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Chorizo and Potato Frittata

Posted on September 7, 2010 by amydeline

During a recent episode of Man v. Food, host Adam Richman visited the city of Syracuse, the city I call home. Though, admittedly, I don’t regularly watch Man v. Food, I recorded this episode, since I’d heard there would be a segment featuring one of my favorite places, Dinosaur BBQ. And there was. But the segment which really caught my attention featured a place I haven’t been to, called Mother’s Cupboard, home of the six pound frittata. You heard me right. Six. Pound. Frittata.

Now this frittata is not like any frittata I’ve ever seen. If I had to guess, I’d say that about 5.95 pounds of it is composed of the fillings; sausage, peppers, onions, pepperoni, and a full pound of potatoes. The entire pile of food is bound together with 4 scrambled eggs and served with 4 ends of Italian bread. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE to eat and I have a very healthy appetite, but watching Adam Richman eat that entire mass of food turned my stomach just a bit. The small percentage of diners who do manage to eat the entire meal, as Mr. Richman did, get a T-shirt and their picture on the wall. I don’t think I’ll be attempting the challenge anytime soon, but it was sure fun to watch.

I like frittatas quite a bit and don’t make them nearly enough. Frittatas are an egg dish, similar to an omelet, filled with any combination of ingredients and typically finished in an oven. Once you’ve got the idea, the possibilities are infinite. They make a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They’re also perfect for using up leftover vegetables, cheese, or meat.

For my frittata, I made use of some chorizo I’ve been storing and a few potatoes I purchased for another meal. The potatoes get cooked with the chorizo and a bit of chopped onion. As the chorizo cooks, it releases its tasty flavor to coat the potatoes. Once the potatoes are tender, the egg mixture gets poured over the fillings, cooked for a few minutes on the stovetop (try not to burn the bottom like I did), then placed in the oven to finish. A bit of melty Fontina cheese adds the finishing touch.

Chorizo and Potato Frittata

Ingredients

  • 4 Baby Red Potatoes, sliced thin
  • 1/2 small Onion, diced
  • 1/3 cup Spanish Chorizo, chopped
  • 6 Eggs
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Fresh Parsley
  • 1/3 cup Fontina Cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an oven-proof skillet with cooking spray. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo, potatoes, and onion. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are tender. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley. Once the potatoes are tender, pour the egg mixture into the pan. Cook for a couple minutes until the eggs appear cooked around the edges. Sprinkle the fontina cheese over the egg mixture and place the pan in the oven.  Cook for 10-15 minutes until the eggs are completely cooked through. The top will appear golden brown and the center should look a bit puffy.

Serves 4

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Goat Cheese Manicotti with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce

Posted on September 6, 2010 by amydeline

I’ve got mushrooms on the brain and they’re growing like a fungus. Perhaps it’s the approach of fall and the sudden drop in temperature around here. Can’t seem to think of a thing to make which doesn’t somehow involve mushrooms, which is quite unfortunate for my anti-mushroom husband. But my most recent mushroom creation even managed to delight my mushroom avoiding husband.

The idea began after staring at the log of goat cheese, which has been sitting in my fridge, leftover from our last wine and cheese night. If you’ve been reading for the past few weeks, y’all know how I feel about goat cheese. You’ve seen the salads covered with goat cheese and pizza of goat cheese, figs and prosciutto. It occurred to me that the leftover goat cheese would be lovely in a ravioli, but for lack of a pasta maker, I abandoned that idea. But the pasta idea was not a total loss. Manicotti or large pasta shells would make perfect vessels for my precious goat cheese. I decided on using manicotti.

I blended the goat cheese with ricotta cheese and a touch of mozzarella, then bound the cheeses together with a lightly beaten egg and piped the mixture into the cooked manicotti pasta. After baking the filled pasta until fully cooked, the cheesy pasta is topped with a creamy mushroom sauce, accented with garlic and Italian cheese flavors. The result is a super satisfying meal, perfect for the rapidly approaching fall weather.

