Savory Roasted Garlic and Sage Cannellini Bean Spread

This spread is smooth and rich due to a generous pour of olive oil.  Seasoned with roasted garlic and sage, it's perfect for the winter months. I served it as a Thanksgiving appetizer with a crusty olive bread, but it's fantastic with crackers, or even as a vegetable dip. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Head Garlic

1 15.5 oz Can Cannellini Beans

1/4 Cup Olive Oil, Extra for Drizzling 

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice 

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Scant 1/4 Teaspoon Cracked Pepper

3/4 Teaspoon Dried Sage

TOOLS

Food Processor 

To begin, preheat a toaster oven, or standard oven to 400 degrees.  Place the whole head of garlic in the center of a piece of tin foil and drizzle with a teaspoon of oil.  Close the foil around the garlic to form a a small packet. Bake until  the cloves are soft and can be squished from the papery casing, about 35 to 40 minutes. I made extra roasted garlic which is also delicious on its own.

Rince the cannellini beans in a colander.

Place the rinsed beans into a food processor. Squeeze in the entire head of garlic cloves.  I know that this sounds like a lot, but the roasting transforms the flavor to be far less pungent.  Add the salt, pepper, and dried sage.  If you don't have sage handy, rosemary would work well as a substitute as it shares the same earthy flavor.  Pour in the lemon juice and olive oil, and blend. 

Continue the mixture, pulsing occasionally, for two minutes until the spread is completely smooth without any graininess. Depending on the beans, you may want to add additional olive oil a little at a time for the spread to be completely smooth.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil. 

Makes 1 1/2 cups

  

Creamy Prosecco Portobellos with Parsley

Try saying that three times fast.

Becuse I am savory obsessed I had this for breakfast. This would work as a perfect side dish for a hearty, but healthy dinner. 

INGREDIENTS 

3 Portabello Mushrooms

1/3 Cup Prosecco 

2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese

1-2 Tablesppons Parsley

Dash of Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

Scant Tablespoon Butter- Optional But Delicious 

METHOD

Trim the stem off the mushrooms, about an inch from the base.  Then clean portabello mushrooms with a damp paper towl removing all residual dirt.  Remember, you don't want to rince because the mushrooms soak up water like a sponge.

Slice the mushroom in half, and then into 1/3 of an inch strips.

Place mushrooms into a seasoned skillet on medium to high heat. No oil needed if it is seasoned and oiled.  If you don't have a skillet, use a buttered or oiled fry pan, but use slightly lower heat. 

Salt the mushros to help remove the water and cook, stirring regularly till the mushrooms no longer give off water and brown, about 8 minutes in the skillet, longer in the pan. 

Turn the heat to medium and add the Prosecco.  Cook until the alcohol has burned off or about when the wine has reduced by half.  If you are using a skillet and adding butter, now is the time.

Turn off the heat, but leave the skillet on the warm burner. Add cream cheese, pepper, and a dash of garlic powder and pepper to taste. Stir until creamcheese melts.  Finish by adding the VERY generous amount of rough chopped parsley. I know 2 Tablespoons is very aggressive, but it adds a hearty earthy flavor. 

Serve immediately.  I could eat the whole thing because I'm mushroom obsessed, but, more reasonable minds would serve as a side dish for two to three. 

As a variation, use red wine for a steak house vibe.  Or, double the wine and creamcheese for extra sauce. The amount in this recipe merely dresses the mushrooms. 

The Figs Are Back In Town

Figs & Creamed Honey Blue Cheese

Every Saturday, I wander through Boston's outdoor market, Haymarket, to get my weeks worth of veggies. I typically avoid the fruits and load up on the basics: celery, potatoes, loads of cucumbers and peppers.  Haymarket is a sea of your standard produce with the occasional jicima or jackfruit, then every so often a seasonal specialty. Today, I stumbled upon a personal favorite. Figs.

As a kid my uncle would bring them up from his home in the south, and I'll be honest, I thought they were terrible. But as an adult I've come to appreciate the beautiful color when you cut them in half, and chew when you bite right in.  

