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apps-Tomato, Mozzaarella, and Basil Bruschetta
1 (32-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and spun dry
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large French baquettes, sliced 1-inch thick (about 36 slices)
1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
On a baking sheet, line up baguette slices. Toast in oven for about 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Working quickly, rub the remaining garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a piece of mozzarella cheese on top. Place bread back in oven and melt cheese slightly, about 45 seconds. Remove from oven and spread one tablespoon of the tomato mixture on each piece.
Place bruschetta on decorative platter and garnish with basil leaves.
Main dish-Bollito Misto
4 pounds beef brisket or top round
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups beef stock or broth
About 4 cups water, enough to cover the beef
2 onions, peeled and quartered
4 celery stalks, cut in 1/2
1 bay leaf
4 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
1 pound small boiling potatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Gorgonzola Sauce, recipe follows
Salsa Verde, recipe follows
Heat a large braising pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Sear the beef, browning it on both sides, about 5 minutes a side. Carefully add the stock and enough water to just cover the meat. Add the onion, celery, and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook until the meat is tender, about another hour. Carefully lift out the meat, place on a cutting board, and cover with foil. Strain the vegetables from the stock. Discard the celery, onion, and bay leaf. Arrange the carrots and potatoes on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Continue cooking the stock uncovered over medium heat until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the meat against the grain, on an angle. Arrange the meat alongside the carrots and potatoes on the platter. When the stock has reduced, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer to a gravy dish. Serve the Bollito Misto with the gravy and bowls of the Gorgonzola Sauce and the Salsa Verde.
Gorgonzola Sauce:
4 ounces Gorgonzola
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and combine until smooth. Serve in a side dish.
Yield: 1 1/4 cups
Spicy Salsa Verde:
1 cup chopped parsley leaves, about 1 bunch
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped capers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
In a bowl, stir all the ingredients together until combined. Serve in a side dish.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Side-Spicy Baked Macaroni
Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound assorted mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup
1/4 cup Romano, plus 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons
12 ounces mozzarella cubed (about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup Romano. Spread the softened butter in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture inside the dish to coat.
In a large bowl combine the vegetable mixture with the cooked macaroni, cubed mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and the nutmeg. Spoon into the prepared baking dish, top with the remaining bread crumb mixture, and dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Oh yeah, a few martinis too!
apps-Tomato, Mozzaarella, and Basil Bruschetta
1 (32-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and spun dry
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large French baquettes, sliced 1-inch thick (about 36 slices)
1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
On a baking sheet, line up baguette slices. Toast in oven for about 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Working quickly, rub the remaining garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a piece of mozzarella cheese on top. Place bread back in oven and melt cheese slightly, about 45 seconds. Remove from oven and spread one tablespoon of the tomato mixture on each piece.
Place bruschetta on decorative platter and garnish with basil leaves.
Main dish-Bollito Misto
4 pounds beef brisket or top round
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups beef stock or broth
About 4 cups water, enough to cover the beef
2 onions, peeled and quartered
4 celery stalks, cut in 1/2
1 bay leaf
4 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
1 pound small boiling potatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Gorgonzola Sauce, recipe follows
Salsa Verde, recipe follows
Heat a large braising pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Sear the beef, browning it on both sides, about 5 minutes a side. Carefully add the stock and enough water to just cover the meat. Add the onion, celery, and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook until the meat is tender, about another hour. Carefully lift out the meat, place on a cutting board, and cover with foil. Strain the vegetables from the stock. Discard the celery, onion, and bay leaf. Arrange the carrots and potatoes on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Continue cooking the stock uncovered over medium heat until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the meat against the grain, on an angle. Arrange the meat alongside the carrots and potatoes on the platter. When the stock has reduced, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer to a gravy dish. Serve the Bollito Misto with the gravy and bowls of the Gorgonzola Sauce and the Salsa Verde.
Gorgonzola Sauce:
4 ounces Gorgonzola
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and combine until smooth. Serve in a side dish.
Yield: 1 1/4 cups
Spicy Salsa Verde:
1 cup chopped parsley leaves, about 1 bunch
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped capers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
In a bowl, stir all the ingredients together until combined. Serve in a side dish.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Side-Spicy Baked Macaroni
Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound assorted mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup
1/4 cup Romano, plus 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons
12 ounces mozzarella cubed (about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup Romano. Spread the softened butter in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture inside the dish to coat.
In a large bowl combine the vegetable mixture with the cooked macaroni, cubed mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and the nutmeg. Spoon into the prepared baking dish, top with the remaining bread crumb mixture, and dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Oh yeah, a few martinis too!
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