Author: Robert Andrews

Bruschetta

All of these are served on top of a French Bread or Bauguette sliced on the bias (angle) and toasted until it just starts to turn brown.

Caprese

  • Tomato, slice of mozzarella, topped with a basil leaf or black olive
  • Drizzle with EVOO at serving time

Caramelized Red Onion

  • Caramelize slivers of red onion in EVOO, then spread marscapone and prosciutto. Top with fig and red onion

Goat Cheese and Pear

  • Spread goat cheese and top with wedges or thin slices of pear. Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar glaze

Burnt Mozzarella

  • Shave whole-milk mozzarella over sliced bread. Cover bread completely, then broil about 60 seconds to melt the cheese. Top with pesto

Olive Tapenade

  • Variety of pitted olives roughly chopped, then mixed with a sprinkle of anise seed, Greek oregano, red pepper and EVOO. Top with aged balsamic vinegar

Brie

  • A thin slice of brie with a few capers or slices of persimmon

 

Here are some more ideas:

  • Goat Cheese and Smoked Salmon
  • Sauteed Spinach with Bacon
  • Cream Cheese and Pomegranate
  • Cream Cheese w/ Onion and Caper
  • Goat Cheese and Raspberry Jam
  • Goat Cheese with Cherries
  • Feta Cheese topped with Cucumber
  • Sliced Ham with Apricots or Figs
  • Salami with Dijon Mustard
  • Parmesan and Grilled Peppers
  • Spinach Pesto and Sardines

The ideas are nearly limitless.
Don’t be afraid to experiment.

 

Sukiyaki

This is NOT traditional sukiyaki, this is just what I do.

  • 1/2 C soy sauce
  • 1/2 C sake
  • 1/2 C mirin
  • 1/4 C sugar

Bring to a boil

  • Cut beef or pork very thinly – almost shaved
  • In a large cast iron skillet saute mushrooms, leek strips, and cabbage – keep separate
  • Once sauteed, push them to the side so that the center of the skillet is open
  • Add firm tofu and rice noodles – push them to the side
    – You should have five things to the side, with the center open
  • Cook the thin meat briefly and then top everything with the sauce, but mostly the meat
  • Bring up the heat so that parts of it are simmering, then serve family style

Pasta Brief

Durum Wheat Pasta

  • Southern Italian
  • South Dakota – So close you can’t tell
    • Florence Gormet, Inc

CLICK HERE FOR ANOTHER TAKE ON
COOKING PASTA FROM SCRATCH

Tips

  • Keep pasta from air, light, and weevils.  Store in a plastic airtight container.
  • Cook small pastas in a stock pot covering with 1 inch of water
  • Cook long pasta in a 12 inch skillet
  • Reserve liquid for soup thickeners or Cacio e Pepe
    • Mix 2 TBL black pepper
    • 3.5 oz (100 gm) Pecorina Romano grated cheese
    • 50 gm grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1/3 C EVOO
      • Stir with a wooden spoon to create a paste
    • Add 2 oz starchy water and mix to combine (about 3/4 C total)
      • Whisk slowly to combine
    • Add spaghetti pasta and stir for 2 full minutes
    • Finish with 2 TBL Pecorino Romano
    • Add 1/2  more black pepper

Making your Own Pasta

Semolina flour, salt, eggs – and then EVOO – not too much

  • Approx 100 gm 00 semolina flour per egg
  • Approx 2 C flour for 3 eggs
  • Add 2 TBL EVOO (mostly on hands)
  1. Make nest of flour and salt mixture
  2. Oil your hands
  3. Add eggs into the well
  4. Mix with hands to combine
  5. Bench knife until it starts to come together
  6. Keep hands oiled
  7. Add another egg yolk if necessary
  8. Drizzle water if necessary, but it will probably be OK
  9. If too sticky, add a bit more flour
  10. Knead on floured surface with oiled hands until it becomes springy
  11. Roll into a thick rope, and wrap in plastic for 30 minutes – This is a must
  12. Cut into equal sized pieces, depending on how you will use the pasta
    • Golf ball sized pieces is a good size if you are going to cut strips manually,
    • Tennis ball sized if you will put them through a roller
  13. Roll, fold, repeat about 8 times
  14. Cut and flour
  15. Let dry for about an hour
  16. Cook in large pot of boiling water
  17. Only needs to cook 3-5 minutes

Types of Pasta

  • Lasagna Noodles About 2 inches wide
  • Pappardelle About 1 inch wide
  • Tagliatelli ½ inch wide
  • Fettuccini ¼ inch wide
  • Linguini 1/8 inch wide
  • Spaghetti 1/16 inch wide
  • Angel Hair 1/32 inch wide