Typically I serve them with goat cheese and a drizzle of honey and cracked pepper. But, today I thought I would try something new. Behold- Figs with Creamed Honey Blue Cheese.

INGREDIENTS

6 oz crumbled blue cheese 

4 tablespoons honey 

4 oz creamcheese 

Salt & Ground Pepper to Taste

1 Pint Figs

DIRECTIONS

Cream bluecheese, creamcheese and honey in a food processor. Pulse at first, then leave on for a steady blend.  Push down the sides using a spatial as necessary. You'll want to blend just until smooth,  likely no more than two minutes. Add salt and ground pepper to taste.

Cut figs lengthwise and spread generously with whipped bluecheese. Serve with cracked pepper enjoy any remaining creamed cheese mixture with crackers... Or fingers, it's that good.

Truffled Egg Pizza With Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula

  

I love brunch for innumerable reasons. There are the eggs, the company, the fancy breakfast cocktails, did I mention the eggs? I know plenty of people swear by Belgian waffles with whipped cream, but I am firmly in the savory breakfast camp. This pizza has the traditional egg and bread combination that you look for at brunch, made even richer with truffle oil, but still bright and fresh with the addition of produce.  The sauce is a quick cheesy béchamel, but can easily be substituted with a spread of ricotta and scattering of shredded and grated cheese if you would rather not dirty the extra dishes.

 

INGREDIENTS

Prepared Pizza Dough (If you make your own, you are a better person than I am)

Corn Meal (for dusting)

1 Cup Milk

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Tablespoon Flour

1/2 Cup Ricotta

1/2 Cup Shredded Provolone

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Pepper

1/8 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1 Teaspoon Truffle Oil for Sauce, Then  To Taste

 

Six Large Eggs

2 Cups Baby Arugula

3/4 Cup Golden Cherry Tomatoes

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan

1/4 Cup Shredded Ricotta Salata

Four Large Basil Leaves

 

Preheat over to 450 degrees with the pizza stone inside.  You want the pizza stone to warm up with the oven to get piping hot making for a crispy crust. 

 

While the oven preheats, prepare your toppings.

 

First, the sauce.  You will need two saucepans to make the béchamel that is the base for the white sauce. Place the milk in one pan and warm on medium heat.  In the other pan, melt the tablespoon of butter over medium heat, and add the tablespoon of flour.  Combine the flour and butter and continue to heat over low/medium heat allowing it to brown for at least three minutes.
 

Once it's achieved a hay color, slowly add the warm milk stirring consistently, or even using a whisk to remove lumps.  Once the milk is fully combined, continue to heat the mixture for another five minutes for it to thicken.  Keep stirring as it heats to keep a smooth consistency and to avoid burning. A traditional béchamel includes nutmeg, but, omit it from this recipe since we are going down the truffle route.
 

 

Once the béchamel is thickened, add the ricotta cheese and shredded provolone cheese.
 

Stir this until smooth.  Add the ground pepper to taste, about 1/8 of a teaspoon. Add about 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.  Finally, add a teaspoon of truffle oil. Combine and set aside.
 

 

The tomatoes should be cut length wise across the widest distance. The basil should be chiffonade  (cut into long thin strips).  The easiest way to prepare basil in this way is by rolling the leaf onto itself across the width into a long thin tube.    The roll should then be sliced into thin pieces that will unroll to long thin strips.  This technique will make for a more uniform width in the basil.

 

 

When the oven is hot and the pizza stone is preheated,  dust the stone generously with corn meal, then and place the stretched dough onto the stone. If you don't have a stone, you can use a cookie sheet dusted with the corn meal. The dough should be poked with a fork so it does not bubble up. My favorite place to buy pizza dough is from a local pizza shop.  I make almost everything from scratch, but pizza dough I buy loud and proud. 

