reggiano parmesano

Shaved Mushroom & Celery Salad

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

salad

I found this recipe in America’s Test Kitchen Mediterranean Cookbook and since I had all the ingredients, decided to give it a try.  I added a little and left out a little.  I made notes below the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ pound cremini or white button mushrooms, very thinly sliced
  • 4 celery stalks, from the heart of the celery, very thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced chives or tarragon
  •  Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice, or 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon (1 1/2 teaspoons) white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces shaved Parmesan

Toss together the mushrooms, celery, parsley, and chives, and season with salt and pepper. Mix together the lemon juice (or lemon juice and vinegar) and olive oil, and toss with the vegetables. Just before serving, toss again with the Parmesan.

Notes:

I used a little dried tarragon, as my chives are way out in the garden and probably frozen.  I did not use any vinegar as the recipe from the book did not call for any, but I did use EVOO (1/4 cup) and mixed it with the lemon juice, then added the very thinly (1/8 inch or less) mushrooms and thinly sliced celery to the mix and let it set for 10 minutes.

Since I had 2 ounces of grated regiano parmesano in the refrigerator I add that, then shaved the same for the top of the salad.  My garden is a little short of parsley this time of year, so I added baby arugula.

This would be a lovely salad to serve for dinner with friends, as it is a bit different, but delicious.  Hope you enjoy making it.

 

Shaved Mushroom & Celery Salad

Polenta vs. Cornmeal! The Big Debate ?

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I found this article on Epicurious written by Sheela Prakash on November 13, 2017 and thought it was useful information, so am just passing it along.

Ah, the endless polenta vs. cornmeal debate. A few nights ago I found myself standing in the bulk section of my grocery store, staring blankly at a bin of cornmeal. I had come in search of polenta, which I had planned to make for dinner. But it seemed as though everybody else had the same plan—the polenta was sold out. However, there was plenty of coarse-ground cornmeal, and from all I knew they were essentially the same thing. So I went home and made, um, polenta. And it worked. Sort of. I cooked it low and slow, and the results were indeed porridge-like. But something was missing in consistency and flavor.

Confused, I reached out for help. Glenn Roberts, of Anson Mills in South Carolina, and Sarah House, of Bob’s Red Mill in Oregon, were able to set the facts straight:

WHAT IS POLENTA?

Polenta is not an ingredient—it’s a a dish. “The term ‘polenta’ refers to the traditional Italian preparation of a variety of coarsely ground grains or starches cooked into a porridge,” says House. “For example, Northern Italy is known for polenta taragna, a porridge of cornmeal and buckwheat meal.” Chestnut flour, chickpea flour, or coarse ground rice are just a few of the many grains that were traditionally used, and are still used, in Italy. However, cornmeal polenta is by far the most common preparation and today, particularly in the United States, when you hear the term “polenta,” it refers to the cornmeal version.

CAN YOU USE CORNMEAL TO MAKE POLENTA?

So, is polenta cornmeal? And can you use those bags labeled “cornmeal” and “polenta” interchangeably? Yes and no. “Most people, including chefs we know and love, say any version of medium or coarsely ground corn works for polenta,” says Roberts. “Ultimately, yes, a cook can prepare a porridge from medium or coarsely ground corn. Fine-grind can be a bit too pasty if prepared this way. I like [fine-grind] best for baking or breading. But for those who are sticklers for authenticity, choosing a product specially designed for polenta will produce an ideal dish,” says Sarah.

 

Cornmeal in a Bowl

True polenta is made from a specific variety of corn. “Polenta should be made from corn that at one point culturally grew in Italy, even if the variety is now grown in the United States,” says Roberts. Authentic polenta is most typically made from a variety of corn called eight-row flint, or otto file in Italian. It’s an heirloom variety that produces a porridge that is deep in both color and flavor. It’s also milled differently from cornmeal, which yields a different, fuller mouthfeel.

CORNMEAL VS. POLENTA: SO WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?

In a pinch, sure, use that medium or coarse-ground cornmeal for polenta. But when possible, try to seek out the cornmeal that’s labeled “polenta,” as this is most likely to be the real stuff, the otto file—the stuff that will yield a bowl of porridge with a rich yellow-orange hue and a specific, addictive sweetness. Look for polenta from respected mills domestically and in Italy. Roberts likes Mulino Marino, a mill in Northern Italy whose polenta is made from the eight-row flint variety. And, of course, he also recommends his own company’spolenta, which also uses this heirloom corn.

WHAT ARE OTHER TYPICAL POLENTA INGREDIENTS?

