I used the remaining Gorgonzola and chicken breasts, sauteed J&W rainbow chard and made a simple white wine sauce which I tossed with fettuccine. Oh, and to gild the lily, I sprinkled some Pecorino cheese on top!
Still in my refrigerator is parsley, cilantro and bok choy. Any ideas HG readers??
Thanks!
Fettucine With Rainbow Chard And Grilled Chicken In A Gorgonzola And White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
1 box fettuccine, cooked according to package directions
2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced thin
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (reserve a few crumbles to top dishes)
1 bunch Swiss chard
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tablespoon flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place a pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add onions and garlic. Sautee for 3-4 minutes. Add chard and saute for 5 minutes, or until it wilts. Remove pan contents to a bowl.
Increase heat to high and add wine. Allow wine to reduce by half. Add chicken stock. With the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and flour, make a beurre manie*. Stir beurre manie into the liquid and bring to a boil. Add gorgonzola, chicken and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, toss fettucine and chicken with Gorgonzola sauce. Sprinkle with reserved Gorgonzola crumbles and grated Parmesan or Pecorino prior to serving.
This recipe has been submitted to Presto Pasta Night. PPN is a fun weekly blog event sponsored by Ruth at Once Upon A Feast.
*A beurre manie is a dough, or paste made my mixing equal parts soft butter and flour. It can be used to thicken soups and sauces.
I was excited and a bit nervous when it came to using my $16 box of morel mushrooms, and $6 bunch of ramps on Sunday. At $21 for just the vegetables, I wanted to make those ingredients shine in a dish for dinner. I consulted a few of my cookbooks and riffed on a braised chicken dish from Molly Steven’s “All About Braising”, and while my chicken dish was cooking, I made a batch of ramp crepes to use with the leftover braise.
I found that my small container of 8 or so morels was more than adequate to add an earthy flavor to the braised chicken, while the ramps were mild and somewhat sweet in both the braise and the crepes. I think both dishes would work for entertaining guests, and the chicken filled crepes would make for a terrific brunch item-especially since everything can be made ahead of time.
For the ramp crepe recipe, head over to DC Foodies to check it out!
Braised Chicken Thighs with Morels and Ramps in a White Wine Cream Sauce
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
8 chicken thighs with bone and skin
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
8-10 morel mushrooms
bunch ramps, about a dozen, trimmed at each end and rough chopped
1 1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup half and half or light cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour for dredging
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Heat a large dutch oven over high heat.
Generously salt and pepper chicken thighs on both sides. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to heated dutch oven. When the oil begins to shimmer, add chicken to the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan. Allow chicken to brown for 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter.
Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon butter to the dutch oven. Add morels and ramps. Sautee for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sautee for an additional minute. Transfer vegetables to the chicken platter.
Increase heat to high and deglaze with white wine. Reduce to a strong simmer and allow wine to reduce by a third. Add chicke stock, thyme and marjoram. Return chicken and vegetables to braising vessel.
Place dutch oven in lower third of the oven. Braise for 90 minutes.
Remove chicken from the dutch oven, skim fat as needed with a large spoon, and add cream. Serve chicken with sauce over top.
I suggest serving this dish over egg noodles or parsley potatoes.
I’ve been making lasagna for many years and have come to put my own “signature” on my version. It’s not particularly traditional-but as Rachel Ray would say, “there’s things in there that will make your guests go hmmmmm”. And Yum-O! And hopefully, “can I have the recipe?”
The twists that I put on my lasanga are: using bell peppers to compliment the ground meat, adding nutmeg as a background taste to the meat and cheese, adding lemon zest to offset and balance the creaminess of the cheese, and adding the tang of cream cheese because I saw Paula Deen do this once, and dang! it’s good!
As always, making a lasagna will feed a crowd and while it’s time consuming to put together, the work is all up front. Once assembled, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to a day before making it-leaving plenty of time to clean the kitchen!
This lasagna is a please your family- feed a crowd-hook your boyfriend good. Just ask my husband, Frank
Most of all, lasagna just says love.
