Artichoke Heart-Stuffed Shells in Ricotta Sauce
This recipe was advertised by Bon Appetit as “A Pasta for Lovers”, and with Valentine’s Day not so long ago (my flowers are miraculously still in bloom) and its development by the brilliant Smitten Kitchen (who captures my heart weekly with her deliciously stunning and witty posts), you would think that this recipe was destined for an ultra-romantic candlelit dinner for two. But since Andreas has an aversion to artichokes and was out of town this weekend (with his magic camera that makes my food look tasty), this “Pasta for Lovers” became pasta for ONE instead. But love was still in the air, as I fell madly for this pasta before I even tasted it, and if you had been in my kitchen smelling the butter as it browned, the onions as they caramelized and melded with a glass of white wine, and the indulgent amount of dairy products as they melted and oozed, you would most certainly be in love too.
The filling is relatively light, but made complex through the little details of browned butter, caramelized onions, parmesan and pecorino, and the texture of artichokes, and the flavors only got better the second day. Each shell is nestled and smothered with a light bechamel sauce strengthened by creamy ricotta and a lemony finish for the most delightful and romantic meal I’ve ever cooked for myself.
Acorn Squash Quesadillas
There is a spectacular amount of snow piled up on the streets of Boston, thanks to weekly snowstorms over the last 4 weeks. But I’m tired of waking to the beeping and racket of snow plows thundering up and down the roads before its even light out. I’m tired of the unsolicited workout I’ve been getting from stomping through the snow in heavy snow boots to get to lab and back home. I’m tired of staring out my window at lab, desperately wishing “snow day” applied to me and that I could hang out in my pajamas and watch the snow fall from inside my apartment (or better yet, from my bed!).
To snap me out of my little snow-funk, I decided to channel some California in the form of a cheese-y, crispy, spicy quesadilla! For a little winter twist, the filling is a combination of monterey pepperjack cheese, caramelized red onions, and sweet roasted acorn squash.
Adding brightly flavored (and colored!) fresh tomatilla salsa verde and sour cream to these quesadillas brought back fond memories of enviable warm winters in California. Like that one year we wore flip flops and tank tops on my birthday because it was 70 degrees and sunny in San Diego. Man, I miss those days.
Tomorrow’s forecast includes freezing rain and sleet after another 6-10 inches of snow overnight. I guess I’ll just have to look forward to frying up more of these (with extra cheese! extra salsa! extra butter! extra crispy!) for dinner tomorrow!
Crescent Jam and Cheese Cookies
I’m not sure I would call these cookies (instead of pastries), but I will not hesitate to call them AMAZING.
The flaky pastry dough is very reminiscent of (if not identical to) another favorite “cookie” of mine, rugelach. I don’t know what chemical reactions occur between the cheese and butter at 400 degrees, but they just happen and give you wonderfully light and flakey croissant-like layers (but without all the intensive work). WIN.
These “cookies” are infinitely adaptable to your taste preferences because you can fill them with any sweet or savory ingredient(s) that strikes your fancy. My fancy this time? Nutella. And raspberry preserves.
The raspberry preserves were a little messy… it didn’t want to stay in the dough. Or perhaps I (as usual) was a tad bit over-generous with the portion of filling.
And this has been a familiar scene lately with all the snow that fell this week, though I can happily say that I love the results of a dusting of powdered sugar in my kitchen so much more than the consequences of a snowstorm in Boston (brown slush and ice until April).
Oh, hello delectable flakey layers. Thank you for being so addictive.
Apple Cheddar Scones
Can’t get enough of the combination of apples and cheese this fall? I totally feel you, I can’t either.
Thank goodness for these scones!!!
I honestly didn’t know how I would feel about these scones. I’m not really a fan of savory scones, I prefer slightly sweetened scones with fruit flavors. However, once upon a time, there was this amazing little grilled apple and cheese sandwich that showed me that apples and cheese CAN live happily ever after… so why not apple cheddar scones?
