Eggplant Rollatini

We love this eggplant recipe! I use the broiler instead of the grill.

Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized eggplants (about 4 pounds total)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Can vegetable spray
• 32 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 8 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 20 basil leaves, chiffonaded
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  2 cups fresh tomato sauce, recipe follows  (store bought option)

  Simple Tomato Sauce

  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  1 small onion, chopped
  2 cloves garlic, chopped
  1 stalk celery, chopped
  1 carrot, chopped
  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
  2 dried bay leaves
  4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

  Simple Tomato Sauce

  1. In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
  2. Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
  3. If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.
  
  

Directions

Preheat the grill pan and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place a rack over a large baking sheet. Cut the 2 ends off the eggplant. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange eggplant slices onto rack. Sprinkle with sea salt to help remove excess moisture and any bitterness from the eggplants. Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse off the salt from the eggplants and pat dry with a towel. Spray hot grill pan liberally with vegetable spray and then place eggplant slices on the grill until lightly browned on each side and tender, about 4 minutes per side. Remove slices from the grill pan and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until lightly scrambled. Mix the ricotta in with the egg. Add mozzarella, 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts and gently combine. Fold in basil just to combine. Do not overmix.
Place a tablespoon of the cheese mixture on 1 end of the eggplant and roll up tightly. Place the eggplant rollatini into a greased (with olive oil) 13 by 9-inch baking dish, seam side down. Continue with remaining eggplant. Evenly distribute the tomato sauce on top of the eggplant rollatini. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 5 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and bake for 15 minutes. When cooked, drizzle the top with extra-virgin olive oil.

Minestrone Soup

This is one of those recipes I have been making for years and always look forward to making it in the fall and throughout the winter season.

Ingredients:

3 TBSP olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
4-5 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup minced celery
1 cup cubed carrot
1 cup cubed zucchini
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp. basil
2 cups tomato puree
3 1/2 cups of vegetable stock or water
3 TBSP. dry red wine
1 1/2 cups of garbanzo beans
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

Preparation:

In a large soup kettle, saute garlic and onions in olive oil until they area soft and translucent. Add 1 tsp. salt, carrots, celery, mix well, Add oregano, black pepper and basil. Cover and cook over low heat, 5-8 minutes.  Add green pepper, zucchini, stock, puree, garbanzo beans and wine. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and remaining salt.  Keep at lowest heat for 10 minutes. Serves with fresh parsley and parmesan.  

Prickly Pear Margarita

El Charro-Rita:  A classic Mexican specialty drink designed by Chef Charlotta Flores, owner of El Charro Cafe in Tucson, Arizona.

• 2oz Gold Tequila
• ¾ oz fresh lime juice
• ¼ oz fresh orange juice
• ½ oz Cheri’s Prickly Pear Syrup• ¼ oz Cointreau (I use Triple Sec)
• 1 Hot chili pepper, fresh or dried, seeded and diced  (optional)
• Ice
• Kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Allow ingredients to sit for 15 minutes. Add ice, shake and strain out peppers before serving. Moisten glass rim with lime juice and dip in salt. Enjoy!

Zucchini Tart

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• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 10 TBSP. cold unsalted butter

• Kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp. white vinegar

• 1-1/2 lb. zucchini, trimmed and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

• 8 oz. plain goat cheese, softened 

• 1 tsp. chopped fresh lemon thyme

Preparation

• In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter, and 3/4 tsp. salt until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the vinegar and 3 to 4 Tbs. cold water, pulsing until the dough just comes together. Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick disk; wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Roll the dough on a well-floured surface into an 11-inch round that’s 1/4-inch thick. Put the dough on a baking sheet, cover with plastic, and chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.
• In a colander, toss the zucchini with 2 tsp. salt and drain for 30 minutes. Gently squeeze the slices with your hands to release excess water and transfer to a medium bowl.Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. 
• Toss the zucchini with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, mix the goat cheese with the lemon thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the cheese over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange the squash rounds in tightly overlapping concentric circles all the way to the edge of the dough. (The rounds will shrink as they cook.) Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and bake until the zucchini is golden-brown, 40 to 50 minutes.