Goat Cheese Manicotti with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

For the Pasta:

  • 1 8 ounce package of Manicotti (14 pieces)
  • 3 cups Ricotta Cheese
  • 8 ounces Goat Cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup Mozzarella
  • Leaves from 3-4 sprigs Parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 Egg, lightly beaten

For the Sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 4 cups Wild Mushrooms, chopped (Shitake, Cremini, Oyster, etc.)
  • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 2 cups Light Cream
  • 1/2 cup Italian Cheese Blend (Asiago, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Fontina…)
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • Black Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Boil the manicotti according to package directions. Rinse with cool water.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, mozzarella, parsley, salt, and pepper. Before adding the egg, taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, if desired. Then, add the beaten egg and stir to combine.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe the mixture into the cooked pasta. Alternately, use a spoon to fill the pasta. Place each filled manicotti into the prepared baking dish.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes until completely cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Pour the cream over the mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes until the cream begins to bubble and thicken. Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

Pour the mushroom cream sauce over the pasta before serving.

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Pepperoni Pizza Salad

Posted on August 31, 2010 by amydeline

My culinary muse is just over 3 feet tall and weighs in at about 34 pounds. He’s the pickiest eater of the bunch, yet has a knack for generating the most interesting recipe ideas, such as Ice Cream Pizza and Vanilla Soup. And then, last night at dinner, he started talking about Pizza Salad. It was perhaps, just a slip of the tongue, as he was awaiting a pizza with the option of salad on the side. But, my interest was piqued.

Little Muse

A moment later, my Pizza Salad plan was in place; chunks of pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, and grape tomatoes, tossed with romaine lettuce and dressed with a tomato-balsamic vinaigrette. As a finishing touch, I’d add Italian seasoned pizza crust croutons and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The result; a salad oozing with Italian pizza flavors! My little muse is pure culinary genius, though he refused to taste even a bite of his creation.

Sometime later in the evening, my tiny inspiration came running at me from the dining room, where his child-sized pretend kitchen is arranged. He had a small plastic pan with a cover in his hands. He was clearly distressed. As he approached me, he lifted the lid on the pan to reveal a single green leaf of plastic lettuce. He was shouting, Oh no! I burned the salad! So, maybe the kid has got a little to learn about cooking, but at least he’s got ideas!

Pepperoni Pizza Salad

Ingredients

For the Dressing

  • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/8 cup Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 5-7 Fresh Oregano Leaves, chopped
  • Salt
  • Crushed Red Pepper

For the Croutons

  • 1 Thick Prepared Pizza Crust
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic Powder
  • Dried Parsley Flakes
  • Salt

For the Salad

  • Romain Lettuce, chopped
  • Small Cherry Tomatoes
  • Small Fresh Mozzarella Balls (Bocconcini)
  • Pepperoni, halved or quartered
  • Parmesan Cheese, grated

Directions

For the Croutons

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a thick pizza crust into large crouton-sized pieces. Arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet. Spray or brush the bread cubes with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, parsley flakes, and salt. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until the croutons are golden brown with a crispy exterior and slightly tender interior.

For the Dressing

Whisk to combine vinegar, oil, tomato paste, garlic, and oregano. Season with salt and crushed red pepper.

To Compose the Salad

Toss the romaine, tomatoes, mozzarella, and pepperoni in a small amount of dressing to lightly coat. Top with pizza crust croutons and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

6 Comments

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Oven-roasted Pulled Pork and Summer Peach Pizza

Posted on August 26, 2010 by amydeline

Recently, I was having a conversation with someone who was tossing around the idea of opening a pizza shop in a city whose pizza market is predominated by chain restaurants. I suggested that as a way of setting himself apart, he should focus on using very fresh ingredients; local, seasonal, and organic when possible. In addition to offering a really good traditional pizza with traditional toppings, he could offer a special of the month, something a bit different, which features the most seasonal produce. As an example, I threw out peaches. Well, that got an odd look. So, I continued, Maybe with a BBQ type of sauce and pork or something. The odd look remained.

Over the next couple days, I mentioned this peach and pork pizza idea to a handful of other people, all of whom had the same confused reaction. Maybe I should have let it go, but for some reason, I couldn’t get this pizza off my mind. I mean, people put ham and pineapple on pizza. So why not pork and peaches?

I let the idea simmer in my brain for a while. The pork should be slow-cooked and tender, like pulled pork. The peaches would need to be roasted to make them extra sweet and tender. The sauce should full of tomato flavor, but with a definite sweet bbq accent. The cheese should be melty and mild. The more I thought it through, the more convinced I became that it would work.

