Joe's Special

May 21, 2009

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Joe's Special

RECIPES

Joe’s Special:
(serves 4)

1 onion, diced
½ pound sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 – 1 ½ lb ground meat (traditionally beef, but turkey is also good)
4 eggs
½ cup parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp nutmeg
Olive oil

Sauté onions and garlic over medium heat in olive oil until onions are soft. Add ground meat and brown. Drain off excess fat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender and have released their water. Add spinach and herbs. Salt and pepper to taste. Scramble eggs in a bowl. Reduce heat to low. Pour eggs over ingredients in pan and stir in. Stir in parmesan cheese. Continue to cook until cheese has melted.

*** Good served over toasted sourdough. Even better when the toast is rubbed with a garlic clove.

Shrimp Tacos and Cabbage Salad

April 29, 2009

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Shrimp Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa

Cabbage Salad

RECIPES

Fritatta

April 23, 2009

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Frittata and Salad

RECIPES

Frittata:

(serves 2)

First a note about frittatas….

Frittatas are a lot like omelets, just different proportions of the same ingredients. Traditionally these are cooked all on the stove and require “flipping.” This version, however, uses the broiler to eliminate the sometimes tricky and usually intimidating “flip.”

Frittatas can be made with almost anything you like. I often use them to “clean out the fridge” of leftovers. If it could go in an omelet or scrambled eggs, it will be great in a Frittata.

Frittatas are best cooked in a saute/fry pan. You need a pan with a metal handle that can go in the oven. Be sure that there is no plastic or rubber on the pan or it will melt in the oven.

Preheat the oven to the high broiler setting. Make sure the rack is positioned in the middle of the oven.

1 small zucchini
1 chicken sausage
¼ cup onion diced
¼ cup Feta crumbled into large pieces
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Olive oil


Half zucchini length wise. Scrape out seeds. Slice zucchini halves into ½” half rounds. Sautee onions over medium heat in pan with approximately 1 Tbs olive oil. (If you are using uncooked chicken sausage, sauté in pan prior to adding onions, remove, cool, slice and add back in.) When onions are translucent add zucchini and sauté until tender. Dice chicken sausage into ½” chunks. Add to zucchini and sauté until warmed through. Add oil if any ingredients begin to stick to the pan while sautéing. It is important that there is sufficient oil to prevent them from sticking, otherwise the eggs will stick and you will not be able to unmold your frittata.

Scramble the eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper. Spread ingredients over bottom of pan. Pour eggs over ingredients. Tip pan if necessary to distribute eggs. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Cook eggs over medium heat until edges are set. Transfer pan to oven and cook under broiler until top is golden brown and eggs are fully set. If the top is browning too quickly, lower broiler to low setting. Remove pan from oven. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, loosen edges with a spatula. You can cut it into wedges in the pan or slide it out onto a plate and serve whole.

*** When sautéing ingredients for your frittatas you can cook more than one item at a time. Make sure, however, that they cook at the same rate. Depending on the items you are using, you may need to remove each item after sautéing and return them all to the pan just before adding the eggs. (i.e. onions and peppers cook well together, but zucchini would be mushy if cooked with them.)

***Fresh herbs are great in frittatas. Just add them to the scrambled eggs before pouring over the other ingredients.


NOTES FROM "CLASS"

If you are putting a non-stick skillet in an oven, make sure it is oven safe. Also, do not use metal utensils on a non-stick skillet. It will scratch the skillet and then it looses its non-stick properties. There are also claims that it releases Teflon into your food which is apparently poisonous. (Although, if you believe my favorite mad scientist, it’s going to take a life time to get Teflon poisoning, unless you’re actively eating your pans…)

A note on lettuce…like most things, it’s not good when it’s limp. No limp lettuce. If your romaine is droopy, it’s past it. Lettuce leaves should be firm and crisp. Baby greens aren’t firm and crisp, but they shouldn’t look dehydrated. If you are using bagged lettuce, be sure to patrol the bowl for those renegade rotten pieces that are slimy. Salad should not be slimy.

Veggie Stacks and Pear Salad

April 16, 2009

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Vegetable Stacks "Parmesan"

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

RECIPES

Vegetable Stacks “Parmesan”:

2 medium eggplant
2 bell peppers (not green)
2-3 medium zucchini
1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ bottle white wine (approximately one glass)
Mozzarella cheese (not fresh)
Parmesan cheese
olive oil

Remove ends of eggplant. (To remove stem end, push back a “leaf” as far as possible, place knife against leaf/stem slice off.) Slice eggplant length-wise into one inch slices. Make first and last slices thin slices to remove skin and create flat slices. Cut bell peppers in half, length-wise. Remove stem, ribs and seeds. Cut zucchini longwise into one inch wide slices in the same manner as the eggplant.

Line a baking sheet (or two if necessary) with aluminum foil. Coat vegetables in olive oil on both sides. My preference is to spray them. Remember to make sure the eggplant is well coated as it absorbs a lot of oil and has a tendency to stick. Arrange the veggies on the baking sheets. (If you are using more than one sheet, try to keep the veggies with their kind as some may bake faster than others depending on thickness.) Do not overcrowd the pan or your veggies will boil, not roast. Roast the veggies in a 450 degree oven for 10-20 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. (Cooking time will depend on thickness of cut and amount of veggies per pan.)

Sautee crushed garlic and pepper flakes in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes or until fragrant, but not browning. Add tomatoes and wine. Simmer while veggies roast.

In a foil-lined 13 x 9” baking pan (deep sides are preferable) spread a small amount of sauce -- just enough to coat the bottom so the stacks don’t stick. Place one piece of eggplant for each person. Top each eggplant slice with a slice of zucchini. (Feel free to use 2 slices if they are small.) Then place half a bell pepper on each stack. Cover the stacks with the sauce. Place a layer of sliced mozzarella over each stack and sprinkle pan with parmesan cheese. Switch oven to broil and place pan in middle of oven. Broil until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

*** These stacks can be made into smaller (girly) size portions by slicing the eggplant into rounds.

*** The veggies may be grilled instead of baked for a summer version that doesn’t increase the air-conditioning bill ten fold.
*** This recipe also works perfectly well with just eggplant. You can also use Portobello mushrooms. Play around and change up your veggies.

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad:
(serves 4)

Mixed baby greens – approximately 1 handful per person
2 pears (ripe -- but not mushy. I like red pears, but any will do.)
3-5 oz. gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Pecans (candied is optional)

1 Tbs Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 -2 Tbs white wine or champagne vinegar
1/3 cup hazelnut oil (walnut oil is also very good)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper together. Set aside and let stand for 15-30 minutes.

Mix greens, cheese and pecans in bowl. Toss with dressing. Slice pears into quarters and remove the seeds. Slice each quarter lengthwise into three to four slices depending on the size of the pear. Lay slices on top of salad. Serve immediately.

*** One bag of mixed baby greens serves approximately 4 people a large portion. If you are using a bagged lettuce (and I do) be sure to inspect it for pieces that are wilted or slimy.

*** If you want to slice your pear ahead, toss it in the dressing to prevent it from browning. Pear will brown quickly once cut. You can also toss the pear in the salad, it just makes a prettier presentation when laid on top.

**** This salad is also good with romaine lettuce.