Buttermilk Biscuits with Jarlsberg Cheese

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One look at food blogs and food magazines these days will tell you that it's chili season.

And what goes better with chili (with the possible exception of cornbread) than flavorful, cheese-laden biscuits?  And since the my-take-on-chili post isn't ready yet, Now it's ready! I'm giving you biscuits first.

These are light, slightly chewy, and perfect for autumn soups, stews and chili (post up next here).

Buttermilk gives them a tang, the Jarlsberg cheese gives them a golden hue (to go with autumn of course), and a heft that can hold up to hot liquid.  And they can be prepared in a snap.  I swear: 15 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes to bake, and they're ready to eat.

A plus for me is that they are gluten free.  Yep, made with my favorite gluten free flour, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these and wheat flour biscuits.  Of course, if you don't need your biscuits to be gluten free, just substitute an equal measurement of regular all-purpose flour for the gluten free kind and off you go.

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Biscuits with Jarlsberg Cheese

(Print recipe)

Makes 12

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour, or regular all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon fine kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons cold butter, preferrably salt-free, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 cups grated Jarlsburg cheese

3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Whisk the dry ingredients togther then cut in the butter using two knives, or a pastry blender, or buzz in your food processor for a few seconds.

Put the flour-butter mixture in a large bowl, add the grated cheese and toss with your fingers until the cheese is well integrated with the flour.

Make a well in the center of the flour and add 3/4 cup of the buttermilk, using a fork and your fingers to incorporate the buttermilk into the flour.  Add more buttermilk if needed until it comes together as a dough.  Keep a light touch when doing this so your dough doesn't get overworked which can result in a tough biscuit.

Place the dough on a well-floured surface, pat into a disk and gently flatten with your hands (flour them if needed) until 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick.

Cutting the biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch diameter round cutter will yield 12 biscuits.

Place the biscuits on a baking sheet and bake in the oven 15 minutes.  Watch them carefully so they don't overbake.

When the biscuits are golden brown and give a little when pressed with your fingers, remove from the oven, cool slightly on a rack then serve with a steaming bowl of your favorite chili.

Copyright © 2005-2010, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Farmers Market Fresh Frittata with Corn and Zucchini

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Fast, fresh, easy.
Creamy and delicious.
20 minutes prep time, 30 minutes cook time.
Serve as part of a special weekend brunch or whip up for a quick weeknight dinner.
What are you waiting for?
It's Saturday and I'm off to the farmers market for more.

Farmers Market Fresh Frittata with Corn and Zucchini
Christine's original recipe
(print recipe)
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
water
4 medium zucchini cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 ears corn, shucked, kernels cut from cob
1 cup shredded white cheddar
1/2 teaspoon Benson's Supreme Garlic and Herb Seasoning (to taste) and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil for the pan
a sprinkle of finishing salt (optional)
Preparation:
Crack eggs into a large glass dish and whisk gently with a fork until blended.
Add about 1/4 cup water and stir until blended.  Eggs will be thick.  Set aside.
To prep the zucchini, cut off the stem and flower ends, slice lengthwise in half and then lengthwise again into quarters. Cut the zucchini crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces.
To prep the corn, remove the husks and silk. Place the corn cob standing up in a wide bowl and, using a sharp knife, cut down the cob, releasing the kernels into the bowl.  Do not cut too deeply into the cob.
Sauté garlic over medium heat in about a teaspoon of olive oil until softened and aromas rise.
Add zucchini and sauté until it is just tender. Do not allow to burn.
Add the corn kernels, the Benson's seasoning (or salt), and a few grinds of pepper and stir to combine.
Allow most of the water that the zucchini will throw off to evaporate, but not all of it.
Pour the eggs over the vegetables and mix oh so gently with a fork.
Allow to cook for 3 minutes to set the bottom.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the frittata.
Going around the edge of the skillet, lift the edge with a spatula to allow uncooked egg to run into the space created.
 Keep lifting and turning until only the middle of the frittata jiggles when you shake the pan, adjusting the heat so the bottom doesn't burn.
Transfer to a 325-degree oven and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the middle is softly set.  A knife inserted into the center of the frittata should come out clean.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with finishing salt if desired, and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Please use no more than medium to medium-low heat to prepare this dish otherwise the eggs will turn out rubbery.
The cheese may be combined with the eggs prior to pouring over the vegetables if desired. This will result in a more homogenous egg-cheese mixture, but, hey, I was playing.
Fresh chopped herbs may be used with abandon.
The Benson's salt-free seasonings are one of several that I've been experimenting with. A subject for another post. Substitute sea salt if desired.