So, I picked up a big pork shoulder and got cooking. Pulled pork is something which works best when cooked low and slow. There are several ways to do it, all of which can be successful. My preferred method is to oven-roast the pork, since I can use that method year round and I find that it produces a less mushy result than with a slow-cooker. You can decrease the cooking time by increasing the heat, but low and slow is your best bet for a tender roast, which will pull apart with ease. My recipe is sort of in middle as far as heat and time goes, but if you have more time on your hands, lower the heat and give it a bit more time.

For the sauce, I made a Honey Garlic BBQ sauce. I cooked the sauce along with the pork to pick up some of the pork flavor and allow the flavors to blend and concentrate. This also allows the onion and roasted garlic to slow cook for an even sweeter flavor. For a leaner end-result, you can cook the sauce separate from the roast.

Pulled Pork and Summer Peach Pizza

Ingredients

For the Roasted Garlic-Honey BBQ Sauce:

  • 1 15 oz. can Tomato Sauce
  • 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
  • 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp Mustard
  • 1/4 cup Worchestire
  • 1/4 cup Honey
  • 1 tsp Cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 head Roasted Garlic, cloves removed from the skin*
  • 1 Small Onion, chopped

For the Roast:

  • 1 5-7 pound Pork Shoulder
  • Paprika
  • Brown Sugar
  • Salt
  • Cayenne Pepper

For the Peaches:

  • 2 Peaches, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

For the Pizza:

  • 2 12″ Prepared Pizza Crusts
  • 2-3 cups Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1/3 cup Chives, finely chopped

*Click here for my guide to roasting garlic.

Directions

To prepare the roast, trim the excess fat from the exterior. Rub the roast all over with paprika, brown sugar, salt, and cayenne. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a heavy dutch oven pan with a tight fitting lid or in a baking dish that is just big enough to hold the roast, combine all sauce ingredients. Place the roast on top of the sauce and cover. If using a baking dish, tightly seal the pan with foil. Place it in the oven and cook for about 5 hours. No need to check, stir, or baste. Just pop it in a let it do its thing. You’ll know it’s done when the meat starts to pull away from the bone and the internal temperature, as measured with an instant-read thermometer, has reached at  least 170 degrees. You can also test the meat by scraping a fork into a piece of the roast. It should easily shred from the roast.

For the peaches, place the thin slices in a small baking dish and toss with the brown sugar. You can omit the sugar, if desired, but the small amount of sugar gives the peaches a very light, sweet glaze. Place the baking dish in the oven during the last 30 minutes of the roast’s cooking time.

When the roast is cooked, remove from the oven. Carefully lift the roast from the pan and place it on a rack or in a colander to cool for about 15 minutes.

While the roast is cooling, pour the sauce through a strainer to remove the chunks of onion, garlic, and any pork pieces. Allow the sauce to settle. Then, pour off any excess fat, which will rise to the top or use a spoon to remove the fat. Taste the sauce and adjust the flavor with more salt, cayenne, or honey, as desired.

When the pork is cool enough to handle, but still warm, use a fork to begin pulling the meat. If you scrape the fork against the meat, it should start pulling apart easily. Discard any fatty chunks. I like to go back over the meat with my fingers after pulling it, to make sure there are no slimy, fatty bits remaining.

Pour the sauce over the meat and toss to combine.

For the pizza, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scatter the sauced pork in an even layer over the crust. Place several slices of peach on top of the pork. Sprinkle with a good layer of mozzarella cheese. Garnish with the chopped chives. Bake for about 12 minutes until everything is hot, the cheese is melty and the edges of the crust are golden.

Makes 2 12-inch Pizzas (plus leftover pulled pork for sandwiches!)

This pizza was really good. Even my skeptical husband was pleased!

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Warm Nut-Crusted Goat Cheese on Garlic Toasts

Posted on August 24, 2010 by amydeline

Oh, goat cheese. My dearest goat cheese. How I adore thee.

I’ve had goat cheese brain lately. Look it up; I swear it’s a real condition. My husband and I nearly drew swords at lunch in Chicago, when I couldn’t resist from ordering a salad, when we’d sat down with the intention of splitting a Chicago pizza. But there was goat cheese with the salad. Warm. Nut-Crusted. Goat Cheese.

The next day, I had it again. A huge mound of fluffy whipped goat cheese, served with a salad of mixed greens in herb vinaigrette with roasted golden beets and candied walnuts.

And here I am today, still salivating at the thought of goat cheese.

So, for today’s lunch, I made my own version of warm nut-crusted goat cheese on garlic toasts, which I served alongside a salad of mixed greens in a honey-balsamic vinaigrette with crumbled bacon and fresh raspberries. Heavenly lunch.

