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl when necessary.  Gently fold in fresh blueberries.

Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake the bread for one hour or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the bread.  Cool the bread on a wire cooling rack for 20 minutes.  Use a thin knife to loosen bread edges from pan.  Invert onto wire rack, re-invert and cool completely.

To store, wrap with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and refrigerate for 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.

Blueberry Tart with Crumb Topping

Blueberry Tart with Crumb Topping

Blueberry Tart with Crumb Topping

Nothing says summer better than Blueberries and I find no better way to have them than in a Blueberry tart.  Cooked Blueberries brings out their true flavor and this tart is without a doubt loaded with flavor.  The crumb topping adds just the right amount of sweet crunch and pairing it with a scope of Crème Fraiche Semi-Freddo adds just the right amount of creaminess to make this dessert a perfect and delicious treat.

½         Recipe Pate Sucre Rolled Out and Fitted into 11” Tart Pan with Removable Bottom, Blind Baked (Partially) and Cooled 

3         Pints Fresh Blueberries, Rinsed and Picked Over

1          Cup Granulated Sugar

1/3      Cup Corn Starch

Pinch Fine Sea Salt

1          Tablespoon Unsalted Butter Cut into Bits

Crumb Topping

Preheat oven to 375° with rack in the middle of the oven.

In a large bowl gently combine the Blueberries with sugar , corn starch and salt.  Put the mixture in the partially blind baked tart shell and evenly distribute the crumb topping over the tart.

Place the tart on a pizza pan with holes that has been lined with parchment.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until the juices are bubbling, the berries are bursting and the crumb topping is golden brown.

Remove from oven to wire cooling rack.  Cool completely before serving.

Enjoy the rest of your summer with luscious Blueberries.  If you have any questions or comments leave a comment on the blog or email me at

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

 

Posted in Accompaniments, Cake, Cheesecake, Desserts, Food For Thought, Fruit Desserts, Hints and Tips, Menus, Pastry Crust, Pate Sucre, Recipes To Share, Ricotta Cheese | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Blueberry Season Is Here

What I Learned About Cooking Whole Fish

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Camille

Whole Fish

 

Saturday night I cooked 2 whole Yellow-Tail Snappers.  And I learned a whole lot about whole fish while I was at it.  I got the inkling to cook whole fish after reading an article on the subject.  It looked so good and I really wanted to try it on my charcoal grill.  I know a lot about fish since I was the fish monger at most of the restaurants I worked in and I handled all of the fish when I had the catering business.  I am extremely proficient in cooking fish but I haven’t cooked it whole for a very long time.  I thought, “why not really challenge myself and do it on the grill”.

I took a trip to the local fish store and after having a discussion with the owner about what to get I settled on Yellow-Tail Snapper.  The next decision was what size to get.  The owner suggested a two pounder for two people.  I bought two and invited Patrea and Parker to partake in my cooking adventure.  The size of the fish ended up being 2 1/2 pounds each.  The fish monger at the store removed the fins, de-scaled them and slashed the skin on both sides at about two inch intervals.  Slashing the skin about 1/4″ into the flesh makes for even cooking.  Of course they were already gutted and cleaned when they were weighed.  I thought how great it would be to have these huge snappers and that I probably had too much fish, but, so what, I could always make fish salad for Jim’s lunch.

I brought my “catch” home and marveled at how beautiful they were and how sweet they smelled.  The eyes were clear and knew they were going to be delicious.  Just about the time I was going to build the fire it started to pour down rain and continued to do that for the rest of the night so no grilled fish for us.  I would have to cook these babies in the oven under the broiler turned up as high as it could go.

Just a few minutes before I put them in the oven, I rubbed olive oil all over the inside and outside of each of the snapper (about 2 tablespoons for each fish), sprinkled both with a liberal amount of coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper being sure I rubbed everything into the slashes on the fish.  I lined each of the cavities with three thin slices of lemon and fronds from a bulb of fresh fennel.  I put them on a sheet pan lined with foil and sprayed the foil with non-stick cooking spray (Pam).

Into the oven they went with the oven rack about 6 inches below the heat source.  I cooked them for about 10 minutes on each side to make the cooking more even and to crisp the skin.  When they were finished cooking I took them out of the oven and let them rest for about 5 minutes.  Resting makes it a lot easier to take the fillets off the bones.

Here’s what I learned about cooking the 2 1/2 pound whole fish:  There is very little yield.  The bones are so big, as are the head and tail, that there is not much meat.  Out of the total 5 pounds of fish I got, maybe, 1 1/2 pounds of meat.  Believe me when I tell you I left no meat on the bones.  I was extremely disappointed.  Disappointed in the direction the owner of the store took me and disappointed that I didn’t know better.  The lesson here is  next time I will buy smaller fish, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each and I know I will get more meat than what I got off those two big boys.