Copyright © 2005-2010, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Savory Three Cheeses Flan with Homecured Applewood Smoked Diced Bacon and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette on a Bed of Baby Arugula

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To be quite honest, I had a hard time deciding which photo to lead with here.

I've got three things going on, not the least of which is homecured, applewood smoked bacon made by son Josh in his Sacramento backyard.

I think that's worthy of a post all its own and I've been bugging him to be a guest blogger.

Anyone want to chime in and nudge him a bit?

I mean, the guy goes out and bags an elk, a deer, a couple of pigs, some ducks, a few geese, brings them home and makes his own steaks, roasts, sausage, bacon, confit . . .

Josh's home cured bacon is a beautiful thing

He asked me a while back if I knew a good book on curing meats. Charcuterie was the first one that came to mind so he went out and bought a copy and now there's no stopping the man.

Not that I'm complaining; I've got his pork bacon and duck breasts in my freezer. You will hear no complaining from this mom.

Then there's the flan.

Oh my. Can I toot my own horn?

Ricotta, chevre, and parmigiano reggiano cheeses bound together with a few of my hens' eggs and some lightly sautéed leeks, sitting on a bed of baby arugula, drizzled with - number three! - a warm bacon vinaigrette, then topped with bits of Josh's homecured bacon.

Heaven on a plate.

You see my dilemma. I couldn't divide them up into their separate recipes. Hence the long title.

Make this for dinner some night. It takes very little time to prepare (except for the bacon curing part) and it's elegant as all get out.

And if you're not as lucky as I am to have a meat curing son, a good bacon such as Niman Ranch will do as a substitute. (But really, it won't be the same.)

Savory Three Cheeses Flan with Homecured Applewood Smoked Diced Bacon and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette on a Bed of Baby Arugula
Christine's original recipe with gratitude to her son Josh and his charcuterie skills
(print recipe)
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce tub fresh organic ricotta cheese
4-ounces fresh chevre (goat cheese)
2/3 cup parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
generous grinds of black peppercorns
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 fat leek, white and light green part only, about 6-inches long, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons dry white wine
Olive oil and unsalted butter for the pan
6 pieces thick bacon (homecured is best), 2-inches in length
1 teaspoon (heaping) good Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon golden balsamic vinegar
2 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry

Preparation: (See Cook's Notes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack positioned in the center of the oven.

Spray the insides of 6 4-ounce custard cups with a thin film of non-stick spray then wipe with a paper towel. Set in a large roasting pan.

Heat about a teaspoon each olive oil and unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-low flame.

Add the sliced leeks and sauté gently until they are softened. Adjust the heat so they don't burn.

Allow the leeks to cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the white wine to the skillet, stir and sauté until the pan is just dry. Remove from the heat and toss with a pinch or two of kosher salt.

Remove the cooked leeks to a plate to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, combine the three cheeses, pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt by hand in a medium bowl until blended.

Add the beaten eggs and stir until they are fully incorporated.

When the leeks aren't screaming hot, add them to the cheese mixture and stir well.

Divide the mixture evenly between the 6 cups.

Place the cups in a large roasting pan and pour hot water into the pan so that it comes to about halfway up the sides of the custard cups.

Bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a flan comes out clean and the top is lightly golden brown.

Remove the flans from the water bath and allow to cool on a wire rack until they can be handled easily.