Baked Brie - NY Times

INGREDIENTS

• 1 piece of brie, 4 to 8 ounces, cold
• 1 sheet puff pastry, chilled but not frozen
• 2 tablespoons thick jam or marmalade, any flavor
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon demerara sugar (optional)

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PREPARATION

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a large chef’s knife, cut the white rind off the brie and discard (this works best when the cheese is very cold).
2. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/8-inch think. Transfer the rolled dough to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Place the brie at the center of the dough square and then spread the jam over the top of cheese. Drape the four corners of the dough, one at a time, across the brie to enclose it. If there is too much overlapping dough, trim the sides before draping. You want the dough to just cover the brie.
3. Brush the egg wash over the brie, making sure it does not pool where it meets the tray or it will stick. Sprinkle with the sugar if using. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 to 45 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 8 to 10 minutes before serving warm.

Roasted Red Peppers with Lemon Ricotta

INGREDIENTS

6 bell peppers, red or yellow

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups ricotta

1 lemon

1 tablespoon chopped preserved lemon rind (optional)

 Fine sea salt

 Freshly ground pepper

 Sherry or balsamic vinegar, for serving

 Minced chives or basil, for serving

PREPARATION

Center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Rinse the peppers, pat them dry and place them on the pan. Roast the peppers, turning every 10 minutes, until their skins are black and blistered, 40 minutes, more or less. Transfer the peppers to a heatproof bowl, cover and, when they’re cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Remove the caps, cut each pepper in quarters or halves and remove and discard the seeds. Lightly brush the peppers with oil; use now, or cover closely and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Scrape the ricotta into a bowl, and mix with a spatula to smoothen. Grate the lemon zest over the ricotta, squeeze in about 1 tablespoon of the juice and add the preserved lemon rind, if you’re using it. Pour in a few teaspoons of olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Use now, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

To serve, spoon or spread the lemon ricotta on a platter or individual plates, and drizzle with olive oil. Top with peppers, and brush or drizzle with olive oil and either sherry or balsamic vinegar. Finish with a sprinkling of chives or basil.

Curried Roaster Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

This one comes from the Salt Lake Tribune in November of 2001.  Must be good because I've been making it for 16 years!

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, about 1 1/2 lbs., peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
   (I don't do it this way as it is very difficult to peel a hard butternut squash. Instead, I half and then    
   quarter the halfs with skin on and then peel after they are roasted.)
4 ripe but firm Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes
   (my method is half and core the pears, peel or not peel after roasting)
2 TBSP olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 TBSP dark brown sugar firmly packed
1  2 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground coriander
6 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400°.  On a large baking sheet with sides, toss squash and pears with 1 TBSP olive oil and granulated sugar. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with water.

Roast squash and pears for 30-40 minutes or until both are tender.  (Add a little more water if necessary to prevent burning.) Once cooled, puree in a food processor until smooth.

In a large soup pan, heat 1 TBSP olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and cook, stirring until softened but not browned, 3-5 minutes.  Add brown sugar, cinnamon stick, curry powder, cardamom and coriander.  Stir for 2 minutes.  Add pureed squash and pears and chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer, staring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard cinnamon stick and serve, garnish with mint or cilantro.  Serves 8-10.

Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken Breasts

Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken Breasts

Dinner for me on a Sunday night. What would be easy and tasty and on the grill? I had organic chicken breast in the freezer, thyme in the garden and found this recipe on Bon Appetite web site. I did all the prep, went for a bike ride, cleaned up and grilled the chicken. Perfect!  I skipped the last step.

INGREDIENts

• 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 2 lemons, as needed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
•  Torn basil or mint leaves, as needed

PREPARATION

1. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound each to an even thickness of 1/2 inch. Do not make them any thinner or they could dry out.

1. Place chicken in a large bowl and toss with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Mix in olive oil. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Remove chicken from fridge while you heat the grill.

1. Light the grill, building a hot fire, or heat your gas grill to high. Once grill is fully heated, brush breasts lightly with olive oil and place chicken on the grill. Cook until undersides are browned and chicken is about halfway cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip breasts and grill until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.

1. Transfer chicken to a platter. Drizzle with oil and garnish with additional lemon juice, olive oil and basil or mint leaves.