Apples are roasted and chopped first before they’re added to a pretty ordinary scone batter. But once a generous amount of extra sharp cheddar is mixed in, the fairy tale is complete. The apples are sweet and tender, and the cheese melts into the batter to bake up as a delightfully cheese-y biscuit. It was perfect for a lazy fall Sunday morning, however I quickly learned having a barely sweet and slightly savory scone tricks my tastebuds into thinking that I hadn’t actually eaten any breakfast, so I should definitely have another scone. And repeat.
highly recommended: these scones with tomato soup. it’s like having a grilled cheese.. but different.
Apple Cheddar Scones
from Smitten Kitchen, via The Perfect Finish
makes 6 generous scones (i made 8 less generous ones)
2 firm tart apples (1 pound or 2 454 grams), peeled, cored, and chopped into sixteenths (chunks)
1 1/2 cups (6.75 ounces or 195 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar plus 1 1/2 tablespoons for sprinkling (total of 2.2 ounces or 63 grams)
1/2 tablespoon (7 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (3 grams) plus additional for egg wash
6 tablespoons (3 ounces or 85 grams)unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes plus additional for baking sheet if not lining it with parchment
1/2 cup (2.25 ounces or 65 grams) sharp cheddar, shredded (white is recommended, I assume for aesthetics)
1/4 cup (2 ounces) heavy cream
2 large eggs
- Position a rack at the center of oven and preheat oven to 375 °F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place apple chunks in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them until they take on a little color and feel dry to the touch, about 20 minutes. They will be about half-baked. Let them cool completely. (You can speed this up in the fridge.) Leave oven on.
- Sift or whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, along with cooled apple chunks, cheese, cream and one egg. Sprinkle flour mixture over the top and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
- Because of some tragic circumstances, I have no hand mixer, so did this by hand: I cut the cold butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender until the mixture resembled wet sand with pea-sized chunks. I hand chopped the apples coarsely and mixed everything together until combined.
- Generously flour your counter top and place the scone dough on top of it. Sprinkle with flour. Use a rolling pin to gently roll (or use your hands to pat) the dough into a 1 1/4-inch thick, 6-inch circle. Cut circle into 6 (or 8) wedges. Transfer them to a baking sheet that has either been buttered or lined with a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Leave at least 2 inches between each scone.
- Beat remaining egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Brush the scones with egg wash and sprinkle them with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake until firm and golden, about 30 minutes. With a spatula, lift them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Grilled Apple-and-Cheese Sandwich with Sage Hazelnut Pesto
Since it’s soup weather, I’ve been hankering for grilled cheese(s?) to eat with my soup. And if Fall could be a sandwich… it would be THIS ONE.
We start with a sage hazelnut pesto. Nothing really says fall like sage. Warm and earthy- it kinda smells like brown and yellow leaves on the ground, doesn’t it?
Smells really good. Just trust me.
Then grab your favorite bread and slice it up.
MMm… bread… I have been known to devour little loaves like this in one sitting… PLAIN.
The pesto is pretty potent… but quite awesome, so awesomeness on BOTH sides.
Pick a favorite apple. Do you have one? There are so many varieties, it’s hard to pick one favorite. I think this was a Honeycrisp. It was sweet and lovely.
Oh, and cheese. Duh. I used a sharp white cheddar. I also tried tart Granny Smiths with Brie. All good.
Grill it.
I am totally starting to fall in love with Fall.
Tomato and Eggplant Salad with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Living somewhere where there are distinctly different seasons has made me realize my stomach now has seasons too: when it’s freezing and wet outside, I can’t get enough of hearty, carb-heavy foods (in seconds and thirds), and when it’s hot and sticky and the last thing I want to do is turn on any appliance in the kitchen, all I want is a cool refreshing salad. It’s about the end of June when I realize I am sick of my standard (greens, cherry tomatoes, avocados, some kind of cheese- usually feta or goat, and home-made balsamic vinaigrette with the occasional guest appearance by shredded carrots, radishes, red bell peppers, or sunflower seeds) with at least TWO MORE months of sweltering heat to endure!
I saw this white eggplant at the farmers’ market and seriously could not resist trying it. I have a thing for eggplant and I was dying to grill them and put it in a salad. The white one didn’t taste noticeably different than its aubergine counterpart.. if I had to describe it I would say maybe it was a bit milder in flavor, as most pale versions are (i.e. peaches, green beans).