While the flans are enjoying their hot tub, heat a skillet (cast iron can't be beat for this) on medium high then add the pieces of bacon and let them sizzle until they are cooked through and a beautiful mahogany brown on both sides.

Remove the pan from the heat and use tongs to remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. (Reserve the bacon fat in the skillet, off heat.)

Stack the bacon pieces on top of each other and cut into 1/2-inch dice (see photos above). Set aside.

Whisk the mustard into the bacon fat in the skillet then whisk in the vinegar until the mixture is smooth and thickened.

To assemble:

Divide the arugula between 6 plates.

Run a knife around the edge of a flan then place a spatula over the flan while tipping the cup over the center of the arugula. Give the custard cup a shake, allowing the flan to drop onto the spatula. Gently position the flan on the arugula. Repeat with the rest of the flans on their individual plates.

Drizzle the vinaigrette here and there on the arugula and over the top of the flan then garnish with the bits of bacon.

What a way to have your bacon and eggs.

Cook's Notes:

Aside from the oven baking time, none of the tasks above takes much time to prepare. Keeping the individual parts warm before assembly is key to the success of the dish so work as quickly as you can when the flans come out of the oven.

Enjoy!

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Earthquake Country Plus a Recipe for Roasted Cauliflower and White Cheddar Cheese Soup with Fresh Marjoram

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6.5 on the Richter scale is the official measurement of yesterday's earthquake that shook us up around 4:30 in the afternoon.

Sitting in my office chair, I felt a big jolt as if something had hit the building, a pause, the power went out, then bigger jolts, jumps, lateral shaking that scooted my chair several feet away from my desk, rolling - all lasting way too long.

This was a big one.

By that time I was up and out of my chair yelling up the stairs to Mr CC asking if he was okay - my heart pounding.

I'd experienced big earthquakes before in Chile and Argentina. Some of them rumbling through like a freight train on steroids, some of them the toss-you-against-the-wall type. But in all the years I've lived here, through all the earthquakes that happen fairly regularly, I'd never felt one like this. It had it all: that vertigo-inducing rolling, jumping up and down, shaking side to side. It was unreal; hard for the brain to grasp.

Amazingly enough, no damage occurred chez nous; nothing jumped off shelves or walls. Unlike Ferndale, parts of Eureka and Arcata, who all sustained some damage, we live on a rocky marine terrace above Trinidad and somehow escaped the worst of it. Thankfully, no people were badly hurt and no tsunami followed the earthquake - something we are all too aware is a possibility in our triple-junction corner of the world.

So with no power and darkness beginning to fall, we invited neighbors over to share the evening and a pot of soup with us. My trusty 1950s-era Wedgewood gas stove never fails to do the task assigned to it. That I couldn't use my stick blender as originally planned became a non-issue; the potato masher did a fine if more rustic job. The light and warmth from 25 candles, our good friends, a bottle of red wine, and the hand-cranked radio to give us updates, we were doing pretty well.

Roasted Cauliflower & White Cheddar Soup With Fresh Marjoram
Christine's original recipe
(print recipe)
Ingredients:
2 medium-sized heads cauliflower, separated into florets (organic and local is always best)
1 large yellow onion. peeled and chopped
2 Yellow Finn potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (yields 3-4 cups)
1 tablespoon (more if you wish) fresh chopped marjoram or 2 teaspoons dried
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups chicken stock (preferrably your own, but a good organic, low sodium broth will work just fine)
olive oil
unsalted butter for the pan
1 tablespoon kosher salt (more if necessary) and numerous grindings of black peppercorns
3 cups coarsely grated white cheddar cheese

Preparation:

At least 1 hour before starting the soup, put the cauliflower florets in a roasting pan with a drizzling of olive oil, cover the pan with foil and roast in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

Remove the foil and continue to roast the cauliflower until it is tender - about 20 minutes more. You may need to add a bit more olive oil to prevent sticking and you may need to adjust the heat in your oven to prevent burning.

Begin sautéing the onions in about 1 teaspoon each olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté until the onions are tender. Adjust the heat so they don't burn.

