A Stack of Dishes

Something good is cooking...

sides

Weds Pasta: Floppy Noodles With Fresh Ricotta and Basil Oil

by

It all started with too much milk ordered for the cake business. I don’t like things going to waste, so what to do with it? Naturally, I made fresh ricotta. So crazy simple, and I know just about everyone has blogged about it- but it really is kitchen magic and a delight every time. I tried a different method today and the results were SO much better. Nice juicy curds and a greater yield. I let them drain a little longer making them a little drier, which will make fantastic ravioli.

I made the ricotta this early afternoon as our day was getting rolling. A friend of ours stopped over for an afternoon Christmas visit. Pam was so excited about the ricotta that she dragged the still draining bowl with hanging cloth for Camille to see. “Look what Gail made! and smell it!” Needless to say they were both so deeply impressed that I felt guilty about how easy it was.

After Camille left I threw together a batch of fresh pasta and cranked it out. Snap! no problem. HA! Just kidding- that was a bit of work, but sometimes….. well sometimes you have to justify all those appliances that spill out of your cupboard.  In addition to that, on the darkest day of the year, which happened to be rainy and bleak- standing over a counter cranking out pasta sounds just about right to me. It’s also something Pam and I can do together in the kitchen which is great relaxing time shared. The hardest part really is climbing under the counter to find the pasta machine and then setting it up. Once in gear it all goes quite nicely. Soon lumps of nondescript dough have turned into satiny sheets of pasta.

Rather than make traditional fettucini or linguini I opted to rough hand cut the sheets into what I considered to be rags, or ragged strips. It was fun to just have at it and end up with a messy floppy pile of noodles.

I made a simple white wine and lemon sauce and then gently tossed the noodles in with it right in the pan. I finished it off with Basil Oil that I made last week as part of my gifting series. Finally a grind of fresh black pepper and a grating of lemon zest, and Wednesday pasta it is!

Fresh Ricotta
Yielded 4c
 
1 gallon whole milk
.5t salt
6T lemon juice
 
In large pot warm milk and salt to boiling, stirring often to prevent scorching.
 
Stir in lemon and lower heat to simmer. Continue to constantly stir for another 2 mins as curds form.
 
Drain curds through a sieve lined with either cheesecloth or a open woven cotton cloth that is placed over a bowl to collect the whey.
 
The whey can be saved and used in soups etc- highly nutritious and terrible to waste.
 
Allow the curds to drain for about an hour. The longer the drier.
 
Fresh Ricotta will keep in the fridge for several days.
 
 
Fresh Pasta Dough
makes approx 1.5# of fresh pasta
 
2.75c AP flour
3 eggs
pinch salt
4T olive oil
2T water
 
In a food processor place flour and salt and pulse to combine
 
With motor running add the eggs one at a time. Process until there are even textured granules
 
Slowly drizzle in olive oil. The dough should start to come together and form a ball in the bowl.
 
Mine was not quite pulling together so I added in stages another 2T of water.
 
The result is a satiny mass.
 
Cover and rest for one hour to relax the gluten before rolling out into pasta
 

The BEST Turkey Burger and Polenta Fries with Kick-A Ketchup

by

I love a good burger especially when they are juicy. Unfortunately for the Turkey Burger it has always had its shortcomings. I appreciate the healthier version of the American Classic, but just cause there’s hot meat on a bun it does not a “burger” make.
A few years ago when I was marathon training I looked for ways to add lean meats to my diet and still maintain my love of food. This recipe adds onions and Feta cheese which not only gives the bland turkey a flavor boost, but also bumps up the juice factor. It’s amazing how two little additions can make such a tremendous difference.
Another trick is I cover my pan when cooking. Unlike beef burgers you want to get the turkey cooked thoroughly. Covering the pan will allow you to create an oven effect that will allow you to heat the burger evenly without drying out the outer edges of the meat. I have a large frying pan lid, but if you don’t have one, use a baking sheet or the lid from any ol’ large pot you have. You can even flip an other pan on top. Also please, do not cook on low heat. This produces a dull, flat, hockey puck of a burger that is a waste of good protein.
If you, or you have mouths to feed that are not onion or feta cheese crazy, try mincing them as finely as you can get. Honestly, the flavors are not strong here and it’s worth the yumminess factor to give it a try.
The polenta fries are not altogether on the healthy side at all- except for the added fiber the corn adds as opposed to a potato. But a greasy crunch is all part of the burger experience for me, so I indulge when appropriate and try not to overdo it. It’s all about balance and the secret to delicious food and a healthy life. Just take time to enjoy what you have when you have it- it’s more satisfying that way.
I pumped up the ketchup with a small dollop of hot sauce and a splash of vinegar. If you are a spice fiend like I am you will love this- otherwise traditional ketchup is super OK.
Feta Turkey Burger
 
serves 6
 
1.5# ground turkey
.5 red onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1c feta cheese crumbled
6 sourdough rolls
lettuce, tomato etc
 
Combine first 5 ingredients into a bowl and gently mix. I “fold” the ingredients in to get an even consistency without overworking the meat.
 
Divide the mixture into 6 even portions and pat into the shape and size of your roll- make slightly larger as burgers will shrink just a tad when cooking and personally I like to bite into meat, not too much roll.
 
Heat medium-large frying pan over medium high heat. Add a touch of either oil, or cooking spray. Place burgers into pan and let sear for 2 mins and then cover. Turn heat down to medium. Flip after 5 mins and cover again until done.
 
Cooking time will depend on how thick your burgers are. I test mine by the poke method. If the center of the burger is springy and soft they are not done. There should be some resistance with a gentle give. If there is no resistance you’ve gone too far.
 