Traditionally polenta is cooked in water. But it can also be made with stock or milk for added creaminess and flavor. Be sure to season with salt. Toward the end of the cooking process, it’s common to stir butter or olive oil in to the polenta for luxe creaminess. It’s also common to add cheese, like Parmesan. Then, your polenta can be topped with any number of things. Ragout is typical, but it’s also delicious served with mushrooms, roasted vegetables, or with a protein like fish. Or, just eat it on its own, as a creamy porridge. Need to know more about how to cook polenta, step by step? Check it out here.

Tomato-Basil Sauce with Polenta / Romulo Yanes

14 Different Ways to Make Very Versatile Polenta

VIEW SLIDESHOW

Polenta vs. Cornmeal! The Big Debate ?

Another day of cooking

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fun and very easy dinner shared here.  It is interesting having my six year old granddaughter for the summer, as she has very specific likes and VERY specific dislikes.  No tomatoes, but loves tomato sauces.  So the other night I bought some Lamb Loin Chops and rubbed them with lots of herbs from my garden and olive oil.  We grilled them quickly on barbecue and that was a huge hit, just simple and delicious. Carrots are high on her lists of favorite veggies, so sautéed with butter and fresh dill from the garden and they were devoured.  Funny, but that is the one cooked vegetable I do NOT love.  She kept asking me why I didn’t eat the carrots.  America’s Test Kitchen bread, with very little kneading was totally tasty and another big hit with Claire and my husband.  But risotto with Reggiano Parmesano was not in her palate, so she would not even try it, even though she loves cheese and loves rice.  So you never know what will make it and what will not.  The salad with greens from my garden, tomatoes and avocados, was a “don’t bother to put on her plate”.  I don’t think I liked lettuce or tomatoes at that age either.

Since the most of the dinner was simple and as easy as described I will just post the recipe for the bread.

Almost No-Knead Bread

A no-fuss recipe that is revolutionizing home baking trades flavor and reliability for ease. Could we improve the bread’s bland taste and make it rise high every time?

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

To avoid lengthy and tiresome kneading, we let our bread dough sit for 8 to 18 hours, during which a process called autolysis develops gluten—the protein that gives baked breads their bubbly, chewy crumb structure. After that, just 15 seconds of kneading does the trick. To give our bread more flavor than standard no-knead recipes, we add vinegar for acidic tang and lager beer for extra yeastiness. We bake the bread in a preheated covered pot to create steam, producing a springy interior, and then finish baking it uncovered for a beautifully browned crust.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Makes 1 large round loaf

3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water, room temperature
6 tablespoons mild-flavored lager
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Vegetable oil spray

Use a mild-flavored lager, such as Budweiser (mild nonalcoholic lager also works). In step 3, start the 30-minute timer as soon as you put the bread in the cold oven. Do not wait until the oven has preheated to start your timer or the bread will burn. The bread is best eaten the day it is baked, but it can be wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in a cool, dry place for up to two days.

1. Whisk flour, salt, and yeast together in large bowl. Add water, lager, and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.

2. Lay 18 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper on counter and spray with oil spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam side down, to center of parchment and spray surface of dough with oil spray. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover loosely with plastic and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Remove plastic from pot. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Cover pot and place in oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake bread for 30 minutes.

4. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours.

TEN STEPS TO EASY RUSTIC BREAD

1. HAND-MIX INGREDIENTS: Combine flour, yeast, and salt; then stir in water, beer, and vinegar and fold it all together. No mixer required.

WHY? This bread will form gluten as it sits, so there’s no need for a lot of mixing at the start.

2. LET REST: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.

WHY? Much like kneading, letting the dough sit develops gluten through a process called autolysis.

3. PREPARE PARCHMENT: Spray an 18 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper lightly with vegetable oil spray.

WHY? You’ll use the parchment to move the dough from the counter to the Dutch oven for its second rise, and to remove the bread from the pot after baking.

4. KNEAD DOUGH: Transfer the dough to a floured counter and knead it just 10 to 15 times.

WHY? During the long rest, the proteins in the dough break down, making it easier to manipulate, and with less than a minute of kneading, the gluten has been sufficiently developed.

5. SHAPE AND LET RISE: Form the dough into a ball, place it on the parchment, and transfer it to a Dutch oven. Then cover it and let it rise for 2 hours.

WHY? Once shaped, the dough undergoes its final rise, during which the yeast produces carbon dioxide to make the dough puff.

6. SLASH DOUGH: Use a sharp knife or razor to cut one 6-inch- long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along the top of the dough.

WHY? Slashing the dough allows steam to escape so the loaf bakes evenly, preventing splits and cracks.

7. COVER UP: Place the cover on the pot.

WHY? The covered pot produces a steamy environment that gives the loaf an open crumb structure.

8. START IT COLD: Place the covered pot in a cold oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees and bake the bread for 30 minutes.