Toss in the white wine and give it a stir.

Add the potatoes, chicken stock, salt, pepper and marjoram to the pot and cook over medium high heat, partially covered until the potatoes are tender.

Add the cauliflower and stir to blend and heat.

Remove the pot from the heat and, if your power is out, mash the soup with a potato masher until all the chunks are broken up.

Alternatively, run the soup through a food mill if you have one. Something I could have done but was vetoed from doing so by the hungry mob.

If you have lots of power, use a stick blender to make your soup smooth and creamy.

At this point you might need to add more chicken stock if your soup is too thick.

Taste and add salt and more pepper if desired.

Stir in the grated cheddar cheese until it is fully melted.

Et voila!, you are ready to sit around the table with candle-power all around you, great friends to talk to and share the events of the day with, and a hearty soup for the earthquake-stressed soul.

What could be better?

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Asparagus, Chard and Bacon Quiche With A Barley-Chevre "Crust"

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Inspiration for this crustless quiche came from two places: Several weeks ago I prepared a vegan rice dish that my son Jeff gave me and a few nights later I put the leftovers in a pie plate, piled roasted winter squash over it, heated it in the oven and took it to Simona's for dinner (that recipe will appear on this blog soon, I hope); today yesterday my friend Leslie was coming came over for a late lunch. I wanted to make a quiche using our backyard chicken eggs but didn't want to make a crust. Cooked barley from the previous day was tossed with some local herbed chevre and made a grain crust that, along with the layers of crispy bacon, vegetables and cheese, created a dish that was exactly what I was trying to achieve. The egg custard finds its way to the bottom of the plate enclosing the barley in its eggy creaminess, and makes a most delightful platter for the quiche.

Making the layers

Ready for the oven

Asparagus, Chard & Bacon Quiche with Barley-Chevre Crust

Christine's Original Recipe

Serves 8-10 as a brunch course

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked barley, cool
4-ounces plain or herbed chevre, crumbled
pinch kosher salt
oil for the pie plate
1 bunch organic asparagus, rinsed, tough ends snapped off
4 strips Niman Ranch Uncured Bacon
6-8 small chard leaves, multi-colored is good
1 cup Lamb Chopper Sheep's Milk Cheese, grated
1 cup good Gruyère cheese (if you can't find Lamb Chopper, substitute another cup of Gruyère), grated
6 eggs (large)
2 cups half n half
1/2 teaspoon jarred mustard like Grey Poupon
a few pinches of kosher salt
Preparation:

Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a 12-inch glass pie plate. Wipe with a paper towel.

Toss the barley and crumbled chevre together and place evenly on the bottom of the pie plate, gently pushing it up the sides.

Bake in a 250-degree oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts somewhat. Remove from the oven, set the oven temp to 500-degrees.

With a large spoon, push some of the barley mixture up the sides of the pie plate and tamp it down a bit all over the bottom to make a crust. Set aside to cool.

Cut about 3-inches from the tips of each asparagus spear and reserve. Cut the remaining asparagus stems into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces.

Place asparagus on a very lightly oiled baking sheet and roast in the 500-degree oven for 10 minutes, shaking the pan as needed. Remove from the oven, turn the temperature down to 350-degrees, and allow the asparagus to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon strips in a heavy skillet on medium-high until crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain and then tear or cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Lay the chard leaves atop each other then roll up length-wise like a cigar. Cut off the stem ends cross-wise and save for another dish. Thinly slice the remaining chard roll cross-wise into very thin strips. Set aside.

Combine the eggs, half 'n half, mustard and salt in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended.

Assembly:

Put the bacon pieces over the barley crust followed by the cut asparagus stems (reserve the tips for the top of the pie).

Sprinkle the cheese over and then spread the chard chiffonade over the cheese.

Pour the egg custard slowly over and around everything, allowing it to settle.

Place the asparagus spears in a pattern of your choosing and it's ready for the oven.

Bake at 350-degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and barely jiggles in the center.