For the goat cheese, use a food processor to grind a bunch of walnuts until they reach a fine consistency. Cut a log of goat cheese into slices less than 1/2 inch thick. Running the knife under hot water prior to slicing will help the knife to glide through the soft cheese. Press the ground nuts onto both sides of the goat cheese rounds. Heat a bit of oil in a pan over medium heat. A vegetable or nut oil would work well. Place the nut-crusted goat cheese rounds in the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side until the nuts begin to brown and the cheese is slightly warmed.

For the garlic toasts, cut slices of bread. I used a French batard. Rub the bread with a cut garlic clove. Then, brush one side of each bread slice with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a touch of salt. Place the bread slices under the broiler for a couple minutes until lightly toasted. Keep a close eye to prevent burning.

For the dressing, I made a basic balsamic vinaigrette with the addition of honey; about one part olive oil to two parts balsamic vinegar, a bit of dijon mustard, squeeze of honey, salt and pepper.

I added crumbled bacon and raspberries to my salad, but this dish would be equally delicious with many other additions, such as dried apricots, cherries, or cranberries, fresh pears or apples, chopped nuts, or prosciutto.

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Steak Dinner. Yummy, yummy.

Posted on August 17, 2010 by amydeline

We’re enjoying a visit from my in-laws this week. Tonight I had the pleasure of preparing a tasty steak dinner for our dining enjoyment. I mean, we have to eat something. It might as well be steak!

We started with an appetizer of Warm Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Cherries, Mango, Mint, and Almonds. Simply dice a few cherries and some mango, chiffonade a few mint leaves, and mix. Spread goat cheese on slices of French baguette. Top with a bit of the cherry, mango, mint mixture. Garnish with a sliced almond or two. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 8-10 minutes.

Click here to see my photo guide on How to Dice a Mango. Make the cuts close together for a fine dice.

Click here to see my photo guide on How to Chiffonade Basil. Use the same procedure to chiffonade your mint leaves.

I cooked our dinner as we enjoyed the warm goat cheese hors d’oeuvres. There was broiled flank steak, seasoned with salt and pepper, then broiled for 15 minutes. After allowing it to rest for 5 minutes, I cut thin slices across the grain.

Over the flank steak, we enjoyed a Roasted Garlic Sauce. To make the sauce, melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan. Add 2 Tbsp flour and whisk together. Cook over medium heat for a minute or two. Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of milk. Bring to a gentle boil and continue cooking for a few minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with a teaspoon of mustard, some salt, pepper, and a touch of nutmeg. Whisk in roasted garlic paste from one small head of garlic, until smooth.

Click here to see my photo guide on How to Roast Garlic. Once it’s roasted, squeeze out the soft garlic and sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt. Use the side of a knife to press the roasted garlic into a smooth paste.

On the side, we enjoyed Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic. Cut baby red potatoes into fourths or eighths, depending on their size. Toss with a bit of olive oil, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet and cook in a 350 degrees oven for about an hour, until they are tender, golden brown, and surprisingly sweet.

We also enjoyed  a side of Green Beans Almondine, my absolute favorite way to prepare green beans!

Click here to see my recipe for Green Beans Almondine.

Add a little Chianti and it’s a lovely meal!

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Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas

Posted on August 14, 2010 by amydeline

When I retrieved my ice cream maker from its hiatus in the basement, I told myself that I wouldn’t post too many ice cream related recipes. I recognize that not everyone has an ice cream maker lying around and I’d rather post recipes that don’t require any special equipment. I’m not doing a very good job of limiting the ice cream recipes though. It’s summer and I’m really enjoying the novelty of my ice cream maker. I’ve been finding myself dreaming of ways to use it. Some of my ideas are inarguably fantastic; others not so much. Last weekend, after a few glasses of wine, I was ready to whip out the machine to make some sort of Swedish Fish ice cream. I got some strange looks from the crowd, so we abandoned that mission. But I recently had another idea that I just had to try and since there was no one around to talk me out of it, I did. To make up for the fact that I’m sharing my third ice cream recipe in the past two weeks, I’m going to throw in a super simple, delicious bonus recipe which makes a easy, tasty dinner and requires no special equipment.