Pasta will last a long time, but keep it in a dark airtight container

Five Shapes

  • Strings
    • Vermicelli
    • Spaghetti
    • Capellini
    • Fedelini
  • Ribbons
    • Linguini
    • Fettucini
    • Tagliatelle
    • Bavetti
  • Tubes
    • Penne Rigata
    • Tubetti
    • Zitti
    • Rigatoni
    • Tortiglioni
    • Mostaccioli
  • Shapes
    • Dischetti
    • Fusili
    • Farfalle
    • Orchiette
    • Radiatore
  • Micro Pasta
    • Orzo
    • Pastina

Preparing Pasta

  • Dry pasta – is essentially already cooked
    1. Put into a pan or skillet.
    2. Cover with a asmall amount of cold water- just to cover by an inch
    3. Add 1 TBL salt Bring to a boil
    4. Remove the lid, give it a quick stir, and simmer only 8-10 minutes
    5. Pull out pasta with a strainer or tongs
    6. KEEP pasta water, thicken or finish sauces with pasta water
  • For Spaghetti, use a 12 inch sautee pan, lay noodles flat , barely cover, bring to a boil, add salt

Serving Suggestion

  • Serve hot pasta on top of EVOO and minced garlic
  • Top with grated cheese, sundried tomatoes, black pepper

 

 

Homemade Pasta

Homemade Pasta
2 C White flour in food processor
1 egg plus 1 tbl EVOO
Blend
Drizzle water until it starts to come together

If too sticky, add a bit more flour
Knead util it becomes springy
Wrap in plastic for 30 minutes

Roll and cut into racquetball sized balls
Roll, fold, repeat about 8 times
Cut and flour
Let dry for about an hour
Cook in large pot of boiling water
Only needs to cook 3-5 minutes

Lydia’s Pasta (and Cannelloni)

Pasta
3 C flour
3 eggs . Separated . one white and four egg yolks.
. Keep two egg whites for an omelet in the morning
1 TBL oil
1 TBL salted butter
Salt

Put into Kitchen Aid
Mix on high
Put in water till it comes together
Mix on low for 10 more minutes

Knead and form into ball
Wrap in plastic
Fridge for 30 minutes to relax

See Cannelloni Recipe

This recipe is transcribed and adapted from Lidia’s Italy

To run through pasta machine you will need to roll, fold, flour, repeat, repeat, repeat .. About 10 times on widest setting.
You will notice pasta becoming less crumbly.
At this point step down pasta thickness, one number at a time, for desired thickness.

Once pasta dough is

#####

4 C flour
4 eggs
4 tsp (1 TBL, plus) EVOO
Pinch salt
Blend in food processor
Drizzle in water until it starts to come together

Take out and finish forming by hand
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1/2 hour

Let warm, then roll through pasta machine many times on thickest setting
Near end roll to thin sheets
Cut corners off to square up
Cut into squares
Put between sheets of dry kitchen towels
Cook in hot salted water for a few seconds
Put into ice water, then to wet tea towels

—————–

Cannelloni filling
Ground pork
Carrots, celery, salt
Start meat . Add other ingredients
Incorporate
Create hot spot for onions, rosemary,
Incorporate
Create hot spot for tomato paste
Incorporate
Deglaze with good white wine
Add stock to make a little runny and loose
Simmer 1/2 hour to reduce
Add blanched and squeeze-dried spinach
Let cool

Finish stuffing
Add ham, parsley, grated parm/reg, lemon zest

Béchamel Sauce
Butter
When all melted, add flour
Brown, don’t burn
Add hot milk
Whisk until smooth
Bay leaf, white pepper, nutmeg
Grated cheese

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Grandpa’s Banana Ginger Bread

INGREDIENTS FOR TWO SMALL LOAVES

FIRST BOWL:

  • 1/4 CU softened margarine
  • 1/4 CU white granulated sugar
  • 1/4 CU brown sugar
  • 1 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 TSP lemon juice
  • 1-2 over-ripe bananas – mashed

SECOND BOWL:

  • 1/2 CU white flour
  • 1/2 CU wheat flour
  • 1/4 CU spelt (optional)
  • or 1/4 CU more white flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 TBL granulated ginger – chopped
  • NOTE: I prefer to pulse the ginger with a bit of the sugar to make small chunks of ginger.