 

Spread the white sauce across the dough. You should spread it all the way to the edges of the crust so it is flavored even where the eggs don't extend.   I used the entire amount of the sauce because I had a very large crust, but, use your judgment.  Dot the pizza with the tomatoes, sliced side up. You want them slice up so some of the water will cook out without making the pizza soggy.  Finally, crack eggs over the pizza, I used six large eggs, distributed evenly. 

 

Place the pizza in the oven and bake until at least the whites are set, and yolks are to desired doneness.  The total cooking time will be from 10 to 15 minutes depending on your preference.  Ten minutes will give you set white and runny yolks, 15 minutes the yolks will be opaque.  I recommend closer to 10 for a runny delicious mess. Of course, if you cook the pizza less, you won't get as much of the crisp. If you know you want a runny egg, consider pre-baking the crust for 2 to 3 minutes before topping. 

 

Once the eggs have reached their desired doneness, remove the pizza from the oven and move to your serving board. Here you should slice into squares and scatter with ricotta salata and grated parmesan.  You'll notice I didn't salt anything along the way, this is because the ricotta salata and the Parmesan provide all the salt you'll need. Next, drizzle with truffle oil.  I used approximately a tablespoon worth of truffle oil, but more or less to your taste preference. The final step is to scatter with basil and arugula and serve. 

Two "S" In Dessert Because It Is Sugar Sweet

Raspberry Amaretto Brownies

 

INGREDIENTS

½ Cup Raspberries, Fresh or Frozen

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (more for greasing the pan)

1 ¼ Cup Sugar

3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder

½ Cup Flour

½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

½ Teaspoon Almond Extract

3 Tablespoons Raspberry Preserves


In 5th grade I was required to make either an informational or instructional speech in front of the WHOLE class. So, of course being a tiny Julia Child, I decided to teach the class how to make brownies.  Why do I share this story? Because brownies are so very easy, that literally a small child can make them.  These brownies are made a little more interesting with the addition of fresh raspberries as the base of the batter and a touch of almond extract. They are very sweet and dense.  These are not a fluffy cake-like treat, rather more of the consistency of a flourless chocolate cake.  I used to just make these as standard brownies with raspberry preserves on top, but then took a cue from the applesauce replacement for oil and made it fruit based.

 

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by melting 2 tablespoons of the butter over low to medium heat.  Add the raspberries allow to break down, about two minutes over the medium heat. Help it along by stirring it with a wooden spoon. 

 

 

 

 

Add the remaining butter, allowing to melt, then add the rest of the sugar.

  

 

 

 Allow to cool a bit so it is not too much higher than room temperature. This recipe calls for less butter than a non-fruit brownie because the raspberry adds extra moisture.  Beat two eggs in a separate bowl. Add the eggs to the raspberry mixture and combine.  

 

 

 

Then, add the extracts.  I like the hint of almond because it plays well with the raspberry without being overpowering. If you don’t like almond, feel free to replace with more vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa in a bowl.

 

 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Combine until there are no lumps.  You’ll need to stir well, scraping down the side of the pot with a rubber spatula if you can’t quite coax it out with the spoon.

 

 

 

Pour brownie batter into a greased 8 x 8 pan.  If you have only a 9x9, use the lower end of the cooking time since they are thinner.  I greased the pan with an extra tablespoon of butter then dusted with flower like  you would prepare a cake pan. You can also lay down foil, enough so that at least an inch hangs over each side, and spray with cooking spray.

 

 

Warm the raspberry jam until it melts to a honey like texture.  I used the jar in boiling water like a double boiler and it took about two minutes.  Those of you with microwaves (I know, everyone BUT me has one) can just melt in about 20 seconds.  Using a spoon, drizzle the melted raspberry preserves over the surface of the brownies in lines, swirling over the surface of the batter with the back of a knife for a marbled effect. 

 

 

 

 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick or knife in the center with only minimal brownie goo sticking.  When in doubt, remove before the sides get hard, these brownies are rich and fudgy.

 

 

Cool dish on a cooling rack and then cut to serve.  Excellent as a brownie sundae or on their own.

When serving for a party, I place the brownies in muffin tins as individual serving cups.