Enjoy right away with your rolls and extras.
 
 
Polenta Fries and Kick-A Ketchup
 
serves a generous 6
 
Instant polenta
generous pinch of salt
oil for frying
store bought ketchup
hot sauce or any kind
splash of white or wine vinegar
 
 
Prepare the polenta according to package directions adding the salt. I make mine in my rice cooker, which not only prevents the polenta from scorching, it also makes for easier clean up.
 
Pour cooked polenta onto greased baking sheet. With spoon or spatula spread the polenta out as evenly as possible.
 
Pop into fridge to cool and stiffen.
 
Once cold and set you can slice the fries into any shape you would like. Heat oil to 375˚ The polenta does not have to cook like when frying potatoes. Fry until crisp and golden on the edges. Drain on paper towels and toss some coarse salt on them immediately.
 
I used about a half cup of ketchup to a T of hot sauce and a scant teaspoon of vinegar. This is all totally subject to your personal taste, so get creative here. Lemon juice is also fantastic here.
 
 
 

Crisp Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts and Bleu Cheese

by

This is a tremendously simple salad to make with a complexity of texture and tastes. Crisp juicy Granny Smith apples are thinly sliced and tossed with a lemony vinaigrette and garnished with chunks of strong bleu cheese and candied walnuts.

We get so busy with our lives that there are times when it’s important to make the simplest thing sublime. It takes just a few extra seconds to pull out the mandolin, make a salad dressing from scratch, and arranging a plate to look like a waiter has placed this dish before you as opposed to tossing things together next to the sink.

Preparing the nuts is the most time consuming part of this dish, but worth the effort. If it’s all too much you can just toss on toasted nuts. Though really, they are super easy to make as long as you keep and eye on the sugar so as not to scorch it. The batch yields a good 3 cups of candied walnuts- which are also a fantastic addition to any frozen treat bowl you got going on, as well as a terrific accompaniment to a cheese platter. Just store in an airtight container and dole out as needed for up to 6 months.

The vinaigrette recipe is absolutely my favorite. It uses lemon juice as the acid with the added touch of grated rind. Whenever I serve this dressing inevitably someone asks me for the recipe. You will love it and find it one of those “go to” recipes from here on out.

The crisp tart apples, with the earthy cheese, the sharp snap of the onion with the spicy vinaigrette and arugula is topped off with the sweet crunchy nuts. Heavenly…

Candied Walnuts
 
.25 c of white sugar
2T water
.5 c walnuts, either whole or pieces
 
Prepare a baking tray by greasing with butter. A silpat mat also works well.
 
In heavy small saucepan combine the water and sugar and put on medium high heat.
 
Cook the sugar slurry until it boils and turns golden brown. This can take 10 mins or so. Once the color starts to turn it will come up quickly. If you have hot spots in your pan as evidenced by one area turning darker before another, swirl pan to even out the heat.
 
The sugar will continue to deepen after it has been removed from the heat, so pull the pan off the flame when it is one step BEFORE the color you want.
 
Off the flame toss in the nuts. With a wooden spoon stir the nuts to evenly coat. Then pour mixture onto prepared sheet pan and spread out.
 
DO NOT be tempted to touch the nuts until they are COMPLETELY cooled. I know you’re going to want to, they’re beautiful, smell great and look innocent- but they can seriously burn you, so please-please, give it a good 10 mins to cool if not longer. 
 
Once cool you can break up the nuts into pieces. Store unused portion in an airtight container in a dark, dry, cool place. Not in the fridge.
 
 
Lemon Vinaigrette “Watson”
 
1-2 lemons
grated zest from one lemon
spoonful of Dijon mustard
1clove crushed and finely minced garlic
good quality olive oil
salt
 
The reason for the vague ingredient amounts is I base my proportions on the amount of juice that comes out of the lemon(s). 
 
Into a small bowl first grate the zest of one lemon. Then juice the lemon into the bowl. You will want at least 3T of juice, so if the first lemon is short, go ahead and juice the second lemon in it’s entirety. It’s ok to have more than you need.
 
Then add into the bowl one teaspoon of dijon for every 3T of lemon juice. It’s ok to eyeball this. Use more dijon if you like your dressing on the spicy side.
 
Next add garlic and stir all together just a bit to break up and combine the mustard. Err on the side of lesser garlic as this dressing will get stronger as it sits.
 
Either using a fork or a small whisk, slowly dribble in the olive oil while continuously stirring the lemon mixture. The ratio is 1:3 juice to oil approx. You will notice as you are mixing that the dressing will begin to emulsify.
 
I taste test my dressing as I go along. If I need more oil I add it. It’s done when you can sense a balance on your tongue. Add the salt.
 
It has also happened that I will go back and taste the dressing one more time before I use it and balance it again.
 
Store unused dressing in a tight lidded container in the fridge for a week.
 
 
Apple Salad
 
serves 2
 
2 medium granny smith apples
~.25c red onion
1c baby arugula leaves
1oz high quality bleu cheese
small handful of candied walnuts
lemon vinaigrette to taste
S & P to taste
 
Using a mandoline or slicing tool if you have one, slice apples very thinly. Alternatively use a very sharp knife. First take a small slice out of the apple and lay that side down on the cutting board for stability. They very carefully slice the apples as thinly as possible.
 
Toss the apples with a small amount of dressing.
 
Slice the onions the same as the apples.
 
On a serving plate arrange the apples in an attractive stack. Atop the apples add some of the sliced onion and then some arugula. More arugula can be place on the plate alongside.
 
Sprinkle the stack with the nuts and cheese. Then drizzle more dressing over the top to taste.
 
Add a crusty bread and a glass of Verdiccio and you’ve got a lovely first course.