Remember earlier in the week when I mentioned the candy-sweet local corn, which I added to my pesto pasta with salmon and tomatoes? I wasn’t joking when I said it was candy-sweet. It seriously tastes like it’s been watered in syrup and grown in a bed of brown-sugar soil. I fed some to the kids and told them it was candy. They never paused for a second to question it. I’ve been dreaming about that corn ever since, plotting other ways to take advantage of its awesomeness. I wanted to use it as a dessert. It’s really that sweet. Sweet corn frozen custard came to mind.

Truth be told, this recipe was not a complete success. I contemplated whether I should share it or not, but I figured that if you’re crazy about corn, this recipe might be right up your alley. I fed a spoonful to my husband without telling him what it was and his reaction was less than enthusiastic. Confused would be the most appropriate description of the look on his face as he tried to process what he was tasting. His sentiments were that you can’t just feed people a bowl full of corn ice cream; that it needs to go with something. I agree. So, I made a homemade caramel sauce and served it with a graham cracker…sort of a caramel corn sundae, I suppose.

This frozen custard has a definite sweet corn flavor. The only added sweetener comes from a few tablespoons of honey. I used buttermilk to make up part of the cream base, sort of a play on my sweet honey cornbread with buttermilk, but I think the buttermilk was a mistake. The final custard was not nearly as creamy as I’d hoped. It had more of a firm, icy texture. I’m no ice cream making expert, but I suspect the iciness was a result of the buttermilk…perhaps a freezing point issue? If I were to repeat the recipe, I think I’d use an all cream base. Fairly certain that would produce a creamier result. The recipe I’m sharing with you excludes the buttermilk.

Summer Corn Frozen Custard

Ingredients

  • 3 Cobs of Sweet Corn
  • 2 cups Light Cream
  • 3 Tbsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Egg Yolks, lightly beaten

Directions

Boil the corn for 8 minutes. Cool. Cut the kernels off of the cob. Save the cobs. Use a blender or food processor to blend the kernels with the cream, honey, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture in a saucepan and add the corn cobs. You can break the cobs, if necessary, to fit in the pan. Heat the mixture, stirring often, until it begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing the mixture to remove all of the the corn-flavored cream. Add a small amount of the hot liquid to the egg yolks to temper the yolks. (Adding a small amount of the hot liquid allows the egg yolks to heat gradually and prevents them from scrambling.) Add the tempered egg yolk mixture to the hot cream. Return the mixture to a saucepan. Heat the mixture until it begins gently bubbling. Cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and refrigerate until it is completely cooled. Then, pour the mixture into your frozen ice cream bowl and freeze according to your machine’s directions. Serve with caramel, if desired.

Now, on to that super easy, super delicious, no-special-equipment-required recipe. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine sent me a message wondering if I had any ideas for how to make use of some chorizo she had on hand. Yum. Chorizo. I gave her a few general ideas at the time. And then I couldn’t get chorizo off the brain. Chorizo is a spiced pork sausage that is typically available as chorizo picante (spicy) or chorizo dulce (mild). Spanish chorizo is cured and can be eaten as is. My supermarket carries cured chorizo near the deli and cheese section. Chorizo is also available as a fresh sausage which you would probably find in the meat section of your supermarket. Fresh sausage needs to be cooked prior to eating. I love the combination of chorizo with seafood, especially shrimp. It occurred to me that both shrimp and chorizo would pair well with pineapple. So, I decided to put together some super fast Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas. I’ll definitely be making these again.

Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Spanish Chorizo, chopped
  • 1 cup cooked salad-size Shrimp
  • 1/2 cup Pineapple, finely chopped
  • 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese
  • 8 Flour Tortillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the chorizo in a pan over medium heat until it begins to release its oil. Add the shrimp and pineapple. Stir to combine. When the shrimp and pineapple are warm, remove from heat. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese onto each of four tortillas. Evenly distribute the chorizo, shrimp, pineapple mixture over the four tortillas. Top with another 1/4 cup cheese on each. Cover with the remaining four tortillas. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the insides are hot and melty and the tortillas feel slightly crisp. Press down on the quesadillas about halfway through to help them melt together. Allow the quesadillas to cool for a minute or two before cutting.