Remove from the oven and cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes:

I served a very nice, very affordable white wine from La Vieille Ferme that complemented the quiche to perfection. It's a bargain at $7 a bottle and also went well with the pear avocado salad that accompanied the quiche.

I realize that I used 3 different kinds of cheeses in this dish and I promise that they are very complimentary to each other.

Aside from putting the bacon on top of the barley, the rest of the ingredients can layer whichever way you want. Just be sure to put the asparagus on top after pouring in the custard.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Barley, Chard And Ricotta Cheese Casserole

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Locally grown barley and chard from the farmers market (only 2 weekends left!) and a vision of stuffed manicotti were the inspiration for this dish. Really. I had all the ingredients with which to stuff manicotti shells, but I didn't have the shells and was not going to drive to the market for just one item. So, take a breath, step back 10 yards, and punt . . . Put barley on the inside and leave the pasta off of the outside. Goal!

This is organically grown rainbow chard; isn't it beautiful? And big!

The most time consuming task in making this healthy and delicious dish is cutting the chard stems away from the leaves. (And please!, don't toss those stems away. Wrap them in plastic and put them in the fridge - I've got another recipe up my sleeve.)

Christine's Barley, Chard And Ricotta Cheese Casserole

Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:

20-22 large chard leaves on stalks

4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cups cooked barley, cooled

15-ounces ricotta cheese

2 extra-large eggs, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cut the leaves from the chard stems by chosing a point up in the leaf where the stem is thin then cutting the stem away from both sides of the leaf. You will be left with a chard leaf that has a deep V at the bottom.

Set the leaves one on top of the other as you finish stemming them.

Roll the leaves up lengthwise like a fat cigar then slice crosswise into 1-inch wide strips.

When that's done, with your knife at a right angle to the first cut, cut into 1-inch wide pieces. This doesn't have to be perfect, just make them a rather uniform size that will be easy to cut with a fork and eat.

Put a teaspoon olive oil into a warm, large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and allow it to soften, about 1 minute.

Add the chard and stir to incorporate the garlic pieces into the leaves. Saute until tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, nutmeg, thyme and salt and mix well. Stir in the barley and some freshly ground black pepper.

When the chard is cooked, stir it in to the ricotta mixture until it is fully incorporated.

Stir in the grated parmesan, season with salt and pepper if desired.

Spoon the mixture into a rectangular glass baking dish that has been lightly coated with olive oil or cooking spray. Smooth the top and bake in a 375-degree oven for about 25 minutes. A knife inserted into the middle of the casserole will come out clean when done.

Allow the casserole to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Copyright © 2005-2008, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Fig And Chevre Ice Cream With A 'Tot' Of Sherry

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[It took three intrepid tasters to convince me that this was a blogworthy ice cream. I liked it, but would others? My tasters convinced me that others would like it. Sometimes I need a lot of convincing.]

Figs are showing up in the farmers market and our local Co-op these days. Sun-ripened and sugary-sweet, now is the time to eat them out of hand, grilled with your favorite meats or vegetables, in an appetizer or salad with snowy white, soft goat cheese (chevre), or drizzled with maple syrup or heavy cream for dessert.

Or, as ice cream.

If you can pair figs and chevre in a savory way, why not make a creamy, cold version?

Well, why not?

Christine's Fig and Chevre Ice Cream with Sherry
Ingredients:
10 ounces (1 basket) brown Turkey (Turkish) figs, chopped
5 ounces soft white chevre, I used Cypress Grove's 11-ounce log and cut it in half
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons cream Sherry
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 cup half & half, I used Strauss Dairy's cream-top
1/2 cup fine sugar

Preparation:
Remove the stem ends of each fig then cut them into quarters, lengthwise, then into halves, making each fig into 8 pieces. This should yield approximately 2 cups of fig pieces.
Put the figs, eggs, chevre and sherry in a food processor and buzz until the mixture is very smooth.
Heat the milk, half & half and sugar to just under a boil.
Remove from the heat and, with the processor running, pour the milk mixture through the feed tube and process until it's all combined and smooth. Now you have an ice cream base.
Pour the base into a large glass bowl and refrigerate until very cold - at least 6 hours or overnight.
Process in your ice cream maker.