STEP BY STEP
1. Preheat oven to 350º F
2. IN FIRST (LARGE) BOWL – – Cream butter and sugars together
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each egg
4. Mix in mashed bananas, vanilla, and lemon juice
5. IN SECOND BOWL sift and mix all dry ingredients together and add ginger
6. Add dry mixture to first bowl, stir to moisten. Do not over-mix.
7. Transfer to greased loaf pans (or pans lined with wax paper)
8. Lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top, and bake 60 minutes.
9. Remove foil after baking 60 minutes, and continue to bake for 15 more minutes.
10. Let stand ten minutes before removing from pan
11. Place released loaf on cake rack to cool
This will make TWO 2½ x 4½ baking dishes

Options:
1. Replace the ginger with chopped walnuts
2. Add raisins, dates, or dried cranberries rather (or in addition to) the ginger
3. We like to add ¼ C raw oatmeal to ours, and cut back on the wheat flour a bit

Three Christmas Treats

from Chef Chris Nicosia from Sassi Restaurant

Nutella No-egg Dessert

INGREDIENTS

  • 250 gm whole milk
  • 250 gm Nutella
  • 250 gm cream (heat to scald)
  • 1 TBL gelatin

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix milk and Nutella
  2. Heat cream in separate pot
  3. Add gelatin to cream and mix
  4. Pour cream into Nutella mixture blending as you pour
  5. Pour into glasses and let it set overnight uncovered
  6. Once cooled, you can cover it

Amaretti Cookie

  • 8 oz Almond Paste – Dried (in a can)
  • 1 C Sugar
  • Incorporate in Kitchen Aid
  • 2 egg whites
  • Blend till smooth
  • Put into piping bag
  • Lightly greased pan with wax paper
  • Put buckeye sized dollops
  • 375º for 8-10 minutes
  • Cook till they start to brown

Spinchi – Ricotta Fritters

  • 1 LB ricotta
  • 4 eggs
  • Mix above
  • 1/4 C sugar
  • Cake flour
  • Baking powder
  • AP flour
  • Vanilla
  • stir
  • Put little drops into 365º oil

Get amounts from YourLifeAZ

Spanish Style Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 Russet potatoes
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda

STEP BY STEP

  1. Wash and dry four potatoes
  2. Optional: Peel potatoes
  3. Cut into one inch segments
  4. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil
  5. Add 1 salt and baking soda to the water
  6. Add potatoes and bring pot back to a full boil
  7. Turn off heat and let potatoes simmer in the hot water two minutes
  8. Strain potatoes from water – discard the water
  9. Dump potatoes onto a clean towel and let air dry for 30 minutes
  10. Return to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 TBL EVOO
  11. Add 1 TBL large grain kosher salt and toss until coated
  12. Pour onto a baking pan and let rest 30 more minutes
  13. Heat up 3 C canola oil to 375º
  14. Add potatoes all at once
  15. This will reduce oil temperature, but that’s OK
    Do not reduce heat on the oil, you want it eventually to start frying
  16. Cook 25 minutes from the time you add them
  17. Remove to a paper towel to drain
  18. Sprinkle with salt while they are still warm
  19. Serve with a side of dipping sauce

Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

  1. Microplane two cloves of garlic
  2. Heat up 1 TBL EVOO in a pan to medium low heat
  3. Heat 2 TBL tomato paste till it starts to break down
  4. Push the tomato paste to the side and add a splash more oil in the clear space
  5. Add garlic and 1 tsp sweet paprika to the oil
  6. Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp powdered cayenne pepper
  7. Mix cayenne 20 seconds, then mix all ingredients together
  8. Add 1/4 C water and 1/4 C chicken stock and whisk all together
  9. Bring up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer
  10. Let simmer 5 minutes
  11. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tsp white wine
  12. Put into bowl and set aside to finish cooling
  13. Add 2 TBL Miracle Whip salad dressing

 

 

 

Beginner Pork Chops

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 TBS Vegetable oil
  • 4 pork chops
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
  • ½ CU water

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heat oil in skillet
  2. Cook chops until browned
  3. Add soup and water – heat to boil
  4. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes

This is also good with other soups:
– Roasted Garlic and Herbs
– Minnestrone
– Onion Soup

Grandma’s Mac and Cheese

2016-03-02 18.07.26Ingredients to feed 6 or 12 people

  • 2 C large elbow macaroni
  • 1 C sour cream
  • 1 C shredded Colby – mixed in
  • 2 C shredded Colby – for topping

Grandma likes to use 1 C coarsely chopped black olives when she makes this, but you can leave the olives out if you don’t like them.

Put in whatever
you want. You can
use bell peppers,
green chilies,
artichoke hearts…
whatever !		 Optional Roux
1. In a saucepan, melt 2 TBL
butter over medium heat.
2. Stir in 2 TBL flour to make a roux.
3. Add 1 C milk to roux a splash at a time,
stirring constantly.
4. Stir in cheese, and cook over low heat
until cheese melts and the sauce thickens.
* This will replace Step 3 below.

Step by Step

  1. Cook the macaroni to taste
  2. Drain macaroni and put into large mixing bowl
  3. Mix together 1 C cheese and 1 C sour cream
  4. Add 1 C chopped black olives
  5. Stir macaroni and cheese mixture together
  6. Grease casserole dish
  7. Pour mixture into baking dish, and pat it down
  8. Top with as much shredded Colby as will fit in the casserole
  9. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes
  10. Let rest five minutes before serving

Oh, one more thing…

  • Serves 6 as a main course or up to 12 when served as a side

Hummus

Soak 2 cups of dried chickpeas in cold water over night. Yes you can use
canned chickpeas, but it won’t taste as good.