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Pizza Dragon and Chairs of Stock

Posted on August 7, 2010 by amydeline

Childhood can be a confusing time. So many new experiences to take in, so much to learn about the world, the potential for confusion lurking around every corner. As a child, I remember the day our father told my sisters and I about the shares of stock which had been purchased for us. Our youthful minds heard chairs of stock. We continued the discussion with our father, he talking of the shares, we talking about chairs. Imagine our confusion when he tried to explain that our chairs were going to help us to pay for college. How in the world, we asked. Well, we could sell our shares, he explained. People will want to buy our chairs? Yes, he explained, people buy and sell shares all of the time. Hmm… We continued trying to process this whole chair thing. So, where do they keep all of our chairs? My father paused for a moment. We continued, Is there like a room somewhere filled up with our chairs? And, that’s when he realized we weren’t talking about the same thing.

Or take, for example, our first experience at Chuck E. Cheese. My family sat down and ordered some pizza and sodas. On the wall was a giant movie screen, the size of the wall. On it, the movie Pete’s Dragon was playing. Our parents told us the name of the movie. Between bites of our pizza, we heard Pizza Dragon. Eat pizza, watch Pizza Dragon. Made sense at the time. Took us a few years before we realized the movie was not actually Pizza Dragon.

Speaking of pizza, we’re having my signature pizza tonight. My brother in law is visiting and his top food request for the weekend was this very pizza. I’ve taken a Steak Bordelaise dinner; steak in a rich wine sauce with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and gorgonzola cheese; and I’ve turned it into a pizza. It’s the steak dinner you can eat with your hands. I told you I really enjoy handheld meals. You can use either, neither, or both mushrooms and onions on the pizza, depending on your preference. The best part is that all components of the pizza can be prepared ahead of time! This is a very hardy pizza, so it works well with a side of fresh salad.

P.S. There’s skirt steak on this pizza. Have I mentioned how much I love skirt steak??


Steak Bordelaise Pizza

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 1 cup Dry Red Wine
  • 1 Shallot, finely diced
  • 1 sprig Thyme
  • 2 cups Beef Stock
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp Water
  • Salt and Pepper

For the Toppings

  • 1 Onion, chopped (optional)
  • 2 cups Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Skirt Steak (about 1/2 pound)
  • 1/2 cup Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Thick Pizza Crust, homemade or store bought (12 inch diameter)

Directions

For the sauce, combine red wine, shallot, and thyme in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer until the sauce reduces by 3/4. There should be about 1/4 cup remaining. Add the beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces by half. There should be about a cup remaining. Strain the sauce to remove the shallots and thyme. Return the sauce to the saucepan. In a small dish, combine the cornstarch with the water. Add a spoonful or two of the hot sauce. Stir to combine, then add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce. Simmer for another minute or two until the sauce thickens. Season with a little salt and pepper.

For the onions, heat 1 Tbsp butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until they begin to lightly brown. Turn down the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes until the onions are soft and sweet.

For the mushrooms, heat 1 Tbsp butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes until the are soft and lightly browned.

For the steak, preheat an oven to 450 degrees. Place the steak on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the steak into small bite-sized pieces.

To assemble the pizza, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread about 3/4 cup of the sauce over the pizza crust. Evenly distribute the steak over the sauce. Add the onions and/or mushrooms. Sprinkle with gorgonzola and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for about 15 minutes. Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing.

7 Comments

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Cheese Please!

Posted on August 6, 2010 by amydeline

It’s wine and cheese night over here! Family and friends have gathered and we’re ready to eat cheese! Earlier today I shared my recipes for three olive tapenade variations.

Enjoy the tapenades on their own or pair with cheese. Olive tapenade is especially delicious with feta cheese. Spread it on a baguette or make little tartlettes like these…

Simply buy a package of phyllo/fillo tartlette shells, fill with a bit of cheese, top with tapenade and bake in a 375 degrees oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is warm and delicious. You can make these tartlettes a hundred different ways. Try gorgonzola with finely diced dried apricots and prosciutto, brie with fig preserves or a cranberry chutney, or cheddar with poached pear and perhaps a piece of ham. The options are truly infinite. So easy and delicious!

Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella with Basil Pesto


Fresh tomato and mozzarella always works well for a wine and cheese night. There are many different ways to present the dish. Tonight, I arranged the tomato and mozzarella in overlapping rings. Then, I drizzled the plate with fresh basil pesto. Alternately, you can layer fresh basil leaves with the tomato and mozzarella and drizzle the dish with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve with a platter of sliced baguette and let your guests create their own Caprese appetizers.