Lasagna a la Mona
Ingredients
Lasagan noodles, cooked according to package direction and enough to make 3 layers of pasta
2.5 lbs. meatloaf mix, or ground beef
1 Tablespoon Italian herbs
2 lb. container of ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella, plus 1/4 cup for topping
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, pluse 1/4 cup for topping and more for passing at the table. About 2 cups total
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounce cream cheese or neufastchel cheese
1 large egg
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
zest of half a lemon
1 24 oz. jar marinara
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and bell peppers. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes. Remove to a large bowl. Increase heat to high and add ground meat. Season meat with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Italian herbs.Using a spatula, chop meat and cook thoroughly. At this point, you may want to drain meat in a collander to remove excess fat and liquid. Combine meat with the cooked vegetables.
In another large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest and egg.
To assemble:
In a large lasagna pan, place about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce and spread evenly to cover bottom of pan. Place one layer of lasanga noodles. Spread more marinara over noodles to cover evenly. Top evenly with one half of the cheese, then one half of the meat and vegetable mixture.
Place another layer of lasagna noodles on top and press down to even the bottom layer and spread the filling evenly. Repeat with marinara, cheese and meat mixture.
Place the top layer of lasanga noodles over the second layer of filling and press down to evenly distribute filling evenly. Pour marinara over top layer to cover evenly. Reserve the rest of the marinara to serve warm at the table.
Cover lasagna with foil and place on middle rack of oven. Cook for one hour. Remove foil and sprinkle reserved mozzarella and parmesan evenly over top.
Turn on broiler. Place lasanga under broiler to melt cheese and lightly brown the top.
Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 minutes before cutting. This is very important-it will allow the lasagna to “set up” and keep your slices together when plated.
Serve with more parmesan and the remaining warmed marinara at the table.
Mangia!
Lasagna a la Mona is being submitted to Presto Pasta Night-a fun weekly blog event sponsored by Ruth at Once Upon A Feast.
As I reported in the most recent At The Market, I bought a large bunch of really fresh and fragrant dill last Sunday from Gardener’s Gourmet. The first dish in which I incorporated the dill is gnocchi. Gnocchi (roughly pronounced NYOK-kee) are Italian dumplings and are named for gnocco, which is slang for “lump”.
Gnocchi are made from potatoes and other ingredients. They can be used as pasta and be accompanied by a variety of things, from a light tomato sauce, to braised meats, to butter and cheese.
Gnocchi recipes reach back to as far as the 12th century are are most common to Northern Italy. Typically, gnocchi are made by boiling potatoes, followed by ricing them, adding flour, egg and salt. Kneading this dough together is quick and portions of the dough are then rolled into batons and cut into 1 inch long pieces. The gnocchi pieces are then rolled on a fork, or gnocchi roller to give them their signature ridges which are great for holding sauce. Once formed, the gnocchi are quickly cooked in boiling water and are done when they float to the top.
After cooking, gnocchi can be added to a dish, or fried in butter to name just a couple ways to use them.
Here’s a recipe for gnocchi which is adapted from Mario Batali’s recipe on Food Network’s website. You will notice that I chose to use Yukon Gold potatoes as a change from more traditional Russett potatoes. The result was still light, yet creamy and the dough came together quickly without having to add more flour (which has unfortunately been a problem which has bitten me in the ass before- I call those gnocchi “sinkers”).
I served the gnocchi browned in butter and topped with Pecorino Romano cheese. The recipe makes about 90-100 gnocchi, but don’t fear, they freeze well and cook up frozen only a bit slower than when fresh.
To freeze, place the gnocchi on a lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until solid. Store frozen gnocchi is an airtight Ziploc baggie.
Herbed Gnocchi with Dill and Pecorino
makes 90-100 gnocchi
Ingredients
3 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes
2 cups All Purpose flour
1 large egg
pinch salt
1/4 cup finely chopped dill
1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (more for garnish)
Directions
Peel and quarter potatoes, keeping size uniform. Rinse potatoes in cold water. Place potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow potatoes to simmer, partially covered, until a fork is easily inserted (about 20 minutes).
Drain the potatoes in a collander and allow to cool for several minutes. Using a food mill or ricer, run potatoes through onto a lightly floured surface. Bring milled potatoes together and make a well in the center. Sprinkle all of the flour, dill and Pecorino cheese over the potatoes. Place egg and salt in the center of the well, and using a fork, stir into flour and potato. Once the egg is mixed in, bring the dough together by kneading it gently until a ball is formed. Knead for 3-4 minutes until the ball is dry to the touch.