Enter Mark Bittman, the guy who really knows How To Cook Everything. Last year, his handy-dandy article detailing 101 Simple Salads for the Season helped me through the rest of the summer, and still continues to be an inspiration because of the variety of salad ideas and unique flavor and ingredient combinations.
Salad #44 had caught my eye particularly, because it described, get ready for this: cutting up a crispy grilled sandwich into croutons for your salad.
Let me repeat:
Cheese + bread, warm, crisp, and a bit oozey, as CROUTONS ON YOUR SALAD?!?!?! Umm.. yeah, we have identified what shall now be known as my kryptonite. Bittman warns that this you will be doing forever… and yes, I truly hope so.
Zucchini and Ricotta Galette
Sometimes I will happen upon a recipe and my stomach DEMANDS that I MUST MAKE IT NOW NOW NOW. This zucchini and ricotta galette was totally THAT kind of recipe. It combines all my favorite food groups: veggies, cheese, and buttery flaky crust! On Tuesday evening, as soon as I could get out of lab, I ran to the grocery store to pick up zucchini, cheese, and basil!
The recipe name is deceptively simple.. but this galette, though quite easy to put together, tastes anything BUT. The mild-flavored ricotta is enhanced with melty mozzarella and sharp salty parmesan. Thin slices of zucchini are roasted on top, flavored with a drizzle of garlicky olive oil and shredded basil. And the crust?
Oh. Em. Gee.
I have tried a fair number of pie crusts with minute variations (shortening, vodka vs. water, egg yolk), but this one, with the addition of a bit of sour cream and lemon juice, was seriously a-MAZING. It was moist and happily rolled out without any cracking or resistance. As advertised, it baked into one of the most flaky crusts I’ve ever had- which in combination with the soft cheese-y filling has pretty much set the standard now for SAVORY STUFF WITH CRUSTS.
Shrimp and Grits
I used to hate Bobby Flay.
Back in the day before Food Network’s Iron Chef America, PBS aired Japan’s Iron Chef (in Japanese with subtitles!) and a brash young red-haired chef from NYC traveled to Japan to challenge Chef Masaharu Morimoto, an emerging master of innovative Japanese cuisine. At the end of the battle, the American chef jumped onto his cutting board and cockily raised his arms in victory… offending Chef Morimoto and the Japanese (who hold knives and cutting boards in high esteem) with his perceived disrespect for the kitchen and his competitor.
That young red-haired chef was Bobby Flay.
Fast forward 13 or so years later and Bobby Flay is now a brand name in the food world: successful restauranteur, Iron Chef on the American show (and now, friends with fellow Iron Chef Morimoto), and host of a slew of entertaining food shows- including Throwdown with Bobby Flay. What intrigues me about this show is that Bobby Flay goes up against chefs and cooks who are masters of their particular dish by popular demand. In other words, he pretty much walks into FAILURE and though I have definitely seen WAY more episodes where he has lost, he does so graciously and sincerely commends his competition each time. I am most impressed with his general likability on this show- gone is the annoying bravado of the past, despite the fact that he is at a point in his career where he would be well entitled to that type of behavior. Instead he is genuine: he laughs off his own mistakes in the test kitchen, takes the critique and smartass comments from his cooking assistants, and happily befriends and jokes with the competition and their families and friends.
One of the Throwdown episodes featured the classic Southern dish, shrimp and grits. As a native Westerner and current Yankee, I have never actually EATEN shrimp and grits. But I just KNEW it would be something I would like. Like the way I KNEW these shoes would become one of my favorites before I even bought them. Like the way I KNEW Lady GaGa would be huge the first time I heard “Just Dance” on the radio. Yup, like that.
Soft and Creamy and super cheese-y cornmeal topped with shrimp that had been sauteed until browned and almost crisp in bacon fat with garlic, green onions, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon? YES PLEASE.
And it was everything I thought it would be and more. Comforting. Simple. Somewhat indulgent. Awesome.
I guess you could say I am now a Bobby Flay fan.