For the basil pesto, I made a very slightly modified version of my regular pesto. This version simply contains a bit more olive oil and is blended longer so it has a consistency more like a dressing than a sauce. You can use the same recipe to create a spread or sauce for pasta by blending less and using a little less oil.

Basil Pesto Dressing

Ingredients

  • Big Bunch of Basil (about 2 cups Basil Leaves)
  • 1/4 cup Pine Nuts
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil (plus more, if necessary)
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Pull the basil leaves off of the stem.  Place in a food processor and pulse slightly, giving the leaves a coarse chop. Add all other ingredients, except the oil, and mix until well blended. Gradually incorporate the oil until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Baked Brie en Croute


We’re big fans of brie around here. One of my favorite ways to serve brie when we have guests is wrapped in puff pastry. It’s a simple preparation which makes an elegant presentation. You can wrap the brie on its own or pair it with preserves, dried fruits, spreads or nuts. Simply thaw one puff pastry sheet, which you can usually find in the frozen foods section of your grocery store. Spread a small circle of preserves or the filling of your choice in the center. Place an 8 ounce round of brie on top of the preserves. It’s not necessary to remove the rind from the brie. Wrap the puff pastry around the brie. Cut off any excess pastry. Lightly beat an egg with a splash of water. Brush a little on the seam side. Place the wrapped brie seam-side down on a baking sheet. Brush with the egg mixture. Bake in a 400 degrees oven for about 20 minutes. Serve with baguette.


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Posted in Appetizers, Cheese, Dressings and Condiments, Food, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

The Hangover Burger

Posted on August 1, 2010 by amydeline

Thought I was so slick. Went down to the grocery store Friday night and picked up all the things I would need for tonight’s dinner. The supermarket was quiet, peaceful, a virtual oasis of food; unlike on summer weekends, where it transforms into a frenzied circus of activity. But I was ever so clever and got it all taken care of Friday night.

Then, I woke up this morning, not so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed; the result of a small child who decided to start his day at 5:00am. I made the kids their breakfast, tended to the labrosaurus rex, and started the coffee. I had a hankering for some eggs in a hole; the dish my mom used to call Rocky Mountain Breakfast. So I heated a little butter in a pan, removed the centers from my bread, cracked the eggs into the middle, and fried them up. Then I sat down to enjoy my delicious breakfast.

Boy, did it hit the spot! I could have eaten two more, but I’d used the last of the eggs. I sat there, lingering over the last bite and then it struck me. Right smack in the middle of my head. I’d intended to use those eggs for tonight’s dinner. Foiled again by my overwhelming food cravings!! So much for avoiding the supermarket on the weekend.

Tonight’s dinner is an indulgence; a guilty pleasure. You’d better start running in place right now, cause it’s going to take some work to burn off the calories in this one. It might be a good idea to have your blood pressure checked before consuming. It will be worth it though.

Austin Grill, a Maryland based Tex-Mex restaurant has a burger on their menu called The Hangover Burger. I’m not exactly sure whether this burger is intended to be the cure or the cause of the hangover. But, lordy, lordy is this a good one! I ordered it once and dreamed about it forever after. The burger features a beef patty, smothered with chili, bacon, queso, roasted jalapeño peppers, and a fried egg. It’s the egg that really does it for me!

Tonight, we’re having my version of The Hangover Burger. Once, you’ve made the chili, there’s really nothing to it, besides putting the pieces together. Here’s how it’s done…

Austin Grill-Inspired Hangover Burger

Ingredients

  • Burger Patties
  • Hamburger Buns or Hard Rolls
  • Bacon
  • Chili Con Queso
  • Chili*
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Jalapeño Pepper
  • Salt and Pepper

*For my easy recipe for Spicy Beef Chili, click here.

Directions

Cut the jalapeño in half. Remove the seeds and ribs. Roast in a 300 degree oven for about 45 minutes, until softened. When cool enough to handle, cut into small pieces. Set aside. Cook the bacon and place a few slices on each bun. Season the burgers with salt and pepper. Grill or broil the burgers to your preferred doneness. While the burger is cooking, warm the chili and queso. Place the cooked burgers on top of the bacon. Top with a spoonful of chili and a spoonful of warm chili con queso. Sprinkle with the roasted jalapeño peppers. Top with a freshly fried egg.

Serve with a side of steamed broccoli, to make yourself feel better about eating the burger.

I foresee many salads in my future.

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Posted in Beef, Burgers, Cheese, Food, Main Course, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
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