Lightly four surface and your hands. Cut a 1 inch thick slice of the dough ball off. Gently roll into a baton or rope, until 1 inch thick throughout. Cut the rope into 1 inch pieces. Using your thumb, roll each piece (uncut side) on the tines of a fork, or gnocchi roller. Here’s a great pictorial from Food Network to guide you through this technique.
To cook gnocchi, place in boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, until they float. Transfer to sauce, or as I did, fry them up in a bit of butter, until browned, in a non-stick skillet. Sprinkle with extra Pecorino Romano.
Cookthink is a great recipe website and blog where you can retrieve recipes based upon what you have on hand, what meal you are making, and even what mood you’re in. They began the Root Source Challenge several weeks ago. Each challenge is based on a specific ingredient, which you use or feature in a recipe. This week’s Root Source Challenge is orzo.
Orzo is a small pasta which means “barley” in Italian. It is often used in soups and can be used for making a risotto.
For this challenge, I wanted to incorporate orzo into a recipe in an unusual manner. What first came to mind was timpano-you know, like from the movie Big Night. Timpano uses rigatoni or ziti along with many other ingredients to create layers within baked dough.
It seemed a bit daunting.
So, I thought “hey, what about stromboli?” Instead of traditional Italian stuffing, I could use ingredients more reminiscent of Greece and the Mediteranean region in general. Hence, “Mediterranean Stromboli”. Layers of seasoned ground beef with onions, orzo with spinach, Manchego cheese, roasted red bell peppers and kalamata olives are combined to put a twist on the traditional pizza shop turnover. However, I served it with the traditional marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
The result was delicious and well worth the effort, especially since the recipe makes 2- 12 inch stromboli. The orzo added an unexpected creaminess to the stromboli. Mediterranean Stromboli would make a great snack or appetizer and would work well in a buffet. Most of all, I wish I had thought of this for the Superbowl.
Mediterranean Stromboli
makes 16-18 servings
Ingredients
for the dough
1 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F.)
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
3-31/2 cups All Purpose flour
for the filling
1 lb. ground beef (80/20 mix)
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup orzo, cooked according to package directions
1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
8 oz. Manchego cheese, roughly shredded
4 roasted red bell peppers, skins peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch strips ( I used jarred fire roasted peppers)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten (1 egg for orzo and spinach mixture, and 1 egg for brushing the dough before baking)
1 Tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce for dipping on the side (optional)
Directions
Add 1/4 cup warm water, yeast and sugar to the bowl of a standing mixer. Stir, then allow to sit for 5 minutes until it gets foamy. Add the remaining water, olive oil and salt. Using a dough hook, turn mixer on low to medium low speed. Gradually add in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the flour and mix until smooth. Add an additional cup of flour and continue to mix dough until it begins to pull away from the sides.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough for 10 minutes, using additional flour as needed to stop sticking.
Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a dish towel. Allow the dough to rise for approximately one hour in a warm place. The dough should double in size.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
While the dough is rising, cook orzo according to package directions and combine it with the spinach. Once the mixture is cooled, add one egg and stir to incorporate.
For the meat and onions, place a skillet over medium high heat and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add onions and cook for approximately 5 minutes until transluscent. Do not brown. Add meat and begin to brown. Chop the meat with a flat wooden spatula to get it to separate into small pieces. Add garlic powder, oregano, marjoram and cinnamon. Once browned, check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
Punch down the dough and transfer it onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough in half. Roll each half into a 10 inch x 12 inch rectangle. Layer half of fillings evenly over dough; meat and onion mixture, orzo and spinach mixture, manchego cheese, peppers and olives. Leave about 1 inch of the dough’s edge uncovered.
Carefully begin to roll the dough and stuffing. Towards the end of rolling, tuck in the edges and fold them under the bottom seam. Repeat with other half of dough. Transfer stromboli to a greased or silicone lined baking sheet. Cut slits on top of dough approximately 2-3 inches apart, depending on how big you wish to make each serving.
Brush egg wash over dough, avoiding the slits. Place baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Turn the baking sheet half way through cooking for even heating.
Allow stromboli to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.
Optional-serve stromboli with a side of your favorite marinara sauce, warmed, for dipping.
*Cookthink holds a weekly Root Source Challenge where winning recipes get published on their site and a prize is awarded to the winner.
