Past Episodes: February 2012 Archives

Wednesday February 29, 2012

Dates

Chef Pierre Lamielle of Kitchen Scraps offers up a recipe for stuffed dates, he found them at The Light Cellar.

It goes without saying that Alexander the Great was a great guy. He could get all the dates he wanted, and this sweet and spicy dish is named after him. They are so sweetly potent that they will give you enough energy to take over the world , or at least the known world.

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Wednesday February 22, 2012

Shiitake mushrooms

SAIT culinary instructor and Chef Scott Pohorelic creates a pasta dish from this popular mushroom.

Shiitake Mushroom and Ricotta Ravioli

6 appetizer portions

2 cups milk

¾ cup buttermilk (or yogurt)

3 Tbsp yellow onion, minced

½ tsp garlic minced

2 cups shiitake mushrooms

1 Tbsp parmesan, grated

1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

¼ cut dried shiitake mushrooms

¼ tsp soy sauce

1 pinch fresh thyme

½ cup green peas

To make the ricotta, bring the milk up to a boil and add the buttermilk. Bring the milk back to a boil and it will curdle. Strain the curds into a strainer and let sit to drain for 10-15 minutes.

Place the broth in a pot with the dried mushrooms, soy sauce and thyme. Bring it to a low simmer and let the flavor infuse for 30 minutes or so (I usually add an old dried parmesan rind for flavor).

Sweat the onion in a small pot with a touch of butter or olive oil. Cook until completely tender. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and discard. Chop 1 cup of the mushrooms and add to the onions with the garlic. Continue to cook for about another 5 minutes. Add the reserved ricotta, the grated parmesan and the basil. Season well.

Slice and sauté the remaining cup of shiitake mushrooms. Strain the broth and heat the peas in it.

Pasta dough

Whip the eggs with the water and oil briefly, incorporate into the flour and knead until very smooth (about 30 minutes). Using a pasta roller on its widest setting, run a third of the dough through, fold it and run it through again. Do this repeatedly at least ten times and then reduce the setting on the roller and run the dough through to make it thinner. Continue until the dough is a thin sheet. Shape the dough into raviolis filling them with the ricotta and mushroom mixture and then repeat the process with the remaining thirds of the dough. Cook the raviolis in boiling salted water for 3-4 minute. Place them in a bowl with the sautéed mushrooms, the peas and the broth.

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Categories: Columnists, Past Episodes, What's Fresh Recipes

Wednesday February 15, 2012

Gorgonzola cheese

Fabio Centini of Centini Restaurant and Lounge offers up his version of gnocchi.

He pairs it with a Domodimonte Monte Fiori.

Gnocchi Gorgonzola

Serves 4

2 1/4 pounds potatoes

1 ¾ cups al-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1 egg, lightly beaten

Salt

Steam the potatoes for 25 minutes or until tender

Mash with a potato masher

Stir in the flour, egg, and a pinch of salt and knead until you have a dough like consistency

Be careful of the ratio of potato to flour to avoid the gnocchi being too hard.

Shape the dough into long rolls just over 2/3 inch in diameter and cut into ¾ inch lengths.

Press them gently against the underside of a grater and arrange on a dish towel dusted with flour

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil, add the gnocchi a few at a time and remove with a slotted spoon as they rise to the surface

Drain Water

Gorgonzola sauce

Serves 4

2 cup cream

½ cup gorgonzola

1 tablespoon butter

Grated Parmesan

Boil Cream, Gorgonzola, Butter in a sauce pan reduce heat and add Gnocchi to pan. Mix all together. Serve on a warm dish and add Grated Parmesan to taste

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