May be served soft right out of the ice cream machine, or packed into a container and frozen for a few hours.

Cook's Notes:
> This ice cream is only slightly sweet, relying on the figs, chevre and sherry to give it the flavors I was seeking. It ripens and mellows if allowed to freeze for 24 hours.
> If you don't want the tiny fig seeds in your ice cream, you can strain the mixture into your glass bowl before chilling. Personally, I like the texture of the miniscule, crunchy seeds.

> For me, the addition of Cream Sherry brings the flavors of fig and chevre together very nicely on the palate. Kind of like having a small glass of Sherry after nibbling on a plate of figs and chevre. Only colder.

Copyright © 2005-2008, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Whole Wheat Pasta With Chicken Sausage And Portobello Tomato Sauce

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Here's another recipe that was prepared and enjoyed just prior to the flu making its dastardly visit to chez moi. Top billing is shared by two ingredients in this dish:

the fabulous organic whole durum wheat pasta "snails" produced in Italy by Bionaturae, and the delicious nitrite free California Chicken Sausage made with basil and sun-dried tomatoes by California's own Premiere Meats. Located in Mt. Shasta, this company actually started out here in Humboldt county about 10 miles from my kitchen.

Just look at these cool whole wheat pasta pouches - their little mouths eagerly agape, awaiting the saucy morsels that will tumble in. The ridges on the outside enable the sauce to adhere there as well. Called chiocciole, this organic Italian import may be purchased on line here, but I got mine at our local Co-op and am fairly sure you should be able to find it at most good organic food stores.

Portobello mushrooms, sea salt-packed capers and the usual suspects of garlic, onion, organic fire roasted tomatoes, along with white wine and a goodly portion of parmigiano reggiano give their all to this tasty sauce. You want to dice everything so that it matches or is slightly smaller than your pasta shape. This way, the sauce won't overwhelm the pasta.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Portobello Tomato Sauce
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
16 ounces Chiocciole pasta or other whole grain pasta
4 Premier Meats California Chicken sausages, diced
2 portobello mushrooms, gills removed and diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 14-ounce can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted diced tomatoes (simply the best!)
1 1/2 tablespoons salt packed capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups parmesan, grated
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
olive oil for the pan

Preparation:
Put on a large pot of water for the pasta over high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the water and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, place a small amount of olive oil in a heavy skillet and put over medium high heat.
Add the portobellos and mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are soft, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic, give a stir and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, capers and white wine. Stir again and simmer about 5 minutes or until the juices thicken slightly and everything is piping hot.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander, put it back into the cooking pot and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Give it a quick stir.
Just before serving, stir the parmesan into the sauce.
Serve on warmed plates, sprinkling each serving with the chopped parsley.

Copyright © 2005-2008, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Butternut Squash Ravioli With Ricotta Sherry Sauce

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Here's another simple-but-elegant entrée that can be on your dinner table within 1/2 hour. Pick up these fresh butternut squash ravioli from your local gourmet foods store

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Ricotta Sherry Sauce
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
2 packages store bought butternut squash-stuffed, confetti ravioli
1 teaspoon Earth Balance, or butter
2/3 to 3/4 cup vegetable broth (depending on the thickness of your ricotta cheese)
1 cup ricotta cheese, low fat is fine
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon Sherry
1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt
several grinds of good black peppercorns

Preparation:
Gently cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done.
Remove from the water with a skimmer, drain the water, and put the ravioli back in the pot on the same burner, now turned off, so they can dry a bit.

Meantime, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute the garlic slices in the EB or butter until softened.

Add the ricotta cheese and the vegetable broth, whisking until smooth, until the sauce is the consistency you desire.

Add all the rest of the ingredients and mix well, tasting and adjusting to your liking.