The next day, boil the chickpeas for about 1 hour or until they can be
squished between two fingers.

Drain the chickpeas of water.
Freeze half to use to make humus two weeks later, because that is how ofter
you should be eating humus … at least!

The other half throw into a food processor with:

1. The juice of 3 lemons
2. 4 table spoon of tahini sauce
3. Two cloves of garlic
4. bit of olive oil
5. cumin
6. salt

Mix for 2 minutes

Serve on a flat plate and garnish with olive oil, parsely and cumin.
Present it with pita bread.

Now that you have your hummus, you need to learn how to eat it.

Stuffed eggplant

  • Cut eggplant into 1/4-/2 inch slices lengthwise
  • Leave skin
  • Lay on baking sheet
  • Drizzle with EVOO salt and pepper
  • Bake at 450° for 10 minutes

Filling

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese or cottage
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup Parm cheese
  • Dried parsley
  • Chili flakes
  • 1 egg
  • 1 table flour
  • This is open to any other stuffing that you might want to use
  1. Large dollop of filling on wide end of eggplant
  2. Rolled into cannelloni
  3. Put 1/4 C marinara sauce in bottom of small ramekin
  4. Place in Marinara sauce

 

A Bit about FLOUR

A Bit about FLOUR

Rye / Whole Grain Rye
Strong flavor. Pair with other strong flavors
Eg thin crispy butter cookies with chopped candied orange peel, ginger and rye
Eg Rye brownies with dark chocolate
Eg Rye crumb toppings

Buckwheat
Strong nutty flavor. Pair with any recipe using nuts, Italian style cakes. Not with chocolates, but ok with other nuts

Khorasan Wheat Flour / Kamut Flour
Like very fine polenta with a bit of a crunch; Good with milk chocolate or cheese

Almond Flour
Eg Use with almonds, pecans or walnuts

Spelt
Almost like regular flour. A more natural flour . Add Xanthan Gum or gluten
More nuttiness and bitterness than AP

Polenta FLOUR
Similar to AP. good with nuts eg muffins

Gluten Free
Bread Flour
Rice
All Purpose

For cookies and cakes, etc., do not sub grain flours . Less gluten

Grain flours have less gluten and tend to be drier. Increase liquids. Not for lighter products such as croissants

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions

Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions

Mujaddara from 13th Century Mesopotamia

One pound of Vadallia onions . Sliced
Toss in 1 tsp salt
Microwave 3 minutes

Yogurt Sauce
1/2 C plain yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 TBL lemon juice
Mix and refrigerate

Rinse salt off onions
Dry well in a lint free cloth
Add to 3/4 C cold vegetable oil in Dutch oven
Cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes

3/4 C brown or green CLEANED lentils
3/4 C basmati CLEANED rice
Let rice soak in hot tap water 15 minutes

Par cook the lentils in 2 C water with 1 tsp salt
Simmer 15 minutes

Drain onions in colander, reserving oil
Drain on a paper towel

Rinse ALL starch from rice
Strain well

Add 2 TBL onion oil back to skillet
2 cloves minced garlic,
1/2 tsp each cumin and coriander
Large pinches of cinnamon and allspice
Small pinches black pepper and cayenne
Bloom spices
Add rice and cook about 3 minutes
Add 1 1/4 C hot tap water
1/2 tsp each salt and sugar
Bring to rapid boil
Add lentils and reduce heat to low
Cover and cook 12 minutes

Verify liquid is absorbed
Cover with cloth towel gasket, recover, and set off heat for 10 minutes
Fluff with a fork
Add 2 TBL chopped cilantro
1/2 of the cooked onions
Fluff together with fork
Serve topped with the other onions
Drizzle with yogurt sauce

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Ten Probiotic Foods You should Try

Ten Probiotic Foods You should Try

Curtido . El Salvador
Fermented salsa with cabbage, onions, chilies and other veggies served on corn tortillas

Kvass . Russia
Fermented grain drink – yeast, brown bread beers and carrots,and water

Sauerkraut .
Cabbage, salt and water

Aged Cheese .
Roquefort and gruyere

Kombucha . China
A type of soda . Raw with no added sugar

Kimchi . Korea
Napa cabbage, chilies, ginger, fish sauce

Pickles .
Not pasteurized in white vinegar, but fermented in brine . In the refrigerator section

Miso . Japanese
Seasoned soybean paste – try stirring it into rice

Kefir . Eurasia
Fermented milk beverage

Fermented green beans, cauliflower and beets
Should say non pasteurized, naturally fermented, or contains live cultures

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

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