 

 

 

 

When Life Gives You Lemons, Peel Them To Shreds and Make A Cocktail.

Limoncello

 

My first limoncello experience was in a tiny restaurant in the North End, Boston’s “little Italy.”  Limoncello is a bright yellow, lemon-brewed, clear alcohol that is heavily sweetened. After a fantastic dinner, it was first served to me chilled in a tiny cup, on-the-house. It is a sweet after dinner drink on its own, mixed into cocktails, or served as a topping on ice-cream.  This year, I choose to make it as a DIY gift for friends and family.

INGREDIENTS

 

18 to 20 Lemons, Organic Preferred
1 “Handle” Vodka (1.75 Liter) (Tito's preferred)
4 Cups Granulated Sugar
4 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons Honey

 

TOOLS TO HAVE ON HAND

To Brew, Large Glass Pitcher or Large Empty Jars

Vegetable Peeler and a Pruning Knife OR a Microplane

Pitcher for Transferring

Coffee Filter or Tea Strainer


To begin, you will need about 18 Lemons.  I knew I would only be brewing the limoncello for only a few weeks at the most, so I wanted to be sure it was fully flavored.  Organic is preferable because the alcohol will saturate the peels and extract anything in or attached to them like pesticides and/or wax. Non- organic lemons are just fine, but just  be sure to scrub and wash them well.  

 

Peel the cleaned lemons with a vegetable peeler.
 

 

 

Be sure to remove any of the white pith that is attached to the peel with a pearling knife or the back of a spoon.
 

(Before and After Pith)

 

 

The pith is bitter and unpalatable.  I’m not doing to fool anyone, peeling the lemons is the absolute WORST part of this simple recipe.  It took forever and I was scared I was going to cut myself.  Zesting  the lemons with a microplane is substantially faster and easier alternative than peeling, but, you'll need to be much more careful when it comes to straining later in the recipe because it will create more sediment.

Once the unbearable peeling is over, you want to place the peels into your large glass container of choice, and add the vodka. 
 

 

 

 

When it came to selecting the vodka, I reviewed multiple classic limoncello recipes in coming up with my version. Many traditional recipes, called for ever clear, or in the alternative 100 proof vodka. When I went to my local liquor store, the only 100 proof vodka available was “Mr. Boston” in a plastic bottle with a tattered label, and it was just about $12.00.  Not being comfortable with poisoning my gift recipients and being conscious of the gluten free among us- I stuck with Tito’s.

 

Glass as the brewing vessel is preferred, again, because the vodka will extract from the container (BPA’s, google it) but also because the yellow dye from the lemon is so strong it will discolor any plastic vessel.  I used a large mason jar with a spout that I picked up from a craft store. If you use multiple vessels, just be sure to divide the lemons and vodka equally.

Now- leave the vodka and lemon peels alone to brew in a cabinet for at least 4 or 5 days, but, preferably a few weeks. I left mine for 3 weeks. The bright color appeared after the first few days, but after 3 weeks it was a deep dark yellow.
 

 

I was a little worried that the dark yellow was not the bright spring yellow I’ve seen in the manufactured brands, but, once you add the simple syrup the color dilutes.

To prepare the finished product, begin by separating the vodka from the peels. I did so by dispensing the vodka through the spout into a pitcher, discarding the lemons, and rinsing the vessel.

 

You then want to strain the vodka back into the large vessel through a coffee filter or tea strainer to remove any sediment. If you zested instead of peeling, you'll need to repeat this step to get a clear result.

Make simple syrup using equal parts sugar and water. You begin by boiling the water, then reducing it to medium heat and adding the sugar, stirring until transparent.  I added two tablespoons of honey to make the flavor slightly more complex but not overtly “honey.”  If your water is a little "flavored" (those with old pipes know what I'm saying), use bottled.  Allow to cool.  If you think you would you would prefer the liquor more or less diluted, add the syrup accordingly or make a little extra.

Once the simple syrup has cooled, combine it with the vodka.  If you add it when it is hot, it will boil off the alcohol.
 

 

 

Once combined, you are ready to bottle.