WHY? Starting the bread in a cold oven ensures against burning the bottom, and the bread rises just as much as in a preheated oven.

9. REMOVE COVER: Uncover the pot and continue to bake the bread until it is deep brown and its center registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes more.

WHY? After the steamy environment has created the ideal interior texture, uncovering the pot allows the crust to brown and crisp.

10. LET COOL AND SERVE: Remove the bread from the pot and place it on a rack to cool for about 2 hours before slicing.

WHY? There’s still a lot of moisture trapped inside the hot bread. As the bread sits, the steam escapes giving the cooled loaf just the right texture.

Another day of cooking

Gnocchi Tonight

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
This afternoon about four, I decided Beet Gnocchi for dinner might be fun. I went with organic yellow beets, as the red seemed a little harsh with the sage.  The recipe is very straight forward and simple, but I would make a few changes.  I would add a little more flour, as the dough was VERY sticky.  I would make the individual gnocchi smaller next time too, to be prettier in the presentation.  I took the sage from the Butter Sauce, broke it up with my fingers and added to the top of each dish.  When I added a tiny bit of freshly grated Reggiano Parmesano it burst into lusciousness.  What a yummy dinner with a simple Arugula (had left over) and mixed greens said, dressed with Champagne vinegar and EVOO.  Not the most diet dinner, but surely was tasty.  Enjoy the recipe.

Beet Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

For the gnocchi
  • 1 lb. red beets (about 3 medium), trimmed ( I used yellow)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 11-oz. russet potato, whole and unpeeled
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose flour; more as needed
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
For the sauce
  • 4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter
  • 10 large fresh sage leaves or 20 small leaves
  • Kosher salt
Make the dough

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F.

Put the beets in a baking dish, season lightly with salt and pepper, drizzle with the oil, and add 1/4 cup water to the dish. Cover with foil and roast until easily pierced with a skewer, 45 to 60 minutes. (Alternatively, roast the beets in a heavy-duty foil packet on a rimmed baking sheet.) When cool enough to handle, peel and cut the beets into chunks.

Cover the potato with about 1 inch of water in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a gentle boil, and cook until easily pierced with a skewer, 35 to 40 minutes. Drain and let cool briefly. Peel the potato as soon as you can handle it. Pass the potato through a ricer into a large bowl, spreading it out to help any steam escape.

Combine the beets, egg, and yolk in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to the bowl of still-warm potatoes. Add the flour, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and the nutmeg, and mix gently with your fingers until the dough comes together; it will be sticky. Add more flour, 1 Tbs. at a time, until soft but not sticky.

Shape the gnocchi

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment and dust well with flour. Lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the flour and gently flatten it by hand or by lightly rolling with a rolling pin until about 3/4 inch thick. If the dough is sticky, lightly dust the top with flour, too.

With a floured bench scraper or a knife, cut the dough into strips from 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. With your hands, roll and lengthen the strips until about 1/2 inch in diameter. Using the bench scraper, cut the logs into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces (size is up to you).

If you want to give the gnocchi ridges, use the side of your thumb to gently roll each piece down the length of a gnocchi board or the tines of a fork, while simultaneously pressing lightly on the dough. (A fork will produce gnocchi with more pronounced ridges than a gnocchi board.)

Arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, making sure they don’t touch. If not cooking the gnocchi right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Even better, freeze the gnocchi right on the baking sheet until hard. (Frozen gnocchi are easier to handle than fresh and hold their shape better.)

Make the sauce

Combine the butter and sage in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell toasty, about 10 minutes. Remove the sage leaves. (If you like, reserve them to serve over the finished gnocchi; leave small ones whole, but crumble large ones.) Season the sauce lightly with salt, and keep warm.

Cook and serve the gnocchi

Have the sauce ready and warm on the stove. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat to just below the boil. Add the gnocchi and cook, stirring once, until they float to the surface, 1 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or similar utensil to transfer them to a bowl as they cook.

Gently toss the gnocchi with enough sauce to coat well, garnish with the reserved sage leaves, if you like, and serve immediately.

Make Ahead Tips

You can freeze the shaped, uncooked gnocchi for up to 1 month. Once frozen rock solid on the baking sheets, transfer them to freezer bags and return to the freezer. Cook as directed without thawing.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : 1 portion of gnocchi plus 1 Tbs. sauce, Calories (kcal): 570, Fat Calories (kcal): 350, Fat (g): 40, Saturated Fat (g): 22, Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2, Monounsaturated Fat (g): 13, Cholesterol (mg): 150, Sodium (mg): 645, Carbohydrates (g): 46, Fiber (g): 3, Sugar (g): 4, Protein (g): 8

Gnocchi Tonight