Here’s the good news:  The fish was so incredibly fresh and delicious and tasty and just so good that I will always buy whole fish if it is available.  Cooking fish on the bone is the same as cooking meat or poultry on the bone.  Much more flavor is the guaranteed result.  The other part of the good news is that I did all of the discovery for you saving you the disappointment I went through.

There you have it:  My experience cooking whole fish.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Enjoy!!!

Posted in Ahh Haa Moments, Fish, Food For Thought, Hints and Tips, Lemon, Recipes To Share, Seafood | Tagged | Comments Off on What I Learned About Cooking Whole Fish

You Say Tomato I Say Tomato Too

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Camille

Tomatoes How beautiful is the picture of this tomato?  This season the tomatoes are more delicious, more juicy, more colorful, more of everything then they have been for the last few years.  At least in Florida.  Being in a state that has the best growing weather all year round, we seem to be lacking for great produce.  But this year the locally grown tomatoes are absolutely wonderful.

I think it’s time for a little history lesson concerning the Tomato.  If you don’t really care about the history, skip this next part in red.

(Below the RED section are two recipes featuring the Glorious Tomato.  If you want any recipes of the pictures here, let me know and I will gladly send them your way.)

Cherry Tomato Compote

Cherry Tomato Compote

Mozzarella and Tomate

Mozzarella and Tomate

Tomato Salsa

Tomato Salsa

Roasted Marinara

Roasted Marinara

The Tomato According to Wikipedia

Aztecs and other peoples in Mesoamerica used the fruit in their cooking. The exact date of domestication is unknown: by 500 BC, it was already being cultivated in southern Mexico and probably other areas. The Pueblo people are thought to have believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of divination. The large, lumpy tomato, a mutation from a smoother, smaller fruit, originated in Mesoamerica, and may be the direct ancestor of some modern cultivated tomatoes.

Spanish Distribution:  Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés may have been the first to transfer the small yellow tomato to Europe after he captured the Aztec city of Tenochtítlan, now Mexico City, in 1521, although Christopher Columbus, a Genoese working for the Spanish monarchy, may have taken them back as early as 1493. The earliest discussion of the tomato in European literature appeared in an herbal written in 1544 by Pietro Andrea Mattioli, an Italian physician and botanist, who suggested that a new type of eggplant had been brought to Italy that was blood red or golden color when mature and could be divided into segments and eaten like an eggplant—that is, cooked and seasoned with salt, black pepper, and oil. However it wasn’t until ten years later that tomatoes were named in print by Mattioli as pomi d’oro, or “golden apple”

After the Spanish colonization of the Americas, the Spanish distributed the tomato throughout their colonies in the Caribbean. They also took it to the Philippines, from where it spread to southeast Asia and then the entire Asian continent. The Spanish also brought the tomato to Europe. It grew easily in Mediterranean climates, and cultivation began in the 1540s. It was probably eaten shortly after it was introduced, and was certainly being used as food by the early 17th century in Spain. The earliest discovered cookbook with tomato recipes was published in Naples in 1692, though the author had apparently obtained these recipes from Spanish sources. In certain areas of Italy, such as Florence, however, the fruit was used solely as a tabletop decoration before it was incorporated into the local cuisine in the late 17th or early 18th century.

Italy:  The recorded history of tomatoes in Italy dates back to October 31, 1548 when the house steward of Cosimo de’ Medici, the grand duke of Tuscany, wrote to the Medici private secretary informing him that the basket of tomatoes sent from the grand duke’s Florentine estate at Torre del Gallo “had arrived safely.” Tomatoes were grown mainly as ornamentals early on after their arrival in Italy. For example, the Florentine aristocrat Giovanvettorio Soderini wrote how they “were to be sought only for their beauty” and were grown only in gardens or flower beds. The tomato’s ability to mutate and create new and different varieties helped contribute to its success and spread throughout Italy. However, even in areas where the climate supported growing tomatoes, their proximity of growing to the ground suggested low status. They were not adopted as a staple of the peasant population because they were not as filling as other fruits already available. Additionally, both toxic and inedible varieties discouraged many people from attempting to consume or prepare them.

