Grilled Acorn Squash

Friday, October 19, 2007

GRILLED ACORN SQUASH WITH BASIL PESTO

Yo, pasta mama, the asparagus tart was fabulous, but you have any more veggie goodies?

You know grilled vegetables and pesto are quite a combo. This should keep you happy for a while. Buon Appetito.


INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup toasted silvered almonds, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled, minced

1/4 cup fresh Parmigianino-Riggiano cheese, grated

3 tablespoons of a good dry white wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste?



PREPARATION:

Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor. Lightly pulse a few times to get all well mixed. With the machine running, gradually pour in the oil, blending until the mixture is creamy. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor. Add salt and pepper; pulse. And you're done.


Ingredients for Acorn Squash:

3 small acorn squash

Kosher salt and pepper

Olive oil

Trim ends from the acorns. Cut acorns as if you were making onion ring slices; each about 1/4 inch thick. Scoop out seeds and fibers. Brush both sides with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill over medium heat about 10 minutes for each side.


PLATE UP Arrange acorns rings on a platter, drizzle with pesto. Serve with a side of penne tossed in brown butter and sprinkled with fresh parsley, finely chopped.


Serves 6-8.

Posted by Webmaster on 10/19/07 at 02:11 PM
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Chili-Orange Cookies

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

CHILI-ORANGE COOKIES

Yo, pasta mama? Got any ideas for cookies with an unusual flair? Sometimes I like to throw in a little “strange” ingredient to shake things up. I bet this will satisfy your desire. Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 stick softened, unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
15-onces ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons of juice from a fresh orange
1 tablespoon of grated orange rind (the zest)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper powder (chili powder will do if you can’t find this)For glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup Grand Mariner liqueur
2 tablespoons candied orange peel, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

COOKIES:
In a medium bowl, blend together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set side. Get out your hand mixer. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy and light. Add the eggs, beating until they are well mixed in. Then add the ricotta cheese, orange juice, orange zest, cardamom, and chili powder. Mix well. Stir in the dry ingredients. Drop about a 2 teaspoons size of dough on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, and let the cookies cool on a wire rack.

ORANGE GLAZE:
Combine the powdered sugar, Grand Mariner liqueur, and candid orange peels in a bowl, mixing until blended. Spread over each completely cooled cookie. Serve with vanilla ice cream; homemade of course. O.K. You may use a store brought ice cream, but make sure it’s a good quality brand. You would not want to shame the cookies.

MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZENS COOKIES

Posted by Webmaster on 10/16/07 at 02:12 PM
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Sunday’s Company Chicken

Monday, October 08, 2007

SUNDAY'S COMPANY CHICKEN

Yo, pasta mama, I got family and friends coming for a Sunday meal? Help!
Nothing satisfies a crowd like a beautifully baked chicken and bountiful sides. This is a simple meal that looks as if you spent all day preparing a feast. Be sure to carefully clean any and everything that comes in contact with the raw chicken to avoid food contamination and illnesses. Serve with the orzo and green beans. Recipes to follow. Buno Appetito!


INGREDIENTS:
One 6-pound roasting chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 pats of butter
1 fennel bulb, fronds and outer layer removed, cored and quartered
1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
3 large garlic peeled cloves
3 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tangerine, cut in half; tips cut off, discarded
trussing (kitchen) string
meat thermometer
boasting pan with a rack

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Trim the fennel bulb and reserve the fronds. Cut the bulb in half and remove the tough inner core.


PREPARATION:
You are working with raw meat, so, be clean, and be cautious to avoid any contamination. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity and rinse bird under cold water. Save neck and other goodies to make chicken stock. Pat dry the bird with paper towels. Rub the outside of the bird with the olive oil. Quite liberally sprinkle the kosher salt, paprika and pepper into the bird’s skin as well as the inside cavity, but don’t go too crazy! Place 2 butter pats between the chicken skin and meat at the breast area; massage in place. Stuff the remaining 3 pats of butter inside the cavity along with the tangerine, garlic, fennel bulb, and onion. Tuck wings under bird; use kitchen string to tie the legs in place.

Roasting:
Place bird, breast-side up, on rack in roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour, basting occasionally. Use a meat thermometer to check the inside temperature. When the temperature of the bird reaches 170 degrees for breast meat, 180 for thighs, the chicken is done. Allow chicken to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving and serving.


Creamy Orzo:
Cook orzo according to package directions. Once orzo is done, stir in 4 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts and 1 cup grated Asiago cheese. Serve in a decorative bowl.


Pan Seared Beans:
1-½ pounds French green beans, washed, ends chopped off
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled, finely chopped
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil beans for 30 minutes or until tender .
2. In a medium frying pan, add oil.
3. Sauté the chopped garlic about 1 minute.
4. Add the beans and salt and pepper.
5. Sear for about 5 minutes.

This entire meal serves 4 – 6

Posted by Webmaster on 10/08/07 at 03:09 PM
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