I purchased some mini mason bottles from the craft store, and repurposed some fancy tea bottles that I had at home.

I presented these bottles as gifts with small labels.  It made a interesting and easy DIY gift, especially paired with homemade lemon zest soap for a citrus theme.

 Store in the freezer and use within a year.

The Proof Is In The Pesto. Staple Pesto Recipe and The Dip-To-End-All-Dips

Pesto

 

A friend of mine recently commented that I put pesto in everything.  She is right.

This is the first time I’ve ever measured the proportions of this “recipe.” I’ve always done it by eye, feel free to mess with the proportions accordingly. Pesto is a basic Italian staple and can be used in a variety of settings, on its own as a sauce, or mixed into canned tomato soup for a homemade flavor.  My personal favorite off label use is in Pesto Dip, the recipe you will find below.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

¼ Cup Pine Nuts

Large Bunch of Basil, Enough for

3 Cups Leaves Slightly Packed

2 to 3 Cloves of Garlic

1/3 Cup Oil (Extra to Cover if Storing)

½ Cup Parmesan or Romano Cheese

 

 

 

 

To begin, you want fresh basil and lots of it. If it’s slightly bruised, don’t worry, it is about to get pummeled. Do not use slimy or blackened leaves, those are past their prime and will ruin the taste. Remove the leaves from the woody stems.  A little bit of the more delicate stems by the leaves are fine, they blend in without disrupting the flavor or texture.  You want to clean the leaves VERY well. Basil is grown in sandy dirt, and, if you don’t get it all off it will make your pesto gritty. I clean the basil by first removing the roots, if any, then placing the plucked leaves in water, swishing and emptying the bowl, then refilling and repeating. I finally swish the leaves and let the dirt settle at the bottom, then remove and ring out the leaves to place directly into the food processor.   
 

 

Run them through a salad spinner if you have one.

 

Once the basil is cleaned and waiting to be added the food processor, remove the skins from two to three cloves of garlic. I remove the skins by crushing under the flat side of a large knife.

 

 

 

I used three because I LOVE garlic, but, would recommend two for the garlic-breath-averse.

 

 

Place the olive oil and the garlic into the food processor or blender with the pine nuts, and blend until smooth.

 

 

 

If you can’t find pine nuts, cashews will work as a substitute. I prefer not to use a huge amount of oil  when I prepare pesto, because you can always thin it with more oil or pasta water when you serve on pasta. Also, if you store it, it’s kept under an extra layer of oil.

 Add the clean basil to the food processor and blend by pulsing.

 

Check the mixture as you go along to make sure all leaves are pushed down, and then continue to pulse until fully mixed to almost a paste, but still a little leafy.  

 

Add the parmesan and blend again until mixed. 

 

Ready to serve! 

Store any unused portion under a layer of oil in the refrigerator or freezer to last longer. Makes about one cup.

NOTE:  If you want to make extra pesto to freeze, remove the portion you wish to freeze before the cheese is added and cover with a thin layer of oil before placing in the freezer. To serve, just defrost and add the cheese.  

 
 

CREAMY PESTO DIP

I came up with this recipe almost three years ago on St. Patrick’s Day. I was looking for something green to bring to a party in Southie and had pesto handy in the refrigerator. Ta-da, Pesto Dip was born.  It’s since become a party stable and has been affectionately renamed “Pesto Crack Dip.”   It is simple and fast to make. You can make it in a mixer, or just using a bowl and mixing spoon. I strongly recommend homemade pesto, but if you need to use store bought, use the type in the refrigerator section, and, be sure to drain the excess oil.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

½ Cup Pesto

¾ Cup Sour Cream

4 oz (1/2 Block) Cream Cheese

¼ Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise

 ¼ Cup Parmesan or Romano Cheese

 

 

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl or food processor.

 

 

Blend until smooth and bright.

 

 

 

 

Best when served with red peppers, carrots, and celery or with crackers and bread.  If by some miracle you have leftovers, it is fantastic as a base for a white pizza or as a sandwich spread.