Place a few of the ravioli on a warmed plate, drizzle with the sauce and a few sprinkles of the fresh herbs and serve immediately. A salad of crisp greens, citrus, roasted walnuts and goat cheese goes well with this.

Cook's Notes:
A good toasted walnut oil would compliment this dish. I would drizzle it over the top, sparingly, just before serving.

For the past two weeks I've been trying to get this recipe posted. But I've been down with the flu and no amount of wishing and hoping that I could blog has seemed to have mattered. This is one nasty flu bug that renders all the senses senseless - at least in my experience. Mr CC got it too and pretty much feels the same way I do, so at least I know it's not hypochondria. There are several other recipes waiting in the wings that I hope to share with you soon. But for right now, I'd like to finish just this one. The sauce is worth it.

Copyright © 2005-2008, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Eggplant Timbales with Quick and Easy Tomato-Basil Sauce

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Remember these? Nice presentation and all, but a bit labor intensive. Enter an easier, just as tasty version that takes half the time to prepare and plate: Tah-dah! Eggplant Timbales: Take Two.

Prepping the filling for the timbales took about 1/2 hour. The sauce is easily made while the timbales are roasting in a water bath for 1 hour. Not bad for a weeknight, hmmm?

Eggplant Timbales with Tomato-Basil Sauce
Ingredients:
for the timbales-
4 cups peeled eggplant cubes (1/2-inch dice)
olive oil for the pan
Kosher salt
1 - 15-ounce container low fat ricotta cheese
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
3/4 cup coarsely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
1/3 cup toasted, seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian herb mix
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Using a very sharp chef's knife, slice the peel from the eggplant, cutting off the stem and stern ends.
With the eggplant sitting upright, cut 1/2-inch wide lengthwise slices, then cut each slice in 1/2-inch wide lengthwise strips, then cut those into 1/2-inch cubes.
(It took 1 large and 3 small eggplants to get 4 cups of cubes.)
Place these in a large, well-oiled roasting pan and roast at 375 degrees for about 18 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until the cubes are golden brown and softened.
Remove the pan from the oven, then the cubes from the roasting pan and set aside to cool.
Turn the oven down to 350 degrees, wipe the roasting pan and set aside. You will use this in a few minutes to bake the timbales.

Meanwhile, combine the ricotta cheese, pine nuts, sundried tomato, parmesan, bread crumbs, Italian herbs (crush them with your fingers as you add them to release the fragrance) and eggs in a bowl and mix well.
Fold in the roasted eggplant as soon as it's cool enough to handle. Mix well but don't break up the cubes.
Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper if needed.
Fill 6 6-ounce, lightly oiled, ceramic ramekins with the eggplant filling. Place the filled ramekins into the roasting pan and pour enough hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan loosely with foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour or until firm to touch and slightly golden brown.

Using tongs, carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and set on a heat-proof surface.

While the timbales are roasting...

...make this delicious sauce.

Quick and Easy Tomato-Basil Sauce
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
1 cipollini onion, chopped fine
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled and minced
handful of fresh basil leaves, left whole
1 large can whole tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Fire-roasted organic, simply the best canned tomato, IMHO)
1/3 cup red wine (I used a fun little Cabernet that I found at our local Co-op for under $10.)
olive oil
flat-leaf Italian parsley for garnish

Preparation:
In a skillet over medium heat, add a teaspoon of good olive oil and the chopped onions and sauté until beginning to soften.
Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté a few more minutes until both are soft and aromatic. Keep the heat adjusted so no burning occurs.
Add the entire can of tomatoes, breaking them up gently with a wooden spoon, then the basil leaves and the red wine.
Allow this mixture to simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Pour the chunky sauce into a food processor and pulse until thickly puréed, about 30 seconds.
Pour the sauce back into the skillet and keep warm until ready to serve.

Speaking of serving:
Run a knife around the inside of each ramekin to loosen the timbale.
Place several spoonfuls of sauce on a warmed plate.
Invert the timbale into your clean hand and place upside down on the sauce.
Sprinkle with chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley. Mangia!

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved