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Category Archives: Cheese

Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese in a Citrus-Honey Vinaigrette

Posted on July 22, 2010 by amydeline

In general, I like to alternate heavier meals (like last night’s Chicken Cordon Bleu) with something a bit lighter. A fresh salad of spinach in a citrus vinaigrette with beets and a bit of herbed goat cheese seemed perfect tonight. Since my hubby always likes to have some sort of meat or fish protein with dinner, I’m also roasting up a few Sweet Apple Chicken sausages. But the real star of tonight’s dinner is the salad.

I’ve made beet salads a few different ways, sometimes slicing and stacking the beets, other times cutting them into little cubes. Today it occurred to me that I could have a little fun with the stacked beets. So, I pulled out my bin of cookie cutters to find one which would be the right size for my beets. Apparently, my cookie cutter bin has a magnetic pull on my three-year-old. He was content in the living room playing with his cars and motorcycles, but the moment the bin came out, he was magically by my side asking to help. How can I say no to my little sous chef?

Little chef, making teddy bear and gingerbread man shaped beets.

This particular little sous chef happens to be quite the picky eater, albeit a very eager and creative chef. He was the mastermind behind Ice Cream Pizza, the artist behind teddy bear beets, and has recently been suggesting I make Vanilla Soup. (I’m still working on that one.) He’d eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and popcorn for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, every single day, if I let him. Which, much to his dismay, I do not. I just keep plugging along, exposing him to a variety of foods and hoping that if he’s hungry, he’ll eat. But it’s also my hope that by involving him in so much of the cooking process, he’ll be more likely to try new things. We’ll get there eventually.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad in a Citrus-Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • 4 Beets
  • 4 ounces Goat Cheese
  • 4 cups Baby Spinach
  • 1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped

For the Dressing

  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • Juice of 1 Orange
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • 1 Tbsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 Shallot, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Zest from the fruits, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off the top and bottom of the beets. Wrap the beets in foil. Make sure they are thoroughly wrapped. Place the foil packet of beets in a baking dish on the middle oven rack. Cook for 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the beets, until the tip of a knife inserts easily. Cool. Using a knife, remove the skin. Slice or cut as desired.

For the dressing, combine all ingredients. (You should have about 1/2 cup combined juice from the orange, lemon, and lime.) Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add additional olive oil, if desired.

Toss the spinach in a little dressing. Create a tower of alternating layers of roasted beet slices and goat cheese. Drizzle a little extra dressing on top. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and citrus zest.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu and Green Beans Almondine

Posted on July 21, 2010 by amydeline

Chicken Cordon Bleu has been on my mind recently. I just love the crispy breaded chicken breast combined with salty prosciutto and cheese. Yum… Cheese. Lately, I’ve been acutely aware that if you don’t like cheese, you probably hate my blog. I’ve kind of got a little thing for cheese. I sure hope you like cheese too.

Chicken Cordon Bleu can be made a number of different ways. The most common procedure involves stuffing or rolling a chicken breast with ham or prosciutto and some type of swiss cheese, then breading and cooking. That approach will work, but I’ve had issues with the cheese oozing out during cooking. I hate to lose even a bit of cheese. So, I’ve come up with a different way of making chicken cordon bleu. I roll prosciutto in chicken breast, bread it, brown it in olive oil until golden brown, and finish the cooking in the oven. While the chicken is baking, I make a basic white sauce, or bechamel sauce, and then melt in some tasty Gruyere swiss cheese. No cheese is lost in the cooking and you get a nice creamy sauce to drizzle over the chicken. And who doesn’t like having a sauce to dip in??

On the side, we’re having green beans prepared my favorite way; sauteed in a bit of olive oil with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of salt. To make things just a smidgen easier, I buy the cleaned and cut fresh green beans, which can be microwaved right in the bag. I typically cook them for less than the recommend time, so they do not become mushy.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

  • 4 Chicken Breasts
  • 4-6 slices Prosciutto or Ham
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
  • 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper

For the Gruyere Sauce:

  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Tbsp Flour
  • 1 cup Milk
  • Dash of Nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1/2 cup Gruyere (or other swiss cheese), shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pound the chicken breast between plastic wrap until about 1/4 inch thick.

Lay slices of prosciutto or ham on top of the flattened chicken breast. Roll the chicken and tuck in the ends. Season with salt and pepper. Roll each chicken roll in flour. Dip into the lightly beaten eggs. Then, roll in the bread crumbs until well-coated. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the chicken rolls in the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side, until lightly browned.

Place the browned chicken into a baking dish. Place the baking dish into the oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Combine butter and flour in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for a couple minutes while stirring. It should have a paste-like consistency. This is your roux (roo) which will thicken your white sauce. Scrape the roux from the pan and set aside. Add milk to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Using a whisk, incorporate the roux into the milk until smooth. Simmer for a few minutes until the milk begins to thicken. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Turn down the heat and add the shredded Gruyere cheese. Stir until melted and smooth.

When the chicken has finished cooking, spoon some sauce over each chicken roll and serve.

Green Beans Almondine

Ingredients

  • 1 package Cleaned and Cut, Fresh Green Beans, steamed
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
  • 1/4 tsp Salt

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until almonds just begin to toast. Add the steamed green beans. Use tongs to toss the beans in the oil and almonds.

Cook for a minute or two. Taste and adjsut seasonings if desired.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Green Beans Almondine

If you have any leftover chicken and sauce, it makes an amazing sandwich! Spread the leftover sauce on a ciabatta roll. Slice the chicken. Place the slices onto the roll. Sprinkle a little extra swiss cheese on top, if desired. Wrap it in foil and bake in the oven until heat through. Excellent!

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Roast Beef, Bleu Cheese and Caramelized Onion Panini

Posted on July 19, 2010 by amydeline

I owe you an apology. I have no idea how I’ve gone through almost a hundred posts without making caramelized onions. I’m so sorry. It was neglectful, thoughtless, and downright irresponsible of me! I’m going to make it up to you today with a caramelized onion photo guide and an easy panini sandwich recipe featuring the sweet oniony goodness.

Yesterday, after baking the first two loaves of peasant bread with rosemary, I decided to bake two more loaves, using honey instead of sugar, olive oil instead of butter, and a bit of sea salt instead of rosemary. Just because I like to play with food. Now we’ve got more bread than any family could need. This leaves me with a few options. I could freeze the bread, but that would take up space, which is at a premium in my freezer. I could try to find a poor wandering cathedral builder and his family to donate it to, but I haven’t seen one of those in years. Lastly, I could make sandwiches for dinner. Sandwiches it is!

The large flat loaves of peasant bread scream panini to me. A panini is essentially a pressed sandwich, often grilled or toasted until hot and melty. You do not need any special equipment to make panini. A heavy pan or foil-wrapped brick will do the trick. You can toast the sandwich in a skillet or grill pan with the foil-wrapped brick on top to ‘press’ the sandwich. Flip the sandwich after a few minutes to toast the other side. Another alternative is to cook the sandwich on an actual grill with a heavy pan or foil-wrapped brick on top. Today, I’ll be wrapping my sandwich in foil, placing a cast iron skillet on top, and baking it in the oven until it’s hot and melty.

You can use any type of bread for panini sandwiches, but something flat and dense will work best. Popular panini breads are ciabatta or focaccia. If you have the time, bake a couple loaves of my peasant bread recipe. It’s easy and delicious! You can fill your panini with any combination of meats, cheeses, spreads, and vegetables. My sandwich fillings were inspired by the leftover bleu cheese I had in the fridge. Bleu cheese got me thinking of roast beef, which led me to the caramelized onions. I’m also adding a bit of shredded mozzarella for flavor balance and extra meltiness.

To see my photo guide on How to Caramelize Onions, click here.

Roast Beef, Bleu Cheese, and Caramelized Onion Panini

Ingredients

  • Roast Beef, thinly sliced
  • Caramelized Onions
  • Bleu Cheese, crumbled
  • Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • Loaf of flat, dense bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice the loaf of bread in half.

Place the roast beef in an even layer on the bottom half of the bread.

Sprinkle caramelized onions on top of the beef.

Sprinkle with bleu cheese crumbles.

Sprinkle with some shredded mozzarella.

Place the top half of bread on top.

Tightly wrap the sandwich in foil.

Place the sandwich on the middle rack of the oven. Place a heavy skillet or foil-wrapped brick on top.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Then, unwrap and enjoy.


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Feta Cheese Mousse and Summer Fruits

Posted on July 8, 2010 by amydeline

I shrieked at the grocery store. People were staring, a look of pity on their faces for the poor, crazy girl shrieking over produce. Or maybe their look was of concern for the two children in the crazy girl’s care. But I promise there was good cause for shrieking. Honest, there was.

You see, I had gone to the store to buy watermelon for today’s recipe. My grocery store likes to play a game with its customers by constantly rearranging the items in the produce section. I swear that if I walked from the produce section to frozen foods and back again, the apples would be someplace different. Anyway, I found the watermelon. Score one for me! And then I spotted the sign; the sign which read Fresh Figs. Fresh Figs!!!  My heart skipped a beat. My eyes went into overdrive scanning for the aforementioned fresh figs! They landed on their target and that’s when the shriek escaped from my mouth. First fresh figs of the season!

I told you there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for my reaction!

Figs make me think about Greece and a lovely dinner my husband and I enjoyed on the patio of a restaurant that sat on one edge of a huge town square. As we were preparing to pay the bill, the waiter brought over two glasses of ouzo, on the house. We were delighted. Moments later, the owner of the restaurant appeared, carrying a plate full of fresh figs and other fruits. It was the first time I’d ever tasted a fresh fig. The owner, whose English was excellent, chatted with us for a while. He then proceeded to plan our wedding, which was to take place the next morning at the church across the square, excitedly claiming that he knew the priest and could arrange everything for us. Just come back tomorrow morning and you get married, he instructed. We did not take him up on his offer to marry that next morning, though part of me wishes we did. But that was well before our marrying days. Good memories though, which make figs taste extra sweet to me.

Thankfully, fresh figs fit beautifully into my existing plan for today. I’ve been thinking a lot about cheese mousse since making the mixed berry mousse last week. I’d tentatively decided that I would make a goat cheese mousse this week. Well, after yesterday’s Farfalle with Spinach, Feta, and Pine Nuts, I’ve got a tub of leftover feta cheese in my fridge. So, Feta Cheese Mousse it is! My plan was to pipe the goat cheese mousse into cubes of fresh watermelon. We’ll still be doing that. But now we’ll also be piping the mousse onto fresh figs! Oh, glorious summer treat!

Serve these little snacks as a first course appetizer, an hors d’ oeuvres, or even as a lunch over some mixed greens!

Feta Cheese Mousse

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Feta Cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup Cream Cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup Heavy Cream, divided

Directions

Whip 1/2 cup of the heavy cream until it begins to form firm peaks.* Set the whipped cream aside. Use a food processor, blender, or immersion blender to combine the feta, cream cheese, and 1/4 cup heavy cream until smooth.  Blend a bit of the whipped cream into the cheese mixture. This will lighten the mixture. Then, gently fold in the remaining cream. Do not over-mix or you will lose the fluffiness of whipped cream.

Refrigerate while you prepare the fruits.

*When whipping cream, it’s important to keep the cream and equipment cool. Place your whipping bowl and whisk in the freezer for a few minutes before beating the cream. Then, set the bowl in an ice bath as you beat the cream. The bowl with the whipped cream can stay in the ice bath while you blend the cheese.

To prepare the watermelon, cut the heart from the rind. Then, cut the watermelon into your desired shapes. Small cubes or tiles work well. You can also use a cookie cutter to create circle or star shaped tiles.

Use a melon baller to remove a portion of the cubes.

I’m sure you can find a use for the leftover watermelon scraps.

This is curious...

Satisfied Watermelon Face

Spoon the mousse into a pastry bag and pipe it onto your watermelon and figs. To create a makeshift pastry bag, cut off the corner of a ziploc bag. Insert your pastry tip. Fill the bag with the mousse and pipe it into your fruit. The mousse would also be delicious on vegetables, crackers, bread.

Ziploc Pastry Bag

Watermelon with Feta Cheese Mousse and Mint

Sweet Summer Treat

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Farfalle with Spinach, Feta, and Pine Nuts

Posted on July 7, 2010 by amydeline

The name of the game today is staying cool in the pool. By pool, I’m referring the the 10 foot wide, 3 foot deep play pool which my son received as a birthday gift from his uncle, aunt, and cousin. It’s been a godsend during this hot weather we’re having. The depth is perfect for the kids, since they can both touch the ground, which makes it much easier for me to handle two toddlers in the pool at once. A bottle of sparkling water and a dip in the pool with the kiddies. Sounds like a great afternoon plan to me!

But before we hit the pool, I have a great summer side salad to share with you. It’s delicious and perfect for summer entertaining. It’s great served at room temperature, warm, or chilled. Plus, it does well out of the fridge for a few hours, which makes it a great dish to bring to a potluck BBQ. We’ll be enjoying it tonight with roasted chicken sausage!

Farfalle with Spinach, Feta, and Toasted Pine Nuts

Ingredients

  • 1 box Farfalle pasta
  • 1 16 ounce package frozen Cut-Leaf Spinach, defrosted
  • 4 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Shallot, diced fine
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup Feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 1.75 ounce bottle Pine Nuts (about 1/2 cup)
  • Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

Directions

Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the other ingredients. Place the pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat and cook for about 3-4 minutes until they just start to brown. Set the pine nuts aside. Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach using your hands or a piece of cheesecloth.* When the pasta is cooked, drain and set aside. In the pasta pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook for a minute or two. Add the drained spinach and stir. Add the cheese. Cook and stir for a few minutes, until the cheese begins to melt into the spinach mixture. Add the hot pasta and pine nuts. Toss to combine. Season with a bit of crushed red pepper, if desired. Serve immediately, refrigerate or hold at room temperature for a few hours.

Makes 8 Side Dish Servings

*Cheesecloth is a thin mesh fabric. My supermarket carries the cheesecloth in the same aisle as utensils and other cooking supplies. It comes in a huge piece, which you can cut to size as needed. It’s handy to have around for straining foods or bundling herbs to cook in stocks or soups.

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Brunch – It’s the meal that comes with a Mimosa

Posted on June 27, 2010 by amydeline

There’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And then there’s BRUNCH, the meal that comes with a Mimosa. Sign me up for that one! I do love a good, hearty brunch! Aside from enjoying my darling breakfast at lunch time, brunch usually means good times with good friends and family.

Yesterday, we hosted our first Brunch to BBQ party. And it was a fantastic success, though we never actually fired up the grill. We started with a wonderful brunch and several Mimosas. Then, we lied around on the living room floor until we felt like we could move again, watched a bit of the World Cup and then headed outside for a few games of Polish Horseshoes. My sister whipped up a batch of margaritas and the festivities continued. Later in the day, we enjoyed dinner and then relaxed in the backyard until it was time to sleep. A great day!

Here are a few details on the brunch…

Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Toast English muffins in a toaster. Place on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm while you assemble the other components. In a skillet over medium high heat, cook each slice of Canadian Bacon for a minute or two on each side, until it is hot and slightly browned. Place one slice on each English muffin in the oven to keep warm. Poach the eggs, according to the procedure shown here. Hold the eggs in the cold water bath while you prepare the hollandaise sauce (Recipe here). Prepare the hollandaise sauce and keep it warm above a bowl of warm water. Reheat the eggs by gently placing them in a pot of barely simmering water for about a minute. Remove the eggs and dry on a paper towel. Place one egg on each English Muffin. Top with a spoonful of hollandaise sauce. Serve immediately.  Serves 4


*As a little variation, use smoked salmon in place of the Canadian Bacon. Just don’t cook the salmon or put it in the oven!

Salmon Eggs Benedict

Brunchy Beverages

Brunch and Mimosas go hand in hand. Bellinis are another brunchilicious option. Both Mimosas and Bellinis are champagne cocktails. Mimosas mix orange juice with champagne while Bellinis traditionally combine champagne with peach nectar. About 2 ounces of fruit to 4 ounces of champagne should do the trick. Substitute other fruit nectars to make your own variation. For a non-alcoholic option, use ginger ale or sparking cider instead of champagne.

Mango Bellini

Homemade Cream Cheese with Bagels

Make your own flavored cream cheese by softening cream cheese and adding your own flavors. For today’s brunch, I made scallion cream cheese by mixing in a bunch of chopped green onions and an olive cream cheese using a mix of chopped olives. Sliced Spanish olives with pimento would work great too! After you stir in your flavoring, put the cream cheese back in the refrigerator to cool before serving. A few other ideas for homemade cream cheese flavors: Smoked Salmon, Strawberry, Veggie, Blueberry, Honey-Nut, Roasted Garlic, Sun-dried Tomato, Maple, Cinnamon Apple, Cherry Almond, Spicy Pepper.

Homemade Cream Cheese

Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast Pizza

My sister treated us to her breakfast pizza, which as she explains, is based off of a breakfast pizza she saw offered at a Hess gas station. Imagine my surprise! Basing a dish off of something you saw at a gas station?? I suppose food inspiration can come from anywhere! I may base my next Beef Wellington off of Hess’ food offerings. All kidding aside, this pizza is delicious. It’s easy to put together and makes a great dish for guests.

Ingredients

  • 1 Prepared Pizza Crust (my sister uses a whole wheat crust)
  • 1/2 pound Bacon
  • 1 1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 6 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Cheddar, shredded
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Allow bacon to drain. Then, crumble it into small pieces. Reserve bacon grease. Whisk the eggs together with the milk. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and then cook in a pan until scrambled. Set aside. Brush the pizza crust with a bit of the bacon grease. Sprinkle about a cup of the mozzarella cheese over the crust. Top with the scrambled eggs and bacon. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the cheddar cheese on top. Season with a bit of pepper. Bake for about 8-10 minutes.

Breakfast Casserole

Sarah's Breakfast Casserole

A good friend brought along a breakfast casserole, a delicious mix of eggs, cheese, bread, and sausage. She explained that ever since she enjoyed this dish at a friend’s house, it’s been her go-to breakfast recipe. It’s a great all-in-one breakfast dish that’s perfect for a crowd. My mother in law makes a similar casserole, but she uses peppers and onions too. They’re both delicious. I’ll have to get the recipes to share with you soon!

Part 1 of our day was perfect!  The food, the drinks, and the company were all amazing.

Round 1 Results: Food - 0 The Gourmand Mom - 1

To be continued…

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Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella Caprese

Posted on June 15, 2010 by amydeline

Were you worried that this was going to be another strawberry recipe??? Don’t worry, we’re all strawberry’d out for now. Today, I’m thinking tomatoes!

On a warm, late spring day, nothing beats a fresh Caprese salad drizzled with a bit of balsamic vinaigrette. It just might be my perfect warm-weather lunch!! Throw in some beautiful, ripe heirloom tomatoes and it’s even better!

There’s no big secret of a recipe here!  Slice up some ripe tomatoes and a bit of fresh mozzarella.  Add a few basil leaves and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  Check out my basic balsamic vinaigrette recipe here.

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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds

Posted on June 14, 2010 by amydeline

Dear Yesterday’s Strawberries,

I feel compelled to offer you the sincerest of apologizes for my actions.  In choosing to engulf you in a layer of sugary gelatin, I disrespected your fresh-picked strawberry goodness. It was a mistake. You’re good enough.  You’re sweet enough. And, doggone it, people like you. I’m going to make it up to you! Today, I will enjoy your brethren in all their unadulterated natural goodness in a salad of fresh spinach and strawberries, adorned with goat cheese and almonds, and dressed in a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. It’s the least I can do!

Sincerely,

The Gourmand Mom


Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • Baby Spinach, washed
  • Strawberries, quartered or sliced
  • Goat Cheese
  • Almonds, sliced

For the Strawberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette:

  • 1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 3 ripe Strawberries
  • 1/2 Tbsp Honey
  • 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
  • Salt

Directions

In a blender or food processor, combine oil, vinegar, strawberries, cinnamon and honey. Blend until well combined. Season with a sprinkle of salt. To compose the salad, toss the spinach with a small amount of dressing. Top with strawberries, crumbled goat cheese, and almonds.

Make it a meal by adding a sliced chicken breast! I seasoned my chicken with a little salt and pepper. Then, I placed it in a baking dish, poured a bit of balsamic over it and baked in a 375 degrees oven. Perfect with the salad! Light, refreshing, and incredibly satisfying!

This is how to use fresh-picked strawberries!!

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The World’s Greatest Penne ala Vodka

Posted on June 7, 2010 by amydeline

This, dear friends, is your lucky day. I am about to share a recipe for the best Vodka Sauce you’ve ever tasted. Seriously…this stuff is a. maze. ing. This recipe comes from a lovely friend, Erin, who acquired it from her uncle, whose friend, Charlie, came up with it. Follow all that? The first time I had the pleasure of this sauce was during college, when Erin whipped it up to the great delight of everyone in our sorority house. We were all hooked. Our biggest problem after that, was figuring out who was old enough to buy the vodka, so we could make it again.

This is a rich sauce; not exactly what you would call diet-friendly. But, all things in moderation. It’s worth it! Just hold your breath while you pour in the quart of cream and drop in the stick of butter. It’s gonna be a long run for me tonight!

Mise En Place

A little note about Mise En Place – The French phrase, Mise en Place, pronounced MEEZ-on-plahs, roughly translates to “everything in its place”. In the culinary field, this refers to the practice of gathering, preparing, and organizing ingredients prior to beginning the cooking process. I’ve mentioned this all before, but I say it again because I truly believe that mise en place is the #1 thing you can do to make cooking a successful, enjoyable experience. Now, my mise en place isn’t always nicely arranged on a tray.  That just makes a pretty picture.  But, I do prepare my mise en place almost every time I cook. Sometimes I do it just prior to cooking.  Other times, I gather, measure, and prepare things whenever I have a moment over the course of the day. This way, when dinner time rolls around, I’m ready to cook! The practice of preparing your mise en place will save you many headaches and a lot of frustration. It will save you from burning the soup, while you’re searching for a spoon or from overcooking the green beans while you’re chopping the garlic. You’ll be just like those chefs on TV, skillfully whipping up delicious meals with ease.

But, enough about mise en place. Let’s get cooking!

Penne ala Vodka

World’s Greatest Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 shots vodka
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 pound prosciutto (optional, but recommended)
  • 1 can whole plum tomatoes
  • 2 small cans tomato paste
  • 1 qt heavy cream (or you can use a combination of light and heavy cream)
  • 1 small bunch of fresh basil, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

  • Chop onion and garlic and cook in olive oil until soft.
  • Add prosciutto and cook for a few minutes.
  • Form mixture into a circle with a hole in the middle, pour vodka in the center of the circle and allow to cook off (about 5 minutes). **Pour vodka into a shot glass or other wide-rimmed container before pouring into the pot.  Never pour alcohol directly from a bottle into a hot pan. It is flammable and there is a chance that flames could find there way into the bottle and cause it to explode.
  • Rinse plum tomatoes under water and rinse out all the seeds. (Seeds make the sauce bitter.)
  • Cut into quarters or eighths and add tomato pieces to mixture.
  • Add cream and tomato paste, stir until combined and hot.
  • Chop approximately 5 basil leaves and add to the sauce. (Save additional basil leaves for garnish.)
  • Add cheese and butter and simmer over low heat for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. About 1-2 tsp of each should be good.

Serve over penne pasta. This dish pairs nicely with steamed asparagus or peas.

The sauce will keep for a few days in the refrigerator if you don’t put it on the pasta. (Pasta with the sauce already on it does not reheat well.)

Italian Bread with Roasted Garlic Butter

Remember that garlic we roasted last week?  (Click here for a reminder.) Combine 1 head of roasted garlic with 1 stick of softened butter. Cut a loaf of Italian bread in half lengthwise. Spread the roasted garlic butter on both halves. Put the halves back together.  Wrap the loaf in foil.  Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 20-25 minutes. Cut into slices and serve with the Penne ala Vodka.

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The “Mona Lisa” Burger and Roasted Garlic Aioli, two ways

Posted on June 3, 2010 by amydeline

Several weeks ago, I ran across a website for the Cheese and Burger Society, a site designed to showcase delicious Wisconsin cheeses. My mouth watered as I flipped through their slideshow of delicious cheese-laden burgers. I made the immediate decision that I would gradually cook my way through each of the burgers on that site. With perfect grilling season now upon us, it is an ideal time to be embarking on a burger adventure. A few weeks ago, I cooked my version of The Miss Daisy, a beef patty on sesame semolina with apple butter and brie. Tonight, I’ll be making my version of The Mona Lisa (#20 in the slideshow), featuring a beef patty on ciabatta, with gorgonzola cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, prosciutto, and a roasted garlic aioli.

An aioli (pronounced ay-OH-lee or eye-OH-lee) is a garlic sauce, similar to a mayonnaise, which is traditionally made with raw egg yolks, olive oil and crushed garlic. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of mayonnaise.  Something about the texture of it and the feel of it in my mouth gives me chills. But, it really does seem to belong on this burger. I love the flavor combination of sweet roasted garlic with gorgonzola, so I decided to use a roasted garlic aioli in my version of The Mona Lisa burger.  As I mentioned, aioli is traditionally made with raw egg yolks, though with concerns about salmonella, some people opt to use a prepared mayonnaise base.  I went back and forth about which version to share with you and ultimately decided to share both. If you do decide to use the raw egg version, be aware of the potential risks of consuming raw eggs and use the freshest, highest quality eggs. Pregnant women, children or people with compromised immune systems should probably avoid the raw version completely. (To see what the FDA says about egg safety, click here.)

Roasted Garlic Aioli

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 8 cloves of roasted garlic
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • Salt and Pepper

Use the edge of a knife to smash the cloves of garlic into a paste.  In a bowl, whisk together egg yolk, roasted garlic, and lemon juice. Very slowly, begin to drizzle the olive oil into the bowl, whisking continuously.  (Adding the oil too quickly may cause the sauce to “break”, which occurs when the oil and the egg yolks separate.) Slowly continue to incorporate the oil, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens to a consistency similar to a thin mayonnaise. (If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water.) Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Add additional roasted garlic, if desired.

Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise

  • 5-8 cloves of roasted garlic
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3/4 tsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of cayenne

Use the edge of a knife to smash the cloves of garlic. Combine the roasted garlic, mayonnaise, cayenne, and lemon juice until smooth.

Little Chef

My “Mona Lisa” Burger

Beef Patty on Ciabatta with Gorgonzola, Prosciutto, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Olives, and a Roasted Garlic Aioli


Ingredients

  • Beef Patty
  • Ciabatta Rolls or Loaf
  • Gorgonzola Cheese
  • Prosciutto
  • Sun-dried Tomatoes, sliced
  • Olives with Pimento, sliced
  • Roasted Garlic Aioli
  • Lettuce
  • Red Onion, thinly sliced

Directions

Form the burgers to the shape of your bread. Grill burgers over medium heat until they reach a minimum temperature of 160 degrees. Split ciabatta in half. Spread roasted garlic aioli on the bottom half. Top with lettuce, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes. Place the burger on top of the garnish.  Top with gorgonzola, olives, and prosciutto.

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