Britain:  Tomatoes were not grown in England until the 1590s. One of the earliest cultivators was John Gerard, a barber-surgeon. Gerard’s “Herbal” was published in 1597, and largely plagiarized from continental sources, is also one of the earliest discussions of the tomato in England. Gerard knew the tomato was eaten in Spain and Italy. Nonetheless, he believed it was poisonous (in fact, the plant and raw fruit do have low levels of tomatine, but are not generally dangerous). Gerard’s views were influential, and the tomato was considered unfit for eating (though not necessarily poisonous) for many years in Britain and its North American colonies. By the mid-18th century, tomatoes were widely eaten in Britain, and before the end of that century, the Encyclopædia Britannica stated the tomato was “in daily use” in soups, broths, and as a garnish.

Asia:  The tomato was introduced to cultivation in the Middle East/Asia by John Barker, British consul in Aleppo, circa 1799 to 1825.  Nineteenth century descriptions of its consumption are uniformly as an ingredient in a cooked dish. In 1881, it is described as only eaten in the region “within the last forty years”

The tomato entered Iran through two separate routes; one was through Turkey and Armenia, and the other was through the Qatar royal family’s frequent travels to France. 

North America:  The earliest reference to tomatoes being grown in British North America is from 1710, when herbalist William Salmon reported seeing them in what is today South Carolina. They may have been introduced from the Caribbean. By the mid-18th century, they were cultivated on some Carolina plantations, and probably in other parts of the Southeast as well. Possibly, some people continued to think tomatoes were poisonous at this time; and in general, they were grown more as ornamental plants than as food. Thomas Jefferson, who ate tomatoes in Paris, sent some seeds back to America.

Alexander W. Livingston was the first person to succeed in upgrading the wild tomato, developing different breeds and stabilizing the plants. In the 1937 yearbook of the Federal Department of Agriculture, it was declared that “half of the major varieties were a result of the abilities of Livingston to evaluate and perpetuate superior material in the tomato”. Livingston’s first breed of tomato, the Paragon, was introduced in 1870. In 1875, he introduced the Acme, which was said to be involved in the parentage of most of the tomatoes introduced by him and his competitors for the next twenty-five years.

When Alexander W. Livingston had begun his attempts to develop the tomato as a commercial crop, his aim had been to grow tomatoes smooth in contour, uniform in size and having better flavor. One year, after many attempts, he passed through his fields, picking out particular tomato plants having distinct characteristics and heavy foliage. He saved the seeds carefully. The following spring he set two rows across his family garden located just below the hill and milk house. To his happy surprise, each plant bore perfect tomatoes like the parent vine. After five years, the fruit became fleshier and larger. In 1870, Alexander introduced the Paragon and tomato culture began at once to be a great enterprise of the county. Today, the crop is grown in every state in the Union. He eventually developed over seventeen different varieties of the tomato plant.[10]

Because of the long growing season needed for this heat-loving crop, several states in the US Sun Belt became major tomato-producers, particularly Florida and California. In California, tomatoes are grown under irrigation for both the fresh fruit market and for canning and processing. The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) became a major center for research on the tomato. The C.M. Rick Tomato Genetics Resource Center at UC Davis is a gene bank of wild relatives, monogenic mutants and miscellaneous genetic stocks of tomato. The Center is named for the late Dr. Charles M. Rick, a pioneer in tomato genetics research. Research on processing tomatoes is also conducted by the California Tomato Research Institute in Escalon, California.

In California, growers have used a method of cultivation called dry farming, especially with Early Girl tomatoes. This technique encourages the plant to send roots deep to find existing moisture in soil that retains moisture, such as clayey soil.  So Says Wikipedia

I have many childhood memories (some fond and others not so fond) of this luscious fruit.  Yes, it is a fruit and we should all know by now that it isn’t a vegetable.

If you don’t already know, my Mother was a wonderful cook.  And when it came to tomatoes she could do anything with them to make us love them even more than we thought possible.  Of course, her number one way to prepare tomatoes was in her Sunday Gravy (Marinara for all you “Americains”).  During summer-time Mom would drag my butt out to the farm just off River Road (some farm as it was on the edge of the city) and  we would spend hours and hours picking tomatoes so she could CAN them to be at the ready to make her gravy all winter long.  The picking of the tomatoes is one of those “Not So Fond” memories as it was always hot and dirty and so unnatural for me.  Being a total city girl I would have rather taken the bus downtown than go to the “Farm” and pick tomatoes.  The “Fond” memory of the tomato picking was canning the tomatoes with my Mother and Aunt JiJie in our second kitchen in the basement, being able to go to the cellar in the winter to get the incredibly gloriously beautiful jars of tomatoes and, finally, making the gravy and eating her wonderful Sunday Dinner.  (How can you tell a home in Chicago is owned by an Italian?  There is a full kitchen in the basement.)

I can honestly say I don’t share the tomato canning experience gene with my Mother since I usually buy my tomatoes in a can.  But I buy only cans of tomatoes that  are grown in the San Marzono region of Italy.  These canned tomatoes are very much like my Mother’s finished canned product.  Enough about canning.

My favorite way to eat a tomato is, and always has been, in the simplest way.  A sprinkle of salt and pepper, a drizzle of XVOO and  leaf or two of torn fresh basil is the best way for me enjoy a tomato.

Enough talk.  It’s time to cook and eat!!  Mangia!!

Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Chopped Tomatoes and Basil

Angel Hair Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

Angel Hair Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

This is my favorite hot weather pasta recipe since the only thing cooked is the pasta.  By tossing the hot pasta into the marinated uncooked tomatoes and basil you bring out the fresh flavors of everything.  It’s a pasta dish you can serve immediately as a main course or make it ahead and refrigerate it and serve the pasta as a side with a sandwich.

Serves 4 As an Entrée

4          Cups Ripe Red Tomatoes, Seeds Removed and Diced into ¼” Pieces (About 3 Large Tomatoes)

1          Bunch Scallions, White Part and 1” of the Green, Sliced Thinly On An Angle  (About 6 Scallions)

4          Roasted Garlic Cloves, Smashed and Chopped

1          Cup XVOO

3          Tablespoons Good Quality Red Wine Vinegar

1          Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt

½         Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

¼         Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

½         Cup Fresh Basil, Julienned or Torn into Pieces

1          Pound Dried Angel Hair Pasta

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the pasta and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.  Do not refrigerate.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta.  Cook until al dente according to the package directions.  Angel hair takes only 2 or 3 minutes to cook once the water comes back to a boil.

Drain the pasta and toss into the tomato basil mixture while still hot.  Combine the pasta and tomato basil mixture well.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.  Serve immediately as an entrée or refrigerate and serve as a side dish to a sandwich or a grilled and chilled fish such as salmon.

Hints and Tips:  Never, Ever, EVER rinse the pasta or add oil to the water.  Rinsing or adding oil to the water prohibits the sauce from sticking to the pasta and we know we don’t want that to happen.

Tomato-Asparagus Tart with Pancetta and Talagio Cheese

Tomato-Asparagus Tart with Pancetta and Talagio Cheese

Tomato-Asparagus Tart with
Pancetta and Talagio Cheese

This tart is perfect as a starter, luncheon or light supper.  For lunch or supper pair it with a great salad of mixed field greens tossed with a light vinaigrette such as a Spanish sherry or Italian vinaigrette made with balsamic vinegar.

Makes One 11” Tart

1/2     Recipe Pate Brisee, Rolled Out to Fit an 11” Tart Pan with Removable Bottom and Blind Baked 

1          Tablespoon XVOO

6          Ounces Pancetta, Thinly Sliced and Cut into Pieces

¾         Pound Asparagus, Trimmed and Thinly Sliced Leaving the Tips Intact

2          Medium Tomatoes, Seeds and Juice Removed, Sliced ½” Thick

½         Pound Talagio Cheese, Room Temperature

½         Pound Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

½         Cup Crème Fraiche

3          Large Eggs

Preheat oven to 350°.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the paté brisee to no more than ¼” thick.  Transfer to an 11″  tart pan with removable bottom.  Crimp the edges, prick the crust as in the blind baking instructions and refrigerate for 1 hour.  After 1 hour, remove from the refrigerator and blind bake the crust to the partially cooked stage.   Cool completely and set aside.

In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon XVOO and add pancetta.  Cook until crispy, stirring often.  Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and drain the pancetta and asparagus on a paper towel.  Set aside.

Combine Talagio Cheese and Cream Cheese in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until thoroughly mixed.  Beat in the Crème Fraiche.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Place the sliced tomatoes on top of the baked pastry crust and spoon the pancetta-asparagus mixture evenly on top of the tomatoes.

Pour cheese mixture into the tart pan reaching up to 1/2″ from the top of the crust. Smooth out the top with a spatula.  Be sure the filling has gone in between and around the tomatoes, asparagus and pancetta.  Place the tart pan on a cookie sheet (preferably a pizza pan with holes) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes; until the mixture is set, starts to color a little and puffs up slightly.

Remove from the oven and allow the tart to cool completely.  After the tart is cooled, remove the side of the pan.  At this point you can serve it at room temperature or slightly warm.

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

 

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Cheese, Egg Dishes, Food For Thought, Hints and Tips, Menus, Pasta, Pastry Crust, Pate Brisee | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You Say Tomato I Say Tomato Too