Shrimp and Grits
adapted from Bobby Flay’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay
Grits:
2 cups grits (I used stone-ground cornmeal)
4-5 cups of water (I started with four, and at the end added more water until it reached a consistency I liked- about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
- Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly pour in cornmeal in a constant stream, whisking as you add the cornmeal, to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce heat to medium and allow the cornmeal to cook for about 20-25 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the cornmeal grains have softened.
- Add butter and cheese, stirring to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. If needed, add more water to reach your desired consistency.
Shrimp Topping
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, rinsed and patted dry (I used 1/2 pound shrimp and 1/2 pound of scallops because I have a slight shrimp allergy)
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1 shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped finely
1/4 cup green onions, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Transfer bacon to a towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Without cleaning the skillet of the bacon fat, add shrimp and cook over medium high heat, until the shrimp begin to turn pink, about 2-4 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp. Add bacon, garlic, shallot, green onions, parsley, and lemon juice. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Spoon grits into a bowl and top with the cooked shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.
Warm Mushroom Salad
I know I haven’t been posting too regularly about what’s been going on in my kitchen, but hopefully I will get caught up now that I am post-vacations and post-annual-thesis-committee-meeting (went well! thank goodness!). I have a few delicious morsels I hadn’t had time to share with you before I threw my sunscreen, bug spray, and bikinis into a suitcase and headed to Barbados, and of course, there is still a post about Japan that will eventually be written… but for now, there is this tasty warm mushroom salad.
Mushrooms are one of those ingredients that I didn’t particularly care for as a child, but have grown to love and even crave as an adult. My family would often eat these big brown mushrooms (I once asked my mom what they are actually called and she told me “Brown Mushrooms”) that are dried and sold in Asian food stores. They are rehydrated and were included in soups, stir frys, or chopped up in fried rice. They had a strong taste that I am still not fond of, but I have happily found many other varieties of mushrooms that I fully enjoy.
This warm mushroom salad was hearty and filling for a salad, thanks to the earthy taste and dense texture of the sautéed mushrooms. I added some crisp bacon chunks (hello lovelies) for extra indulgence and the pretense of nutritious protein, and shaved parmeggiano reggiano, though I think a tangy soft cheese such as Gorgonzola or blue cheese would also be fantastic. I found that very little of the dressing was actually needed, partly because I don’t like my salads drenched in dressing, and partly because there was enough buttery juices from the cooked mushrooms to dress the salad. Since the dressing contains the tangy acidity, I would either reduce the amount of oil to make the dressing a bit more concentrated or try to drain the cooked mushrooms before tossing the salad together. It’s a bit more intensive than your average salad, what with the COOKING and ROASTING and all (does that defy the definition of a SALAD then?), but it’s definitely worth it.
Warm Mushroom Salad
adapted from Smitten Kitchen, originally adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques
1/2 cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
3 tablespoons sherry or a white wine vinegar
9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds mushrooms (cremini or a mix of wild mushrooms), cleaned and sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces salad greens such as frisé, arugula or a mix of your choice
1 cup mix of fresh herbs (optional) such as chives, tarragon
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or a couple pinches of dried
1/4 cup sliced shallots
1/4 pound pecorino (I used parmeggiano, but think a tangy soft cheese would be delicious as well)
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, rolling them around once or twice to make sure they toast evenly. Rub nuts in a dish towel (I just used my fingers) to remove skins then let cool. Chop the hazelnuts coarsely.
- Whisk the shallots, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl and let sit for five minutes (this will soften and almost pickle the shallots), before whisking in 5 tablespoons olive oil.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until the butter foams. Add half the mushrooms, half the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until they’re softened but not limp (your cooking time will depend on the type of mushrooms you used).
- Transfer mushrooms to a plate then repeat with the second half. When they are cooked, return the first half of the mushrooms to the pan then toss in sliced shallots, cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
- Spread salad greens on a plate. Sprinkle fresh herbs on top, if using. Spoon hot mushrooms over the salad greens. Pour three-quarters of the vinaigrette in the sauté pan and swirl it in the pan until heated. Season it with 1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour over salad and toss carefully. Adjust to taste — you may need more salt, pepper, vinaigrette or even more sherry vinegar.
- Use a vegetable peeler to shave cheese over the salad. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Serve immediately.
